A Note from the Principal 
Dr. Tim Anderson

Learning Progression

In elementary school students learn a lot of content and begin to learn how to think; they are beginning to acquire the building blocks for more complex ideas and thinking. At South View, teachers work to create a learning community within each classroom by continually forming and reforming groups within the class so that students learn to appreciate the strengths and abilities of each classmate. By creating a safe learning environment, students feel much more comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas with one another. In this type of classroom, students are able to take risks, ask questions and make new connections between ideas or information  beyond the "right" answer. In this way, students are more likely to believe that their ideas are better or become better when they collaborate with others and listen to one another's thinking. In this learning cycle, the teacher provides feedback and models appropriate feedback to students and their various ideas. The more ideas that students generate, the more likely some of the ideas will be creative. If they practice, it is also true that students can get better at this.

We notice that students at this early stage of their sixth grade year are still looking for the "right" answer, but have four more years to "practice" rigorous thinking.  To do this type of thinking, students need to know some content. A student cannot brainstorm many different and unusual ideas, add to another's idea, or combine it to someone else's idea without having a core of knowledge. Both knowledge and rigorous thinking are developed and nurtured by teachers at South View through a variety of ways. We know that students who know the content well can think about the information in multiple ways.

So...what are ways teachers encourage this thinking process? When I visit classrooms, I see and hear teachers use different verbs to prompt student thinking. If a teacher asks a student to "describe" a process or the relationship between two things, the student is merely recalling facts or ideas. But when teachers use words such as "brainstorm" the many different relationships that exist between two things, students are asked to think more flexibly and go beyond the basic information they have. The creation of this type of learning and thinking community is deliberate by our teachers and it is the art and science of teaching that is essential to student achievement. It is inspiring to watch as this process unfolds; our students are learning and growing in many wonderful and new ways!

- Tim Anderson, Ed. D., Principal


Online News Archives
SVMS Calendar

 
SOUTH VIEW CALENDAR


  • Oct. 6 & 7 - 9th Grade Retreat
  • Oct. 14 - Picture Retakes
  • Oct. 18 - Parenting in the Digital Age
  • Oct. 20 & 21 - No School 

 
Counselor's Corner
The latest news from your SV counselors

Edina Public Schools will now be able to offer 
Co-Located mental health services. Edina schools will be partnering with Family Innovations Inc., at the building level and within the school day. South View will begin hosting Family Innovations, Inc. in the Student Services Office on Oct. 6th. There is space in the schedule for approximately five appointment slots per week (currently scheduled for Fridays).  Appointment slots need prior approval through the School Social Workers or School Counselors. Medical Insurance is utilized to cover the services. There is also a sliding fee option available. Please contact SVMS Student Services for more information.

Carmine LeVoir - 6th & 7 Grade Counselor
952-848-4410
[email protected]
Janet Schmiel - 8th & 9th Grade Counselor
 952-848-4412
 [email protected]
Counseling Secretary
Laura Polson
952-848-4402
[email protected]

Announcements 

Academic Triathlon
Students in grades 6-8 who are interested in participating in Academic Triathlon this year should gather a team of up to 5 students together and register with Dr. Cook no later than Wednesday, October 19, 2016 .  Registration forms are available in the Student Services Office.  The cost is $250/team.  For background information on what Academic Triathlon is, see the official site at http://usacademictriathlon.com/ .  If your student is interested in participating and does not have a team to join in with as of yet, please note that on your registration form.  If we are able to gather enough students in a similar situation, along with a parent volunteer who is willing to coach , we will combine those students to form a team.  Please contact Dr. Cook in the Student Services Office or via e-mail ([email protected] ) if you have questions.

Knowledge Bowl Team Informational Meeting
(Reg. Due October 28)
When: Friday, October 14
Where: 7:20am in Rm 141
Who: Interested students in grades 6-8
What: Knowledge Bowl is a sport for the mind. Setup like Jeopardy, but for teams. Knowledge Bowl involves fast-paced thinking and teamwork. The knowledge bowl teams have meets, in which the teams will compete against those of several other schools. Questions are based on topics covered in school: such as math, science, history, language skills, literature, music, and geography, as well as current events.
Registration Forms are available in the Student Services Office.   All registrations are due by Friday, October 28 .  If you have any questions please see Dr. Cook in Student Services.

Thanksgiving
For the first time in many years, we have classes on the Monday/Tuesday of Thanksgiving Week. Please remember that these are scheduled school days and if students miss a test for a planned trip we encourage students to make the effort to hopefully take them before they leave.

Taking Students out of School
We understand that kids have appointments etc. and would like remind you of the procedure to make the process easier for everyone.
  1. Send a note with your child with their name, grade, time they are getting picked up, reason for absence and your signature.
  2. Student will bring the note to the office in the morning and receive a pass.
  3. When it is time to go they show the pass to the teacher and meet you at door.
  4. If the student will be returning to school, that same pass can be given to the teacher. Simple!
When students are in music or phy ed they can be more difficult to reach so following this procedure will prevent you from being late to your appointment!

