EdisonEcho
Edison Middle School
Mission: To Prepare students to succeed academically, responsibly, and socially in an ever-changing world.
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:
May 1, 2021
Volume 1, Issue 10
Tips From the Office...
...Make sure you are checking our overflowing lost and found for any lost items. It is located by the bus doors under the art room windows!
...You can now log in to your Parent Portal to complete your family's Annual Update:
If you need help logging, in, please call the office at (605)367-7643
Principal's Corner
This Spring we have all said more than once, remember we didn’t get to do this last year. It has caused us to be thankful and appreciate a busy time of year. And boy is it busy!! We are busy testing, preparing for next year, visiting schools, having visitors come to us, and all the while, remaining engaged in the learning in our classrooms. In the Edison Staff notes this week, I used the quote “Don’t count the days…Make the days count!” That is certainly our goal as we wrap up the last few weeks at Edison. We recognize that this time of year is not just challenging for teachers and students, but for families too. Here is how you can help…
· Stick to normal bedtime routines. Kids need sleep! The demands in school the last few weeks are big with testing and wrapping up grades for the year.
· Watch for communication from the school- check your email frequently. Often this time of year is busy with parent notifications of testing, registrations, end of the year logistical information, and transition information for the next school year.
· Complete your 21-22 Annual Student Registration Early! Getting this done now will ensure an easy transition into the next school year.
· Sign your student up for a physical if they plan to play sports! Summer is a great time to get this done!
· Check your student’s grades on Infinite Campus. If you are concerned about a grade, please communicate with your student or the teacher. This is the time for students to do what they can to bring up grades they aren’t happy with! We are here to help!
The 21-22 school year will bring lots of change to Edison Middle School as we say farewell to staff and students and welcome new ones! This year has been a challenge, and I am so very proud of the staff, students, and families how they have tackled and overcome the challenges and remained focused on the education of our students. Thank you for sharing your students with us! We look forward to the last few weeks at Edison….not counting the last few days, but making the last few days count!
-Amber Blume, Principal
Edison Middle School
To the future Patrick Henry Middle School Students
If your student will be attending Patrick Henry MS next year due to the Honors program moving or boundary adjustments, please see the message below from Patrick Henry MS.
Hello Future Panthers!
We know that there are big changes ahead as we look forward to the 2021-2022 school year! We could not be more excited for new students and families to join the Patrick Henry community! At Patrick Henry, we have fantastic teachers who are focused on helping all students reach their highest potential and a welcoming school environment that puts students at the center of all we do! That starts with ensuring new students have a smooth and successful transition!
Patrick Henry Counselors and Administration visited Edison Middle School on Monday, May 3rd to meet with all of our new students! This was a great opportunity for future Patrick Henry students to meet some of the staff, learn about their new school, and a chance to ask questions!
Also, please mark your calendars now for Monday, August 23rd! We will be hosting a “Panther Preview Day” from 12:00 – 8:00 p.m. This will be an open house style for all families. This is an excellent opportunity for students to get their new schedule, meet their teachers, get a tour, find their locker, and more, as they get acquainted with PHMS before school starts!
As a small preview, we invite you to watch this short welcome video that will introduce you to some of our staff, and may help answer some of your questions! https://youtu.be/Zut5GSbnzAE
Finally, if you and your family have additional questions that were not answered through the visit on May 3rd, or through the welcome video, PHMS Counseling Staff will be available to all new families for questions on Friday, May 28th from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. by calling 367-7639.
Welcome to Patrick Henry! We cannot wait to meet you!
Mrs. Sharping,
PHMS Principal
April Student of the Month
6th Grade
Susan Gayetaye
Liam Kallhoff
Kaydra Luster
Brynn Nelson
Lilian Osmundson
Bethanya Alazar
7th Grade
Andrew Garcia-Enriquez
Bethel Woche
Samuel Reilly
Maria Chedester
Thomas Wulff
Emma Pearce
8th Grade
Madelin Eggers
Sha'Vell O'Dell Sanders
Aiden Scott
Jacob Vermeer
Reese Husman
Camryn Reiter
News from the Counseling Office
Join us this summer and get a
Running Start
Calling all soon-to-be Edison sixth graders: Join us for a week of fun, laughs and learning at Edison Middle School! Be ready in June or July so you don’t have to worry the rest of the summer!
*See flyer below
5th to 6th Grade Registration
The process of registering 5th grade students for 6th grade has begun. We will be emailing all Edison parents with registration information, including the registration link!
Edison counselors and administrators will be visiting several elementary schools to help make for a smooth transition the first week in May!
WEB DAY! All Incoming 6th Graders
AUGUST 12th from 8:30 am - Noon at Edison for 6th grade WEB Celebration and Orientation Day
All incoming 6th graders are strongly encouraged to attend this event!
Wear casual clothes and be prepared to HAVE FUN!
WEB is a program in which 8th grade WEB leaders help incoming 6th graders make a smooth transition into middle school.
Running Start
Use the following link to register online!
http://bit.ly/edisonrunningstart2021Edison Student Council
The goals of Edison’s Student Council are to build school spirit and pride, to assume responsibility as citizens in our school and community, and to promote a safe, caring environment.
