School Picture

Edgemont Elementary

Quick Links

District Information

Provo School District Office
280 West 940 North
Provo, Utah 84604
Phone: (801) 374-4800
Fax: (801) 374-4808

WELCOME TO

EDGEMONT

ELEMENTARY!

Upcoming Events & Other Information

School Calendar

Feb. 11 Early Out Day 1:30

Feb. 12 No School

Feb. 14 Valentine's Day

Feb. 15 President's Day -no school

Feb. 19 Early Out Day 1:30

Feb. 25 Early Out Day 1:30

Mar. 02 Dr. Seuss' Birthday

Upcoming Events:

Mar.12 Special Education Parent Night

Edgemont Elementary will provide

a French/ English Dual Immersion Program

for 1st Graders

in 2010-2011

More than forty years of research consistently documents the power of immersion programs to help students attain high levels of second language proficiency. No other type of instruction, short of living in a second-language environment, is as successful. Young children especially thrive in this type of instructional environment. Dual language immersion offers a rich bilingual experience for young learners when their minds are developmentally best able to acquire a second language.

Edgemont will have a French / English Dual Immersion program for 2010-2011 for 1st Grade students. We now have 3 classes in our current 1st Grade! We are now accepting new applications for the 2010-2011 school year for ANOTHER 1st grade cohort.

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19th.

Students will continue in French Classes through 6th grade. This is a tremendous opportunity, so available slots for students go fast. SIGN UP AS SOON AS YOU CAN, SO YOU DON'T MISS OUT!

Apply NOW!

Don't miss out on being able

to give your child the GIFT

of a second language!

Students from other schools and districts are welcome and encouraged to apply.

We are accepting new applications for one of our

French Immersion Classes for 1st Grade for 2010-2011

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19th

Help us spread the word!

This is a great opportunity for our students and school!   Email your friends this link to make them aware of this opportunity:

www.edgemont.provo.edu/my_home/immersion.htm

Additional information, answers to questions, research,

and applications and commitment

forms are available online.

Click here for more information & applications

Applications will be accepted through Friday

February 19th at 4:00 p.m. for 1st Graders

in the 2010-2011 school year!

Click HERE for an Application

For MORE Information, click HERE or

call us at 801-221-9984

We look forward to hearing from you!

Christian Moody Wins $250 in Essay Contest

Christian Moody, an Edgemont student in Mrs. Rigby's 6th grade class, recently won the Utah Valley Republican Party Essay contest. He wrote a 700 word essay about President Ronald Reagan. He will be honored Saturday evening February 6th at Utah Valley University, where he will read his essay to a meeting of the Republican Party. He won a $250 prize for himself and his class will also receive $250. They plan to use it to pay for a special class field trip. We're very proud of Christian's achievement in writing! Congratulations Christian!!!

________________________

Utah Educators Sign Agreement with France

Utah became the 12th state Monday in the country to sign a memorandum of the understanding with a French education system, in this case the Academie de Grenoble, said Kareen Rispal, a cultural counselor at the Embassy of France. She said the partnership is a good way to build relationships and for France to promote the French language, which is spoken in more than 50 countries on five continents.

The State of Utah benefits because our students learn the French language from a native from France. Edgemont is benefitting from this agreement with the services of Miss Lucie Lacroix, a 1st Grade French Teacher.

Mlle. Lucie Lacroix

For more information please click here: http://www.sltrib.com/education/ci_14265745

________________________

Early-Out Fridays on February 5th & 19th
Early-Out Thursdays on February 4th, 11th, & 25th, and
No School in PSD Feb. 12th & 15th (President’s Day)

Dear Parents,

As posted on our school calendar (see the “calendar” link at www.edgemont.provo.edu), Edgemont is planning an Early-Out Day on Friday Feb. 5th and Friday Feb. 19th to accommodate our Teacher Professional Development. In addition, we will be continuing our Early-Out Thursdays for After-School Enrichment Activities on Feb. 4th, 11th and 25th this month (NOT on Thurs. Feb. 18th). On these days children in grades 1-6 will be released at 1:30, morning Kindergarten will be released at 10:55, and afternoon Kindergarten will begin at 11:30 and be released at 1:30. Lunch will be served as usual. There will be After-School Enrichment Programs in which students can participate on all of these Early-Out Days. In addition to the Ski/Snowboard School on the Thursday Early-Out Days, there will be other Enrichment Programs for which students can be registered. Flyers describing these activities have been sent home, but contact our After-School Coordinator, Rhonda Hinckley for more details on these (email her at RhondaH@provo.edu or call at 801-221-9984).

