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.

With students in the 5 to 11-year-old age group starting to complete their COVID-19 vaccine series, we have a growing number of students who will be exempt from quarantine after exposure to someone positive for COVID-19.

What does that look like?

• Students who are fully vaccinated and identified as close contacts of someone with COVID-19, whether at home or at school, can continue to come to school as long as they’re not experiencing symptoms of illness.

• People are considered fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series, or the first dose of a one-dose vaccine series.

Vaccine opportunities continue to be available in our community. Looking to schedule an appointment? Contact your healthcare provider or a local pharmacy, try the Minnesota Vaccine Finder or check out the CDC vaccine finder, Vaccines.gov.

Upcoming vaccine clinics can be found here.

The front office has collected a few valuable items from house keys to single wireless earbuds to empty earbud cases. If your student is missing any items, please have them come to the office and describe what they lost to see if we have it.

Join Edgewood Eagle Leaders for our Spirit Week, the week of December 13-17! Each day we'll have a dress-up theme, which are listed below. Eagle Leaders will be selling Candy Grams for 75 cents each day through December 16 or until they are gone. They will be delivered to the 7th hour classrooms December 14-17. Send some to your friends, your favorite staff member, etc. Proceeds will be used to purchase items and assemble birthday bags for the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf in January.

Monday, December 13 - Pajama Day/Wear your comfiest clothes (no blankets please)

Tuesday, December 14 - Twin's Day/Dress up like your friend

Wednesday, December 15 - Jersey Day/Sport Shirt Day

Thursday, December 16 - One Color Day/Dress all in one color from shirt to shoes!!

Friday, December 17 - School Spirit Day/Wear Edgewood or Irondale Colors

Edgewood's Orchestra Winter Concert including EW 6th Grade/PW/SS Orchestra students will take place on Tuesday, December 14, @ 7:00 pm Orchestra students should arrive at 5:30pm for tuning. The concert will be livestreamed on the Edgewood Music Department's Youtube Channel. Masks/face coverings required for all attending.

Community Day will take place, once again, on Wednesday, December 22, during periods 6 and 7. Students will have the opportunity to choose two different, fun activities for the afternoon. Doing this will allow students to strengthen their connections with their peers, build connections with new peers, and have fun celebrating our Edgewood community.

Winter break will take place Thursday, December 23, through Friday, December 31. Students will return on Monday, January 3. The main office will be closed during this time.

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.

You can now register here for winter sports (Boys Basketball, Swimming, and Floor Hockey) through Community Ed!

MONDAY, December 13 (A Day) Pajama Day - Wear Comfy Clothes (no blankets)!

• Chess Club - Cafeteria 6:50-7:30 AM

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

• After School Snack – Cafeteria 2:25-2:35 PM

• Art Club - Room 004 2:30-4:00

• Chamber Orchestra - Room 136 2:35-3:15 and 3:20-4:00

• Choir Ensemble - Choir Room 2:30-4:00

• FTC Robotics - Room 040 2:30-4:00

• Jazz Band - Band Room 2:30-3:20

• Math Team Meet - Room 121 2:30-4:00

• Math Zone - Room 16 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 120 2:30-3:30

• Spanish Zone - Room 106 2:30-4:00

• Strategy Game Club - Cafeteria 2:30-4:00

• STRIPES - Room 008 2:30-3:30 (By invitation only)

• Unified Club - Room 232 2:30-3:30

• United for Success: A Black History Club - Room 122 2:30-3:30

TUESDAY, December 14 (B Day) Twins Day - Dress up like your friend!

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

• After School Snack – Cafeteria 2:25-2:35 PM

• Orchestra Zone - Room 136 2:30-3:30

• Reading Zone - Room 001 2:30-3:30

• Social Studies Zone - Room 120 2:30-3:30

WEDNESDAY, December 15 (A Day) Jersey or Sport Shirt Day - Favorite Team!

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

• After School Snack – Cafeteria 2:25-2:35 PM

• Choir Leadership Team - Choir Room 2:30-3:30

• FTC Robotics - Room 040 2:30-4:00

• Math Zone - Room 16 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 120 2:30-3:30

• STARS Club - Room 020 2:30-3:30 (By invitation only)

• Swim Club - Pool 2:30-3:45 (WEEKLY SIGN-UP REQUIRED in office)

• Yearbook Club - Room 121 2:30-3:30

THURSDAY, December 16 (B Day) One Color Day - Dress in one color shirt to shoes!

