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Here you will find important and relevant information regularly shared with the TCGIS community by the IRT.
IRT Updates for the 21/22 School YearIn the 21/22 School year, the IRT tracked COVID cases in this dashboard which was shared weekly in the Rundbrief. We will not be tracking cases in the 22/23 school year. Instead, we will notify classes will be notified whenever there is a positive case in the classroom.
As of May 5, 2022, we have removed the quarantine numbers on the dashboard because we have moved to a test to stay program and only have students isolating.
IRT Update in the Rundbrief - May 12, 2022Update on Masking
We have had 21 new positive cases since last Thursday, May 5. Due to our current COVID case count, TCGIS will continue to require in-school masking. We will return to optional masking after two weeks of fewer than 20 positive cases. Please send several masks with your student so they are able to change during the day in case the mask gets dirty, wet, or lost.
We strongly recommend the following based on guidance from MDH:
Testing Recommendations and Rapid Antigen Test Kits in Backpacks
Due to recent increases in cases at TCGIS and throughout the Metro, we are again sending rapid antigen test kits home with students today. We encourage you to use these over the weekend and/or prior to students returning to school on Monday. If you are unable to use the BD Veritor (app required test), please contact Monica Avery ([email protected]). If you are experiencing any symptoms, we strongly recommend a PCR/NAATs Covid-19 test in addition to testing with rapid antigen tests. If you are only using rapid antigen tests, we recommend serial testing.. We have seen a number of positive cases take several days following the onset of symptoms before showing a positive test result. Serial testing is defined as administering a second test between 24-48 hours following a negative test. Each kit contains 2 tests. Every home in MN is eligible to order 2 rapid antigen test kits for free (total 4 tests) through this website. NEW Community Testing Site in Hamline Midway Neighborhood
As of Monday, May 16, the state will open a new testing site (not far from TCGIS), in the former Herberger’s at 1400 University Ave. West in St. Paul. Rapid Antigen testing will be available Sundays 11am-4pm and Mondays through Fridays 11am-6pm. Herzlichen Dank to our Resilient Staff
We are fortunate for the resilience of our school staff who are going above and beyond to substitute for classrooms and cover duties for their colleagues through this recent surge. Our teachers also continue to support students who are learning from home due to isolations. Because they have taken on these additional responsibilities, we were able to keep our building open for all students. Please consider sending notes of gratitude to your students’ teachers and/or recognizing them through the Garden of Gratitude tribute (donations of any amount will result in paper flowers in the cafeteria garden). IRT Update in the Rundbrief - May 5, 2022Please remember the following information as we see an increase in positive Covid-19 cases at TCGIS:
Update on Masking We currently have had 17 new positive cases since last Thursday, April 28th. If this current trend continues, we would anticipate returning to optional masking after another full week with under 19 positive cases. You will be notified by email when our masking policy level changes. IRT Update in the Rundbrief - April 28, 2022In the last 7 days, 35 individuals in the school community tested positive for COVID. ( April 22- April 28). We would like to remind our community of the following:
Reminder of Isolation Requirements In January 2022, we shared the following update: After careful review of the most recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and after consultation with the Minnesota Department of Health, TCGIS students who test positive for Covid-19 will isolate at home for 10 days. We are unable to ensure students are masked 100% of the time when around others due to our communal snacks and lunch. This requirement acknowledges the following guidelines from the CDC guidelines:
Masks required again as of April 26 / IRT Update - April 25, 2022Due to our current COVID case count of 20, TCGIS will return immediately (as of Tuesday, April 26), to required in-school masking. We will return to optional masking after two weeks of fewer than 20 positive cases.
In accordance with today’s guidance from MDH, we strongly recommend the following:
Read the full IRT Update emailed to families April 25, 2022. Waldsee Trip: COVID-19 PCR test results due noon Friday, April 15thDear Middle School Families,
If your student was not participating in our COVID-19 PCR testing in school by Zepto and is signed up to go to Waldsee this coming week, please remember so send the PCR test result by noon on Friday, April 15th. Please send your results to Monika Avery and Ashley Weston Miller. Only students with a negative PCR test result will be able to participate in the trip. We wish our students a fun trip with lots of new experiences and exposure to German! Spring Break Travel / IRT Update - March 31, 2022As many families are traveling over spring break, we highly recommend that your students mask at school the week following and/or until they receive results from our Tuesday Zepto PCR testing event or are tested on your own. We strongly encourage families to test with a PCR after any traveling, but especially if you are traveling to areas with Medium or High transmission rates: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html
Masks-Optional Policy starts Monday, March 21stLast Friday the IRT sent this email message to all families and staff with an update to our masking policy at TCGIS. Our updated masking policy goes into effect next Monday, March 21.