Finally, there will be No School for students in Provo School District on Friday Feb. 12th (a “non-working” day in Provo, due to budget cuts) and on Monday Feb. 15th for President’s Day.

Thank you for being aware of and planning accordingly for these calendar events.
Sincerely,
Dennis Pratt, Principal

________________________

New French PowerSpeak Online Computer Program

Now Available for Edgemont Families

Below are the links to the new PowerSpeak French courses that provide access to the families, including our French-English Dual Immersion students. There are 3 different levels, but any student or family member can use any of the 3 levels. Just click the link of the level you want to access and start with the Lesson 1 Video, "Getting Started":

Elementary: http://demo.pglms.com/courses/signon/9803885249d0c3b79baa49f1d46c5778656fe3d1-1254500403-utdm=frch1

Middle School: http://demo.pglms.com/courses/signon/dc705e360605d9ee6484b94996b946b6a5de79d7-1254161358-utdm=fryr1a

High School: http://demo.pglms.com/courses/signon/986f022460840ec37792b31f941b6610cf635980-1254150196-utdm=fryr1

________________________

Edgemont Elementary School Geography Bee Winners

1st Place: Michael Spencer

2nd Place: Nathan Austin

3rd Place: Gabe Miller

Way to go, Students!!!

________________________

Help us save the

Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program

at our school.

Due to budget challenges, this exceptional arts education program will be cut at the end of this school year unless the Utah Legislature approves continued funding. We need your help!

Visit artworksforkids.org for more information!

________________________

Click HERE to View the Current

PTA Newsletter

________________________

Important Information about

Air Quality in Utah Schools

Dear Parents:

In recent years we have seen inversions, fires and other factors affect our outdoor air quality. There is concern about the effects of poor air quality on children’s health and their ability to breathe easily. Because of this, our school has adopted the following guidelines:

What will the school do?

We will check the Particulate Matter (PM2.5) levels. This information will guide our outdoor physical activities.

When the PM2.5 level falls between 35.5 and 55.4, we will let “sensitive” students stay indoors.

When the PM2.5 level falls between 55.5 and 90, we will let “sensitive” students and students experiencing respiratory symptoms, such as with a cold or allergies, stay indoors.

When the PM2.5 level rises above 90, outdoor recess will be cancelled for all children and alternative play/exercise opportunities will be offered indoors.

What should parents do?

Parents, with advice from your health care provider, need to contact the school secretary or nurse if your child is “sensitive” to poor air quality.

Sensitive children may include those with significant or poorly controlled asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic lung disease, congenital heart disease, compromised immune systems, or other respiratory problems.

For your information:

The daily PM2.5 level is located at www.airquality.utah.gov.

Additional information on air quality guidance for schools is located at www.health.utah.gov/asthma.

We are committed to providing a safe and healthy school environment for your child. Please contact the school if you have questions about this issue.

Sincerely,

Dennis Pratt, Principal

________________________

District Procedures for

Snow Day "Late Start"

On rare occasions Provo City receives an exceptionally heavy nighttime snow. If the storm continues into the morning, snow removal from roads interferes with school bus service, parents driving their students to school, and employees being able to get to school on time. If such conditions exist, the Superintendent may choose to declare a Snow Day "Late Start". Procedures to follow for parents as well as district employees in the event of a Snow Day "Late Start" are available in English below (these are available in Spanish on the district website):

What is a late start “snow day”?

On rare occasions Provo City receives an exceptionally heavy nighttime snow. If the storm prevents school bus service, parents driving their students to school, and employees safely getting to school on time, the Superintendent declares a “snow day” late start.

What action do I take if a “snow day” is declared?