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

• After School Snack – Cafeteria 2:25-2:35 PM

• Creative Writing Club - Room 122 2:30-3:30

• Eagle Leaders - Room 006 2:30-3:30

• Jazz Band - Band Room 2:30-3:20

• Reading Zone - Room 001 2:30-3:30

• Social Studies Zone - Room 120 2:30-3:30

FRIDAY, December 17 (A Day) School Spirit Day - Wear Edgewood/Irondale Colors!

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

• After School Snack – Cafeteria 2:25-2:35 PM

• GSA - Room 022 2:30-3:30
  
  

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

Get set to hit the slopes this winter with Community Education's After School Ski and Snowboard program for students in grades 6-12! Community Ed will be offering sessions on Mondays from Edgewood Middle School beginning Monday, December 21, through Monday, February 28, from 2:30-9:30 am.

This season we will be riding coach buses to Wild Mountain located in Taylors Falls, MN. The rate is $240 for the 8 sessions, with rental $392 and $110 to ski pass holders that need transportation only. (Note - If rental is needed, it will be paid during the registration process - fees will no longer be collected at the ski resort).

Click here to register now!

Parent Chaperones are Needed! You don't have to ski, we are looking for Chalet only chaperones too. Without chaperones there is no ski program. Buses are chaperoned by Mounds View District parents. Chaperones help take attendance and maintain order on buses. Additional responsibilities posted on our website. Chaperones will receive a free lift ticket, rental equipment and lesson each night. It is preferred that chaperones commit for all 8 weeks. As with all school volunteers, a routine background check will be required. Contact Mr. VanHouse for more information.

Please see this Winter Break Food Resource list for when kids are out of school over winter break from Ramsey County.

Join Mounds View Public Schools and the Shoreview/Arden Hills Lions Club for an upcoming webinar on parenting during the holidays. Learn tips on communication, managing stress and maintaining relationships during the holidays. Learn more here.

We hope you had a wonderful break with your loved ones. As we return to in-person learning, I want to remind you of our Covid procedures and frequently asked questions.

We have a positive case in the home.

● If your child is fully vaccinated (14 days + since their second dose) or was positive within the last 90 days, they do not need to remain home to quarantine.

● Continue to monitor for symptoms.

● Remain home if symptoms are present.

● If they are not fully vaccinated, they would have to remain home to quarantine.

We were close contacts to a positive case.

● If your child is fully vaccinated (14 days + since their second dose) or was positive within the last 90 days, they do not need to remain home if symptom-free.

● Continue to monitor for symptoms.

● Remain home if symptoms are present.

My child is COVID+

● Whether fully vaccinated or not, they would have to remain home ten days from when symptoms developed or, if asymptomatic, ten days from the date of testing.

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.

The Irondale High School Music Department invites the community to our annual Seniors to Seniors Holiday Concert on Thursday, December 16 at 12:30 p.m. The Concert Choir, Symphonic Winds, and Symphony Orchestra will perform a free holiday concert for parents, grandparents, and community members. Enjoy coffee and cookies with caroling starting at 12pm. Come enjoy beautiful music! Masks are required in all Mounds View Schools Buildings.

For further details, please contact: Jason Etten at 651-621-6847 or jason.etten@moundsviewschools.org.

Bus 15 will transport Edgewood students who are scheduled to go to Irondale after school for athletics or activities.

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.

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.

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.

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

Parents, 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. 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.

Parents/guardians, just a quick reminder that the frontage road next to the tennis courts off of Woodale Road is an ENTER ONLY road. Please DO NOT EXIT out that way; please exit out of the parking lot back out onto Edgewood Drive after dropping off/picking up your student. Thank you for your help in keeping our families safe!

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.

Just a reminder that if you are picking up your student early, you can either send a note for them to drop off at the front office or report it through ParentVUE or the 24-hour attendance line at 651-621-6601. The office will give your student a pass to leave early with the time noted when they are to be dismissed. 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.

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.

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.