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:

November 1, 2020

Volume 1, Issue 4

...Please remember to bring a cloth mask from home and a water bottle to use throughout the day!

Greetings from the PTO

We encourage you to join us throughout the year at our monthly Zoom meetings. They are a great opportunity to ask questions of our administration, as well as network with other parents to address the needs of Edison.

Attend our monthly zoom meetings

• Held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from NOON to 1pm

• November 18
• December 16
• January 20
• February 17
• March 17
• April 21
• May 19

• Zoom link:

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76621663468?pwd=VE02TDZsY0tiREd1S21QUGRVQ0JmUT09

The Meeting ID is: 766 2166 3468

The Passcode is: 679743

• We have room for the first 100 participants

• If you cannot attend the meeting, minutes will be posted and we hope to have them recorded through Zoom. Check out the Edison PTO site for more information
  

Great Opportunities: The Edison PTO is looking to fill several board positions for the 2021-22 school year. With the honors program moving to Patrick Henry MS next year, several of our current board members will be leaving. We will have openings for Secretary, Bookfair, and Co-President. If you would like to get more involved with the school, would like to meet interesting people, and want to make a difference, please think about taking one of these roles. It’s not as much work as you think it is...and it's wonderfully rewarding! Contact us at edisonsiouxfalls@gmail.com to learn more!

Thank you!!!!

November is a month to reflect on what we are thankful for. The PTO wants to

personally thank all who helped provide food and donations for parent/teacher conferences. The response from our families for the meals was phenomenal and greatly appreciated by staff. And speaking of staff, we want to send out a HUGE thank you to our Edison staff for all the hard work they are doing during this unusual and challenging school year.

Fundraising

Normally in November, PTO holds one of our major fundraising efforts, catalog sales. Given the situation with Covid-19, we will not be doing the catalog sales fundraiser this year. However, we are planning to offer another spiritwear sale in the near future. Spirit wear can make great holiday gifts, so our goal would be to close out the sale early enough to get the items delivered before the December holiday break. Please watch for more details in an upcoming email.

Make a donation

As a PTO, we function solely from donations and fundraising as we have no membership dues. This year may bring more demand for PTO funds with little ability to fundraise. Funds raised will help enrich our student’s learning experiences, including continued library updates, as well as counselor, student, and classroom needs. If you would like to send money to support the PTO, you can send cash in an envelope marked “PTO” or send a check made out to “Edison PTO” and leave it with the office staff. You can also make a donation using PayPal or with a Credit/Debit card by clicking the link below.

Donate to Edison PTO!

Amazon Smile

Don't forget about AmazonSmile when shopping! Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of

your purchase to the charitable organization of your choice. Just start your shopping at

Amazon Smile and choose Edison Middle School of Sioux Falls.

www.smile.amazon.com

PTO OFFICERS:

Co-Presidents: Nikki Schmaltz and Allison Pay Crawford

Treasurer: Kristina Sipma

Secretary: Katie Sumey

Book Fair: Karen Walters

Spiritwear: Mary Grandi-Koball

Go Cats!

Allison Pay Crawford and Nikki Schmaltz

2020-21 PTO Co-Presidents

Contact us

edisonsiouxfalls@gmail.com
www.edisonsf.org
Edison Middle School on Facebook

For the latest info, past minutes of meetings and

budget information, visit our website at edisonsf.org.

Mathcounts meetings will continue to meet each Thursday morning in room 203 at 7:30am. Although the competition will be held virtually this year, we will continue to share problem-solving strategies and solutions with one another until our Edison participants have been selected in January. If you have any questions about Mathcounts, please direct them to Mr. Gerszewski @ Michael.Gerszewski@k12.sd.us

**Important Concert Announcement -

THERE WILL BE NO IN-PERSON EVENING PERFORMANCES THIS SEMESTER. INFORMATION ON HOW WE WILL HANDLE OUR CONCERTS WILL BE SHARED BY THE DIRECTORS OF EACH GROUP.

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.

Musicians of the month for October are:

Band: Josh Maldonado (8) Connor Hutchinson (7) Aryn Helm (6)

Chorus: Josh Miller (8) Norah Person/Finley Arndt (7) Maritta Sander/Callie Towe (6)

Orchestra: Vanessa Ung (8) Atticus Javers (7) Elena Schellpfeffer (6)

Ensemble Schedule~

Jazz Band meets Wednesday mornings - plan to arrive at 7:30 a.m.

Wind Ensemble meets Thursday mornings from 7:40 – 8:40 a.m.

Brio meets Friday mornings from 8:10 – 8:45 a.m.

Inventions meets Thursday mornings from 7:45 – 8:40 a.m.

Illuminations meets Monday mornings from 8:00 – 8:45 a.m.

Got Talent??~

Got a talent or unique skill you'd like to perform?? Auditions for the Edison Virtual Variety Show will be on January 26, 27, & 28 after school in the chorus room from 4:00- 6:00 p.m. Sign-up sheets will be posted at the beginning of January by the chorus room. Any Edison student can audition for the variety show. Students can audition in multiple acts if they would like. The acts will be recorded and a video will be made of the virtual variety show by mid-late March.