For parents and students:

If a late start “snow day” is announced, all school start times and bus times will be moved forward exactly two hours. Thus, if your bus pickup is at 7:30 a.m., your bus will arrive at the pickup location at 9:30 a.m. If school starts at 8:30 a.m., the new start time is 10:30 a.m. School dismissal times remain the same; therefore the school day is shortened by two hours. (Edgemont's school start time would move from 8:55 a.m. to 10:55 a.m., and our end time would remain at 3:10 p.m.).

For employees:

You are expected to come to school as soon as possible to prepare for the school day (teachers), answer phones (secretaries), or remove snow from sidewalks and lots (custodians).

How common are “snow day” alerts?

Winter snow in Utah is common, and parents expect schools to be open even in inclement weather. Therefore, snow day alerts are rare and occur only if a major storm occurs at night and continues until morning. Storms that occur in the early evening and end by midnight will not trigger a snow day alert since road crews and custodians will have sufficient time to clear roads, sidewalks and lots.
Again, snow day alerts are for major storms that deliver heavy snow (at least 10”) at a critical time after midnight. Moderate snowfall during the night will not trigger an alert and school will begin on the normal schedule.
As always, parents can choose to keep their children home if they feel local conditions are not safe for travel.

How will I know that a “snow day” late start has been declared?

The decision to begin school two hours late due to a major snow storm will be reported to the local television media, e-mails will be sent to principals, and Provo School District will post a web announcement no later than 6:00 a.m.

________________________

H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) Information

Dear Parents,

     We were notified on Thursday, October 1, 2009 that one of our students was diagnosed with the H1N1 flu virus. Since that time we have been informed that other students, staff members, and other extended family members have also contracted the H1N1 Flu or one of the normal flu strains. Due to recent events regarding the swine flu virus, school and public health officials are providing the following information to you as parents of school age children.

     At this time, public health officials have advised that schools will remain open and students and staff can continue to attend school, as long as they are not sick and do not have flu symptoms. Flu-like symptoms include: fever (over 100 degrees F), cough, sore throat, runny nose, or stuffy nose. Additional symptoms may include muscle pain, tiredness, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea.

     Flu spreads easily. If you think your child is getting the flu, it is important that he/she does not attend school, group childcare, the mall, sporting events or anywhere large crowds gather. This will reduce the possibility of spreading the germs to other people. For more information, including external websites for the most current information, please review the full Letter sent home from Edgemont on 10/1/09 (click here).

    In addition, you can read an Information Pamphlet from the Utah County Health Dept. (click here) that was sent out on 10/8/09. You can also review a Letter from the County Health Department (click here) sent out the same day (10-8-09).

    Thank you for your efforts to keep our school and community healthy and safe!

Sincerely,

Dennis Pratt, Principal

________________________

Edgemont’s School Bell Schedule for 2009-10

to Accommodate Teacher Professional Development*

Regular School Day
8:55 – 3:15 Regular Day for Grades 1-6 (buses available)

8:55 – 11:45 Regular Day for Morning Kindergarten (bus available)
12:25 – 3:15 Regular Day for Afternoon Kindergarten (NO bus available)

Early-Out School Day
8:55 – 1:30 Early-Out Day for Grades 1-6 (busing available)

8:55 – 10:55 Early-Out Day for Morning Kindergarten (bus available)
11:30 – 1:30 Early-Out Day for Afternoon Kindergarten (NO bus available)

     * For more information on this change, please click here.

