Office: 605-367-7643

Website: https://www.sf.k12.sd.us/edison/home

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:

February 7th, 2023

Volume 2, Issue 18

No student deliveries for Valentines Day.

Please remember that outside food is not allowed in the cafeteria, aside from pre-packed cold lunch.

Please let the office know as soon as possible if your child is going to be tardy or absent from school. You can call the office or email sfsdedisonattendance@k12.sd.us. If your child is leaving early from school for any reason, please try and let the office know before school starts to avoid classroom disruption.

Student Check In/Out Procedure- You do NOT need to walk your student in to school to check them in if they are late or returning from an appointment. When a student is checking OUT we do need to see the adult that is picking them up in the office. If you are unable to come inside, call the office and we will have a staff member walk your student out to their ride to verify who is picking them up.

Please call or email the office if you have any questions.

605-367-7643

sfsdedisonoffice@k12.sd.us

Hello Edison Families,

It is hard to believe it is February! The school year is going by so quickly! As we begin second semester, we start fresh with an opportunity to build on what was learned in the first semester. This is an opportunity to continue or build new habits for success at home. Here are some tips to support your students as we continue into second semester.

1. Monitor Infinite Campus: Monitoring grades on Infinite Campus is the best way to be up to date on your student’s progress throughout the semester. Downloading the app and setting notifications will allow you quick access to graded assignments or missing assignments. Call the Edison office 367-7643 if you need support.

2. Sign up for Conferences: Conferences take place Feb 13 & 16. Teachers have sent out information and links to conference sign ups. Communicating with your student’s teachers will support the work your students do in the classroom. If you need help signing up, please call the Edison office and we can assist.

3. Establish Routines for Homework: Establish a nightly routine for homework that includes a quiet workplace. If your child does not have homework, reading for 20 minutes is great practice.

4. Establish Routines for Students to Come Prepared: Establish a routine for your child to prepare for the day. This would include charging Chromebooks each night and packing up backpacks to be prepared for the school day.

We look forward to the learning that will happen this semester. Thank you for your partnership in your student’s learning!

Sincerely,

Amber Blume, Principal

By now, our bodies have somewhat adjusted to the shortage of daylight that comes with the winter season. The cold weather pushes most of us indoors for activities, yet the dream of a slower pace is quickly replaced by holiday concerts, long to-do lists, and for our high school students - preparing for semester tests.

The District Office doesn’t slow down either. This month, I wanted to share some exciting, education-related news with you that demonstrates our ongoing commitment to becoming THE BEST school district in the nation:

• SFSD is delighted with the ongoing interest in the Avera Family Forum Series launched in September. After an out-of-state company approached SFSD about offering monthly sessions to support families, SFSD knew it had one of the best resources available just down the street. We contacted our partners at Avera Behavioral Health, and as we anticipated, they eagerly jumped at the opportunity to participate. Our first online collaboration in September focused on suicide prevention. In October, we tackled the topic of anxiety, and in November, we provided practical advice for parents on setting parameters with digital media. The 40-minute video had been viewed more than 700 times just two weeks after presenting the digital media topic. This video, along with others offered on the third Tuesday of each month, can be found at sf.k12.sd.us under the Counseling Services tab. This partnership is a perfect example of how schools and the community work together to benefit everyone.

• Another exciting collaboration turns the spotlight on student ideas. SFSD is now accepting applications for participants in its first-ever TEDxYouth Event to be held in late March. Any high school SFSD student with a big idea and the drive to perfect it for a live audience is invited to apply. Judges will select 15 participants who will bring their ideas to the stage in a ticketed public performance. We’re excited to have the Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation as our premier sponsor, along with Thad Giedd of Pinnacle Productions, whose talent has secured TEDx licensing for this Sioux Falls youth event. Student voices are critical to the success of our schools and our community, and I can’t wait to hear what’s on the minds of our selected speakers.

