ISSUE 566/February 1, 2024 | |
Message from the Principal | |
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Liebe TCGIS Gemeinschaft / Dear TCGIS Community,
One down. One to go! Today was the last day of our Semester 1 of the ‘23-’24 school year. We will begin Semester 2 on Monday after our grading day. The Middle Schoolers maintain their schedules with the exception of our 7th and 8th graders who may have a different elective. With the weather we have had this week it does truly feel like Spring Semester is upon us.
Enjoy the weather!
Elizabeth Zehnpfennig, Principal
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Join us this weekend as we remember Herr Meis | |
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All are invited to the TCGIS atrium on Sunday, Feb. 4th from 2-3 p.m. to gather and remember Herr Meis as a school community. Volunteers are organizing this to create time and space for parents, students, and staff to reflect.
TCGIS students’ art and tributes will be on display in the atrium and outside of his classroom, as well as photos of Herr Meis’ time at TCGIS. Opportunities to write memories and notes to his family will be available. Please join us in the atrium for light refreshments and community. If you have a photo of Herr Meis that you would like to share for the display, please send it to Paige Yurczyk.
The family of Herr Meis was consulted in advance of planning this event and thanks the school for remembering the indelible spirit of him.
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Reminder: No School TOMORROW | |
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This is a reminder that there is no school tomorrow, February 1st, for a Teacher Grading Day.
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Visit the Festival of Cultures NEXT WEEK! | |
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The 2nd annual TCGIS Festival of Cultures is next week Thursday, February 8th from 5:30 - 7:30pm.
Cultures represented by TCGIS families presenting at the festival include: Serbian/Balkan, Latvian, Norwegian, Colombian, Sami American, Guatemalan, Irish, Mongolian, Swedish, Korean, Palestinian American, Japanese, Russian, Finnish, Scottish, Swiss, Syrian, Eritrean/Ethiopian, and German Rhineland.
Cultural performers include: TCGIS Liederkranz Choir, White Elk Singers, Balkan Jamboree, Taiko Arts Midwest Japanese drumming, Peruvian Dance Group, Jawaahir Arab Dance Group, Columbia Live, Henna Artists, SG Edelweiss Bavarian Dance Group, and Minnesänger German American Institute Choir.
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Festival of Cultures Event Volunteers | |
The Festival of Cultures planning committee is looking for volunteers to help the event run smoothly. Check out the specific tasks and times on the sign up link. The 2nd annual Festival of Cultures is on Thu, Feb. 8 from 5:30pm-7:30pm. We have invited the public to attend and it will be fun! Please sign up using this link if you are interested in volunteering. Thank you in advance! | |
Lice have made a come back | |
We had a long break, now we are seeing our first cases of lice. Lice crawl and can fall off the head, they do not jump or fly. They spread by head-to-head contact. By sharing personal items that come in contact with the head (combs, brushes, hats, etc.). Find more information on the leaflet by the Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department (HSPHD). | |
Grief Support Group for Middle School | |
Starting in second semester (February 5th), middle school students will have the option to attend a weekly grief support group during Monday Advisory. The group will be led by Margaret Jelinski, SEB interventionist, and will be optional for any middle school student to attend. Feel free to reach out with any questions at mjelinski@tcgis.org. | |
ABC Rotation Correction - February 5 | |
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Monday, February 5, 2024 (the first day of the spring semester) is an A day. It is correct on the print calendar that was distributed at the start of the year, but was previously incorrect on the ABC rotation document on the school website and in Infinite Campus. That error has now been fixed, which has adjusted the ABC rotation through the end of the school year as well.
| Infinite Campus Grades and Comments Closed | |
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Access to grades and comments in Infinite Campus will be closed January 26th-6th while teachers finalize first semester grades. Once access to grades and comments reopens, please follow the steps here to access your child(ren)'s report card.
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The 2024-2025 Enrollment Application Closes Soon! | |
Enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year will close on February 23, 2024! If you have a NEW student who will attend TCGIS in the 2024-2025 school year, please submit an application for admission online or by mailing a paper application. Currently-enrolled students do not need to reapply. You can check whether or not you’ve already submitted an application by emailing enrollment@tcgis.org. Please also share the application with any families who may be looking for schools for next year! | |
Winter Screening is almost here! | |
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Universal screening for all students will begin on Monday, February 5th and will continue until Friday, February 16th.
Universal screening is an important part of our multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) framework at TCGIS. It allows us to identify those students who are on-track to meet grade-level standards in reading and math, and also to identify those students who may need some additional support to meet grade-level goals by the end of the year. Click here to learn more.
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Auto-Announce Feature for Van Slyke Car Pick-Up | |
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TCGIS families using Van Slyke Car Pick-Up can now use the auto-announce feature on PikMyKid. This feature announces you automatically in the app when you arrive at school to pick up your child(ren). It is hands-free and will help save time and increase safety in the car line. Instructions for setup are available in English and Spanish. Make sure to set your location permissions to “always on”, and not only while in the app - otherwise the auto-announce will not work. Email info@tcgis.org with any questions!
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Looking for a job? We have openings!
We are currently hiring:
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Save the Date - Valentine's Day Kaffeeklatsch! | |
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On Wednesday, February 14th at 8:00 a.m. we will have a Valentines Day Kaffeeklatsch! There will be coffee and treats. See you there!