School wide BINGO has been very successful! So far we have raised almost $200! All BINGO proceeds will be donated to East River Foster Parent Network. Thank you students for your awesome participation. This has been SO much fun!
The Student Council would like to take a moment to recognize Mrs. Sherard and everything she did for our club. Mrs. Sherard was our fearless club leader for approximately 30 years. With her guidance we were able to support countless numbers of children through Heartland House and donate to many different charities in our community. Her presence will be dearly missed and it is our hope to carry on her legacy in the years to come. Mrs. Sherard loved the outdoors and in particular, hunting and fishing. We will be asking staff and students to wear some camouflage and do a random act of kindness in her honor on May 11.
Edison's PTO
As we wrap up the school year, the PTO wants to welcome everyone who will be joining the Edison family next year. But, we also have to say “good-bye” to the 8th grade families and the families in the honors program. We are truly grateful for the contributions you’ve made to our PTO and school community. So many of you have donated money and items during your years at Edison. And many of you have given your time volunteering at events, helping set up meals, and serving on the PTO board. A special thank you and farewell to our outgoing PTO board members, Allison Pay Crawford(Co-President), Katie Sumey(Secretary), Karen Walters(Bookfair). Thank you so much, ladies, for EVERYTHING you have done for Edison!
Another special thank you to everyone who donated to help with Staff Appreciation Week. We received an amazing amount of donations and have been able to provide lots of fun treats for the staff. Here’s what your donations helped provide: Poppy’s Popcorn, Star Wars themed treats, toppings for Culver’s custard, Bagel Boy Bagels and coffee, and meal certificates for each staff member. Thank you, also, to Culver’s of Sioux Falls for donating custard for the entire staff!
Please join us for our last PTO zoom meeting of the year on Wednesday, May 19th.
Zoom Meeting Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88144870067?pwd=c0w2VXI5dTlzS1FNYUlzemc1V3ljdz09
Meeting ID: 881 4487 0067
Meeting Passcode: 281015
We meet every 3rd Wednesday of the month. Join the Zoom and find out why Edison is such a great place to be!
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.
Thanks from the PTO for all your support!
Have a great summer! Go Cats!
PTO OFFICERS:
Co-Presidents: Nikki Schmaltz and Allison Pay Crawford
Treasurer: Kristina Sipma
Secretary: Katie Sumey
Book Fair: Karen Walters
Spiritwear: Mary Grandi-Koball
Contact us
Edison Middle School on Facebook
For the latest info, past minutes of meetings and
budget information, visit our website at edisonsf.org.
Music Notes
Middle school singers and instrumentalists, the Edison music department wants to THANK YOU for spending your year with us in band, chorus and/or orchestra! There were challenges and things were different, but we were STILL able to make music together IN PERSON and we are SO glad you chose to be a part of our groups! 8th graders, we wish you well in high school. 6th and 7th graders, we look forward to working with you again next year! Enjoy your summer!
Staff Changes~ Mr. Rygg will be heading back to George McGovern Middle School in the fall. Mrs. Gage will be teaching at Patrick Henry next year. Mr. Jensen will be returning to Edison to lead the band department and we can’t wait to welcome him back!
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 APRIL are:
Band: Naoma McClean & Ethan Hanson (8) Keira DeGroot (7) Kalia Mundt & Caden Meyer (6)
Chorus: Allen Aldrich/Kathryn Sharp(8) Abby Minnick/Jacqueline Erickson(7)
Addisyn Anderson/Aidan Kemnitz(6)
Orchestra: Shawn Brovold (8) Isabella Larson/Trinidy Sorenson (7) Hayes Petersen (6)
Welcome 5th graders!!!!
We hope many of you 5th graders are considering signing up for BAND, CHORUS, and ORCHESTRA! These performance groups meet for one period every other day, during the school day. 5th graders can sign up for two of these groups in any combination: band/chorus, band/orchestra, or chorus/orchestra. If you sign up for one music group you will have Directed Studies on the opposite day. We hope you decide to participate in one or two of our music groups! Please contact any of the directors with questions. (Directors and their emails are listed below.)
Show Choir Camp~
Included in this ECHO is information about the Washington HS Junior Show Choir Camp being held in early August. This is for students entering 5th - 8th grade in the fall.
Orchestra All State News~
The middle school all state orchestra music for next year (auditions will be in Oct and Nov) has just come out! It can be found on the SDMEA website, www.sdmea.net
Band News~
All State Band - Tryouts for next year’s All State Band are in early December, but summer is the best time to start working on the music. Keep an eye on http://www.sdmea.net/events/middle-school-all-state-ban/ and watch for updated information. As soon as information and music becomes available, Mr. Rygg will send out an email to everyone.
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
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.
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
"I can't live one day without hearing music, playing it, studying it, or thinking about it." - Leonard Bernstein
Library News
LIBRARY DUE DATES
All library books, audiobooks, and electronic devices are due Friday May 14!
Students who have overdue books and/or outstanding fines may miss out on fun final day activities! Please return all items or pay any fines by Friday May 14!
SUMMER READING
Please encourage your child to read regularly over the summer.
