The month of September was packed with excitement at Edgewood Elementary. We received some awesome new playground equipment fully funded by the PTO at Edgewood. Students of all ages have enjoyed new playground adventures because of the generosity of our wonderful PTO.

There is much more to celebrate at Edgewood Elementary. Earlier this month we had our Best Me Kickoff Program. The program featured Tim Alexander (UAB Character Coach), football players, and cheerleaders from UAB. The kickoff served as a “pep rally” for the Best Me Initiative at Edgewood. We unveiled the new #eesbestme t-shirts and discussed the ways in which students could earn them. Each Friday, five Best Me tickets will be randomly chosen from our Best Me box. The five names drawn will be students that received Best Me tickets and will receive one of our new t-shirts. The teacher that wrote the Best Me will also be awarded a jeans pass. We will have weekly drawings for shirts and jeans passes. The UAB/Best Me Kickoff was a great time for students and teachers alike.

In addition to our Best Me Kickoff, Mrs. Woodruff received a major award for her contributions to Alabama Libraries. She was given the prestigious Herman Moore LAMP (Librarian and Media Professionals) Award for Outstanding Service to Alabama Libraries. Mrs. Woodruff was recognized at the Gardendale Civic Center at a professional development endeavor. We are so proud of Mrs. Woodruff! In closing, I want each of you to know how much your support means to Edgewood. We appreciate you!

Dr. Matt Kiser, Principal

Each year, I forget how exciting the start of a school year can be, but it doesn’t take long to realize how joyous Edgewood Elementary is each day. There are many things happening that bring a smile to my face as I walk through the hallways. I love seeing children engaged in learning and teachers giving their best to every single child. I am truly thankful to be a part of this wonderful organization. It is more than a job; it is a family.

As a reminder, parent conference day is October 13. We will not have school that day, but teachers will be working. If they haven’t already, teachers will be getting in touch with parents to schedule conferences. Edgewood teachers look forward to this day each year, and they work hard to ensure that each conference is successful. We know the parent/teacher partnership is vital to the success of our students.

Finally, group picture day is just around the corner on October 18. We look forward to seeing our students dressed in their best smiles! 

As always, do not hesitate to contact me if I can do anything for you. I am available to each of you, and I am committed to making the elementary school experience the best it can be for every student in our school. I appreciate you all and the support that you provide.

Laura Tate, Assistant Principal

Welcome to Digital Responsibility Awareness Week! During this first week of October, each Homewood City School will highlight being our Best Me online. Our theme this year is Tell Your Story with the focus: Be Aware. Be Appropriate. Be Authentic. We will have morning announcements, videos, and discussions. Students will also bring home a bookmark with some ways to balance the challenge of time on and off electronics. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @edgewoodbooks, for more information.

Happy reading!
Fran Woodruff

When it’s fall at Edgewood, that means the second graders are hard at work on the Veterans Day program! Second grade parents, please submit your veteran’s photo for our slide show by emailing it to lgalafassi@homewood.k12.al.us as soon as possible. Lyrics to our songs and a few speaking parts will be sent home this week, so be watching for those.

The fourth graders are also hard at work on our holiday show, which will feature festive songs of course, but also instrumental accompaniment by our fabulous students! Many more details to follow.

Fifth graders, please continue to bring in recorders!

Thanks, and Happy Fall!

Amy Law

As we welcome October, I would like for you to mark your calendar for Red Ribbon Week, October 23-27. The Red Ribbon Campaign® is the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation and is a way for people and communities to take a visible stand against drugs. This year's theme is "Your Future is Key So Stay Drug Free." We invite students to dress up each day according to the themes listed below:

Monday, 10/23 | My Character Counts: dress as favorite movie or book character
Tuesday, 10/24 |  Team Up Against Drugs: dress in team jerseys
Wednesday, 10/25 | Real Heroes Don't Do Drugs: dress as your hero
Thursday, 10/26 | Follow Your Dreams...don't do drugs: dress in your pajamas
Friday, 10/27 | United We Stand Against Bullying and Drugs: dress in patriotic/Edgewood gear

Every student will receive a sticker with the theme of the day. The stickers will be distributed by classroom teachers. If you have any questions, please let me know!

Allison Hill, Guidance Counselor

Turkey Trot. The 17th Annual Turkey Trot will be held Sunday, November 5 at 2:00 p.m. Parents, faculty, and staff may also order shirts at a cost of $10.00. Registration forms will be online this year, and there is a section for you to order extra shirts if you desire. Anyone interested in volunteering, please email Britney Cowart at britneycowart@gmail.com. GET SIGNED UP, AND LET’S HAVE A HUGE TURNOUT!!!!  

Mercedes Kids’ Marathon (MKM). The students are doing a great job logging miles every week during PE. Please continue registering online for the MKM. Go to www.mercedesmarathon.com to sign up. Paper registration deadline is November 15; online registration is November 30. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LOG YOUR CHILD’S MILES AT HOME. WE ARE DOING THAT AT SCHOOL. The only thing parents need to do is register. All Edgewood students are logging the necessary miles to participate in this fun event so I encourage you to sign them up so they can run their 26th mile in February. Hope you will join in the fun.

Fall Fitness Test. In October, we will be administering the first of two fitness assessments this year. The second is in the spring. Grades K-5 participate in the fitness test but only grades 2-5 have their scores recorded. The four areas tested are upper body strength (push-ups), abdominal strength (sit-ups), cardiovascular endurance (pacer test), and flexibility (V-sit test). The two weeks prior to the fitness test, we practice so that the students can get accustomed to hearing the tone on the CD and the cadence of each test. If you have any questions about the fitness test, feel free to email me or you can Google Alabama Fitness Assessment. Here, you will find the performance ranges for each category: Needs Improvement (N), Healthy Fitness Zone (H) and High Fitness Zone (HFZ). 

John Dorough, PE Coach

SAVE THE DATE!
Talent Show Auditions: Thursday, January 18 beginning at 3:30 p.m. in the EES Little Theatre!
Audition forms will be due Thursday, January 11 at 3:00 p.m.

Noelle Limbaugh and Kristen McGarrah, Talent Show Co-chairs
edgewoodtalentshow@gmail.com

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