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Save the Date - Middle School Dance | |
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The next Middle School dance will be Friday, February 23rd. There will be a DJ and snacks for purchase. Stay tuned for more info!
- 5th-6th grade 6:00-7:15
- 7th-8th grade 7:30-9:00
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Register for TCGIS Spring and Summer Sports: Volleyball, Outdoor Track-and-Field and Summer Track! | |
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Sign up for our spring and summer sports on February 1-15 on Infinite Campus (school store). Please be respectful of the time and efforts our coaches and athletic director put into the sports program by signing up during the registration window. There is a $50 late fee for registrations after February 15.
Volleyball will start on Monday, February 26, and go through early May. Outdoor Track-and-Field will begin on Monday, March 25, and continue through the end of the school year. Summer Track will begin the first full week of summer vacation and go until the end of July 2024.
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Our next meeting has been moved to Saturday February 24th. Join us for Book Bingo! Every winner gets to pick a book. RSVP coming soon.
Simpls has discontinued their Fundraising program. We'll be replacing it with a fundraiser from Driven Coffee! They have tasty coffee, teas, cocoa, and snacks. Starting February 15th alongside the Gerten's Spring plant sale.
MASKENBALL is coming! The fun will be on March 23rd.
But first, join us in planning an awesome event! We need people to help general plan/decorations, auction, and sponsorship. Email us at tcgispto@gmail.com or stop any of us when you see us.
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Note: If you don't see the calendar at the end of your Rundbrief, the message has been clipped and you must click "View entire message" to read the entire Rundbrief. Danke! | |
Looking for 4 MORE History Day judges on Feb. 8th | |
We are looking for 4 more parent / family / friend judges for our school History Day competition. Commitment is 4 hours (or more!) on Thursday, Feb. 8th. No experience necessary - we'll show you what to do! Parents of students of all ages welcome to sign up! Email Frau Melk with date/time availability. Vielen Dank! | |
Parent Marketing Ambassador | |
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Do you want to get involved at TCGIS on your own time with the flexibility to do it remotely or in-person? We have the opportunity for you! We are looking for
5-10 Parent Marketing Ambassadors to help spread the word about TCGIS. It is a flexible position that is designed to be convenient for parents. Click here to learn more and to sign up!
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Playground Planning Task Force | The Campus Planning Committee is looking for additional volunteers for a Playground Planning Task Force. This group will work together to gather community feedback on playground improvements, seek professional services for playground design, create a design for the playground that can be implemented in stages. The first improvements would begin this summer if we have additional help on the committee. Meetings are held virtually, and the schedule will be determined by the group. Click here to sign up. Email Julie Alkatout with any questions. | |
School Board (Schulvorstand) Announcements
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Jan. Board meeting summary | |
Upcoming School Board & Committee Meetings | |
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Finance Meeting: Tues., Feb 6 - 6:30PM; Zoom
Governance Meeting: Mon., Feb. 12 - 4:30PM; Google Meet
Fundraising Meeting: Wed., Feb. 14 - 8:15AM; Room 99/Google Meet
Communication Meeting: Tues., Feb. 20 - 6PM; Zoom
February Board Meeting: Thurs., Feb. 29 - 6:30PM; Room 100/Zoom
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GAI Summer Camp Registration Opens February 2! | |
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Weekly camps for ages 5–16, July 8–August 9
Add a GAI German camp to your child’s summer fun. Our half-day week long camps (with optional extended care) immerse campers in themes such as In der Märchenwelt (into the world of fairy tales), Musiktheater (musical theater), All Things Bauen (engineering), Kinder in der Küche (cooking) and more! German beginners to bilingual children are welcome.
Learn more at gaimn.org/camps
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Experience the music, dance, language, foods, costumes, and arts & craft traditions of countries from all over the world, brought to you by Ethnic Dance Theatre and Landmark Center. This event is $4 for kids 12 and under and $6 for 13 and up.
Sundays at Landmark series is supported by Ecolab, the Xcel Energy Foundation, Ramsey County, Travelers, and Global Minnesota. See more here.
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Saturday, March 2–Sunday, March 3, 2024
Celebrate Scandinavian folk music with a weekend full of performances, workshops, classes, and demos at the American Swedish Institute and Cedar Cultural Center. Mark your calendars for this special celebration and stay tuned for schedule and program updates. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about a nyckelharpa or a spelmanslag, this is your chance. Click here for info.
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Intercultural Engagement Opportunities | |
The board’s Diversity & Belonging committee would like to highlight upcoming events in the Twin Cities as opportunities for intercultural engagement- one of our school’s core values. Click here to learn about highlighted events! | |
Crosswalk safety at Student Pick Up | |
It has been brought to our attention that drivers have been attempting to drive through the crosswalks while a crossing guard has extended a flag for students who are crossing. These are vehicles driven by other TCGIS families. PLEASE BE PATIENT and WAIT for the crossing guard to get every pedestrian across the road safely BEFORE attempting to drive through the crosswalk to get to your destination. We know you have important appointments to get to but injury to a pedestrian will be a tragedy for all involved. Help us keep student pick-up safe. | |
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Also, as a reminder, parking on Como avenue in the area in front of the school to pick up a student is not allowed. Please refer to the pick up instructions for alternate places to pick up your student.
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Friday, February 2
- NO SCHOOL - Teacher Grading Day
Saturday, February 3
Thursday, February 8
Saturday, February 10
Friday, February 23
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