As of March 21, students, staff, and visitors may choose to wear a mask at any time based on personal preference. All individual masking choices will be supported in all school spaces. We encourage families to discuss the new policy with their students before the transition on March 21. From our community's response, we know masking will be a personal family or student decision. Talking to your students about respecting other individuals' choices will help our school and classes have a better transition on March 21. Kids Deserve a Shot / IRT Update - March 17, 2022Any Minnesota parent or guardian whose 5- to 11-year-olds have received both doses of COVID-19 vaccine by April 11 can enter to win one of five $100,000 Minnesota college scholarships. On April 15, the State of Minnesota will hold a drawing for five $100,000 scholarships valid at any public or private non-profit higher educational institution in Minnesota. Minnesotans can learn more about the Kids Deserve a Shot program, register for the scholarship drawing, and view official rules at Kids Deserve a Shot.
IRT Update - March 10, 2022Thank you for your feedback on the Family Survey around masking. You can expect an update and more information from the IRT through a special communication tomorrow, Friday, March 11.
IRT Update - March 3, 2022Last Friday afternoon, the CDC announced a new tool, COVID-19 Community Levels, to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. Ramsey County is currently categorized as low community level.
In anticipation of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) updating their guidelines for schools to correspond with the new CDC guidelines, the TCGIS IRT drafted a new policy for masking. Implementation of the new policy would not occur until MDH guidelines are updated and TCGIS community feedback has been received and evaluated. An email summarizing the policy and asking for community feedback will be sent tomorrow afternoon, March 4th. Test-to-Stay for Unvaccinated Students - Feb. 23, 2022Last week the IRT decided to move to a test to stay for unvaccinated students who are deemed close contacts. Going forward, close contacts who are unvaccinated will not need to quarantine if they test twice after being notified as a close contact. TCGIS will distribute rapid antigen tests to the students to use, though we do strongly recommend testing with a PCR/Molecular test as well. If you have any questions, please reach out to Director of Operations Ashley Weston Miller ([email protected]).
IRT Update for February 10, 2022The Incidence Response Team (IRT) met this week to review data related to Covid-19 infections at TCGIS. With the recent evidence of in-school transmission, there has also been a significant increase in students who tested positive (within and outside of at-school testing) during the recent Omicron surge. Over the past seven weeks (since the beginning of Winter Break), 23% of our student body tested positive for Covid-19. For context, in the first 16 weeks of school between August 30th and December 17, 2021, only 12% of our student body tested positive. We ask for your partnership in monitoring your child for symptoms and keeping them home if they are showing any symptoms of Covid-19 including sore throat, new onset cough, runny nose, etc..
With TCGIS’s recent increased positivity combined with current high community transmission rates of Covid-19, we will continue to require masks within the building and on the playground. We empathize with the desire to “un-mask” and still TCGIS will continue to follow the advice of MDH and CDC, including outdoors when physical distancing is not possible or difficult for our students. Currently, Ramsey and Hennepin county’s transmission remains “High” for which the CDC recommends ”Everyone in Ramsey County, Minnesota should wear a mask in public, indoor settings.” The IRT will follow any guidance from MDH and the CDC for slowly reducing mitigations, including masking, as Covid-19 positivity rates and transmission decreases. Please keep symptomatic students at home - Feb. 10, 2022On Tuesday afternoon (February 8th), for the first time, the IRT closed an entire class after approximately ⅓ of the class tested positive within a four day span. In addition, the school has received an increase in reports of multiple family members becoming symptomatic and/or testing positive after one of their household members tested positive for Covid-19.
We ask you to monitor your students for fever, sore throat, nausea, etc. and keep your kids home whenever they are not well. For more information on symptoms and decision making, visit the MDH Decision Tree (symptoms located just below the title). Updated Isolation Guidelines - January 20, 2022After careful review of the most recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and after consultation with the Minnesota Department of Health, TCGIS is updating our isolation guidelines for students who test positive for COVID-19, effective immediately for new cases.
As always, students or staff who feel sick should stay home and get tested before coming to school. Isolation Period Update for Students Isolation is used to separate people with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 from others. The most recent CDC guidance allows for a 5-day isolation period for individuals who test positive, followed by 5 days of strict mask wearing around others. CDC and MDH have indicated that these guidelines do apply to the school setting, while also acknowledging that the realities of the school setting make implementation nearly impossible. After consultation with our MDH team, we have determined that it is in the best interest of the school community to return to a 10-day isolation period for students who test positive for COVID-19. This more conservative approach acknowledges the fact that students must be unmasked at snack and lunch time, along with other implementation challenges. Staff who test positive may return to school after a 5-day isolation if they are symptom free. On days 6-10, staff must remain strictly masked throughout the day (as always) and eat away from others. Quarantine duration (for close contacts) will continue to follow CDC guidelines. Please refer to the graphic below for an at-a-glance guide to isolation and quarantine. Please reach out to Ashley Weston Miller, Director of Operations and Covid Coordinator ([email protected]) or Monika Avery, Health Services Associate ([email protected]) with any questions. 
