Pumpkin Contest!!!!

PTO is having our annual pumpkin contest.  We want you to get creative, have fun and decorate your pumpkins. Pumpkins cannot be carved and they must be small enough that your child can carry it.  We will not be able to accept large, heavy sizes that adults have to carry.  Please bring pumpkins OCTOBER 25 - 28th.  Judging will take place during the day on October 28th by school administrative staff and winners will be announced October 29th. 

Updates  from Mr. Hermes, Principal of Edison Elementary School    
9/29/2021  
Due to the continued concerns surrounding the spread of COVID-19, here is an update on events that were scheduled for October. 

1. Grandparents Day - October 21 (This event is currently postponed)

2. Open House - October 12 (This event is currently postponed. Parent/Teacher conference sign up information will be sent to you through Final Forms by your child's homeroom teacher.  We will still hold parent/teacher conferences in November as planned.  Parents will have the option to attend in-person or virtually)

3. Community Halloween Party - October 31 (A decision will be made as we get closer to this event. This is an event that is sponsored by the Milan Rotary.  More information regarding this event will be sent out as we get closer to the date)

Edison Elementary

 Spirit Days

In 1963, Harvey Ball, a graphic artist and ad man from Worcester, Massachusetts, created the smiley face symbol we’ve all come to know. Popularity for this symbol exploded into the world of popular culture. It’s every artists’ dream for their work to be respected and recreated and few symbols have had quite the legacy that Harvey’s creation has had.

Throughout the years, the smiley face has become one of the most well-known symbols in the world. It has appeared in movies such as ‘Forest Gump’ and used as a motif in the graphic novel, ‘Watchmen.’ It’s so well-known that just by saying “smiley face”, we bet that you can see it in your mind. That recognizable yellow circle with black dots for eyes and a simple curve for a genuine and pure smile. However, the original smiley face had more of an oblong smile, a bit more hand drawn in aesthetic, taking up more space on the face than we see in modern recreations. Because of its overuse, it started to move away from its intent of goodwill and good cheer and he knew something had to be done.

In 1999, World Smile Day became an official holiday in order to regain control. The celebration aspects of the day were simple yet effective: people were to use the day to smile and make small acts of kindness worldwide. Harvey wanted to keep the smile connected to the human being. By doing so, you’d smile and in return, you’d make someone else smile and brighten up their day.

This holiday marks the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. It sets standards regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers for their initial preparation, further education, recruitment, employment, and learning conditions.

UNESCO’s 2020 message: “With the theme: ‘Young Teachers: The Future of the Profession,’ we recognize the critical importance of reaffirming the value of the teaching mission. We call upon governments to make teaching a profession of first choice for young people. Above all, we celebrate the work of dedicated teachers around the world who continue to strive every day to ensure that ‘inclusive and equitable quality education’ and the promotion of ‘lifelong learning opportunities for all’ become a reality in every corner of the globe.”

We lead busy lifestyles and barely get time to sit and actually process our thoughts, which is likely a reason why mental health issues or underlying problems go un-assessed. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), suicide is committed somewhere in the world every 40 seconds. Approximately 800,000 people die every year due to suicide. The majority of these occur in underdeveloped and developing countries. These figures are startling, considering that suicide is preventable. Undiagnosed and untreated mental illness is the biggest reason behind suicide. 

The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) initiated World Suicide Prevention Day in 2003. The day is co-sponsored by the World Federation for Mental Health and World Health Organization. The aim of the day is to research and collect data on suicidal behavior, determine the various causes and why its signs go unnoticed, and developing sound practices and policies for suicide prevention. 

On September 15, 2003, author and illustrator of children’s books, Peter H. Reynolds released his book “The Dot.” In the story, Vashti felt like she couldn’t draw — but her art teacher wouldn’t accept that. “Just make a mark, and see where it takes you,” the teacher said to Vashti. So, she marked her parchment paper with a small dot.  The next day, Vashti was surprised to find her paper with the dot on the classroom wall. Vashti was so proud of her work that she started creating drawings with different kinds of dots.

Eventually, Vashti was able to pass the lesson about confidence that she had learned from her teacher onto someone else. A dot might be small, but it’s a powerful way to show your unique individuality and creativity. And that’s the story that inspired International Dot Day. 

“The Dot” has inspired millions of children and adults. It is used by teachers as a method to encourage creativity and instill confidence in students. One teacher in Iowa, Terry Shay, introduced the book to his entire classroom on September 15, 2009. This led to the observance of International Dot Day every year on September 15. The flow of creativity and courage is celebrated by millions of teachers and students around the world. Such is the widespread influence of “The Dot” that it is currently celebrated in 192 countries by more than 19 million people! 

There is also a website by the name ‘The Dot Club,’ which serves as a free resource for downloadable material and printouts like an official certificate of participation. 

Astronomically, it’s the day when the sun crosses the celestial equator heading south. Thus, the fall (and spring) equinoxes provide Earth with roughly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. Oh, and after another blazing hot summer, the first day of fall signals cooler weather.

From the time of the Druids,  the fall equinox signaled the end of the harvest. Then, winter preparations began. Families celebrated with parties and other social gatherings. Autumn lasts until the winter solstice.

Today, city dwellers often head to the countryside — for example, rural New England, to take in the changing colors of the leaves. Symbolically, the fall equinox reminds us to be grateful for the “harvests” in our own lives over the course of the year.  This fall equinox, take time to reflect on the bounty of nature and the possibilities for abundance in every part of your amazing life.