Middle School Wrestling
Registration is now open for any student in grades 6, 7, 8.  This is a great opportunity to be part of a team/club, be physically active, compete against other athletes your size, and learn a great new sport!  No experience is necessary and there will be a Free Clinic on Oct. 11 th from 3:30-4:30pm in the Valley View Middle School cafeteria for anyone interested.   Click here for more info.
Please follow this link to register through Edina Community Education for the 2016-17 season.

Opportunities for Giving!
It's that time of year again when there are loads of opportunities for students in need.
Here are a few:
1)       VEAP Weekend Food Backpack program
2)       Free Bikes for Kids (FB4K)
3)       Rotary Thanksgiving baskets
4)       VEAP Holiday Gift program
If you or anyone you know are interested in knowing more about these opportunities, please contact:
Doug Eischens at 952-848-4411 or [email protected] no later than October 27 th .

Volunteers Needed on Election Day for Kids Voting Edina
This November, Edina students of all ages will be invited to accompany their parents to the polls to vote for the political candidates of their choice, thanks to an exciting voting initiative called "Kids Voting Edina." Adult and student volunteers are needed on Election Day (Nov. 8) to assist with  setting up  Kids Voting Polls, counting votes, collecting ballots and helping guide kids through the election process. Most volunteers will be asked to work a 2 1/2 hour shift on election night (3:45 - 6:15 p.m. or 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.) with one or two other volunteers.
No prior experience is necessary. One-hour training sessions will be provided October 26 at 10am, 1pm and at 5 pm.  Volunteers need only to attend one session. Young people are encouraged to volunteer as well - those 8th grade and under should be accompanied by a parent or caregiver.
Contact Carynn Roehrick to register at [email protected]

For more information visit  Kids Voting Edina .  

When should my child stay home from school?
In general, the following information is intended to help decide when a student should stay home:
  • If a student has had a fever of 100 degrees or more, the student should stay home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal without fever reducing medication such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
  • If a student has vomited or had diarrhea, the student should stay home until 24 hours after the last episode.
  • If a student has had any rash that may be disease-related or the cause is unknown, check with your health care provider before sending the student to school.
  • If a student is ill, please call the school daily to report the illness.
  • If a student has a communicable disease, please contact the Health Office.
Registration is now open for the AMC  8, a great enrichment opportunity for those who love math!
Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 who enjoy competitive mathematics are encouraged to participate in the AMC 8. The AMC 8 is a 25-question, 40-minute, multiple-choice international competition in middle school mathematics designed to enhance problem-solving skills.
The competition provides an opportunity to apply the concepts taught at the middle school level to problems ranging from easy to difficult and covering a wide range of applications. Many problems are designed to challenge students and to offer creative problem-solving experiences beyond those provided in most middle school mathematics classes.
Calculators are not allowed, meaning there IS a way to solve the problems without them!  High scoring students are invited to participate in the AMC 10.
For some resources to prepare or just for fun, you can sign up for the AMC Minute Math problem:
These problems are geared for all three competitions - AMC 8, 10 or 12.  Online registration:
  • TEST DATE: Tuesday, November 15 in room 209 at 9:45
  • FEE:  Registration: $12.00
Scholarships available. Please contact Erica Gardner or Greg Banko if needed. We would not want financial constraints to keep a student from participating.

History Day Club
The South View History Day Club kicked off this week, but we are still accepting those interested in joining.  History Day is an interdisciplinary research project and competition where students research and present on a topic of interest in history.  Students gain valuable research, writing and presentation skills.  Please consider having your child join us.  History Day Club meets on Wednesdays at 2:45pm in the Media Center. The next meeting is on October 12.

PTO Needs Your Help!
The PTO is seeking a GO GREEN Environmental representative. This parent would create a culture of environmental awareness by helping to educate staff, students and families on the school district's Go GREEN policies.  This person will coordinate the school's environmental and energy reducing efforts.  Meetings with GO GREEN representatives from will take place throughout the school year.
Please contact Sue Claar at [email protected] for more information

Edina Community Solar Garden Now Open for Business   
Have you heard? Edina is the first city in the state to host a Community Solar Garden on the Edina Public Works Building. The 620 kilowatt project will provide enough electricity from the Sun for 60-80 Edina families. Families choose the amount of energy they wish to subscribe to and do nothing to their home. Sign up at http://cooperativeenergyfutures.com/communitysolar/edina-csg/  or call Megan at 612-599-7625 and say your family is part of the South View Middle School Community.
 
The project is over 50% subscribed and will be opened to non Edina residents soon so act now to get your piece of the Sun and help Edina reach its' Energy Reduction Goals!!



 

 

4725 South View Lane, Edina, MN 55424

Office: 952-848-3700 | Attendance: 952-848-3702

 




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