Office: 605-367-7643

Email: SFSDEdisonOffice@k12.sd.us

Counseling Center: 605-367-8331

Fax: 605-367-8457

Edison is now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Facebook: @WeAreTheCats

Twitter: @EdisonCats

Instagram: @sfsdedisoncats

Newsletter Date:

August 18, 2021

Volume 2, Issue 1

Please make sure to log in to your Parent Portal to complete your family's Annual Update:

Parent Portal Link

If you need help logging, in, please call the office at (605)367-7643.

Follow the link below for the CAT-apult Day to do list!

CAT-apult Day To Do List 2021-22 - Google Docs

Hello Edison Families,

We are busy preparing for the 21-22 school year and our staff is very excited! This school year we welcome new staff and students! On Monday, August 23 from 3:00-7:00pm we will welcome all of our families to our CAT-apult Day. This will be a great opportunity for families to take care of the business of school such as lunch money, busing, PTO, etc. More importantly, families will receive their student’s schedule, walk the schedule, check out lockers, meet teachers and learn what to expect this school year! We are excited to see parents and students in our hallways, as we welcome them to the 21-22 school year!

As mentioned, we welcome new staff to Edison Middle School. Below is a list of teaching staff members for the 21-22 school year.

If you have questions or need anything prior to CAT-apult Day, please give us a call! We are happy to help. We will see you all very soon!

-Amber Blume, Principal

Counselors

Middle school students are characterized by rapid physical growth, curiosity about their world and an emerging self-identity. Middle school counselors have an impact on these years by implementing a school counseling program and collaborating with school staff, parents and the community to create a safe, respectful learning environment whereby young adolescents can maximize personal and academic achievement. Middle school counselors enhance the learning process and promote academic, career and social/emotional development. School counseling programs are essential for students to achieve optimal personal growth, acquire positive social skills and values, set informed career goals and realize full academic potential to become productive, contributing members of the world community.

Counselors at Edison follow their students throughout middle school.

Mrs. Murphy – ALL 6th grade

Mr. Biteler – ALL 7th grade

Mrs. Plaine – ALL 8th grade

WEB

The WEB program is off to another roaring start. Training for this year’s WEB leaders was held on August 11th with the big sixth grade orientation on August 12th. These 8th graders will now be mentors to the 6th graders throughout the year. WEB leaders will visit their assigned 6th grade pro-time once a month!

Arndt, Finley

Castaneda Salinas, Nina

Cazares, Ellie

Chap, Callison

Chedester, Maria

Doohen, Cail

Face, Woody

Figueroa, Jessica

Freng, Nevaeh

Gaspar, Hailey

Getnet, Kidus

Hedrick, Julia

Hernandez, Thanya

Hill, Antonio

Hutchinson, Alyvia

Johnson, Meredith

Kellen-Hauger, Toryn

Kenyon, Chalease

Kiesow, Lillian

Kramar, Rachel

Marsh, Melanie

Martinez, Mackenzy

Mazariegos, Andy

Mertes, Emily

Minister, Scout

Olesen, Elizabeth

Peterson, Will

Schmaltz, Summer

Sheets, Lily

Sheriff, Graci

Stormo, Madison

Tietjen, Samantha

VanEssen, Amelia

White, Ella

Wiessner, Grant

Williams, Harleigh

Binders Needed… Every year we have students that are unable to purchase binders and try to unsuccessfully organize themselves in other ways. We try to help provide students with binders that cannot afford binders and need one.

We can always use more zipper binders to help our students in being more successful. If you would feel the urge to help some of our less fortunate students out, we would appreciate donations of binders to the Counseling Center. OTHER school supplies are also excepted including pens, pencils, folders, pencil pouches, notebooks, composition books, etc.

The PTO would like to welcome all of our Edison families back to school. We are excited for the 2021-22 school year and hope that you will take the opportunity to get involved with the Edison PTO. As a parent (or grandparent, aunt, uncle, guardian, etc) of an Edison student, you are automatically a member of the PTO and a valuable part of this organization of people who support our school.

Why do I need to get involved?

Family involvement at school is very rewarding and important to the success of your child. The PTO needs your voice and commitment in order to provide enriching events and opportunities to our students and to provide support for our amazing staff.

What does PTO do?