________________________

Edgemont’s Bus Schedules for 2009-10

AM Bus Schedule

PM Bus Schedule

AM Kindergarten Bus Schedule

________________________

2010-2011 Center for Accelerated Studies

Parents of 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students
Identification for the Center for Accelerated Studies, the district fulltime
gifted program, is now in progress. This Center serves about 80 gifted
students who have demonstrated high proficiency in mathematics, science, and language
arts.
ALL THIRD GRADERS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR PLACEMENT AT CAS:
Provo School District third grade students have taken the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS)
and the Naglieri Nonverbal Abilities Test (NNAT) at their neighborhood school. Scores
from these tests, as well as parent and teacher input will be used to identify students who
are most in need of the full-time gifted instruction available through this program. A
parent who wishes to provide input concerning his/her 3rd grader may pick up a
copy of the PSD Accelerated Learner Parent Input form at their neighborhood
school office, or download a copy from the district website
(http://www.provo.edu/gt/pdf/gt-alpnform.pdf), and return it to their school office by
Friday, February 26.
Identification for next years’ 5th and 6th grade CAS class The current 4th
and 5th grade CAS classes are presently full, which means that there may not be many
openings for new students to join those classes for the 2010-2011 school year. However,
openings may occur for a variety of reasons between now and August 2010. All current
4th grade students who attended Provo schools before February 2009 have already taken
the NNAT at their neighborhood school so additional testing will not be necessary.
Parents of 4th grade students who believe that their child would qualify for and benefit
from alternative placement at the CAS are invited to fill out a parent input form in
reference to their child and return it to their school office by February 26th. The form is
available as described above.
Parents and guardians of current 5th grade students, or, 3-5th graders
who are not currently attending Provo School District elementary
schools, who believe that their child would qualify and benefit from alternative
placement at the CAS are invited to have him/her participate in a NNAT testing session at
the Provo School District Office (280 West 940 North), room 38, on Wednesday,
February 10 or Thursday, February 25th at 4:00 or 4:30 p.m. The test requires 40
minutes. In order to reserve your child a place in one of those testing sessions, you will
need to contact the Learning Curriculum and Assessment office at 801-374-4868.
Updated information about district gifted services for Provo students, including CAS and
the new Provo Accelerated Learning Services (PALS) pullout classes, is available on
the district website on the following link: http://www.provo.edu/dep/curriculum/.
Parents will be notified regarding their child’s qualification to participate in classes
at the CAS by April 30, 2010.

________________________

Gifted & Talented Services at Edgemont

and in Provo School District

Provo Accelerated Learning Services (P.A.L.S.)

     The Learning, Curriculum, and Assessment Office staff has worked to develop the Provo Accelerated Learning Services to meet the needs of gifted students to be appropriately challenged in their area(s) of accelerated ability, and to develop intellectual and social relationships with other students of similar abilities and needs. Instead of requiring each elementary school to develop its own plan and services for gifted students, in order to receive the $2500 provided by the Utah State Office of Education, the district will combine those funds, as most districts in the state do, to provide quality gifted services, with minimal impact on individual schools or classrooms. Whenever possible we will be utilizing the elementary teachers who have completed, or are in the process of completing, their gifted endorsement to provide delivery of Provo Accelerated Learning Services, developing their capacity as educators of the gifted. This will be key to the district being able to expand and improve services in the future.

     Research shows that high ability learners typically begin the school year knowing 40-50% of what is expected of students their age by the end of the school year, so they often disengage from school, and fail to develop a strong academic work ethic from lack of challenge and effort. Gifted students need curriculum with depth and complexity, learning opportunities that require high level reasoning and problem-solving, including inquiry-based learning, research, and the opportunity to work as often as possible as practitioners in a field of study. With these facts in mind, the district’s Learning, Curriculum, and Assessment Office has made plans for the following gifted services beginning in the 2009-2010 school year.

Writer’s Symposium, grades 4-6

     The Writer’s Symposium Series will provide high ability student writers in grades 4-8 with an opportunity to learn, work, produce, and relate as a community of active writers. Students will be bussed from Provo District’s elementary and middle schools to four full day symposium events held throughout the school year, in September and November 2009, and in February and May 2010. Students will be invited to attend based on results from the Writer’s Symposium Writing Assessment, which will be offered to all interested students in grades 4-6 at neighborhood schools.

     Each symposium event will include a discussion of the assigned reading, writing instruction in whole group and break-out sessions, opportunities for brainstorming and writing exercises, the giving and receiving of feedback, and peer interaction with students of similar ability and interest. Symposium instructors will include local authors, district literacy specialists, gifted education specialists, and possibly BYU and UVU faculty guests. These professionals will instruct, mentor and give feedback to students at events, and through their follow-up assignments. Students will choose a favorite piece to be published in an end-of-the-year anthology, printed by the district and provided to participating students.

     Goals for the Writer’s Symposium include:

To provide an appropriate level of writing instruction for high ability students that increases their ability and motivation to write effectively,

To create mentor and peer relationships that provide feedback and affirmation to student writers, and foster a writing community in the district,

To collaborate with our community’s writing talent to foster the level of thinking and communication that will be key to our students’ and society’s future in a changing world.

