Author: Juliana Allen

Local voters had the opportunity to learn about the upcoming Eden Prairie Schools (EPS) referendum in a town hall hosted Tuesday, Oct. 4, at Central Middle School (CMS). Superintendent Josh Swanson spoke about the current state of the district’s schools, provided an overview of the referendum, showed an informational video, then answered several questions from the small but attentive audience. Attendees also were able to talk with Swanson, district staff, Eden Prairie School Board member C.J. Strehl, and fellow residents before and after the event. Since the event was held over the dinner hour, pizza and childcare were provided. Swanson…

Visitors to the 2022 GIVE Gathering, held Sept. 29 at Central Middle School (CMS), learned ways to give back to their community, plus how to find support if they need it. Organized by the Eden Prairie Schools Community Education (EPCE), Eden Prairie Community Foundation, and the City of Eden Prairie, the annual event was a “one stop shop” where families could learn about volunteer opportunities as well as available resources. Kaleidoscope Teens offered additional planning support. “Traditionally, this has been our community’s volunteer fair,” said Molly Patil, EPCE’s director of adult and community engagement programs. With so many partner organizations…

Eden Prairie Schools (EPS) and the Eden Prairie Police Department (EPPD) will increase security for Friday’s high school homecoming football game. The decision came in response to recent security incidents at Edina and Richfield high schools’ homecoming games. Eden Prairie High School’s (EPHS) varsity football squad will square off against Prior Lake at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at Aerie Stadium. About 6,000 people are expected to attend the game, versus 4,500 for a regular home game. In an email sent Tuesday to families in the district, EPS said, “While we do not expect any problems at Friday’s game, we…

Eden Prairie Schools (EPS) has planned two information sessions to help the community learn more about the upcoming referendum. The first town hall will be held virtually via Zoom at noon Wednesday, Sept. 28. Attendees are asked to register to receive the meeting link, and are invited to submit up to three questions in advance. The second session will be held in person at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, at Central Middle School (CMS), 8025 School Road. Dinner and childcare for ages 3 and up will be provided. RSVPs are encouraged but not required. Interpretation in Spanish and Somali will…

It’s now safer and more comfortable for baseball teams to play at Eden Lake Park, thanks to Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Life Scout and Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) sophomore Blake Bidwell. In August, Bidwell built two dugout shelters over existing team bench seating at one of the park’s three baseball fields for his BSA Eagle Scout Service Project. Also known as Eagle projects, these are significant community service projects considered the most challenging advancement requirement in Scouting. Bidwell said he raised over $12,000 for the material and tools needed to create the steel shelters. After a year of…

Eight candidates running for the Eden Prairie School Board shared their positions on several topics, including student equity, mental health, treatment of culture and gender, and the upcoming referendum at a Sept. 14 forum. The event was held in the Eden Prairie City Council chambers and was hosted by the League of Women Voters (LWV) of Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, and Hopkins. Peggy Kvam moderated the discussion. The forum allowed candidates to define themselves against their opponents as they compete for five open school board seats. Four of these seats are for full four-year terms. The fifth seat is for a…

Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) drama students are kicking off the new school year with the 38th annual Trajectories show, which is entirely student written, directed, and choreographed. Trajectories is open to all students interested in exploring the high school’s drama program, with no cuts made in the audition process. The show allows students to showcase their creativity and also welcomes incoming ninth graders. EPHS Performing Arts Center manager Jay Asfeld says, “Over the years we have found that it is a great way for freshmen to get involved in our drama group and has made the transition to EPHS…

Eden Prairie Schools (EPS) students, teachers, and staff are returning to school this week. K-9 students had their first day on Tuesday, Sep.6. Due to Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) hosting ninth grade orientation that day, students in grades 10-12 began a day later on Wednesday, Sep. 7. Last year saw major changes including new school start times, sixth graders moving to CMS, and Pre-K moving to the elementary schools. The school community also dealt with many challenges and unknowns over the past two years as it navigated the pandemic. After these changes and challenges, there are high hopes that…

Five spots on the Eden Prairie School Board will be up for grabs in the upcoming Nov. 8 election. Four of the open spots are for full four-year terms expiring on Jan. 6, 2027. There also will be a special election to select one board member for a two-year term to fill a seat vacancy that expires on Jan. 6, 2025. The four-year term seats are currently held by Steve Bartz, Aaron Casper, Debjyoti “DD” Dwivedy, and Adam Seidel, whose terms expire in January 2023. Of these four, only Seidel is not running again. Candidates for these seats are incumbent…

Eden Prairie residents aren’t just attending the Minnesota State Fair — they’re busy making it happen. Eden Prairie High School’s dynamic students helped kick off day one of the “Great Minnesota Get-Together” on Thursday, Aug. 25. The marching band, color guard, and pom squad entertained the crowd with upbeat songs, including the EPHS rouser and “Take On Me” by Norwegian new wave 1980s band A-ha. From kindergarteners to senior citizens, EP-ites made our city proud by having their work displayed (and winning ribbons!) in many State Fair competitions. They wowed judges with their talents, from drawing and photography, to sewing…