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Getting Ready for the 2019-20 School Year
Even though it's still officially summer vacation, we are excited to share with you a lot of information about the new school year. This Elternbrief may be one of the longest you'll receive all year - you may want to grab a refreshing beverage and settle in!
While there is a lot of information in this edition, there is so much more we have to tell you! Next week we will send all families detailed emails about the following topics:
- Monday: Class Lists
- Tuesday: Arrival and Dismissal Procedures and Map
- Wednesday: Video message from Ted Anderson, Executive Director, and Julie Alkatout, School Board President
- Thursday: Information about how lunch, recess and Sport will proceed this year
We are excited to welcome your family at TCGIS this year! Happy reading!
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Construction Update
This week temporary walls were completed in the main foyer and downstairs at the entrance to the former cafeteria to separate the school interior from the construction.
Demolition operations are moving forward as planned. The demo company, Veit, is selectively demoing sections of the old building to allow for a safe separation of the two structures. We anticipate most of the structure will be down by the end of next week.
Andy Nesset
TCGIS Building Manager
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Safety and Security Update
Cameras
We are currently updating our existing interior security cameras and are preparing to install exterior security cameras soon.
Installing exterior cameras was already planned for this school year, but we would like to expedite the installation. To do this, w
e are seeking volunteers with low-voltage experience (ie. data cables) or electricians who could help us connect and install exterior cameras sooner rather than later. Please
email Andy Nesset
, Building Manager, if you are able to assist with this.
School Building Access
As in past years, all of the school doors will remain locked throughout the school day. A recent and important change is that the front doors are now locked
at the playground level. All guests who arrive during the school day will need to ring the doorbell from the playground level and will be asked for their name and the purpose of their visit before being let in to the entryway.
Ongoing Cooperation
As has been the case for several weeks, Administration continues to be in close and regular contact with local law enforcement regarding safety and security. All concerning online comments have been forwarded to law enforcement who is taking our situation seriously. We will have police presence on campus for Back to School night and at the start of school, and expect regular attention from the West District patrols.
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School Board Announcements
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Meet the Board at Back to School Night
TCGIS Board members will be at Back to School Night. Stop by our table to meet
and visit with us, pick up your Volunteer Recognition Certificate if you were recognized at the June or July board meetings, and purchase a TCGIS All are Welcome Here sign or TCGIS car magnet as school spirit fundraisers.
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Board Hosting Breakfast for Staff Workshop Aug. 19th
The board is excited to host breakfast for staff on Monday, the first day that all new and returning teachers will be spending together. We look forward to connecting with teachers at the start of the school year over Kaffee and Streuselgebäck.
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Upcoming Board and Committee Meetings
Board and committee meetings are open for anyone to attend. Please check the
online school calendar for any meeting changes. Board meetings are also viewable on
YouTube.
- Finance Committee - August 20, 6:30 pm, Room 99
- Executive Committee - August 21, 6:30 pm, Room 100
- Board meeting - August 28, 6:30 pm, Room 100
- Fundraising and Development Committee - Sept. 3, 8:15am, Room 308
- Governance Committee - Sept. 9, 3:30pm, Room 99
- Facilities Committee - Sept. 10, 6:00pm, Room 100
You're invited to help the board with its work! Attend a meeting and see how you can contribute. To share thoughts, feedback and ideas in between meetings, the best way to reach the board is via email at
board@tcgis.org
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Back to School Night: Thursday, August 22
Join us next Thursday for a fun and exciting back-to-school night here at TCGIS from 6:30-8:00pm!
Come meet your child(ren)'s teachers and interns, drop off school supplies, learn about the PTO, Parent Council, and other volunteer opportunities, grab a calendar, and reconnect with friends! (Teacher assignments will be communicated to families on Monday, Aug. 19.)
Construction at our school will limit some of the space we are used to having for Back to School Night, so we are making adjustments that we hope still ensure a celebratory, productive and fun back-to-school night for students, families and staff!
We look forward to seeing you August 22!
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Arrival and Dismissal Updates
Now that construction work has officially begun on campus, we are finalizing new routes and procedures for arrival and dismissal. Next week we will email all families a detailed map and explanation for arrival and dismissal procedures for this school year.
Car Drop-off/Pick-up
If you plan to drive your child(ren) to school, whether you drop-off and pick-up curbside or via Walking Pick-up,
or if your children will ride in a carpool,
please complete this short survey by this Sunday, Aug. 18. Your feedback helps us better understand the frequency and density of our student population that arrives and leaves school by car.
Bussing
We will have 4 buses bringing approximately 260 students to/from school.
Next Tuesday we will email all bussing families these updated forms: Walker Permission Form, the School Bus Behavior Agreement; and Bus Donation Authorization form with which to make monthly ACH payments (bussing cannot be paid for in Boonli).
The bus company we use, CSTMN, will be mailing postcards with family-specific bus information to all registered families on Monday.