• assists with Catapult Day
• organizes fundraisers, like the Color Run, to purchase items for the school and support our staff and students
• sponsors school assemblies and student enrichment experiences, like the “Chill on the Hill” sledding trip
• sells Edison spiritwear
• provides and sets up meals for staff during parent teacher conferences
• helps with bookfair during parent teacher conferences
• provides meals/treats for staff appreciation week

Does it cost to join?

No! There are no membership fees. To raise funds PTO hosts the Edison Color Run in October and catalog sales in late fall. Your support and participation in these events make a HUGE difference for our school. You can also donate directly to the PTO at https://general-donations-to-the-pto.cheddarup.com or send cash or check to the main office in an envelope marked “Edison PTO”

When are the meetings?

Our first meeting will be on Wednesday, September 15th at noon at Edison. We are hoping to have a zoom link for those who would like to attend virtually. Watch for an email or check our website for this link. Please join us! Your attendance is vital to ensure the PTO is meeting the needs of families and teachers of Edison Middle School.

How do I learn more?

You can contact us at edisonsiouxfalls@gmail.com or visit our website at https://edisonsf.org for the latest info, past meeting minutes and

budget information.

PTO Officers:

Co-Presidents: Nikki Schmaltz & LeAnn Minister

Treasurer: Kristina Sipma

Secretary: Shannon Huber

Save the date:

Aug 23rd - Catapult day: Volunteers needed! See link below for the sign-up.

Sept 15th - First PTO Meeting @ noon

Oct 15th - Edison Color Run

Volunteers needed!

Sign up here https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054AAEAC29A0FE3-emscatapult4 to volunteer for a shift at Catapult day Aug 23rd.

Get your CATS spiritwear!

Look for the spiritwear booth at Catapult Day! We will have items on hand and available to order online starting Monday, Aug 23rd.

August 2021 Music Notes

Welcome~

The Music Department at Edison welcomes you to a new school year! We are excited to see students returning to band, chorus, and orchestra and we are eager to get to know our new students and make music with them. Band directors Jason Rygg and Holly Gage have taken new positions. Mr. Rygg will teach at George McGovern and Mrs. Gage will be at Patrick Henry this fall. We will miss them and we wish them well! We welcome band director, Mr. Rick Jensen, BACK to Edison and we are excited to have Miss Emily Deinken as our new band director in the music department! Mrs. Stacy Sip and Miss Shannon Abels are the Edison orchestra directors. Mrs. Mollie Weflen and Mrs. Amber Sundvold are the Edison chorus directors. You can read more about them on the Edison Music Department website at: http://emsmusicdept.weebly.com/ Please call the school office or e-mail any one of us if you have questions.

Band/Chorus/Orchestra!~

These groups meet every other day during the school day. Students can be in two performance groups as they meet on opposite days. Each group performs two evening concerts per year. If you were in band or orchestra last year we hope you continue!! It’s never too late to try chorus if you enjoy singing! If your child did not get signed up for band, chorus, or orchestra last spring please call the Edison office now! (605.367.7643)

Important Dates for First Semester~

Make sure your child’s concert dates are on your calendar. High school concert times or rehearsal times might be different than what is listed here and will be communicated with your child if they are an 8th grader in band or chorus.

Sept. 21, 22, 23 Inventions Auditions in the Chorus Room 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Sep. 28, 29, 30 Production (TBA) auditions in the Auditorium 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Oct. 18 LHS Fall Choir Concert w/8th graders (rehearsal 6 pm) 7:00 p.m. @ LHS

Oct. 19, 20, 21 Brio Auditions in the Orchestra Room 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Oct. 21 WHS Fall Choir Concert w/8th graders (rehearsal 6 pm) 7:00 p.m. @ WHS

Nov. 8 RHS Fall Choir Concert w/8th graders times TBA @ RHS

Nov. 16 WHS Band Concert w/8th graders (6:00 rehearsal) 7:00 p.m @ WHS

Nov. 18 Edison Orchestra Concerts 6th grade–6:00 p.m., 7th grade–6:45 p.m. & 8th grade–7:30 p.m.

Nov. 18 LHS Band Concert w/8th graders (rehearsal on 11/17 at 7:30 a.m.) 7:00 p.m. @ LHS

Dec. 7 Edison Band Concerts 6th grade–6:00 p.m., 7th grade–6:45 p.m. & 8th grade–7:30 p.m.

Dec. 9 & 10 Production (TBA) performance in auditorium 7:00 p.m.

