Author: Jim Bayer

Jim is a retired teacher currently keeping busy as a reserve teacher, tutor, and Eden Prairie High School softball coach. Jim’s career began as a journalist, photojournalist, and editor before working in healthcare public relations and later earning a master’s degree in special education. Jim and his wife, Sue, a registered nurse, have lived in Eden Prairie for more than 25 years. Their two children, Jen and Matt, graduated from EPHS and live in Eden Prairie. Jim and Sue have four grandchildren.

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Eden Prairie Schools will offer free meals beginning Dec. 4 to families with children up to age 18 who live in the district – even if they don’t attend school in the district. No income qualification is necessary and the program is open to all children. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program was initially scheduled to end Dec. 31, 2020. The program was recently extended until the end of this school year, according to the district’s website. Families may request meals through the district’s website. Parents or guardians can pick up bagged food from 10:30 a.m. to 1…

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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. 11/13 – 11/27 Staff – 6 cases Students – 21 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…

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Eden Prairie High School students likely will wake up to a new, later start time in the fall of 2021, according to information presented by Superintendent Josh Swanson at the school board’s Nov. 23 meeting. A 19-member Start and End Time Task Force consisting of parents, staff, community members and administrators began meeting earlier this year to review research on the topic. This fall, the task force completed a report recommending that Swanson explore options for adjusting start times based on current research. Research reviewed by the task force included a three-year study conducted by the Center for Applied Research…

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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. 11/6 – 11/20 Staff – 6 cases Students – 40 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…

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Eden Prairie Schools report updated 14-day COVID-19 cases among students and staff every Friday. EPLN will report that information in this location each week. 10/29 – 11/12 Staff – 7 cases Students – 34 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.) (Source: Eden Prairie Schools) City of Eden Prairie/Hennepin County 14-Day COVID-19 Data 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…

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Eden Prairie Schools reports updated 14-day COVID-19 cases among students and staff every Friday. EPLN will report that information in this location each week. August 22 – November 5, 2020 Staff – 10 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.) (Source: Eden Prairie Schools) EP COVID-19 updates: City of Eden Prairie/Hennepin County 14-Day 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…

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Graduation rates for Black and Hispanic students in Eden Prairie Schools continue to show a steady increase over the past four years, according to district data. Eighty-seven percent of Black or African American students graduated in 2020 compared to 59 percent in 2017, a 47 percent increase over the time period. Hispanic/Latino students graduated at a rate of 85 percent in 2020 compared to 65 percent in 2017, an increase of about 31 percent. White and Asian students graduated at rates of 98 and 99 percent, respectively. Overall, the graduation rate for Eden Prairie students increased from 87 percent in…

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