Executive Director Contract Approved by the Board of Directors |
Last Thursday (4/29), the TCGIS Board of Directors approved the contract with Dr. Kirsten Christensen, who will assume the role of TCGIS executive director on July 25, 2021. Between now and then, she will wrap up her last semester as a professor of German at Pacific Lutheran University and move to the Twin Cities from Tacoma, Washington. Director Alkatout spoke with her after the meeting, and she is very excited and eager to join our remarkable school community. Dr. Christensen will participate virtually in the May 22 TCGIS board & administration retreat, with charter school advocacy and change management on the agenda. We look forward to Executive Director Christensen’s contributions and leadership and the fresh perspectives she will bring to TCGIS. The recording of the 4/29 board meeting is available HERE.
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Incident Response Team (IRT) Updates |
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What is the Incident Reponse Team (IRT)? This team meets regularly to review data and makes decisions about changes to the learning model. IRT Members are: Ted Anderson, Executive Director; Julie Alkatout, TCGIS Board Chair; Ashley Weston Miller, Dir. of HR and Operations; Monika Avery, Health Services Associate.
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Class quarantine for 14 days if positive case in classroom |
In our recent consultation the Regional Support team of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) strongly recommends in case of a positive Covid-19 test result in Elementary and Middle School classrooms, the entire class will enter quarantine and distance learning for 14 days. Our Director of Operations/HR and Health Services Associate will continue to closely track any lab-confirmed positive Covid-19 cases in our building and will partner with MDH in closely monitoring our school.
Please see our IRT website for more information regarding COVID-19 protocol, symptom checks and updates.
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MS Student COVID-19 Testing Program Starting May 11th |
Every student in Minnesota is strongly encouraged to take a COVID-19 test every two weeks. In order to increase access to testing for students, all middle schools are strongly encouraged to implement at least one COVID-19 testing option. Tests will be no-cost to students or schools. TCGIS will provide the following testing option:
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Provide Zoom-enabled COVID-19 tests available every two weeks for any middle school student to pick up, complete at home over zoom, and return to school to be sent to the lab.
- MS Students will receive their first test on Monday, May 10th to bring home. Test should be completed the evening of May 10th or before school on May 11th, and returned to TCGIS before school on May 11th. Tests should be returned to the health office.
- Going forward students will receive their test on the Monday before and completed tests will need to be returned the next morning, on Tuesday. If you choose to test your students, they will receive tests on the following Mondays: May 10, May 24, June 7th.
If you are interested in your Middle School student participating in testings, please fill out this form.
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Today's Announcement from Governor Walz
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Today Governor Walz released his plan to end a number of Covid-related restrictions over the next two months. The IRT will discuss how these changes may affect our current protocols and will communicate any changes in subsequent editions of the Elternbrief.
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COVID-19 Testing for Kids and Families |
It has never been easier to get tested! Testing is provided at no cost to you.
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As always, please keep your student home when they are sick. If any member of your family tests positive for Covid-19, please contact Monika Avery and/or Ashley Weston Miller to review the MDH Decision Tree and support in contact tracing if necessary.
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Note: If you don't see the calendar at the end of your Elternbrief, the message has been clipped and you must click "View entire message" to see the full Elternbrief. Danke!
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Family Affinity Groups: Meet in May |
Family affinity groups will meet for the first time via Zoom. The groups are intended for TCGIS parents/guardians who identify with the affinity group, or whose children identify with the affinity group, and for those who are supporters and allies. The intention is to provide a supportive forum for affinity group members to foster relationships, discuss experiences unique to their families, to uplift and empower their voices, and equip families with the tools of courage, perseverance, and resilience as we work toward dismantling systems of injustice and inequity in education. Mark your calendar and join us.
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Family Support Night Meet-Up: Tonight, 7:30 p.m.
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**All parents, caregivers, etc., are welcome to attend**
Topic: The Learning Models This Year and Next
Parent Council invites you to join us for another Family Support Night on Zoom on Thursday, May 6, from 7:30-8:30 PM. Join us to talk with each other about our families’ experiences of the learning models this past year and our thoughts and hopes for next year. A member of the Parent Council will join us at the beginning to present some initial findings of the recent survey, and then we will open it up for conversation. Drop in and out whenever you’d like, or stay for the whole conversation.
