Welcome to Edgewood Middle School!

District 112 Middle Schools

We believe . . . in providing a safe and caring developmental environment where all students can learn. District 112 middle schools foster the emotional, social, and academic growth of each child and place emphasis on communication among all members of the school community. The voice of the student is heard and reflected in student-centered activities that nurture a balance between academic and extracurricular responsibilities.

We value . . . individual and organizational excellence, diversity, and a collaborative process for continuous growth.

Middle school education is distinctive because . . . it bridges childhood to young adulthood. Through unique programs and opportunities, we develop critical thinking and encourage healthy choices toward greater independence and responsibility.

Edgewood Middle School

Edgewood Middle School students are assigned an Advisory teacher to meet with on a daily basis from sixth through eighth grade. The first nine minutes of our school day are reserved for students to meet with this adult advocate and a group of grade level peers. Fourteen times each year, students participate in team-based service learning or character building projects within an extended forty-one minute Home Base period. This model provides ongoing advocacy for students throughout their middle school experience, exemplifying our dedication to developmentally responsive middle school practices in District 112. Our Home Base teachers are easily reached by phone or email, and look forward to connecting with both students and parents!

Edgewood students are also provided with a grade level counselor or social worker. The primary responsibility of this advocate is to assist students with concerns related to school. As with our Home Base teachers, counselors and social workers loop with students from sixth through eighth grade to provide ongoing and focused support. This team contacts our students early in the school year to explain their services and how they may be accessed. Parents may contact their child’s grade level counselor or social worker by phone or email. Students are encouraged to ask questions and seek assistance from this talented team.

Demonstrating a second measure of exemplary middle school practice, District 112 middle schools organize both staff and students into teams or “schools within a school.” Here at Edgewood, we are fortunate to have a student population large enough to create two teams or “schools” at each grade level. These teams (Blue and White) provide students with a sense of community, and allow teachers to both integrate curriculum as well as better coordinate support services. In fact, staff members meet with team colleagues three times each week to focus on student needs, curriculum, instruction, and teaming practices.

In accordance with the District 112 Strategic Plan, our middle schools have moved to yet a third indicator of best middle school practice: the implementation of a block schedule. Block scheduling is a key indicator of developmentally responsive middle schools in that it provides schools with a flexible organizational structure. Groups of parents, staff, and administrators researched and planned for the implementation of this structure for over two years, and we are excited to begin our third year of teaching within the block!

Our block model mirrors the schedule presently in place at Highland Park High School, in which classes are blocked on Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Wednesdays, students attend four of their eight class periods. Each of these four classes runs for eighty-two minutes (double our regular forty-one minute periods). On Thursdays, students attend the other four of their eight class periods for eighty-two minutes each. Extended content-area periods such as these are often found in our elementary school classrooms, as they allow teachers to better tailor instruction to the needs of students through the use of uninterrupted, variable and active instructional strategies. Please see the enclosed bell schedule, which outlines the block periods for each grade level across our district.

Here at Edgewood, we are proud to offer a variety of extracurricular programs for students. These programs allow students to exercise their strengths, nurture budding skills, tackle areas of growth, and socialize with peers. Many of our teachers coach or sponsor these activities, which is an added treat for students! Edgewood-based contacts are available by phone or email to answer questions and share additional programming information. Specific meeting dates and times are shared with students during morning announcements and communicated to parents through our Daily Bulletin (see below).

Once our school year begins, we send daily announcements via electronic mail (email) to all families with an email address on file. This Daily Bulletin provides families with ongoing communication from Edgewood that is updated each school day. If we do not have an email address on file, we notify parents by mail in order to provide an opportunity to share an email address with us. Similarly, all parents receive a letter with instructions on how to access student grades and attendance online. This letter includes a user name and password specific to their child so that this confidential information may be accessed twenty-four hours a day. Our school website (www.nssd112.org/edgewood) posts current Edgewood news beginning in early September. The Leading Edge (school newsletter), The Eagle Eye (student newspaper), PTO News and Minutes, school activities and events, as well as informational flyers are posted each month for easy student and parent access.