Dec. 14 Edison Chorus Concerts 6th grade – 6:30 p.m. & 7th/8th grade – 7:45 p.m.

Dec. 16 RHS Band Concert w/8th graders (7:30 am rehearsal) 7:00 p.m. @ RHS

Musician of the Month~

Each month the band, orchestra, and chorus areas will each recognize a 6th, 7th, and 8th grader that shows exceptional dedication, responsibility, and character each and every day in rehearsal. We will always list these students in this section of the ECHO. This program starts in September.

Ensemble Schedule~

Jazz Band will be meeting two mornings a week from 7:45 – 8:45 a.m.

Brio - Students who audition and are selected for the string ensemble, Brio, will be meeting two mornings a week from 8:10 – 8:45 a.m. Audition dates are 10/19, 10/20, & 10/21.

Inventions - Students who audition and are selected for the vocal ensemble Inventions, will meet two mornings a week from 7:45 - 8:45 a.m. Audition dates are 9/21, 9/22, & 9/23.

**The exact mornings that our ensembles will meet will be determined in the near future.

All-State Band~

The South Dakota Middle School All-State Band is a special event designed to inspire and encourage top band students from across the state. Tryouts are held in December, but interested students need to start practicing the required music now. For more information, please contact Mr. Jensen or visit http://sdmea.net/ and look under the Events list and MSASB (Middle School All-State Band). We encourage you to give it a try!

Jazz Band Auditions~

Jazz Band is open without auditions to any 7th or 8th grader who plays a jazz instrument. Jazz instruments are saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone, piano, drumset, bass guitar, and sometimes electric guitar. If we have more students than we have room for on drumset, bass guitar, or electric guitar, we will do an informal audition during the first two weeks of Jazz Band rehearsal. Contact Mr. Jensen with any Jazz Band questions.

All-State Orchestra~

The South Dakota Middle School All-State Orchestra is in its fifth year! The top orchestra students in the state of South Dakota come together to perform for this special event. Auditions are held in late October/early November, but interested students need to start practicing the required music now. For more information please contact Mrs. Sip or visit http://sdmea.net/ and look under the Events list for: Middle School All-State Orchestra. All the information you need and the audition music is there for you!

Inventions Auditions~

Inventions is a swing choir open to 7th and 8th grade chorus students. Those interested in auditioning for these groups should sign up on the door by the chorus room in early September. Auditions will be held after school on Sept. 21, 22, & 23 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. in the chorus room. Students can audition in groups of 1, 2, or 3. They should come prepared with a song of their choice and they will individually sing the first verse of “My Country Tis of Thee”, which we will practice in chorus.

SD Junior Honors Choir~

7th and 8th grade singers have the opportunity to audition for the 2022 SD Jr. Honor Choir. Around 175 voices from around the state of SD will be chosen from all the auditions submitted for these choirs. Students in grades 7, 8, and 9 are eligible to be chosen as part of either the mixed choir or the women’s choir. The honor choirs take place January 21 – 22, 2022, in Sioux Falls, SD. It costs $15 to audition and $145 to participate if you're chosen. More info to come in the next ECHO or watch for info on the music dept. website.

If you know your child will be auditioning, please e-mail Amber.Sundvold@k12.sd.us.

Edison Stage Production~

We will hold auditions for this year’s stage production at the end of September. We are not sure if we are doing a variety show or musical, but we have decided that we are going to do it in the first semester! All chorus students will be given details and there will be some all school announcements for those that are not in chorus but interested in participating.

Edison Music Department Website~

The Edison Music Department has a website! Refer to this website for information and dates.

http://emsmusicdept.weebly.com/

“Like” us on Facebook!~

Edison Music Department has a Facebook page! This page will be used for informational purposes only. We will NOT have any pictures of students posted, it will strictly be used for getting information out to you!

The page is: www.facebook.com/EMSMusicDept

There are other Edison schools out there so check before you “like” our site!

Thank you for encouraging your child to participate in Band, Chorus and Orchestra at Edison! We look forward to making music with them!

• Band directors – Rick Jensen - Rick.T.Jensen@k12.sd.us & Emily Deinken – Emily.Deinken@k12.sd.us

• Chorus directors – Amber Sundvold – Amber.Sundvold@k12.sd.us & Mollie Weflen – Mollie.Weflen@k12.sd.us

• Orchestra directors – Stacy Sip – Stacy.Sip@k12.sd.us & Shannon Abels – Shannon.Abels@k12.sd.us

“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” - Confucius

Welcome back! We are so excited to see you in the Edison Library!