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Spring Universal Screening |
Given our unconventional learning environment this year, now more than ever it is important for us to understand how students are progressing. Universal screening is an important part of our multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) framework at TCGIS. We use screeners to identify those students who are on-track to meet grade-level standards in reading and math and those students who may need some additional support to keep them on-track to meet grade-level goals by the end of the school year. If your child is currently participating in ‘in-person’ instruction, assessments will be completed while at school (Meet some of our interventionists who are integral to conducting universal screening!). If your child is currently receiving remote instruction (distance learning), please keep an eye on your email for important information about your child’s screening schedule.
Do not hesitate to reach out to Jessie Kember with any questions or concerns. We appreciate your flexibility and patience as we work together to systematically support our students to reach their full potential.
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4th Grade Students: Would you like to join band next year? |
Our band program is for middle school students (Grades 5-8). If your 4th grader would like to join band next year, please read this letter from our band instructor Frau Johnson on how to sign up and information about summer lessons.
A reminder that this year's band spring concert is May 5 on the playground! The rain date is May 11.
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TCGIS Lesemarathon: 9 more days to record minutes!
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From May 3 and until May 16 students are encouraged to read and track their minutes! Books, magazines, audio books, our LIVE story times - it all counts. In addition to nurturing our students' love of reading, and exposing them to the great German resources in our library, the Lesemarathon is a fun way for parents to engage family and friends in supporting our school through pledges and donations that will support our school library and classrooms.
A $10 & $5 gift certificate to a local bookshop will be given out to the two students who have read the most minutes in each grade, respectively. There is also a 100% class participation award and a top grade award. For more information including a detailed calendar, please click here. |
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May 10-12: Elementary & Middle School Virtual German Author Visits |
On May 10th and 11th our elementary school students will have a Zoom call with Ingo Siegner, author of the beloved Der kleine Drache Kokosnuss and Eliot und Isabella series. On Wednesday May 12th our middle school will have a call with Fabian Lenk, author of Die Zeitdetektive series. More information will be given by your teacher and sent out in your student's weekly Newsblatt.
Both of these authors' works can be checked out from our TCGIS library!
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May 10-14: Surprise Readers for LIVE story times |
This week started our LIVE story times with surprise TCGIS staff members! This week's readers were Frau Müller (4A), Frau Rosales (Kinderclub), and Herr Dahl (Drama). Who will next week's readers be!?
Each surprise guest reads one or two books in German. All calls are on Zoom at 4:15pm, and will last for 15 minutes. These story times count for Lesemarathon minutes! Next week's dates are:
May 10, 11, and 13. (Our regular Wednesday Story Time with Silke will still be at 2:45pm with its original link.)
Tune in each day by following this link. Passcode: 169002 |
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Please make sure you have returned all overdue books from this school year.
We are nearing the end of the school year! All library books and materials need to be returned by June 4. Any overdue and lost books will be going on the student's Boonli account to be paid by the end of the year.
Would you like to check out library materials? Fill out this form to get new materials for next week! In-school students will have their books delivered to their classrooms on Fridays. Distance students can pick theirs up outside of the main office during school hours.
Live Story Time with Silke
Join us for our next Story Time with Silke on Wednesday, May 12 at 2:45pm. Follow this link to tune in! (Zoom passcode: 040736). See our full Wednesday story time schedule here.
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TCGIS XC Team Registration Opens May 15 |
May 15 at 8:00 AM until May 31 at 11:59 PM, and the season begins on Monday, August 2.
Regarding the calendar: Practices are set for Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Meets are scheduled to return after the pandemic. Athletes are required to attend two practices each week and may attend all three.
Payment required at time of registration: $150*
*Finances should not be a factor in deciding to participate in TCGIS athletic teams. If finances are a concern, please contact Coach Tabisz BEFORE registration opens because payment is required at the time of registration.
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Intern Host Family Info Night: Thursday, May 20 |
We are excited to share that we have begun planning for the return of our beloved Intern Program in January 2022. Families who are interested in, or curious about, hosting an intern are invited to a virtual Info-Meeting:
Thursday, May 20, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Zoom link (also available in the Google calendar event)
All interested families are encouraged to fill out this brief interest form which also provides space to share specific questions in advance so we can answer them in person at the meeting on May 20. |
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Order the 20/21 Yearbook! |
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Our TCGIS Meistermäuse winners!