If you still need bus service for your child and did not register using the form in previous Elternbriefe, please email Nicole Sveen.
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Returning Students: 2019-20 Registration Process
It's time to review and update your students' registration information in PowerSchool. Please log in to PowerSchool and click the
Ecollect Forms tab on the left. Only paperwork titled "Annual Student Registration" is required for review. You do NOT need to complete any "New Student Registration" paperwork.
The forms you should
review and update for your returning student are:
E - Student Health Information
F - TCGIS Media/Directory Release
G - Neighborhood Walk Permission
H - Field Trip Medical Form
Q - Consent and Acknowledgment
Even if you have already submitted the form in a previous school year, please take the time to make any necessary changes or updates for your student.
If contact information for your child needs updating, please fill out the T - Student Contacts form. Otherwise ignore all New Student Registration Paperwork.
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NEW Students: 2019-20 Registration Process
For all new student families, please remember to submit your Ecollect forms on the PowerSchool website. To make sure we have your current, accurate contact information,
please double check you have filled out and submitted the T - Student Contacts form. (The form will read "pending" after submission because it requires staff approval.)
If you have not done so already, please make sure to submit online in PowerSchool, via email, or at Back to School Night, your child's:
- vaccination records
- birth certificate
- early childhood screening
Thank you!
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7th Grade Vaccination Recods
If your child is entering 7th grade, please submit their vaccination records by the first day of school: Monday, August 26th.
Records can be submitted via:
- upload to PowerSchool on the E - Student Health Information form
- email to info@tcgis.org
- U.S. mail to school (1031 Como Ave., St. Paul, MN 55103) ATTN: Monika Avery
- to Front Office staff at Back to School Night
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Health Office Updates for the 2019-20 School Year
If your child will need medication during the school day this coming year, please review the following information:
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August/Sept. Order Window for Lunches/Milk, Kinderclub Care closes at midnight on Sunday, Aug. 18
Remember to place your order for August and September! Please log on to our online store website
Boonli
to place your child's Kinderclub and School Lunch/Milk
order. Please make sure to check out your cart in order to successfully place an order.
All orders must be submitted by midnight on Sunday, 8/18.
For any questions regarding our online store website (e.g. forgotten username/password, payment questions, etc.), please contact us at
ordering@tcgis.org
.
If your family is new to our online store, please click
here for more information on the Boonli website, how to "Register" for an account and how to navigate the site. Please note the school password needed during the registration process is
TCGIS1.
If you are a returning family,
please use the same username and password information that you have used last school year. If you need assistance with your account login, please email us at
ordering@tcgis.org.
Please note: School bus seats are not ordered in Boonli. More information about busing will be sent to busing families next week.
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Application for Free and Reduced Lunch Program
Please find the
information and instruction letter and the
application form for the Free and Reduced Lunch program for the 2019-2020 school year. Applications can be submitted at any time during the school year, however in order to receive free/reduced school lunches for the first day of school, please submit your application form no later than Aug. 11, 2019. Forms may be emailed to Alex Weeding (
aweeding@tcgis.org) or dropped off at the front office.
If you have any questions or need help, please don't hesitate to email Alex Weeding at
aweeding@tcgis.org or call the front office: 651-
492-7106.
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Kinderclub: Paperwork Required for Participation
Families who have registered for Kinderclub this coming school year were emailed the required forms this past week, and the registration fee has been added to these students' Boonli accounts as well.
Orders (in Boonli) for Kinderclub are due this Sunday, August 18.
The following forms must be submitted before the first day of school; children will not be signed in to Kinderclub after school if the paperwork is not turned in. Forms may be
scanned and emailed to Michaela Bromenschenkel, or printed and dropped off at the front office or at Back to School night.
If you have
only 'booked' Kinderclub in Boonli, but you have
not completed the
2019-20 Registration Form, or turned in the above three forms, your child(ren) is/are
not officially registered for Kinderclub and will not be signed in until these items are complete.
If you still wish to register for Kinderclub and did not fill out the registration form earlier this summer,
please email Kinderclub director, Michaela Bromenschenkel as soon as possible.
Please note: Kinderclub prices have changed for the 2019-20 school year; f
or updated prices and general information on before-and-after school care, please review the updated
Kinderclub Handbook
. If you qualify for free or reduced lunches, please
email Michaela Bromenschenkel so she can adjust the prices accordingly for your family.
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2019-20 School Supply Lists Available
School supply lists are now available for 2019-2020. Click
here to access the folder with supply lists by grade level; c
lass/teacher assignments will be communicated to families later in August. Individual supplies can be brought by your student on the first day of school; shared classroom supplies can be brought to Back-to-School night, Aug. 22.
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Register for
TCGIS Cross-Country by Thu., Aug. 15th
Register
early to guarantee a spot on the team!
Registration closes Thu., Aug. 15th!