Science Inquiry Groups, grades 3-6

     Science inquiry groups will provide an opportunity for students in grades 3-6 from across the district with high ability in science to meet together for a full day once a month in grade level groups to engage in intense learning experiences with other students of like ability and interest. Services will be provided in three “neighborhood” clusters of 4-5 schools. All grade level groups in the same neighborhood cluster will meet on the same day at the same location to reduce busing costs and minimize interruptions at the neighborhood schools. Using grade level state core science objectives/topics as the base, students will engage in learning experiences with instruction from gifted specialists from their neighborhood cluster in hands-on and inquiry-based exploration, guided by curriculum developed by the Center for Gifted Education and Project Wild. Exemplary scores on the science section of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) will qualify students for these services.

     The goals of this program include:

Students will engage in appropriately challenging and rigorous learning that deepens their understanding and application of science principles so they can demonstrate at least a year’s worth of academic progress, as demonstrated by pre- and post-testing.

Students will have opportunities to engage in discussion and inquiry with students of similar ability in order to respectfully and clearly share ideas, develop collaboration abilities, and develop social and intellectual relationships with students from different areas of the district and from different backgrounds. Group work will require good communication and collaboration skills.

Students will develop academic relationships and their interest in science careers, future university attendance, and the motivation to pursue the rigorous course of study in secondary school that will facilitate the college bound path. Although all participating students will benefit from this, a special focus will be on encouraging girls and Hispanic students, as research shows that these sub groups tend to move away from science as they enter middle school if they do not find excitement and personal connection in these studies.

Students will engage in independent research and learning in their regular classroom (and hopefully out of school as well) because of the excitement generated in their science inquiry group experiences, which will improve their engagement in and attitude regarding school and learning.

Math Olympiad groups, grades 3-6

     Math problem solving groups (grades 3-4, and 5-6) will meet for an hour a week at each elementary and middle school to explore math topics and problem-solving strategies in depth, develop high level mathematical thinking and communication, and engage in respectful intellectual collaboration with academic peers. Utilizing problem of the week and monthly contests which are available through Math Olympiad students will have opportunities to apply their problem-solving skills to non-routine, open-ended problems, which can be submitted, scored and discussed. Elementary school groups should meet during school hours, while middle school groups will meet after school. Exemplary scores on the mathematics section of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) will qualify students for these services.

     The goals of this program include:

Students will engage in appropriately challenging and rigorous learning that deepens their understanding of math principles their application to real life problems.

Students will have opportunities to engage in discussion and inquiry with students of similar ability in order to respectfully and clearly share ideas, develop collaboration abilities, and develop social and intellectual relationships.

Students may have the opportunity to develop academic relationships and their interest in math careers, future university attendance, and the motivation to pursue the rigorous course of study in secondary school that will facilitate the college bound path.

Gifted & Talented Services Provided ONLY at Edgemont Elementary

     Edgemont Elementary has enhanced its gifted and talented program to more fully meet the needs of each student. This program is above and beyond what any other school in our area offers, is available for all students that qualify, K-6, and is a proven way to further develop critical thinking skills. We have put even more effort toward significantly improving our services to Gifted & Advanced Learners, making Edgemont a district and county leader in this important area. Ginny Smith, our Gifted & Talented Coordinator, who is a certified teacher with a Master's Degree in Gifted & Talented Education, works half time at our school on our Gifted Services. She is able to more fully oversee, coordinate, teach, and lead our expanded class offerings for Accelerated Students in grades K-6.

      The gifted and talented program at Edgemont applies appropriate rigor and challenge to every student, allowing certified teachers to accelerate, enrich, and deepen understanding with practical application on an individual basis.
      Click HERE for MORE on Edgemont's Gifted & Talented Program Information

Schoolwork Guidelines for G/T Students

Participating in Provo Accelerated Learning Services (P.A.L.S.)

