Author: Juliana Allen

Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) girls swim and dive turned out both season-best and lifetime-best performances at the JV championships at Southview Middle School in Edina on Oct. 28-29. “The girls swam and dove incredibly well. The girls’ hard work all season definitely showed in their final meet,” said head coach Christine Retzlaff. “Both divers had their best score of the season. Every swimmer hit season best times. Out of 20 swimmers, 15 of them hit lifetime bests during the meet. They went in excited and ready to race, and it definitely showed in their performances,” she said. Some of the…

The alien invasion is upon us. Thespians at the International School of Minnesota (ISM) are aiming to transport and terrify audiences with their dramatic interpretation of Orson Welles’ 1938 broadcast “The War of the Worlds” and how it frightened the listening public. Shows will be at 6 p.m. in the Eden Prairie school’s auditorium on Thursday, Nov. 3, and Friday, Nov. 4. Tickets are $5 cash at the door. Welles’ broadcast was adapted from H.G. Wells’ 1898 science fiction novel of the same name, about a Martian invasion of Earth. The broadcast became famous for reports that it sowed widespread…

Eden Prairie Cross Country (EPXC) is heading to state. On Oct. 25, EPXC’s top seven girls and top seven boys runners competed in the Section 2AAA Championship Meet at Gale Woods Farm in Minnetrista. Head coach Courtney Brandon said, “Our boys team did just what they’ve done all season — they raced together and were able to qualify as a team for the State Meet.” “This group is incredibly special — there is no ego, and they collectively work toward their shared goal,” she said. “We are so proud of what they have achieved so far this season and are…

Parents of rising kindergarteners: it’s already time to start thinking about enrollment for the 2023-24 school year. Eden Prairie residents with students starting kindergarten at Eden Prairie Schools (EPS) in Sept. 2023 are invited to attend open house events in November. These events are an opportunity to meet principals, tour schools, learn more about enrollment in EP schools, and ask questions about the process. Virtual events will also be offered. Children are welcome to accompany parents and guardians to the informational events. There will also be events specifically geared to parents only in January, incoming students in May, and kinder…

With new head coach Christine Retzlaff at the helm, Eden Prairie High School’s (EPHS) girls swim and dive team has been working hard this season on form, conditioning, and race strategy. Retzlaff said that despite being a young team with many graduated seniors and new swimmers, the girls have been putting in strong performances at recent meets and are looking forward to upcoming championship meets. A supportive, inclusive, and enthusiastic team Girls swim and dive is one of the few no-cut sports at EPHS. This means that in any given year, the team can have a wide range of experience…

Eden Prairie Schools (EPS) families and community stakeholders are strongly encouraged to attend the upcoming school board meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 24. EPS board chair Adam Seidel said, “If people tune into one meeting a year, the October meeting is a big one.” The meeting is also the last chance before the Nov. 8 election for local voters to attend and offer public comment at an EPS board meeting. Seidel described the October meeting as “our most holistic, in-depth look at all of our top goals in the district. It’s when we do our most important work,…

Three Eden Prairie-based school districts and one Eden Prairie-adjacent district have been awarded strong evaluations in the most recent Niche rankings. Niche provides research-based rankings and grade ratings for K-12 schools and colleges across the United States. Eden Prairie Schools (EPS), Eagle Ridge Academy Charter School (ERA), Performing Institute of Minnesota (PiM) Arts High School, and The International School of Minnesota (ISM) all performed well in several categories. When calculating rankings, Niche said it took into account both statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and user data: “Our rankings and grades are calculated using a series of steps to…

Eden Prairie cross country (EPXC) ran hard in a highly competitive field at the Lake Conference Championship on Oct. 13. The Eagles placed third overall behind first-place Wayzata and second-place Minnetonka at Gale Woods Farm in Mound. Head coach Courtney Brandon said, “It was a solid day for our Lake Conference Championships, with many of our kids running season or personal bests!” The Eagles continued to improve as they took on the competition. In the Lake Conference meet, girls varsity placed sixth as a team. The top three EPXC finishers pulled off personal best times: sophomore Sarah Williams (19:24), junior Berit…

The Eden Prairie Performance Team (EPPT) delivered three high-octane performances as it hosted several metro area dance teams at a showcase on Oct. 8. Held on a sunny autumn day at Eden Prairie High School’s (EPHS) Aerie Stadium, the event also featured Blaine Dance Team, Chaska Fall Performance Team, Edina Junior Varsity and Varsity Hornettes, Edina Hip Hop, Holy Family, Minnetonka Junior Varsity and Varsity Performance Team, Maple Grove Dance Team, and St. Kate’s Dance Team. “The showcase serves as a recital to round off the season,” said EPPT head coach and EPHS alumna Emily Ophus. “It’s a chance for…

Swing’s the thing in “The All Night Strut!,” a vocal jazz revue happening this weekend at Eden Prairie’s Performing Institute of Minnesota Arts High School (PiM). The public is invited to attend all three performances, which will be held in the school’s White Box Theatre. Shows are at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14, and Saturday, Oct. 15, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16. Tickets are $5 for students and $12 for adults and can be purchased online here. “‘The All Night Strut’ moves through the Depression, World War II, and the post-war boom in a two-act musical…