The Tri-State German-American School

A Note Of Thanks…
It doesn’t seem possible, but here we are, approaching the end of another calendar year. That puts
us at the midway point of another successful year at the Tri-State German-American School.
Attendance has reached pre-pandemic levels, and we continue to offer virtual options for some
classes. Our school has had new opportunities to participate at venues such as the Taft Museum of
Art’s Oktoberfest and the German Heritage Museum’s Nikolausfest, giving us increased exposure.

It’s also the holiday season, the perfect time to thank all the many volunteers who help keep our
school going all year long! We appreciate the time and dedication of those who staffed our food
booth at Germania’s Oktoberfest and at their recent Christkindlmarkt. An unbelievable amount of
hard work goes into running these extremely busy booths, from organizing the many volunteers to
setting the booth up and taking it down after the event, not to mention all the effort expended in
between to keep everything running smoothly. Thank you, Sylvia Smith, for organizing the school’s
participation in the booth for both events!

We also want to thank Helga’s Kaffeepause and general housekeeping helpers, including the
Kaffeefee Fred Outten and “rechte Hand” Tim Sturdevant. We appreciate the important role you
play in making Pause a smooth-running experience every Saturday morning.

Special thanks go to Linda Geers, our in-house musician who has been helping out with the
children’s classes to bring more music and singing into the curriculum and with all classes
participating musically in the Christmas program.

Frohe Festtage wünschen euch

Michael Geers, TSGAS President, and Brett Siereveld, TSGAS Principal

Rouladen Dinner Approaching Fast!
The school’s annual Rouladen Dinner is scheduled for Sunday, January 28, in the clubhouse at
Germania Park. (Yes, that’s earlier than usual, but Germania’s scheduling is affected by the “early”
Easter.) This delicious homemade German feast features Rinderrouladen with Spätzle, red cabbage,
parsleyed potatoes, and mixed salad and is topped off with coffee or tea and Servatii’s Bienenstich. A
full cash bar will slake your thirst, and we’ll make sure you’re entertained, too, with some mood
music, a German trivia contest, chances at a Split-the-Pot kitty, and raffle prizes galore. Tickets for
the dinner will be available at school during the Kaffeepause in the weeks prior to the event ($20/
adult and $10/children 12 and under).

If you have any new raffle items you’d like to donate (including gift cards and gift certificates) or you
would like to volunteer to help in any way, please contact Bill Sampson at 513-515-7775. If you’d like
to learn how to make the Rouladen, join us at Germania on Thursday, January 25). Call Helga
Bucher at 513-961-7976 for details about prep day.

Reduced Tuition For Second Half Of School Year
Students who have had some previous German instruction may enroll for the second half of the
current school year and pay a reduced tuition. Adults pay only $100 and children pay only $50.
Unless the new students are members of a currently-enrolled household, they will also be
responsible for the $20/household membership fee. Students may enroll online using the PayPal or
pay-by-check registration form or in person when they come to school on January 6, 2024. Please
help spread the word if you know someone who missed the fall registration.

Two New Classes Proposed For The 2024 - 2025 School Year
We are excited about adding two new classes to our lineup for the next school year:

▻ Deutsch im Alltag - This class is geared to students with a solid background in German grammar
and a good working vocabulary who want to hone their ability to converse with native speakers
about everyday topics and to feel comfortable engaging in casual and situation-specific
conversation. Eligible students should have completed through the advanced intermediate
classes or their equivalent.

▻ Getting Around German-Speaking Europe - This class is designed for students who are interested
in learning about the cultural aspects of German-speaking Europe. Taught in English (with some
essential German along the way!), the class will introduce students to many aspects of life in
Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and the German-speaking areas of Switzerland and the Benelux
countries. Designed to have a fluid syllabus, the class can be structured to focus on particular
interest areas of the class members (e.g., travel, culinary, fine arts, music) while not neglecting
the “must-knows” about German-language cultures. A perfect class for spouses or parents of
students in our German language classes!

Please share this news with anyone who might be interested in these classes