Community feedback sought for Eden Prairie Schools’ Flight Plan 2035

As Eden Prairie Schools’ Flight Plan 2035 gets closer to its launch date in June, the district is seeking feedback on its progress.

Since last fall, the district has engaged with more than 1,600 community members, including school staff, students and families, to get input on the plan. These efforts aim to shape the experiences, opportunities and learning the district should offer students over the next decade.

The district used its annual third-party survey last fall to ask community members questions about the district’s strengths and areas for improvement. A design team, including staff, parents, community members and district leaders, was also formed to analyze the survey data and create an academic vision. 

Now, the design team has put together a first draft of that academic vision, which is what the community is being asked to comment on. 

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Virtual Feedback Session #1 will share the first draft of the design team’s vision, centering on feedback on the four areas of focus, and creating ideas for programs and experiences. One Zoom event for this session was already held April 8, and the second Zoom event will be from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 16. Attendees can RSVP on the district’s website, as well as submit thoughts and ideas about Flight Plan 2035.

Virtual Feedback Session #2 will center on feedback about the design team’s proposed programs and experiences. This session will have two dates: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, and 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 6. The April 30 session is part of the district’s ongoing Speaker Series, and can be attended either virtually or in person at Eden Prairie High School’s Performing Arts Center.  

The design team has identified four areas of focus for Flight Plan 2035. These priorities will guide upcoming discussions on implementation. The areas are:

1. Strong students. Strong students are described as adaptable, resilient and engaged, with a focus on holistic well-being.

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2. Inspired learning. This involves students creating their own learning experiences, based on curiosity and collaboration, with opportunities for discovery, exploration and pursuit. 

3. Transferable future-ready skills. Transferable skills include communication, creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving and technological fluency. 

4. Real-world application. This metric emphasizes adaptive technologies, personalized assessments and interdisciplinary projects to prepare students for future challenges. 

Dirk Tedmon, the district’s executive director of marketing and communications, said during the April 8 session that the design team wants to know: “What did we get right? What did we maybe not hit quite right? What are the ways we can bring this to life in the future?”

The design team will update and launch Flight Plan 2035 this summer, “based on what we’ve heard from our community and the experiences we want to create,” Tedmon said.

For more information about Flight Plan 2035, visit the district’s website.