Author: Juliana Allen

Eden Prairie High School’s (EPHS) Dance Team (EPDT) is making a big change this upcoming season: it’s opening tryouts to seventh and eighth graders. Seventh and eighth graders who make the team will be eligible to participate in the 2023-2024 season. “We’re a competitive sport and we support a JV, B squad, and varsity level team,” said Caitlin Rogotzke, EPDT’s head coach. “This year, we want to get involvement from younger athletes as well.” Student-athletes of all genders are welcome to try out for the team. Tryouts will take place at EPHS over three days: Rogotzke said that during the…

Hard work and long hours in the pool paid off for Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) girls swim and dive when they beat Buffalo High School 103-78 on Sept. 17. “The girls had a fantastic meet,” said Bill Bloomberg, the team’s head coach. “All the work they’ve been doing in practice has really paid off.” He added, “I put some swimmers in higher pressure situations and they really came through.” Notable swims at the Eagles’ home pool included: The Eagles went into exhibition after the 100 back, which meant that they did not earn any more points since they already…

Eden Prairie Schools’ buses have a new security feature — they are equipped with cameras to help keep students and drivers safe. The cameras are located just below driver windows on the sides of all 104 of the district’s buses. The cameras will record the car, face and license plate of any driver who disregards a stop arm meant to protect students as they cross the street. “We want the community to know that student safety is our No. 1 priority,” said Randy Haar, EP Schools’ director of transportation. “Even before the cameras, we had wonderful safety protocols in place.…

Unique, student-created entertainment awaits theatergoers who attend “Trajectories,” Eden Prairie High School’s (EPHS) Drama Club’s upcoming variety show. The annual show will feature three skits and three dances directed, choreographed, and performed entirely by students. Performances are at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, and Friday, Sept. 8, in the EPHS Auditorium. Tickets are $4 for students and $6 for adults, and can be purchased here. About the show “The skits consist of a sci-fi western, a date gone wrong, and a class project about the meaning of life,” said Jay Asfeld, EPHS’ Performing Arts Center manager. “There are dances…

For most Eden Prairie Schools students, Tuesday, Sept. 5, was their first day back for the 2023-24 school year. Students showed up bright and early to their bus stops, were dropped off in cars, or walked to school, many with their families. Riaan Bajaj is a newly minted second grader at Oak Point Elementary who was up at the crack of dawn on Tuesday. “The best part of the day was yesterday night when he brought his alarm clock and asked me to set an alarm for 6:15 in the morning so he can do everything and be ready on…

Heading back to school in the fall can be an exciting time for students, but it can also be stressful as they adjust to new schedules, teachers, and classmates. They may worry about fitting in, being academically ready, and even being safe at school. Experts say there are many things parents and guardians can do to smooth the transition, as well as things kids can do to look after their own wellness. Kelsey MacQueen, head counselor at Eden Prairie’s Central Middle School (CMS), said that one of the most important things families can do is get into a healthy routine.…

The Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) girls varsity swim and dive team defeated St. Michael-Albertville (STMA) 105-81 in their season-opening meet. The clash took place at the Eagles’ home pool at the Eden Prairie Aquatic Center on Thursday, Aug. 31. “It was an exciting meet that involved two closely matched teams,” said the team’s new head coach, Bill Bloomberg. “The depth of our team and their performance was the difference. I could not have been more proud.” Bloomberg said the team “utilized an unconventional strategy” in the 400 freestyle and 400 medley relays to help win the meet. Instead of…

The Great Minnesota Get-Together takes place over 12 days in August and September, ending on Labor Day. Over one million Minnesotans start planning their State Fair visits well in advance, deciding when to attend, which activities to enjoy, and, most crucially, what to eat. For my family, planning starts with buying Blue Ribbon Coupon Books and advance discount tickets. We read all of the new food previews and marvel at the creativity and choice. We download the State Fair app and plot how best to allocate the precious real estate inside our stomachs. After all, there are hundreds of different…

Students at Eden Prairie’s Performing Institute of Minnesota (PiM) Arts High School headed back to class on Monday, Aug. 28, after the summer break. Rob Thompson, the school’s director of communications and development, said there was “lots of good energy and excitement” on the first day, which featured an all-school assembly. A kick-off video for the school year can be viewed here. Last week, the freshman class of 2027 came together for ninth grade orientation at the RESPECT Retreat with Youth Frontiers. The school, which has 397 students, will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. In addition to offering…

Freshly sharpened pencils and unmarked notebooks aren’t the only new things Eden Prairie Schools students will enjoy this fall — they will also benefit from several key upgrades to existing school facilities. With the large Central Middle School (CMS) build now complete, “We’ve been focusing on a lot of smaller projects this summer, maintaining each of our sites,” said Kyle Fisher, director of facilities for EP Schools. “We’ve had a lot of painting projects and refreshing our classrooms, and quite a bit in terms of flooring.” Fisher, who has been with the district since 2014 and in the director role…