• Top-notch students are always due in part to top-notch teachers, and the Sioux Falls School District is proud to employ so many of them! Nominations are now open for the 2023 Dr. John W. Harris Sioux Falls Teacher of the Year award sponsored by Vern Eide Motorcars. This is the 35th year for the award showcasing the never-give-up tenacity of teachers who believe in, encourage, and challenge students to stretch and grow daily. You’ve likely encountered one or more of them, so why not make a nomination today? The nomination is easy to complete by the January 16, 2023, deadline. The spring celebration is one of the best ways to show appreciation for an exemplary educator.

This update demonstrates our drive to support parents, students, and teachers, and as we close 2022, your public schools are eager to ring in another new year by giving our very best every day. Thank you for your partnership this semester!

PTO News
Many thanks to those who have been able to attend the PTO meetings! We appreciate your input on our events and projects as we determine the best ways to support our students, teachers, and staff. There are some important events occurring in February along with opportunities to help! Please see below for more information.

Parent Teacher Conferences: February 13 and 16
Conferences make for long days for our teachers and staff, and they have greatly appreciated having meals provided for them by our Edison families. Thank you! We are looking for both food and monetary donations for the upcoming conferences. For the monetary donations, please send cash or check (payable to “Edison PTO”) to the school office in an envelope labeled “PTO conference meals.” You can also make an online donation through Cheddar Up: https://conference-meals-20559.cheddarup.com

To donate a meal item or volunteer to help with set-up or clean-up on February 13 please visit this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054AAEAC29A0FE3-spring

Visit the Book Fair: February 13!
The Scholastic Book Fair will be open during parent-teacher conferences on February 13. Not only does the Book Fair benefit your students at home, but it benefits your students at school! For every item purchased Edison earns a percentage of Scholastic dollars to go toward buying more books for their classrooms and library.

Visit the Spirit Wear Booth: February 13!
The Spirit Wear booth will be open during Parent Teacher Conferences on February 13. Drop by to check out all the Edison Cats apparel! If you have questions about Spirit Wear you can email our Spirit Wear Coordinator, Angela Gosch, at edisonms.spiritwear@gmail.com.

PTO Meeting: February 15
We will be talking about spring events at our next PTO meeting. We would love for you to join the discussion! Please join us on February 15 at noon, via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88144870067?pwd=Y3E0ZXgyOU91b1pIQTFpZkhKMzdoZz09
Meeting ID: 881 4487 0067
Passcode: 907743

Thank you!
Edison PTO

Contact us at edisonsiouxfalls@gmail.com or www.edisonsf.org

February Music Notes

MAIN CONCERTS -

Mar. 30 EMS Orchestra Concerts in Gym 6:00-6th gr., 6:45-7th gr., 7:30-8th gr.

Apr. 25 EMS Band Concerts in Gym 6th grade–6:30 p.m. & 7th/8th grade–7:30 p.m.

May 16 EMS Chorus Concerts in Gym 6th grade – 6:30 p.m. & 7th/8th grade – 7:45 p.m.

OTHER IMPORTANT DATES -

Mar. 16 & 17 Cinderella Musical Performances in auditorium 7:00 p.m.

Mar. 18 Band Solo/Ensemble Contest at EMS (Edison MS) 8:00 am–1:00 p.m.

Apr. 4 5th Grade Area Band Festival with Jazz Band 6:00 p.m.

Apr. 13 Brio Concert with 5th Grade Orchestra Festival Concert 6:00 p.m.

Apr. 21 Brio/Inventions/Jazz Band Tour Day All Day

April 22 Orchestra Contest at Susan B Anthony Elementary All Day

April 28 Inventions Friends and Family Concert in auditorium 7:00 p.m.

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. Lewis Drug supports our Musician of the Month program by donating packages of M & Ms to hand out to the musicians we recognize.

