Elternbrief
Issue: 197
April 16, 2015
In This Issue

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April 23: Board Meeting

April 24: PTO Game Night

April 26: 8th Grade Departs to Germany

April 26-30: 6th Grade Trip to Biohaus

April 30-May 3: Festival of Nations

May 1: K-8 Social Hour & Kaffeeklatsch

May 4-8: Teacher Appreciation Week

May 4-8: Scholastic Book Fair

May 15: School Board Elections

May 16: Grand Opening

 

 

Volunteer!
Learn more about the volunteer opportunities at TCGIS.


Administrative Information
Meet the School Board Candidates
 
We need your vote! School Board elections are less than a month away. Between now and then we are offering the opportunity for you to "Meet the Candidates". Since a charter school board is the legally responsible entity of the school, your careful consideration and vote matter!

There will be a special "Meet the Candidates" meeting held jointly by PTO and the TCGIS School Board on Thursday, April 30 at 6:30pm. Interview questions are now being accepted by tcgispto@gmail.com until Friday, April 24. These will be provided to the candidates at the start of the meeting. Look for more information in the coming days. 
May Lunch Orders Are Out! 

Please find the attached May lunch order form as well as the gluten free  order form. Please return lunch and milk orders no later than April 20. Thank you!
Share Your TCGIS Pictures With Us

In preparation for the 10 Year Anniversary Celebration on May 16, we are collecting memories of TCGIS. UMN students are collecting and compiling stories and pictures to create story-boards for the event and they need your pictures!

 

We're looking for pictures in the following categories:

  • All three school buildings (Eustis Ave, University Ave, Como Ave)
  • Bake sales, garages sales, plant sales, Maskenball
  • Parent volunteers in action 
  • Capstone trip
  • School fairs, school tours, etc.
  • Founding mothers Mary-Fred Bausmann-Watkins and Marcy Zachmeier-Ruh
  • First TCGIS logo

Send us your TCGIS pictures to celebration@tcgis.org by April 24! For questions, please contact Janice Cowan at cowan039@umn.edu. Click image to enlarge.   

Help Shape the TCGIS Volunteer Program

To influence volunteerism at TCGIS in the fall, volunteer in the spring!
  • Sign-up here to attend a focus group with other parents/guardians to share your input on what the TCGIS volunteer program should look like in the future. (Sorry, no childcare available for either focus group session).
    • Friday, April 24, 8:45 - 10:45 a.m. Bagels and coffee will be served.
    • Tuesday, May 5, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Pizza will be served.
  • Can't make it to one of the meetings? We still want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and concerns regarding volunteerism at TCGIS here
  • This spring we are piloting volunteer opportunities so we can evaluate what works and what needs to be tweaked to be successful. Learn more about the new or retooled volunteer opportunities here.
Missed the message about National Volunteer Week? Here it is again. Thank you all past, current, and future volunteers! Please send questions or comments to volunteers@tcgis.org.
TCGIS 10 Year Anniversary Program Ad Sales

 Purchase an ad for the 10 Year Anniversary Celebration program!
  • Promote your business, organization or event
  • Honor a (current or alumni) student, staff, or volunteer
  • Recognize your favorite teacher!

Click here for more information. Entries due April 24!

Host an Amity Intern!
 
Click here to learn more, ask questions, and to request a conversation with a current or past host family about their own experiences. Applications can be found here and are due to Isabel Vollenweider by April 30, 2015.
 
Please consider hosting an Amity intern next school-year, supporting the school and creating an intercultural experience within your own home!   
Join Us for the K-8 Social Hour and Kaffeeklatsch!
Friday, May 1, 2015

Join us on Friday, May 1 for our combined K-8 Social Hour and PTO Kaffeeklatsch!
  • 7:50-8:15am - parents/guardians gather in classrooms to visit with teachers and interns
  • 8:15-8:30am - adults quietly observe Morning Circle
  • 8:30-9:30am - gather in the Commons for coffee and parent/guardian connection
We hope to see you there! 
Sports, Sports, Sports! Throw Your Hat in the Ring!
 
TCGIS is looking to throw, kick, and dribble its way into the middle school sports world!  A committee is forming to explore potential sports, facility spaces, and schools to compete against for the 2015-16 school year. If you are interested in serving on this exploratory committee, please contact Jeff Horton at jhorton@tcgis.org.  
Two Weeks Left for the Food Drive
 
Please bring in the "super six" items: cereal, peanut butter, canned tuna, canned fruits and vegetables, canned stews and soup, and pasta/rice/beans. Our goal is to collect 500 pounds of food and we need your help and support to reach this! Drop off locations 
German Events in the Community 
Maifest at the Glockenspiel
Saturday, May 2, 2015
 
Happy Spring! Partake in some traditional German fun with the whole family on Saturday, May 2 at the Glockenspiel. The festivities start at 11am -- come early and stay late. Click the image for more information. 
Register Today for Waldsee Fest
Sunday, April 26, 1:30-4:30pm

Join Waldsee, the German village at Concordia Language Villages on Sunday, April 26 from 1:30-4:30pm at the GAI. Play some games, eat some food, and win some prizes! The biggest prize is a partial scholarship to the high school credit program this summer! Register here today, and click the image to enlarge.
Let's Get Kicking! An Invitation for all TCGIS Parents

  The German American Chamber of Commerce is organizing a German-French soccer game next month. We need more players for the German side. Any TCGIS parents would be welcome, though you should expect this game to be mostly experienced players. We've played the French in the past and it's always a competitive match! The details are still in the works, with a potential game date of May 16 or May 23. Contact Christian Engelbrecht at the German American Chamber of Commerce if interested.
GAI
GAI Announcement

Basteltag: Mother's Day Cards & Crafts
Join us on Saturday, April 25 at 11am (after Kaffeestube). Perfect for dads and kids, this Basteltag (Craft Day) is two weeks before Mother's Day; make a card and decorate wooden hearts together in time to give them to Mutti. Moms are welcome too! The cost is $10 and includes craft supplies and a snack. Click here to register today!  
PTO

PTO Announcement

 

Find out what's going on in the PTO. Click HERE to read more about:

  • SPRING STRUDEL AND PLANT ONLINE SALE - NOW OPEN!
  • PTO Game Night -- Friday, April 24
  • PTO Special Meeting: Meet the School Board Candidates
  • Teacher Appreciation Week - Volunteers Needed

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