Brief Covid-19 Update for January 13, 2022Over winter break, 23 TCGIS students tested positive for Covid-19, and since returning to school, another 30 students tested positive. While our vaccination rates are reducing the number of required quarantines, the number of positive cases continues to challenge school operations.
We ask families to follow all recommended mitigation measures recommended by the Minnesota Department of Health, both, at school and at home. Together, we can reduce the spread of Covid-19 and support in-person learning for our students and staff. The following are recommendations from MDH:
Strongly Recommend Weekly Testing at TCGISIf your student is not signed up for our weekly testing program at TCGIS, please consider signing them up. Testing is a strong mitigation we have available as the Omicron variant continues to spread in our community. Weekly testing can pick up asymptomatic individuals, limiting the potential spread at TCGIS.
In order for your student to participate in onsite testing we will need a signed parent consent form and a completed Zepto registration form (without these completed forms, your student will not be tested). Please also see this FAQ. If you have any questions about the testing process, please email Dani Nicholson, our Covid-19 Testing Coordinator at [email protected]. Consider Using FREE Vault At-Home Tests through the State Minnesota and Vault Medical Services have teamed up to offer at-home COVID-19 saliva testing for everyone who lives in Minnesota, with or without symptoms, at no cost. These tests come to your home, you complete them at your house with a supervisor over zoom, and are mailed through UPS. Learn more here. Please keep your students home if they don't feel wellAs we return to school after winter break, please remember to keep your students home if they are not feeling well. Not only are we seeing an increase in Covid-19 cases but we are also seeing an increase in other illnesses. We can help to keep our community healthy by staying home when we are not well.
Talk to your students about properly wearing masksPlease remind your students of the importance of wearing their masks above their nose all day long. Please be sure to send your students to school with well fitting face masks.
Parents/Guardians of K-1 students: Help your child start their day on a positive note by putting on masks before they arrive at TCGIS. Our youngest students take the masking rule seriously and sometimes meltdown as they struggle to put their masks on before walking into the building. Thanks for helping your child meet masking requirements while helping them feel empowered to dress themselves! Free Weekly COVID Testing at TCGIS: Two Required FormsIn order for your student to participate in onsite testing we will need a signed parent consent form and a completed Zepto registration form (without these completed forms, your student will not be tested). Please also see this FAQ. If you have any questions about the testing process, please email Dani Nicholson, our Covid-19 Testing Coordinator at [email protected].
If you prefer to test on your own, we encourage you to use the Vault at-home tests. They are free of charge, easy to order and use. You do need to have internet access to use the Vault home tests. You may also use the Minnesota Department of Health Testing Location finder to locate PCR testing near to you. Scroll to below the map and add your information using the drop-down menus. Be aware that the “Provider Testing Sites” may have costs associated with testing. Recent All-School Communication from the IRTThe following community emails were sent by the IRT recently.
December 2, 6:00 p.m.: Community COVID Update November 29, 6:20 p.m.: Return to School on Tuesday, November 30, and MDH Meeting Update November 27, 7:00 p.m.: No School on Monday, November 29, 2021 November 27, 8:45 a.m.: Update on this week's COVID testing results November 24, 9:28 p.m.: URGENT COVID Update November 24, 10:00 a.m.: Safe Return to School following Thanksgiving Break Return to school after travel out of state/countryBreaks and holiday travels are coming up, so we would like to remind you of our procedures concerning return to school after traveling:
No More Full Class Quarantines for Grades K-2After sending out a survey to K-2 teachers and families, we have decided to move away from full class quarantines. TCGIS's School Board approved the change to our Safe Return to In-Person Learning plan and it went into effect after we implemented it. View the powerpoint here or watch the presentation on the board recording.
COVID-19 Vaccine for Children Ages 5-11On Tuesday, Oct. 26, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Advisory Committee voted to recommend the use of the Pfizer vaccine in children ages 5-11 years old. The state is waiting on FDA’s official authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for use in this age group, as well as recommendations from CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to provide the authorization that doctors and other health care providers need before they start vaccinating. We will share more information soon on when children 5-11 years old can start getting vaccinated.
The state has built a strong network of providers—including pharmacies, health care systems, clinics, local public health and tribal health agencies, school clinics, and state-run community clinics—that can begin vaccinating eligible children once final eligibility recommendations are issued by the federal government next week. Once CDC has authorized the vaccine for 5-11-year-olds and your child is eligible, Minnesota families can:
Vaccine Scholarship for Kids Ages 12-17Minnesota has launched ‘Kids Deserve a Shot,’ a vaccine incentives program rewarding Minnesotans 12-17 years old for completing their COVID-19 vaccine series. See more here.