If your child is entering 6th, 7th or 8th grade in the fall:
All Sioux Falls middle school libraries are doing a summer reading BINGO promotion. An Edison BINGO card is included in the newsletter. We are aware that students may be attending a different school in the fall. Therefore, all Sioux Falls School District middle school libraries will accept each other’s BINGO sheets. Prizes will be awarded next fall, and prize guidelines will align with those created at the school where the BINGO sheet is turned in. BINGO cards will be distributed at the end of the school year. Students may not begin marking the BINGO card until May 26.
Have a great summer and happy reading!
Gifted Education
Edison Middle School had 3 students representing us at the state MATHCOUNTS competition last month. Please join me in congratulating Topher Post, Brady Wheeler, and Elijah Sumey for their efforts. Our student representatives consistently showed grit, fortitude and a willingness to be challenged during the entire competition. Once again, I would also like to thank all of the other MATHCOUNTS participants and their parents for their participation and support throughout this year.
Mr. Gerszewski
National History Day Competition Winners Advancing to Nationals
Congratulations to the following 6th and 8th grade Honors students! Their National History Day (NHD) projects won at the NHD State Competition and will now advance to the NHD National Contest. This year’s theme was Communication in History: The Key to Understanding. We are so proud of these students and the hard work each has done on their project. Best of luck at Nationals!
Performances:
* “Compton's Cafeteria And The Development Of Trans Rights” - Jenna Cwach, Kaylee Ford, Ava Johnson, and Elizabeth Spencer
Papers:
*“43°51’58”N 103°31’54”W: Communications from Prejudice to
Equality” - Sarah Ulin
Websites:
* “Rosie the Riveter” - Annika Kvale and Vanessa Ung
Documentaries:
* “Project Nim: How Two Species Redefined Communication” - Sara Newitt
* “1968 Fair Housing Act: How a Miscommunication Failed to Desegregate America” - Hannah Basel, Marjorie Carazo Ruiz, Jacob Pagone, and Katya Surendran
Spanish Immersion
Pen Pal Project in Spanish Language Arts.
Srta. Sepúlveda
The sixth grade Spanish immersion students have the opportunity in the Spanish Language class to participate in a project called Pen Pal that enables students to work with other people across cultures and be able to explore new ideas and prospects. In addition, the students practice and improve the spanish language with spanish speakers which makes the project more exciting. The students feel that they are in a real conversation!
Student’s opinions:
¨Pen Pal is an experience unlike any other¨- Kyler.
¨It’s interesting to see what kids from the other side of the world’s lives are like¨- Isabel
¨I love learning about Spain's culture and the people¨- Brody.
¨It’s fascinating how kids in other countries have such similar lives to ours¨- Emmeline.
¨I like making a friend who has a different opinion and very different taste than me¨- Moa.
Athletic Information
Dear Edison Family
It is with “huge tugs on my heart”, but with excitement for the future – that I share with you
that this is my 30th and last year at Edison Middle School. I will never forget the special memories that the “Maroon and White” have brought to myself and my family. The years that I was a full-time 7th grade math teacher, 7th boys’ basketball and 8th boy’s football coach, as well as being the Coordinator of Athletics are full of people and memories that I will always treasure. I have called Edison “my home away from home” for many reasons, but there are 10 reasons that are extremely special. My 3 daughters, along with my 7 oldest grandchildren, are all alumni of Edison Middle School - only a dream that a Dad/Grandpa can experience.
To the staff of Edison, past and present, that I’ve had the privilege to be a small part of - - - thank you for all that you do for our students. You are the BEST.
As I mentioned earlier, I look forward to my next adventure as I am humbled and excited for the opportunity to become the Coordinator of Athletics at Ben Reifel Middle School.
I tend to be an emotional person, so this hasn’t been easy, but I plan on moving forward with the following in my heart and soul - “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
THANK YOU, EDISON!!!! THANK YOU, CATS!!!!
As I make this transition, I want the Edison Family to welcome Mr. David Christian to his new position at Edison. He will continue teaching Health and Physical Education plus begin his first year as Coordinator of Athletics for the Edison Cat Family. Mr. C., I know that the Edison Athletic Program is in GREAT HANDS. Congratulations.
Darwin Brown
Coordinator of Athletics
Edison Middle School
Lincoln High School Golf
Girls living in Lincoln High boundaries for 21-22 school year and interested in participating in Girl’s Golf can use the following link to sign up.
***Students will still receive free breakfast and lunch for the remainder of the school year. Ala Carte items will be at an additional charge***
Band Camp 2021
Washington High Summer Camps
Lincoln High Summer Camps
Box Tops!
YOU CAN SCAN ANY RECEIPT FROM PLACES LIKE TARGET, WALMART, HY-VEE, SAMS, COSTCO, ETC. AND IT WILL TELL YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY BOX TOPS ITEMS!!!
Contact us
Email: SFSDEdisonOffice@k12.sd.us
Website: https://www.sf.k12.sd.us/edison/home
Location: 2101 South West Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
Phone: 605-367-7643
Facebook: facebook.com/WeAreTheCats
Twitter: @EdisonCats