Cleaning Your Closets?

The Sioux Falls School District is always on the lookout for donations of gently-used band and orchestra instruments. Given our funding challenges, this is a great way to increase our instrument supply and allow more students to play in band and orchestra. Please contact Mrs. Sip or Mr. Rygg for more information.

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. Rygg, and/or Mrs. Gage, 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!

Sign Language Interpreter~

Please notify your child’s director if you need a sign language interpreter for either the winter or spring concert. Notify the director at least ONE MONTH before the concert date.

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-

• Jason Rygg - Jason.Rygg@k12.sd.us
• Holly Gage - Holly.Gage@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 to me is like breathing. I don't get tired of breathing, I don't get tired of music.” - Ray Charles

Edison Athletics 2020-2021

We have survived the Fall Athletic Season in part because our Coaches and Participants have followed Covid-19 Guidelines. Awesome job everyone.

Heading into the Winter Athletic Season, we are looking forward to the 7th & 8th Grade Girls’ Basketball Season beginning on November 9th. If you were involved in either Cross Country or Volleyball, you have your required paperwork completed. If you were not involved in either of those Athletic Seasons and you are planning on participating in Girls’ Basketball; please make sure you have the following completed:

1. Activity Participation Packet – done online when updating your student’s information for the 2020-2021 school year. If not completed at that time, you can find the forms on the Edison Athletic Website.
2. Preparticipation Physical Evaluation – this is a two-page form that you take to your Dr. for completion. The second page is a medical history page that is filled out by the parent/guardian. This form, also, can be found on the Edison Athletic Website.

Just a reminder, the Boys’ Basketball Season does not begin until January 19th - the week after the Girls’ season has completed.

Please continue to practice appropriate protocols as we look forward to continuing our year of middle school athletics without any issues.

If you would have any questions, please contact me at:

605-367-7643 or Darwin.Brown@k12.sd.us

Thank you,

Darwin Brown

Coordinator of Athletics

Edison Middle School

It is important to be prepared for the winter storms and extreme cold that every South Dakota winter brings. Please read the following information so you are aware of the procedures for school related cancellations and postponements.

District leaders rely on experts from the National Weather Service and city/county officials when we make decisions on school cancellations, late starts or early dismissals.

Cancelling School/Late Start

When a severe storm hits the area, or is forecast, we start contacting local officials as early as 3:00 a.m. We communicate with our Operational Services Department, the Weather Bureau, the City Street Department, Sioux Falls Transit, and our transportation contractors. It is our goal to decide whether or not to cancel school by 5 a.m. to allow time for parking lots and sidewalks to be cleared, food services to prepare meals and the bus company to begin operations. In the event that school needs to be cancelled or delayed, families will be alerted via a ParentLink phone call. These calls will generally be sent between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. to accommodate families whose children are picked up by buses at 6:45 a.m.

Announcements are also made on the District’s website, Sioux Falls School District social media sites (Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SiouxFallsSchoolDistrict/ and Twitter: twitter.com/SFSchools ) the SFSD app, and over the local radio and television stations.

Because the public schools have a limited rural area, it is often possible for Sioux Falls to have school when nearby towns may not.

Early Dismissal

Storms occasionally move in during the day, making it necessary to assess whether or not to dismiss school early. We choose early dismissal only under the most extreme circumstances. In most cases, it is safer for students to remain at school due to the need for transportation and proper supervision. In the rare instances when schools are dismissed early, families will receive a ParentLink phone call and the information will appear on the District’s website at www.sf.k12.sd.us, and our Sioux Falls School District social media sites (Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SiouxFallsSchoolDistrict/ and Twitter: twitter.com/SFSchools ). Announcements are also made over the local radio and television stations.

Notifications refer to dismissal “one hour early” or “two hours early” because of the number of different building schedules. In addition to noting the early dismissal, announcements about evening activities are normally included.

It is very important that every family has a plan for early dismissal. Be sure your student knows where to go in case no one is at home. Parents/Guardians are urged to talk with their student about his/her safety during winter weather emergencies.

Be Safe This Winter

The school system offers these suggestions concerning cold weather and

emergency situations:

1. Listen for a ParentLink phone call regarding school closings, late starts, or early dismissals. Check the District’s website at www.sf.k12.sd.us for updated information. Follow us on our Sioux Falls School District social media sites (Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SiouxFallsSchoolDistrict/ and Twitter: twitter.com/SFSchools ) for updated information. Announcements will also be made on local radio and television stations. (Please avoid calling schools or the Instructional Planning Center. Phone lines are needed for emergency communications.)

2. Make sure students are properly dressed for predicted weather conditions so they are prepared for walking or waiting for a bus in the cold or for being delayed on a bus in a weather-related situation.

3. Students should not arrive at school until the scheduled time for outdoor staff supervision or the breakfast program begins.

4. Develop a plan and inform your student about where your student will go if school is dismissed early.

5. School officials will use their best judgment about school closings, late starts, or early dismissals, but please remember that a parent has the right to keep children home or to pick them up from school early if they feel weather conditions require this action.