Monday, February 21 - No School (President's Day) The main office will be closed.

Tuesday, March 8 - Middle School Jazz Festival @ Chippewa

Thursday, March 10 - Friday, March 18 - No School (Spring Break)

Thursday, March 31 - Parent Communication Night

The Edgewood Middle School FTC Robotics Team #13787, Eagle Tech, participated in this year's game challenge "Freight Frenzy" at the FTC MN State Championship on Saturday, February 12, for grades 6-12. The team was ranked 5th out of 24 after the morning qualification rounds. In the finals, the team was knocked out in the first round by the #1 ranked team. We are very proud of our Edgewood team. Congratulations Eagle Tech!

Mounds View Public Schools is among the many school districts, cities and counties across the country that have been updating their COVID-19 mitigation strategies. We are now experiencing falling case counts, lower absenteeism and wide-spread vaccination availability. In response, Mounds View Public Schools will recommend and no longer require that students, staff and visitors wear masks while inside our buildings, effective February 28. Read more here.

Registration for summer day camps opens Monday, March 21, at 9 a.m. With new instructors, new topics and one centralized camp site, students will be able to try new things, meet new people and grow. Camp options include both full-day and half-day options for students entering grades K-7.

You can view the digital summer catalog here.

Printed catalogs will be arriving in mailboxes soon!

COVID-19 safety information:

• Camps will be run in accordance with the latest CDC, MDH and District safety guidelines. More information will be given at registration and updates will be provided prior to your participant's session.

Students, if you did not get your picture taken during the back-to-school orientation in August or during picture retake day in October, you will not be in the yearbook. You can, however, submit your own photo for the yearbook. You may take a picture at home and submit it to Ms. Penner (anna.penner@moundsviewschools.org) to be used in the yearbook. We ask that you follow the guidelines of a school picture as close as possible, using solid backgrounds and a head shot from the chest up.

Also, if you have any fun photos with classmates/friends from the school year so far, please also share with Ms. Penner to possibly make it into the yearbook!

Yearbooks must now be ordered online. Go to http://ybpay.com and type in the yearbook ID code #10712922.

Text "UNIFIED" to 612-662-4343 to subscribe to Unified Champion School texts and get a chance to win an Oculus Quest 2 VR headset! Subscribe by Monday, February 28, to enter.

Also, join us for Unified Club on Mondays after school in Room 232 from 2:30-3:30 pm. We'll see you there!

Did you know? We are the 11th largest school district in the state, with 11,656 K-12 students.

Facebook: facebook.com/MoundsViewSchools

Twitter: twitter.com/MoundsViewK12

Instagram: instagram.com/moundsviewpublicschools

Bus transportation is only available on Mondays & Wednesdays of each week for after-school activities. There are three activity bus routes available, check here and click on the routes to see which bus drop-off location is closest to your home and make sure your student knows which bus to take home if they stay after for activities. Staff will be available at the buses to help students.

PLEASE NOTE THERE IS NO SKI CLUB THIS WEEK.

MONDAY, February 21

• NO SCHOOL - President's Day

TUESDAY, February 22 (B Day)

• Breakfast Served – Cafeteria 7:15–7:40 AM

• Music Club - Band Room 2:30-3:30 PM

• Quincy House @ MVCC 2:30-4:30 (By Invitation Only)

WEDNESDAY, February 23 (A Day)

• Breakfast Served – Cafeteria 7:15–7:40 AM

• Choir Ensemble - Choir Room 2:30-3:30 PM

• Math Zone - Room 013 2:30-3:30

• Quiz Bowl - Room 022 2:30-3:30

• Reading Zone - Room 001 2:30-3:30

• Science Zone - Room 003 2:30-3:30

• Social Studies Zone - Room 012 2:30-3:30

THURSDAY, February 24 (B Day)

• Breakfast Served – Cafeteria 7:15–7:40 AM

• Eagle Leaders - Room 006 2:30-3:30

• Jazz Band - Band Room 2:30-3:20 PM

• Quincy House @ MVCC 2:30-4:30 (By Invitation Only)

FRIDAY, February 25 (B Day)

• Breakfast Served – Cafeteria 7:15–7:40 AM

• GSA - Room 022 2:30-3:30 PM

*Activities are subject to change, please listen for daily announcements.

Swimming, Floor Hockey, & Girls Basketball will begin on Monday, February 28. Students must register through Community Ed.

Mounds View Schools Community Education offers a variety of opportunities for youth, families and adults to pursue interests, expand abilities and improve social skills in an informal, friendly atmosphere. Programming is offered before school, after school, non-school days and weekends. Click here to see all Community Education offerings!