The library is open from 8:00-4:00 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. On Wednesdays, the library is open from 8:40-4:00. Students may check out three items at a time.

Library items are due two weeks from the date of check out. However, items can be renewed. We do not charge late fees, but if an item is lost or damaged, students will be charged the amount of a replacement copy. (This includes audiobooks which can cost up to $80 to replace.)

To access the library, go to libcat.sf.k12.sd.us and choose Edison. Please also visit our library website at www.catsread.com! If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Smith at kjerstin.smith@k12.sd.us.

Hello Edison Families,

I’m David Christian, some of you may know me as the Physical Education/ Health teacher and coach at Edison for the last 22 years. This year I will be serving as the coordinator of Athletics, as well as teach Pe/Health. I want to invite each and every one of our 7th and 8th graders to consider coming out for a school sponsored sport. Students need not worry about having played before. Middle school sports are a great way to experience news activities, meet new people, develop new skills, and work as a team. Our coaches will ask you to put forth your best effort, work hard, demonstrate good character in loss or victory, and be an example for others. Finally, those of you who participate in sports are known as “student athletes”. You will notice that the “student” comes before the “athlete”, so we need you to work just as hard on your school work as you would work in your particular sport. I hope to see many of you out for one of our school sports.

Checklist for participation

1. Physical by a medical provider ( 1 physical will cover both 7th and 8th grade)

2. Parent permission packet (filled out in infinite campus)

3. Be ready to work hard, learn, and have fun!

Please see below further information on our school sports. Go Edison Cats!

Edison Middle School Sports 2021-2022

https://sfsdathletics.k12.sd.us/

~Fall Sports Offered --- (1st Quarter-Practice starts the 1st week of school)

Cross Country, Football, Volleyball at the Middle School for 7th and 8th graders.

Boys Golf and Girls Tennis at the High School for 7th -12th (Parent/Guardian Must Provide Transportation)

~Winter Sports Offered (2nd and 3rd Quarter)

Basketball Girls (2nd Quarter) and Basketball Boys (3rd Quarter) at the Middle School for 7th and 8th graders.

Gymnastics and Wrestling at the High School for 7th -12th (Parent/Guardian Must Provide Transportation)

~Spring Sports Offered (4th Quarter)

Boys and Girls Track and Field at the Middle School for 7th and 8th graders

Girls Golf and Boys Tennis at the High Schools for 7th -12th (Parent/Guardian Must Provide Transportation)

TWO FORMS NEEDED FOR PARTICIPATION

1. Activity Participation Packet (Online) sign in to your Parent Portal on Infinite Campus to register your student for school and complete the Activity Participation section when registering for school.

2. Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation Form (Attached Paper Document completed by a Doctor)

a. This evaluation must occur prior to the first practice in which the student is participating in. When contacting your doctor/provider’s office, please remember to ask for a “wellness exam” and bring the attached form with you to the appointment.

b. This physical will be valid through the end of the student’s 8th grade school year so you only need to complete this physical one time during middle school.

How do Sioux Falls School District families schedule a Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation?

Option 1:

The Sioux Falls School District recommends scheduling your student for a Pre-Participation Physical

Evaluation with your family doctor/provider. At this evaluation, immunizations can be updated, and

other health issues addressed. The Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation Form must be completed at

this evaluation. Many insurance companies will pay for this evaluation, and sometimes a co-pay may

apply. **When contacting your doctor/provider’s office, please remember to ask for a “wellness exam” and bring the attached form with you to the appointment.**

Option 2: https://siouxfalls.org/health/falls-community-health

Falls Community Health Provides services on a sliding fee scale or free for qualified families.

Contact Kayla Borchardt at 605-367-8793 to make an appointment.

Option 3: https://www.usd.edu/medicine/coyote-clinic

The Coyote Clinic - Free service for families in need

Please call 605-322-6800 to make an appointment

Avera Medical Group HealthCare Clinic 300 N Dakota Ave Suite 117 | Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Located in the 300 Building one block north of the public library

________________________________________________________________________________________

See Mr. David Christian at Edison if you have any questions.

EMAIL: david.christian@k12.sd.us