The Patrick Henry Roadshow made a stop at EFA+ today, and what a treat it was! We enjoyed incredible performances from the Wind Ensemble, 8th Grade Jazz Band, Strings Attached, and City Lights.
It was especially fun to see so many familiar faces—former Eagles shining on stage—and inspiring for our students to get a glimpse of the amazing arts opportunities that await them in middle school. 🎶✨
Today our students met with their MI Exchange Family groups for a vibrant cross curricular experience in art and music! 🎨🎶
They explored the springtime paintings of Claude Monet, noticing his use of color, light, and movement to capture the beauty of the season. Students then listened to “Spring (La Primavera)” from The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi, discovering how music can paint a picture just like visual art. 🌸✨
Huge congratulations to our amazing former Eagles who are taking the stage this weekend in Patrick Henry Middle School’s production of Shrek Jr.! 💚🎭
We love seeing our students continue to shine and share their talents beyond our halls. Break a leg to Malena, Rosie, Elliott, Hannah, Hank, Drake, Andrew, Jackson, Nevaeh, Astrid, and Norah—we’re so proud of you! 👏✨
Celebrating 25 years as an A+ School! 🎉
Enjoy these highlights from our Multiple Intelligences Day 💫
https://youtu.be/ft2jMFmuDDk?feature=shared
Our 4th quarter EFA+ & Oh My Cupcakes collaboration is here: Art Cupcake by Cohen! 🎨🧁
This delicious creation features a rich chocolate cupcake with fluffy whipped cream frosting, topped with M&M’s and sprinkles—pure joy in every bite!
You can try the Art Cupcake at both Oh My Cupcakes locations April 13–17, or grab one at our 25 Years of EFA+ Celebration on April 24. Don’t miss it!
“We found Wonderland
You and I got lost in it
And we pretended it could last forever.”
These lyrics from Wonderland (our cast warm up song) feel so true after our magical weekend. ✨
Our amazing young artists performed four incredible shows of Alice in Wonderland Jr., and we are so proud of their commitment, creativity, and big, bold choices.
Thank you to our wonderful audiences and all the volunteers who helped bring Wonderland to life. 💙🐇
Opening day magic! ✨
Alice in Wonderland Jr. is officially underway, and our EFA+ students kicked things off as an amazing first audience.
Only 3 shows left + limited seats—don’t wait!
🎟️ https://events.hometownticketing.com/boxoffice/efes
Former EFA+ students Nevaeh, Norah, and Ivy placed 1st in Junior Performance at the Regional National History Day competition and are advancing to State! 🎉
We are so proud of these talented scholars and can’t wait to see what they accomplish next. Congratulations and best of luck at State! 👏📚
Students in 103 have been hard at work learning about the writing process! They wrote personal stories about their own lives, using feeling words and transitional words like first, next, and last to help tell their stories clearly.
They practiced self-editing by checking for punctuation, capital letters, and the correct spelling of their heart words. Today, students worked on partner editing, giving each other fresh eyes and helpful feedback on their writing.
Next, they’ll publish their stories with neat handwriting, a title, and a book cover. We can’t wait to see their finished books! ✏️📚
🌿Third graders are learning about inherited traits in science and how those traits can influence whether an organism is likely to survive. In this activity, students used droppers to represent the beak of a hummingbird as it tries to collect nectar. Each dropper presented a different challenge, helping students explore how certain traits can make it easier, or harder, for an organism to get the resources it needs to survive.
Yesterday the cast of Alice in Wonderland Jr. had their first rehearsal on the Axtell stage—and even got to enjoy a costume parade! We are getting so close to bringing the magic of Wonderland to life. ✨
Be sure to secure your tickets now!
🎶Yesterday the EFA+ 5th grade band, 5th grade orchestra, and 4th grade orchestra presented their spring concert. It was incredible to see the growth in these young musicians and celebrate all their hard work. 🎶
🎭✨ You’re invited down the rabbit hole! ✨🎭
Our talented 4th & 5th grade performers are ready to take the stage in Alice in Wonderland Jr.! After months of rehearsals, set building, choreography, and costume magic, these students cannot wait to share their hard work with you.
Join us March 19–21 for an evening full of imagination, music, and Wonderland fun. You’ll meet all your favorite characters, from Alice to the Queen of Hearts, and experience the creativity and confidence our students bring to life on stage.
🎟️ Get your tickets here:
https://events.hometownticketing.com/boxoffice/efes
Color, music, math, and a whole lot of creative thinking 🎨🎶➗
Our 5th graders recently explored triadic color schemes while creating vibrant arrays inspired by Wassily Kandinsky’s Color Study: Squares With Concentric Circles and Carl Strommen’s Like an Eagle.
But the learning didn’t stop with art. Students used their colorful arrays to connect visual patterns to music and math! In 4/4 time, they identified fractions that matched note values, found common denominators, and added fractions to equal four beats in a measure (with the quarter note receiving one beat).
It was a beautiful example of arts integration in action, where creativity and critical thinking work hand in hand. So proud of the way these students are making meaningful connections across subjects!
Today we celebrated Randy Ross Day at EFA+! 🎉🦅
For 32 years, Randy has been an important part of the EFA+ family, and he’s dedicated an incredible 41 years to the Sioux Falls School District. Today marked his final day at EFA+, and we made sure to honor him in true Eagle fashion.
Just like all of our EFA+ graduates, Randy completed the Graduation Walk as he heads into a well-earned retirement. 💙
We will miss the joy, laughter, and fun he brought to our halls each day.
Once an Eagle, Always an Eagle. 🦅
The spotlight is almost on, and our EFA+ musical cast has been hard at work bringing the magic to life! ✨
Join us for Alice in Wonderland Jr. at Axtell Park on March 19, 20, and 21, and watch our talented student performers take the stage in this whimsical adventure. You won’t want to miss it!
🎟 Tickets go on sale at 10:00 a.m. on February 26 through Hometown Ticketing.
Find show details and ticket purchasing information here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OMBPMMrW7x_SIjaMhqnFCv6eOYtezOtHPtKRy1CuxGQ/edit?usp=drivesdk
Our 2nd and 3rd graders stepped into the world of artist Jasper Johns as they explored how he transformed everyday images, like letters, numbers, and American symbols, into powerful works of art.
Students engaged in a Visual Thinking Strategies discussion of his painting 0–9, practicing careful observation, thoughtful interpretation, and respectful conversation.
Inspired by Johns’ work, each student created their own number composition using the digits from their birthday. They experimented with wax resist, salt, and rubbing alcohol techniques to create rich textures and layered effects in their watercolor paintings.
The results are bold, expressive, and unique, just like our young artists. 🎨✨
Students in Room 303 proudly shared their animal and habitat research writing with peers, showcasing their curiosity, creativity, and growing confidence as researchers and writers. 🐾📚
We’re so proud of former EFA+ student Finn Weber, who recently competed in his first MathCounts Regional Competition and earned 3rd place overall, advancing to the State Tournament in March. Congratulations, Finn—we love seeing our former Eagles soar! 🦅