In addition to the youth programs and enrichment opportunities available through the District's Community Ed Department, a number of activities, camps and youth programs are hosted by area cities, local businesses, community organizations and school PTA groups. Please see offerings available in the district attendance area here.

Registration is now open until March 1, 2022, for Irondale Youth Baseball, grades 2-9. Learn baseball with your friends in a fun and competitive environment! Games and practices on weeknights. The season begins in mid-April and runs through early July. More information can be found here.

Ultimate Frisbee is a spirited and incredibly fun non-contact sport. come join us - no experience necessary! Practices are Mondays & Wednesdays, April 4 - May 18, from 5:30-7pm at Pike Lake. League games will be on Sundays from 12:30-4:30pm on April 24, May 1, 8, & 15. To register, click here. To find out more information about the team, please click here. If you have any questions, please email coaches Ann & John Fieberg at irondale.ms.ultimate@gmail.com.

Congratulations and good luck to our Irondale gymnasts and skiers as they compete in state competitions!

Students pictured, left to right: Avery Dox (Mounds View sophomore, gymnastics), Julia Clark (senior, gymnastics), Alethia Olson-Skog (Mounds View freshman, gymnastics), Lulu Semakula (freshman, gymnastics), Coach Torvi, Noah Besemann (junior, Nordic skiiing), Elizabeth VanLoon (senior, Nordic skiing) and Siri Stolen (sophomore, Nordic skiiing).

On Saturday, February 19, students from across the district will perform as the Irondale Winter Drumline and Winter Color Guard host their home show in the Varsity Gym at Irondale High School. More than playing music, competing drumlines will march their way into your hearts starting at 1 PM. Come back in the evening to see Irondale’s TWO Winter Color Guards in exhibition, as other schools from the North Star Circuit compete at 6:30 PM. Visit the Irondale Bands website for ticket prices and more information.

Due to recent concerns with middle school students, Irondale has shared that they are now requiring students to be accompanied by an adult in order to gain entry.

This decision comes in response to problems with middle school students attending games at Irondale without adult supervision. These concerns are compounded by the fact that event supervisors do not know student names, and are often treated unkindly in response to redirection.

So as to be as clear as possible, in order for middle school students from both Edgewood and Highview to attend any future games or events at Irondale, they must be accompanied by an adult from start to finish. The adult does not necessarily have to be the student’s parent, meaning kids may attend games with the parent of a friend.

Irondale has further indicated that the adult accompanying students is to remain at the game or event from start to finish and in close enough proximity that they can support any redirection students might receive from event supervisors (i.e. for rowdy, unkind or unsportsmanlike behavior).

Seventh & eighth grade athletes that wish to participate on a high school team will also register online. Before you begin your online registration, approval must be obtained from the middle school principal or dean, the high school activities director and coach. In addition, signatures from both student & parent/guardian are also required. Please complete this Middle School consent form and deliver to the high school activities office before you begin the online registration.

Edgewood Parents & Teachers (EPAT) is an organization in which parents, as well as Edgewood (EW) teachers and administration work together to help meet the needs of the EW students and staff. This includes funding for EPAT-sponsored student events, providing grants to teachers for items not covered in the school's budget, and staff appreciation events.

We understand that not all families may be in a position to give right now, but if you have the means, please consider a direct donation to EPAT. There are several ways to contribute, but direct donation maximizes the dollars available to support our students and teachers! Here are our current fundraisers:

• Direct Donation
  • Send it via U.S. mail to:
    Edgewood Middle School, Attn: EPAT
    5100 Edgewood Drive, Mounds View, MN 55112
  • Shannon Mildenberger is available at Edgewood to receive donations in person
  • Donate online:
    o Venmo information (see below)
• Amazon Smile (Group Name: Edgewood Middle School PTO)
• Tasteocracy (Group Name: Edgewood Parents and Teachers PTO Group)

If you would like more information or are willing to volunteer your time to support the EW community, go to our website at https://www.moundsviewschools.org/edgewood or please contact margaret.meyer@moundsviewschools.org or lockwood.kimberly@gmail.com.

Check the weekly Edgewood E-news for updates on EPAT and our upcoming meetings.

Parents/guardians, just a quick reminder for when you are dropping off your students in the mornings, PLEASE DO NOT DROP THEM OFF AT THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL. Please proceed down the horseshoe and drop them off near the activities entrance on the north side. Also, PLEASE DO NOT DOUBLE PARK TO DROP OFF STUDENTS IN THE HORSESHOE FOR SAFETY REASONS! If students are dropped off after 8:45 am, please drop them off at the front entrance. Thank you for your help in keeping our families safe!

