Author: Juliana Allen

Looking for summer enrichment opportunities for your elementary, middle, or high school-aged child? Registration is still open for a local program that seeks to provide students with fun, unique experiences to challenge their abilities and help them grow. West Suburban Summer School (WSSS), which is part of Intermediate District 287 serving Eden Prairie and other area school districts, offers summer classes to students entering grades 2-12 in the fall of the upcoming school year. WSSS serves students who demonstrate an intense interest/passion about a topic, and are comfortable moving at a faster pace or pursuing a topic in depth. Classes…

A moving interpretation of “These Shining Lives,” a dramatic play by Melanie Marnich based on the true story of the Radium Girls, will be performed this week by Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) drama students. Shows will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Apr. 27, Friday, Apr. 28, and Saturday, Apr. 29, at the EPHS Performing Arts Center. Tickets are on sale here and are $5 for students and senior citizens, and $7 for adults. Laurie Nebeker, the play’s director who also teaches English and theater at EPHS, said “These Shining Lives” dramatizes the lives of young women who thought…

Raise a pint to The PROP Shop and bid on silent auction items for a good cause at its inaugural Bids and Brews fundraiser 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 27, at Fat Pants Brewing Co. in Eden Prairie. Tickets for the event are $10 and include one drink ticket. Appetizers will be served, and additional drinks are available for purchase from Fat Pants’ wide selection of beer, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks. The silent auction, which is already live for bidding, features “gift cards, merchandise, and services generously donated by local companies and community members,” said Mandi Karulf, who is organizing…

Community members have until midnight tonight, April 24, to submit their feedback on the future direction of Eden Prairie Schools. Starting last fall, the district began school and community workshops, surveys, and focus groups to help it design its new strategic plan for the next five years. A community planning team and district leaders have now drafted an updated 2023-28 strategic plan. EP Schools is now inviting the community to complete a short online survey to help the planning team gauge support for and refine the plan, and ensure it meets the needs of EP Schools students, families, and the…

Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) principal Nate Gibbs notified families Tuesday morning that the “weapon” a student was seen holding in a social media video the day prior was not real, and there was no credible threat to the school. “Our partners at the Eden Prairie Police Department continued into the late evening last night to conduct their own investigation into this incident,” Gibbs wrote in an email sent out Tuesday morning before school. “They have confirmed there is no credible threat to our school. The weapon recovered was a lookalike.” The school had increased its staff and police support…

The Foundation for Eden Prairie Schools has announced the winners of its annual Legacy Awards, which honor outstanding teachers, staff, volunteers, alumni and community members who have gone above and beyond to support the success of Eden Prairie Schools. Winners and nominees will be honored at the FEPS Red & Black Gala to be held 6:30-10:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28, at Bearpath Golf & Country Club. Cocktail attire (preferably in Eden Prairie Schools colors, red and black!) is suggested. “This is our first in-person event in three years, and we’re really excited to bring the community together for a…

A ribbon memorial will be held on Saturday, April 15, to commemorate Aaron Husmann, an Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) junior who passed away unexpectedly on April 10. People who would like to attend to commemorate Husmann’s life can gather at Round Lake at 2 p.m. to help place blue and green ribbons around the city as a way to remember him and share memories with others. (Please note: this event has been moved from its original location, the EPHS Activity Center, due to parking issues.) As the school community grieves this loss, trained counselors and social workers remain available…

Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) students and staff shared a moment of silence at the start of the school day on Wednesday morning, as they confronted the loss of two beloved community members: Aaron Husmann, a junior, and Robert “Rob” Becker, a longtime employee and school security monitor. Aaron Husmann In an email sent on April 11 to students and families, Principal Nate Gibbs said, “I am heartbroken to share that Aaron Husmann, one of our 11th grade students, died unexpectedly last evening. As a school community, we are navigating profound grief and loss. Families, during times like this your…

Jasmine Garry, an 11th grader at Eden Prairie High School (EPHS), recently combined her passion for sustainability with her skills in computer science to create an award-winning app that teaches users how to recycle. Called RexCycle, the app has won U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips’ 2022 Congressional App Challenge in Minnesota’s Third District. “I enjoy building apps because I am able to see the direct impact they have on the world,” Garry said. “Because of this, I built the app for the Congressional App Challenge to help create a fun way for people to engage with the environment in a positive way…

Audiences are in for an extremely cool treat with the International School of Minnesota’s (ISM) current musical production of Disney’s “Frozen Jr.” The musical’s cast and crew, made up of 34 ISM students ranging from first to 12th grade, will transport viewers to the magical kingdom of Arendelle along with Anna, Elsa, Olaf and all of the beloved “Frozen” characters. Theater-goers are encouraged to dress as their favorite character when they see this fun, family-friendly musical. Upcoming performances of the show, which launched last night, will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 31, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.…