New to the calendar: We are officially in a conference with Yinghua Academy and a few other private and charter schools, which will add a few smaller meets to our schedule. Additionally, our 7th and 8th graders will be competing at one of the largest meets in the nation: the
Milaca Mega Meet!
We are proud to offer something new this fall:
USATF Membership
. All TCGIS cross-country runners will be registered USATF youth athletes. This allows them to register and compete at USATF events in Minnesota and nationwide for the rest of 2019. We will compete at a few of these meets as a team, as well. USATF membership in 2020 will be connected to TCGIS track registration.
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Polish your keys and tune your instruments! The Vienna Community Arts music program provides music lessons in piano, violin, viola, cello, and guitar at TCGIS after school. Lessons begin on August 26.
Continuing music students: please call your VCA teacher to schedule lesson times.
New students: please call the VCA office (651-773-9525) or email Herbert and Nancy Engelmayer (
infoviennarts@gmail.com) to request information and availability.
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NEW: TCGIS Flea Market and Staff / Intern Wish List
This month we welcome 17 new teaching staff and 12 interns to the TCGIS community!
Many of our new staff have relocated to the Twin Cities and are seeking household and other items (like cars) as they settle in. Often we have Interns who seek a bike or other sports equipment to borrow while they're here.
Furthermore, we have heard from TCGIS families who have items they'd happily sell, lend or donate - if only they knew who needed them!
For these reasons, we've created the following two open Google docs for our community:
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September Elections for Parent Council
The TCGIS Parent Council seeks class representatives for the upcoming school year. Nominations will be accepted starting Aug. 22 at Back to School night. Each grade will get a Google Doc for parents to self-nominate and write a short introduction. Nominations should be in by Sept. 16. The election will be held Sept. 19 to the 29 via a Google Form-Ballot. Keep watching the Elternbrief for nomination and election details.
In the meantime, please feel free to submit any concerns to your Parent Council representative. If you're unsure of who that person is, or how to contact them, please email parent-council@tcgis.org and we will connect you with your Parent Council representative.
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Do you have marketing doo-dads to donate?
Do you work for a business that has a marketing closet full of stuff that nobody wants?! We will take your stress balls, earbuds, computer mice, fancy pens and pencils, frisbees, and other fun stuff to use as student rewards for our Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program at TCGIS! We also use $5 Target gift cards for our middle school students. Staff choose from $10 Target/Amazon/Caribou gift cards or a prime parking spot in our lot. [Food is never used as a reward per TCGIS school policy.]
You can drop off these items at the PBIS table during our Family Back to School Night on August 22. If you have any questions, please contact
Michael White, PBIS Coach.
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2019 Summer Art Challenge #3
Are you having trouble filling the days before school starts? Not sure what to do during those pesky safety breaks when they kick you out of the pool? If you need some help squeezing the last drops of awesomeness out of the summer, check out
Frau Lenburg's Summer Art Challenge #3 for a chance to use your brain in a creative way!
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TCGIS Alumni Reunion Potluck: August 19
Please join us for the 4th Annual TCGIS Alumni Reunion Potluck Picnic!
When: Monday, August 19th, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Who: All former students and families, staff, and friends of TCGIS welcome.
Please
R.S.V.P. to the Evite here and check out the "What to Bring" list for the potluck; families bring their own plates, silverware and beverages.
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Final Summer Play Date: Sunday, August 18
No need to RSVP - just show up for our
final summer playdate is this Sunday afternoon:
- August 18, 3:00-5:00 pm, TCGIS playground (enter on Van Slyke Ave)
Stay up to date with the PTO on our
Facebook page throughout summer!!
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PTO Kick-off Meeting: Sept. 5
Join us for the PTO kick-off meeting on Thursday, September 5th at 6:30pm at TCGIS!
Bring yourself or the whole family, because we'll have a meal and take a look at our calendar for the year and new happenings and opportunities.
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2nd Annual Twin Cities Oktoberfest Fun Run
Bring your lederhosen and dirndls and join us on Saturday, September 21st, for this fun and family-friendly event that's open to the public.
The Fun Run will start at the Como Midway Pavilion and the route winds around Como Lake. Medals will be given out to the top finishers in each age category and steins will be given for best-dressed. T-shirts are included with the race registration.
After the race, head over to Half Time Rec to celebrate Oktoberfest 2019. A beer or non-alcoholic drink ticket is included with race entry! Proceeds benefit the Twin Cities German Immersion School. Tickets are now on sale! Follow updates here.
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News from the GAI  |
Summer Fun & Classes at the GAI
Saturdays, June 15-August 17 | 9:30 AM-12:30 PM
Summer Saturdays are for coffee and German Kuchen baked and served by the GAI Damenklub. Join us on the porch and in the dining room for this sweet summer tradition.
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Save the Date: St. Paul Oktoberfest
Mark your calendars for a fun weekend at the GAI's St. Paul Oktoberfest, Sept. 13 + 14 at Schmidt Brewery.
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