Musicians of the month for JANUARY are:

Band: Angelina Fuentes (8) Anna Fischer (7) Makai Brooks (6)

Chorus: Nate Herbst (8) Macie Olson (7) Kylee Parish (6)

Orchestra: Gibson Wood (8) Grant Fischer (7) Azara Gamache (6)

SD Jr. Honor Choir Congrats~

Congratulations to the Edison students who auditioned and were selected for the South Dakota American Choral Directors Association Junior Honor Choirs. They worked to prepare their music and participated in an honor choir with students from all over the state in Rapid City in January. Students that made the honor choir from Edison are: Alyka Gubbels, Liv Hendrickson, Nate Herbst, Catherine Jerstad, Maritta Sander, & Carter Schochenmaier. Way to represent Edison!

All State Band Congrats!~

Congratulations to Nathanial Herbst and Anna Seigfred for being selected to represent Edison at the South Dakota Middle School All-State Band! They were chosen through state-wide competitive tryouts and will be performing in Huron on March 3-4. We are so proud of you! It’s not an easy process, but one that improves your playing regardless of placement. Thanks for your hard work and dedication! Music for next year’s tryouts will be posted at sdmea.net on or around May 1st.

Congratulations Orchestra Students!

Congratulations to Jeremiah Borgum for making the All State Orchestra! This is the seventh year that All State Middle School orchestra is taking place and this amazing student was chosen through state-wide competitive tryouts. Jeremiah is one of the best orchestra students in the state of South Dakota! Way to go!

Private Lessons~

Now is a great time of year to consider starting private lessons on your instrument/voice. Individual lessons with a skilled teacher are a great way to learn, grow, and excel as a musician. The private lesson list can be found on the Edison Music Dept. website at http://emsmusicdept.weebly.com/private-instructors-list.html

Sign Language Interpreter~

Please notify your child’s director if you need a sign language interpreter for the spring concert. Notify the director at least ONE MONTH before the concert date. (Concert dates and director emails are included in this ECHO.)

Ensemble Schedule~

Jazz Band meets on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 7:45 – 8:45 a.m.

Brio meets on Wednesday and Friday morning from 8:10 – 8:45 a.m.

Inventions meets on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:45 - 8:45 a.m.

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. You can check concert dates, rehearsal dates, practicing tips, etc. on our page. 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!

• 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 is life, that’s why our hearts have beats.” – Unknown universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” – Plato

*****A Reminder about Library Fines******

· We do not charge late fees at the EMS Library. The only time your child will be charged for a book is if it is lost or it is damaged to the point that it must be replaced.

· If your student has overdue books or fines, they are unable to check out books until the fine is satisfied or the books are returned.

· If your child has an overdue book or a fine from another school, the fine can be paid or the book returned at Edison. We will get the payment or book to the appropriate school.

This month counselors will be connecting with students in classroom guidance lessons. The 3rd quarter lessons will cover the topics of Self-Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Social Awareness. So far the lessons from quarter 1 & 2 have brought about wonderful discussion, great questions, and lifelong lessons for students use and apply to current and future situations. Our goal is to help grow well-rounded, happy, and healthy adults!

On Friday, February 10th our sixth and seventh graders will participate in Junior Achievement. The JA lessons will be focused on careers for sixth grade and ethics for seventh grade. Students will be led through virtual activities created by business leaders in the Sioux Falls community. We are fortunate to have this connection with Junior Achievement to provide this valuable opportunity for our students.

Edison Families-

Our Boy’s basketball, boys and girls wrestling have begun their season. Edison has over 100 boys out for 7th & 8th basketball. For the first time in several decades wrestling practices are being held in the middle school buildings. Edison has around 25 students wrestling. In the years past middle school students had to travel to the high school to participate.

Just around the corner sign-ups will begin for 7-8 boys and girls track and field. Another new addition to our sport offerings will be 8th grade boys and girls soccer. Look for those sign-ups to begin on our Edison athletic website by March 1st with a practice start date of Mar 20, 2023.

Just a reminder for those attending the basketball games. Please be mindful when entering or leaving the gym during a game. Please wait for a stoppage of play before walking by the basketball court. The student athletes as well as your safety is most important. I look forward to seeing you at our games cheering on our student athletes at Edison.

Go Cats!

David Christian

Athletic Coordinator