Author: Jim Bayer

(Editor’s note: Eden Prairie Schools announced the change this article refers to not long after publication. An updated article on the announced changes can be found here. ) Eden Prairie 7th to 12th graders are headed back to in-person learning, according to Superintendent Josh Swanson. The only question right now is exactly when. Swanson said at the Feb. 22 school board meeting that he would be making a more detailed announcement to families “in the next day or two.” The district began looking at the latest transition after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced last week that secondary students in the…

Casey Ostdiek’s favorite time of the Eden Lake Elementary school day is called closing circle and it consists of three A’s – apologies, affirmations and announcements. “Students have the opportunity to have closure to any unresolved issues,” she said. “It is so powerful to hear someone apologize to their peer and then hear their peer accept the apology in return.” The closing circle is about listening and making connections with students, she said. Ostdiek and the two other Eden Prairie teachers nominated for 2021 Minnesota Teacher of the Year seem to share those attributes. Ostdiek is joined by Courtney Heinz…

As of Valentine’s Day, almost 900,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered to Minnesotans. Of those, 1,128 were administered to 16 and 17 year olds. Among the teenagers receiving vaccinations are two Eden Prairie High School juniors who are considered essential workers during a global pandemic. Iesh Gujral, 16, is a junior volunteer at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina. Annika Welter, 17, is a dietary worker at Castle Ridge, a senior living community in Eden Prairie. Each received the Pfizer vaccine – the only one approved for anyone under 18 years of age. More than 153 teens ages…

Eden Prairie Schools Eden Prairie Schools reports updated 14-day COVID-19 cases among students and staff every Friday. EPLN will report that information each week. 1/22 – 2/5 Staff – 0 cases Students – 6 cases (Note: Eden Prairie Schools has 1,825 staff members and 8,768 students. Total staff is all district employees, including coaches, advisors, and reserve staff.) City of Eden Prairie/Hennepin County and Surrounding Cities Hennepin County and the City of Eden Prairie report 14-day COVID positive rates per 10,000 residents. EPLN will report information for Eden Prairie, Hennepin County and a few cities contiguous to Eden Prairie each…

Eden Prairie Schools Eden Prairie Schools reports updated 14-day COVID-19 cases among students and staff every Friday. EPLN will report that information each week. 1/15 – 1/29 Staff – 4 cases Students – 1 case (Note: Eden Prairie Schools has 1,825 staff members and 8,768 students. Total staff is all district employees, including coaches, advisors, and reserve staff.) City of Eden Prairie/Hennepin County and Surrounding Cities Hennepin County and the City of Eden Prairie report 14-day COVID positive rates per 10,000 residents. EPLN will report information for Eden Prairie, Hennepin County and a few cities contiguous to Eden Prairie each…

More than 500 additional Eden Prairie educators will receive their first doses of COVID-19 vaccine soon, Brett Johnson, senior director of community relations and communications, said Jan. 29. The district has been allocated 513 vaccine doses this week, Johnson said. The district received 24 doses the previous week. The Minnesota Department of Education Jan. 29 announced a sign up process for educators across the state and will lead the communication and assignment of vaccination appointments, he said. The district has 1,825 staff members. Four district staff and one student positive COVID-19 cases were reported in the 14 days ending Jan.…

Baker Road will become a three-lane road with left hand turn lanes this summer under a Hennepin County proposal announced earlier this month. Baker Road currently has four lanes, two in each direction, with no turn lanes. The proposed three-lane design consists of one lane of traffic in each direction with a middle lane used for left-hand turns. A widened shoulder on both sides will accommodate pedestrians and cyclists and will act as an unmarked right hand turn lane at intersections, according the county plans. The redesign proposal is part of a planned resurfacing of County Road 60 – which…

Eden Prairie students will begin the 2021-22 school year Sept. 8, avoiding a conflict with the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah, based on changes made to a draft school calendar at the Jan. 25 school board meeting. The initial draft had the first day of school on Sept. 7, which coincided with the holiday. The board approved that tentative calendar in February 2020. It will vote on the final version at its Feb. 22, 2021 meeting. Board members who voted to approve the tentative calendar a year ago acknowledged their mistake in not recognizing the scheduling conflict. So did Superintendent Josh…

Are you having a hard time waking the kids in your house for school? Depending on how parents look at it, significantly more sleep – or hassle – is on its way for Eden Prairie school parents in the 2021-22 school year. Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) and Central Middle School (CMS) students will be able to get more sleep starting this fall based on later start times made final at the Jan. 25 school board meeting. EPHS will start 45 minutes later and CMS will start 1 hour and 45 minutes later during the 2021-22 school year than in…

Eden Prairie Schools Eden Prairie Schools reports updated 14-day COVID-19 cases among students and staff every Friday. EPLN will report that information each week. 1/8 – 1/22 Staff – 5 cases Students – 3 cases (Note: Eden Prairie Schools has 1,825 staff members and 8,768 students. Total staff is all district employees, including coaches, advisors, and reserve staff.) City of Eden Prairie/Hennepin County and Surrounding Cities Hennepin County and the City of Eden Prairie report 14-day COVID positive rates per 10,000 residents. EPLN will report information for Eden Prairie, Hennepin County and a few cities contiguous to Eden Prairie each…