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The selected students have shown exemplary behavior at TCGIS during the school day and are representing their class and grade level. Meistermäuse have demonstrated to staff one or more of the following praised traits: Sicherheit (safety), Verantwortung (responsibility), Respekt (respect), and Freundlichkeit (kindness).
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L to R: Joseph (K), Eli (2), Brooks (4), Elizabeth (6), Not Pictured: Max (7) |
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From the GAI Kitchen: German Cakes with Helga Parnell |
ONLINE EVENT
Saturday, May 8, 2021
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Learn to bake your own authentic German Apfelkuchen and Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. In the second installment of “From the GAI Kitchen”, Helga Parnell will share her baking secrets and show the steps to preparing these two iconic German cakes. The ingredients and instructions will be emailed to participants after registration. Register here!
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Your TCGIS PTO and Track & Field present: The TCGIS Scavenger Hunt 2021 |
The Hunt is free, but you do need to sign up for the first clue. It takes place over the weekend of the 15th and 16th and will take a few hours to complete. Can't wait to see you!
Step 2: Open up your email Saturday, May 15th for your first clue and hop into the car with your family team for some fun! Use your sleuthing skills to solve the riddles.
Step 3: Have a great time, take pictures, and send us photos of your family at the stops to celebrate your success.
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Learn about the Germans from Russia |
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TCGIS Sommercamp 2021: Spots Still Available! |
Although the registration deadline has passed, there are camp spots still available. If you would still like to sign your child up for Summer Camp, please reach out to Michaela Bromenschenkel to check for available Camps.
Registration age is based on this school year and is also open to 2021-22 Kindergartners! Here is the camp brochure.
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Summer Teen Intensiv for ages 14-18 at the GAI
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This advanced full-day camp experience is for teens with level B1 German skills or graduates of TCGIS. We will dive into two important current topics in these week-long camps: Multiculturalism—what does racism looks like in Germany and how do young people deal with this topic, and Living the Sustainable Life—how does "Nachhaltigkeit" relate to nutrition, housing, education, and the digital world.
June 21–25: Multikulti? Multiculturalism and Racism in Germany
August 23–27: Living the Sustainable Life (#FridaysForFuture)
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Summer Music Lessons with Vienna Arts |
Vienna Community Arts will continue to provide music lessons throughout the summer for new and continuing students. Please contact us at [email protected] for more information.
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School Board Announcements |
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Meet the Candidates for Board of Directors |
Elections for the four open seats on the TCGIS school board will occur online May 10-14 this year. Details on how to vote will be sent via email on Monday, May 10.
The following nominees have been certified to appear on this year's Board elections ballot: Julie Alkatout (incumbent, parent), Kevin Eberhard (teacher), Jasmin Root-Joswig (teacher), Lübbert Kruizenga (community member) and Nic Ludwig (incumbent, parent). Read biographies of the nominees HERE and watch the recording of the recent candidate forum hosted by the PTO and Parent Council HERE.
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Volunteer Opportunity: Affiliated Building Company (ABC) Board Member |
TCGIS is calling for a volunteer to be an Affiliated Building Company (ABC) board member. Charter schools in Minnesota must create an ABC to own the property on its behalf. The time commitment is minimal, reviewing ABC financials quarterly with the option of attending school finance committee meetings. ABC board meets once a year as required by statute.
Please contact Nic Ludwig for more details.
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Please email the committee email addresses listed below for each meeting’s login details. You can find links to the new committee charters here. All are welcome to join committee meetings!
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German Tutors for TCGIS Students |
TCGIS has built a list of local university/college students interested in virtual private tutoring in German for TCGIS students. We update this Google spreadsheet of tutors regularly. Learn more here. |
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May 6: Family support night meet-up
May 6: Blended family affinity group
May 8: From the GAI Kitchen
May 10, 11, & 12: Elementary and Middle School Virtual Author Visits
May 10-16: TCGIS Surprise Readers on Zoom
May 12: BIPOC family affinity group
May 18: Lesemarathon minutes due
May 20: Intern Hosting Info Meeting
May 26: LGBTQ2S+ family affinity group
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