Prospective Families

Willkommen! Wir freuen uns auf dich - we're glad you're here!

On this page, you can find answers to common questions from prospective families. Please contact [email protected] with additional questions!
How do i apply?
You can fill out an application for the school year you’re interested in. If you’re applying before January 31, you’ll be included in the lottery on February 3 and will receive an offer letter or notification of waitlist status on February 4. Click here to learn more about how the lottery works.
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If you’re applying after January 31, you will be sent an offer of admission if there’s room in your chosen grade, or you may be placed on the waitlist. Email [email protected] if you have questions about the admission process.
Do any students receive admission preference?
TCGIS offers admission preference to siblings of currently-enrolled students and to children of staff members. If multiple siblings are applying for admission and only one student is admitted, the other siblings will receive sibling preference and will move to the top of their respective waitlists. TCGIS does not offer preference based on location or German language ability.
what if i'm waitlisted?
Being waitlisted doesn’t mean that your child won’t be admitted! We enroll students off the waitlist all year long whenever space becomes available. On average, we admit about 90% of waitlisted Kindergarten applicants by the start of the school year, and we do continue making offers after that if more space becomes available.
Are there any requirements for admission?
We require that all students have a Minnesota address to officially attend - however, you do not need an MN address to apply or to accept your offer of enrollment. We’ll follow up through the summer to update our records with your new MN address when you have it.

Students must be 5 years old by September 1 to enroll in Kindergarten of that year. For higher grades, the same standard of a child being 5 years old by September 1 of the year their grade level peers entered Kindergarten will determine enrollment qualification. If you’re interested in early admission, see our Policy 509.1 here.

TCGIS does not require any previous knowledge of German to enroll in any grade.
can i apply for any grade?
​Yes, you can submit an application for any grade even if your child doesn’t speak German yet. If there is no room in that grade, your child will be added to the waitlist.
is there tuition?
​No. TCGIS is a public charter school and there is no cost to attend.
what are the class sizes?
​We aim for three classes of 24 students in each grade, with one teacher per class. Some grades may have slightly larger or smaller classes depending on that year’s enrollment.
Can i visit the school?
Yes! See here to sign up for a school tour or email [email protected] if none of those dates work for you.

Prospective middle school students (grades 5-8) are welcome to visit the school and shadow up to two 50-minute classes to learn more about what it's like to attend TCGIS. Parents may also sit in on the first few minutes of the class.

We are not able to accommodate shadowing requests for elementary school. Please contact [email protected] to set up a shadowing visit.
What is the daily schedule like?
Click here to view examples of daily schedules for each grade.

Each day begins at 8:15 AM and ends at 3:15 PM. All students in grades K-8 have recess and a chance to eat a snack at least once a day.

Every grade has one “specialist” class each day. In grades K-6, there is a three-day rotation between art, physical education, and performing arts. In grades 7 and 8, all students must take physical education, but they can choose between visual arts, media arts, and performing arts for their other two specialist classes. In media arts, students participate in designing the school yearbook.

In 7th grade, students have the option to start taking Spanish. This make TCGIS unique as an immersion school where students can learn a third language!
Does tcgis offer special education services?
Yes, TCGIS provides special education services to students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Click here to read more about special education services.
Does tcgis offer busing?
Yes, TCGIS currently offers four bus routes. Click here to view our current bus handbook, which includes a list of our bus stops and a link to the route map. Our routes stay mostly stable each year, but each summer we offer an opportunity for families to request changes and try to accommodate any requests for new stops.
Does tcgis offer before- and after-school care?
Yes, TCGIS has a program called Kinderclub which offers before- and after-school care, including full-day care on many no-school days. Morning care is from 6:30-8:00 AM, and afternoon care is from 3:15-6:00 PM.