New Decision Tree from MDHMinnesota Department of Health has updated their decision tree for people in Schools, Youth, and Child Care Programs including a path for people that are fully vaccinated or had a positive COVID-19 test result in the past 90 days. First day of symptoms or positive result or contact with a person testing positive is day 0, isolation or quarantine starts the following day.
For household members of someone who tested positive, who are not fully vaccinated and have not tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days:
Second COVID-19 Testing Event RecapOur second weekly Covid-19 PCR testing event this past Tuesday was another success. In partnership with Zepto Technology we tested 299 students (50.1%) and 37 staff members. We would like to see the total number of tests continue to increase. Please consider registering and testing your students. If you are planning to test your students at TCGIS, please send the forms in tomorrow (Friday) in order to ensure your student is tested next Tuesday. We will continue collecting forms over the next weeks, though, and your family can opt in when convenient.
In order for your student to participate in onsite testing we will need a signed parent consent form and a completed registration form (without these completed forms, your student will not be tested). Please also see this FAQ. If you have any questions about the testing process, please email Dani Nicholson, our Covid-19 Testing Coordinator at [email protected]. TCGIS Weekly COVID-19 Testing Begins October 12thTCGIS is partnering with Zepto Life Technology, LLC to provide free onsite COVID-19 testing on a weekly basis. They're able to offer a PCR Nasal Swab Active Infection test and oftentimes provide results the next day. In order for your student to participate in onsite testing we will need a signed parent consent form and a completed registration form (without these completed forms, your student will not be tested). Please also see this FAQ. We also sent home forms in your students backpack for your convenience.
COVID-19 Confirmed Case: Quarantine & Information ProcedureConsistent with Recommendations for Handling a Confirmed Case of COVID-19, any known positive Covid-19 case with potential for exposure onsite will be communicated to all known close-contacts, all faculty and staff, and the entire school community. Depending on the grade level or specific cases, we might quarantine close contacts or a whole classroom.
TCGIS will send out an email to concerned families with details about date of exposure, length of quarantine and other information followed up with a phone call. Depending on when we are informed about a positive result and the details, we call as early as possible. To give families the most time for necessary arrangements, that might include evenings and weekends. Travel during COVID-19 Pandemic
As the Delta Variant continues to spread throughout the country, we ask that any unvaccinated individual traveling out of state or country provide a negative PCR or Molecular Covid-19 test before returning to school. We highly suggest using the Community Vault Testing sites as their turn-around-time is currently averaging 24 hours.
Test Weekly and Keep Sick Kids Home
TCGIS strongly encourages all students to test weekly for Covid-19 throughout the school year. TCGIS is still determining the feasibility of providing school supported testing. You can access more information about Covid-19 testing here.
Consider Using FREE Vault At-Home Tests through the State Minnesota and Vault Medical Services have teamed up to offer at-home COVID-19 saliva testing for everyone who lives in Minnesota, with or without symptoms, at no cost. These tests come to your home, you complete them at your house with a supervisor over zoom, and are mailed through UPS. Learn more here. Please keep your student(s) home if they are feeling sick or show any symptoms. Together we can help keep our school healthy and safe! Symptom CheckingPlease check your student(s) for Covid-19 symptoms before sending them to school. Please keep your student home if they are sick. You can refer to the decision tree from MDH for details of how the school will respond to close contacts or individuals with symptoms.
Check for the following symptoms every morning:
COVID-19 Vaccines for 12-15 Year OldsHow youth and families can get their free shot:
Privacy NoteThe IRT would also like to take this opportunity to underscore the role of privacy in all conversations regarding COVID. Please remember employers are not allowed to divulge personal health information and details. Holding the balance between individual privacy rights and transparency with regard to community communication presents an on-going challenge. We are thankful for the patience and understanding shown by our community members with regard to this matter.
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Incident Reponse Team (IRT) MembersJulie Alkatout, Board Chair
Kirsten Christensen, Executive Director Ashley Weston Miller, Director of Operations and HR Monika Avery, Health Services Associate Dani Nicholson, Covid Testing Coordinator Safe Return to In-Person Learning Plan
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We acknowledge and appreciate that TCGIS is located on Waȟpékhute (wah-PEH-koo-tay) Dakota traditional, ancestral, and contemporary homeland, near Lake Medewaka, in the land now known as Minnesota (Mni Sota Makoce). Read our full TCGIS Indigenous Land Acknowledgement here.
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HoursOffice Hours
School Year: Mon.-Fri. 8:00am-4:00pm Summer: Mon.-Fri. 9:00am-12:00pm |
Contact |
Address |
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Authorizer:
University of St. Thomas Charter Authorizing Program 2115 Summit Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105 Danielle Miller, Program Manager Phone: 651-962-4372 |