In an effort to help reduce disruption in classrooms during the day, please call ahead of time to either the attendance line (651-621-6601) or the main office line (651-621-6600) to notify us you need to pick up your student early so we can get a pass to them to leave class on their own without disrupting and having to call into the room. You can also send a note for them to drop off at the front office or report it through ParentVUE in the morning. Please note, it is the student's responsibility to share the note with their teacher and leave at the time of the dismissal. Your student should then come to the office, sign out, then wait until you arrive. Please help remind your student if you need to pick them up early on any given day. If students return back to school during the day, they can sign themselves back in and we will give them a pass to return back to class. We appreciate your help!

Though schools and buses usually have a limited number of extra masks on hand, please make sure your child is bringing their mask to school and/or on the bus each day. As a reminder, Mounds View Public Schools requires that students, staff, and visitors wear masks while inside its buildings. The federal government also requires face coverings for individuals while riding on all forms of public transportation, including school buses. If you are in need of reusable masks for your child, please contact your school.

As our community transmission rates remain high, we continue to follow CDC and Ramsey County Public Health guidance and expect students and adults in our buildings to consistently and appropriately wear masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Please continue to reinforce this expectation with students and staff in your sites.

Remember:

• Masks should be worn consistently indoors except while actively eating or drinking.

• They should fit snugly over the nose, under the chin and on the sides.

Recommendations on how to wear a mask can be found here.

It’s been a while since we’ve experienced a weather-related school cancellation. Here are five things to remember this year:

1. If winter weather conditions force school closures this year, there will be no instruction held on the affected day(s).

2. Families will not receive a “We’ll be open tomorrow” message during wintery weather evenings. Always assume schools will remain in session, until you hear or see differently from Mounds View Public Schools.

3. Within 20 minutes of a decision to close schools, families will receive text, voicemail, and email messages. Make sure your contact information is current in ParentVUE. Instructions can be found here.

4. Want your student to also receive an alert? Parents can add their student’s cell phone for emergency text alerts in ParentVUE. Here’s how.

5. If you've blocked ANY previous text messages from us in the past, you won't receive any emergency alerts. To unblock your cell phone, contact your school's front office.

The decision to close schools is a difficult one to make, and we realize that it significantly impacts all of our families. To learn more about the criteria for school closures, visit here.

Attention students: It is critical and expected that you bring your charged Chromebook to school everyday. Please be sure to place your Chromebook inside your backpack each evening or morning after you have charged it to ensure it is ready for you at school.

If your student will be absent, coming in late, leaving early, etc., please leave a message on our 24/7 attendance line at 651-621-6601. You may also report an absence through ParentVUE.

If your student is leaving early, you may also send a note with your student to bring to the front office. We will issue a pass to them so they can leave their class early to come down, sign out, and be ready for pick-up.

We realize there are times when families take vacations when school is in session. If that is the case, we ask that you please complete our "Extended Absence Form". This form is used to inform the school office and teachers of your child's absence. Also, just a reminder to parents planning to take students out-of-town for a week or more should arrange with the teachers/Deans to have school assignments issued in advance of the trip. Students should also plan to stay after school, if needed, when they return to make up missed work.

Breakfast, lunch, and snack are FREE to all students this year; however, if they want items from the Ala Carte (snacks, juice, treats, etc.), they need to add money to their lunch accounts and use their lunch pins to access.

PLEASE NOTE: The funds must be put in an envelope provided on the black collection boxes located either in the front lobby or outside the cafeteria door. The envelopes NEED to include the student's first & last name then NEEDS TO BE PUT into the secure cash box or drop it off in the front office. PLEASE INFORM YOUR STUDENT NOT SET THEIR MONEY/ENVELOPE ON TOP OF THE BOX! The cafeteria collects the money at 9:00 am each morning. They cannot take money during lunch. Thank you for your help in this matter.

The safest way to add money is through the online Paypams account here.

Get ready for back to school with new spirit wear! Take a look at Edgewood's options here. Shop from a selection of t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, vests and other accessories.

Para asistencia en traducciones ó ayuda como intérprete, por favor llama 651-724-2854. Yog xa tau kev pab thiab hais ua lus Hmoob thov hu rau 651-724-0396. Haddi aad ubaahantahay faahfaahin dheerad ah ama turjumaad, fadlan kala 651-724-7482.