September Community Newsletter

A Note from the Principal

Hello, Edison community!

I hope all of you are enjoying a wonderful Labor Day weekend! Please see the newsletter below for helpful announcements and updates. Here are a few that I'd like to spotlight:

I am happy to share that registration for after-school clubs and Youth Guidance enrichment opportunities will be shared at noon on Thursday, September 4th. Please keep an eye out for that email!

Join us on Thursday, September 11th at 6:00PM for a virtual workshop during which we will review CPS' Student Code of Conduct/Student Rights & Responsibilities. The session will be facilitated by Edison's Dean of School Culture, Mrs. Cardenas, and will provide a basic overview of CPS' Office of Student Protections, resources available to support students, and information on the strategies we employ to foster a safe, inclusive, and respectful school environment. You can find login/call-in information below.

The Local School Council has a parent representative vacancy. If you are interested in supporting Edison by serving as a parent representative through June (which is the remainder of this term), please contact LSC Chair Nora Sullivan at nnsergclsc@gmail.com and Dr. Valentine at kevalentine1@cps.edu. Application materials can be found here.

Edison's PTO is looking for volunteers for this year's Trackathon. Please check out the PTO's August newsletter for more information on Trackathon and how you can support Edison students through the Trackathon event.

I've compiled several frequently used websites and created a new document called "Edison Regional Gifted Center Family Quick Guide", which you can find below. It also includes the dates for most of our schoolwide events. We'll also have hard copies on hand for you at Curriculum Night.

Please note: The date for the annual Edison/Albany Park Multicultural Academy high school fair has been changed to October 1st due to a conflict with the Network 1 high school fair, which will be held on September 25th at Rickover Naval Academy from 6PM-7:30PM. See information on Edison's HS fair below.

Reminder: I am facilitating parent information sessions for 7th and 8th grade families regarding the high school application process with our interim counselor, Ms. Boonstra. Those families should have already received session information in an email sent on 8/26. You can also find it here for your convenience.

I have added all new families to our newsletter recipient list using the email addresses provided by CPS' Office of Access and Enrollment. If you would like to change or add an email address to our list, please complete this brief Google form.

Mr. Connelly has shared sports registration information with all students in 5th-8th grades. If you have not received it, you can find that information on the APC sports website. You can find the fall sports practice schedule here and find answers to most frequently asked sports-related questions here.

Reminder: If you haven't already, please take a few moments to complete and return the annual back-to-school forms, which can be found here. If you prefer not to disclose your family's income on the income form, you should write N/A on that line.

In partnership,

Karen Valentine, EdD

kevalentine1@cps.edu

Updates and Announcements

Edison Curriculum Night: September 4th, 5PM-7PM

Curriculum Night is THIS Thursday! We hope to see you there! Please refer to the email sent on 8/22 for additional details, schedules, and childcare info. If you didn't receive that email, you can find it here.

Virtual Parent Workshop: September 11th, 6PM-7PM

Join us for a virtual workshop reviewing CPS' Student Code of Conduct/Student Rights & Responsibilities, facilitated by Edison's Dean of School Culture, Mrs. Cardenas.

Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/umh-yfqc-suv

Dial-In: (317) 360-0631

School Picture Day: September 12th

School Picture Day is Friday, September 12th!

See the timeline in the infographic below. Ordering information will be included on the proofs that are delivered to school on 11/14.

Upcoming Events

9/1: Labor Day - No School

9/3: Virtual 8th Grade Trip Parent Meeting (8th Grade)

9/4: Curriculum Night

9/5: Signed 8th Grade Contracts Due

9/7: Elston Electric Event (See flyer below.)

9/8: Swedish Museum Field Trip (Kindergarten)

9/9: LSC Meeting

9/11: Jeni's Ice Cream Dine for Dollars (See flyer below.)

9/11: Virtual Parent Workshop (Topic: Student Code of Conduct)

9/12: School Picture Day

9/15: Selective Enrollment Waitlists Close

9/19: Coffee with the Principal (Grades K-2)

9/19: PTO Meeting

9/19: Progress Report Distribution

9/22: High School Parent Info Session (7th Grade)

9/23: High School Parent Info Session (8th Grade)

9/23: GoCPS Applications Open

9/25: Field Trip to Chicago Botanical Garden (Grades 5-8)

9/25: Network 1 High School Fair (6-7:30PM at Rickover Naval Academy)

9/26: School Improvement Day - No School

10/1: APC High School Fair (See flyer below.)

10/2: Field Trip to Children's Theater (Kindergarten)

10/8: High School Admissions Test (8th Grade)

10/9: Trackathon

10/9: Virtual Parent Workshop (Tentative Topic: Bullying)

10/10: Field Trip to Architectural Center (Grades K & 8)

10/10: Coffee with the Principal (Grades 3-4)

10/10: School Picture Retakes

10/13: Indigenous Peoples' Day - No School

10/15: Medical Forms Due

10/17: End of Quarter 1

10/17: Field Trip to Springfield (7th Grade)

10/20: PTO Meeting

10/21: LSC Meeting

10/22: Prospective Parent Open House

10/24: School Dance

10/27: Parent-Teacher Conferences - No School

10/27 - 10/31: Albany Park Campus (APC) Spirit Week

10/30: 50th Day of School Celebration

10/31: Halloween Parade

*Logistical information and additional upcoming events have been updated on the website's calendar. You can check it out here.

Medical Forms Due October 15, 2025

The State of Illinois requires parents/guardians to provide proof of required immunizations and school physical exams before October 15, 2025, or their child will face exclusion from school.

Physical Examination - Due upon enrollment or no later than 10/15/25 for:

Kindergarten, 6th Grade, 9th Grade, and any student entering CPS for the first time

Vision Examination - Due upon enrollment or no later than 10/15/25 for:

Kindergarten, and students entering the state of Illinois for the first time at any grade level

Dental Examination - Due 5/15/26 for:

Kindergarten, 2nd, 6th, and 9th Grade

All medical forms can be found here.

Aspen Parent Portal

You can find CPS' Parent Portal here. If you need to update the home address in your Aspen profile; please contact Ky Pham at klpham@cps.edu.

What features does the Aspen Parent Portal have?

Student assignments
Student grades
Student schedules
Student attendance
Grade and attendance notifications through email or text messages
Student fees, including credit card payments
Health compliance
High school student's progress against graduation requirements
Mobile-friendly format

To learn more about Aspen’s features, watch the videos below:

Navigating the Parent Portal (English | Español)
Navigating the Mobile Interface (English)