Students who are identified as needing advanced academic instruction will be given opportunities to participate in Provo Accelerated Learning Services (P.A.L.S.). These programs will require students to spend time outside of the regular classroom. The work completed by a student in a P.A.L.S. program should take the place of the work that students would have been required to complete in the regular classroom. A P.A.L.S. student should not be expected to make up missed work with the following exceptions:

The student will be responsible for learning new material that was presented to the class during his or her absence. This can be accomplished through teacher explanations, student explanations, or short study assignments given by the teacher. The students should not be required to complete all written assignments connected with the new work that has been missed, but should be given an opportunity to demonstrate her or his understanding of the concepts involved through oral discussion or partial written assignments.

The student will be responsible for completing long-term assignments such as research projects and written reports that may be due on the day a student is in the [P.A.L.S.] gifted program. It will be the student’s responsibility to arrange for a time to present his or her work to the teacher, either the day before or the day after the assignment is due.

The student will be required to make up all tests which are given in her or his absence unless excused by the classroom teacher.

It is essential that students not be penalized for work they missed as a result of [P.A.L.S.] gifted program participation. Report card grades should reflect the level of student progress during the time he or she is in the regular classroom. An additional progress report from the [P.A.L.S.] gifted education teacher(s) will be sent home with quarterly report cards for all gifted students.

Adapted from The Survival Guide for Teachers of Gifted Kids by James R Delisle, Ph.D., and Barbara A. Lewis, (2003). Used with permission of Free Spirit Publishing Inc., Minneapolis, MN: 800-735-7323; www.freespirit.com. All rights reserved.

________________________

Kindergarten Sees Unprecedented Scores

With BYU Literacy Program

Teachers Use New, Emotionally Engaging Methods

to Educate Kindergarteners

Edgemont kindergarten classes see nearly 100 percent of their students at or above reading level with the help of an innovative program created at Brigham Young University.

A program titled Systematic and Engaging Early Literacy (SEEL) is designed to educate younger learners through the use of emotional experiences had within the classroom. Dianne Amesse, a kindergarten teacher at Edgemont Elementary, said the results she’s seen from the program outperform any other she has tried.

“I wouldn’t use anything else but SEEL,” she said. “I’ve never seen such great results.”

Jolie Hill, The Director of Project SEEL, has organized the research and development for this unique and successful program. She said the amount of fun and emotional connections used in SEEL set it apart from the other educational programs available.

“SEEL not only exposes children to letters and patterns at the sound a print levels, it provides them with multiple opportunities for playful engagement,” Hill said. “Activities are designed to stimulate an emotional connection that gives students the ability to remember and apply skills, setting SEEL apart from the other literacy programs available.”   For more information, CLICK HERE.

_______________________________

School Trust Lands

Every year for the past few years every school in Utah has received a sum of money from the Utah School Land Trust
Fund. This past year we received over $24,000, which we have used to greatly enhance our program to meet the needs of Gifted & Talented students, as well as a few other smaller needs. This serves a very important need in our school, and we feel very privileged to have this additional money. We are very pleased to our state elected officials and others for their continued support of getting these Trust Funds to the schools, and we hope that each year these funds will continue to grow. So, the next time you see one of our state legislators or other elected officials, please let them know how much we appreciate this additional funding for our needs.

_______________________________

Lunch-money Payments Online

Provo school district is pleased to announce that your child's lunch account can now be accessed online. This will give you much more control over payments and help you to manage the balances better. You can link to it from the home page of any elementary school by clicking on the "Child Nutrition" link in the Quick Links menu. You can begin by setting up your account here.

_______________________________

School Calendar in .pdf Format, Online, and Downloadable to iCal!

Did you know Edgemont's updated Parent /Student Calendar for 2009-10 is available below in a .pdf file in case you'd like it? It is mailed out to parents at the beginning of each year, and given to new parents that register after the mailing has gone out, but it's also on our website below for download. As it indicates, you are encouraged to go to the “Calendar” link (above) for the most current calendar updates, as a few events may change as we get into the year. If you have an iCal compatible program on you computer, you can also subscribe to the Edgemont Parent Calendar by clicking on the "Subscribe to Calendar" link (above on this webpage), so you automatically get event & calendar updates.

________________________

Our Mission Statement

The mission of Edgemont Elementary School, an adventure in educational excellence, is to lead the way in building a stimulating learning environment, in partnership with student, family, school, and community, that prepares individuals to contribute responsibly to society and continue life-long learning.