Elternbrief
Issue: 310                          
January 4, 2018 
In This Issue

Quick Links
TCGIS Online Calendar

Upcoming Events


Jan. 8: After School Activities Begin

Jan. 15: Martin Luther King Jr. Day - NO SCHOOL

Jan. 26: Teacher Grading Day - NO SCHOOL
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Administrative Information
Happy New  Year 2018

Greetings from the German Consulate General in the Mid west

Dear TCGIS Community,
I am writing this letter to you today to thank you all for what you d o. My task as a German diplomat is to strengthen German-American relations, but your work serves much the same function: you cultivate in your students an understanding and appre ciation in another culture in the hopes they will later travel and conduct business  in Germany, read German and get to deeply know native speakers of the language. Your work is crucial, and I applaud you for what you do. 

Best wishes,
Herbert Quelle
Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany 
After School Activities start Next Week!

This is a reminder that after school activities start next week! The activities run from 3:30-4:30 and all students will be brought to the foyer at the end of the class. If you are picking your child/ren up from the activity, you must come to the foyer and check out with their instructor. Please contact Lauren Kalish at lkalish@tcgis.org if you have any questions. 
Summer Camp

In the previous years our language Sommercamps have been offered during the last three weeks of July. We are considering to move the three weeks period time frame into August this summer and would love to get feedback from you about this option.
 
Please take one minute to answer the two questions in this  survey.
Transition to High School Parent Panel Night

Sixth, Seventh & Eighth Grade Parents  - January 17 6:30-8:30pm
panel of graduated families will share their experience in transitioning from TCGIS to high school. Several High Schools are represented at this PTO sponsored evening, including; Mounds View, Southwest, South, Upper Mississippi Academy, Central and Johnson. 
Please RSVP here

On  February 1st, TCGIS will host an evening with Central High School's Principal, German Teacher and Math Teacher. More info to come!

Puzzlers Needed 

Are you a puzzler? Do you enjoy creative word smithing?  Do you have an acronym for remembering everything? Or do people laugh at your puns?  Then we have a competition for you!

Currently our school has three behavior expectations: Sicherheit (Safety), Verantwortung (Responsibility), Respekt (Respect).  We want you to come u p with a catchphrase using each first letter of our 3 behavior expectations: S, V, R.  Please submit your acrostic to  pbis@tcgis.org  by  January 31st .  The winner will be announced at the Carnival of Cultures on  February 22nd .
The examples below may bring some inspiration!  The first is from Wyoming Elementary School in Forest Lake, Minnesota, notice their u s e and prominence  of the school mascot.

Feel free to bring any ideas forward! 
Thank you for your time and support,
The PBIS Leadership Team

Host an Intern 
We NEED 30 Host Families for Next Year  and ONLY have 3

Now is the time to apply to become a host family for the next school year. Options are available for fall semester & spring semester hosting or for full-year arrangements. Hosting a TCGIS intern from Germany, Austria or Switzerland can be a valuable experience for your family and expand the horizons of your children forever!  

Click here to find out more about our intern program!  Have any questions? Contact  Tina Haarbusch. Already sold and excited to host?  Click here to sign up by  February 1, 2018
Wintermarkt- Entrepreneur's Day 2017

Thank you so much to all of you who came to the 2017 TCGIS Winter Market yesterday to see the work of our 5th and 6th grade entrepreneurs! We were very impressed with the variety, creativity, and quality of the products this year, and very proud of the students project & event management skills. A huge shout out to Herr Liesner and Herr Dr. Tabisz for making Social Studies so fun and hands-on.


Brr...It's Cold Outside!

Winter has arrived! Each student must have these 5 (five) items to enjoy warm outdoor play.
  1. Boots
  2. Snowpants
  3. Jacket
  4. Hat
  5. Gloves/mittens
All students go outside (barring health concerns) for recess. We use the NWS chart in the link below to determine whether students are outside or inside for recess. Feel free to read our  Cold Weather Recess, Cancellation Policy, including tips for staying warm outdoors.

Please make sure your student has these items so they can stay warm and dry outside. 
PTO Announcements
PTO Announcements

Urban Forage Winery Outings 
Join other parents in your grade this January. Check out the  PTO calendar to find your class date. 

Find more info in the PTO December newsletter.
GAI Announcements
GAI Announcements

ONLINE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR SPRING CLASSES! 
Click HERE for more information about Adult Classes
Click HERE for Samstagsschule for Kids & Teens.

SCHNUPPERKURS - Indroduction to German
Are you interested in learning German, but you are not sure what to expect? Join us for a 2-hour Introduction to German. The course will be taught by one of native language instructors. You will learn a few basic German words and phrases in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.
Click   HERE  for more information and to register

Jacob Schmidt Brewery History Exhibit
December 1, 2017-January 19, 2018
Germanic-American Institute (GAI) second floor gallery
Open during GAI office hours and special events 

Don't miss this special exhibit for Minnesota history buffs and beer lovers! On view are historical pictures and artifacts from the Schmidt Brewing Company, one of the largest Germany breweries in Minnesota. Curated by Phil Gagne, the last Brewmaster of Schmidt, and Dave Davis. Items on view will range from the years 1901 to 2002. In conjunction with the exhibit, Phil Gagne and collector Dave Davis will present Talk about Beer: The History of Jacob Schmidt Brewery on January 13 at 5 p.m. Registration required.