AUG. 28, 2014 
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3

CLASSROOM SNAPSHOT |
|
 PEP TALK

THE DAY WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR ... WELCOME BACK!

The first day of the 2014-15 school year in Edina Public Schools was full of laughter, smiles and learning as more than 8,400 students returned to the classroom for a fresh start. PreK and kindergarten students began one day after their grades 1-12 peers and were greeted with open arms and cheers at various all-school assemblies. Click here for an online K-12 photo gallery of the first day of school.  
EPS HEADLINESHeadlines
The latest stories about what's happening in our schools
STUDENTS REFLECT ON THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL


 

Before the first week of school came to a close, Edina Public Schools visited classrooms at the elementary, middle and high school levels to talk with students about their 2014-15 school year experience thus far. Here you will find six reflections from the students we talked to, each sharing why they were excited to come back to school and what they have already been learning. Read more.

 





MEET OUR NEW SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS
David Boosalis and Eric Carlson were selected 
jointly by the Edina Police Department and the district as part of a long-standing partnership focused on enhancing a safe school community. Read more.
2014 MCA TESTING
DATA EVALUATION
According to recent data from the Minnesota Department of Education
EPS remains a high academic performer, with students outperforming state peers by 10-20 percentage points. 
Read more.
PRE-K FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL PHOTOS
The Edina Family Center celebrated its first day of school on Aug. 26. Click here for an online photo gallery capturing our youngest learners on their first day of learning in the Family Center. 

KID PRESIDENT PEP TALK FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

With the first week of school coming to an end, in 

the words of Kid President, "It's time to wake up people!" By staying motivated and inspired, we will be better able to continue living out this year's theme of Bringing Hope and Happiness to Our Future. Click here, or on the photo, for a pep talk from the inspiring Kid President. 

TEACHER TUESDAY SPOTLIGHTTeacherTuesday 

Katie Burk

Vocal music teacher at South View

 

After student teaching at Valley View Middle School last fall, Katie Burk joins Edina Public Schools this year as a vocal music teacher at South View Middle School. With this being her first teaching job, Burk is excited to learn from staff and the choral music team, where she will be teaching three choirs and two sections of the 6th grade World of Music class. She is also eager to work with students, who inspire her to be the best teacher that she can be on a daily basis.


"I am inspired by their energy, passion and journey of self-discovery, and I am honored to play a part in their growth as musicians and learners!" she says.


Read more about Burk's hopes and plans for the 2014-15 school year and her knack for curriculum development.


Do you know a teacher or group of teachers who deserve recognition? Send your nominations to communications@edinaschools.org to be considered for the weekly blog spotlight.
 
STAFF NEWSStaffNews
Important EPS employee news

Staff Milestones 

To submit an entry for Staff Milestones, please include staff name, job title/type, employment location and major life event/announcement information to communications@edinashools.org.

  • Our condolences to Bill Webb, Edina band teacher, on the recent passing of his father, Harry Webb.

NEED YOUR INPUT: August Training Evaluation Survey

All staff are invited and encouraged to complete the (very brief) 2014-15 August Training Evaluation Survey which will be open through Sunday, Sept. 7. Your feedback is essential to our continuous improvements efforts and planning for future professional development opportunties.  


REMINDER: USDA sets new "Smart Snacks" nutrition criteria

In an attempt to stifle childhood obesity and improve school nutrition, the U.S. government passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act in December 2010. A recently enacted new aspect of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act includes new nutritional standards for all foods regularly sold in schools, including those sold as fundraisers during the school day.  


These new requirements are the result of new the USDA's new "Smart Snacks in School" nutrition standards* (see picture below), which took effective on July 1, 2014. It is NOT the result of the district's transition to our new food service vendor, Chartwells. The Smart Snacks guidelines provide updated nutrition standards for all foods and beverages sold to students during the school day on the school campus, outside of the district's school meal program. Click here for a detailed flyer about USDA's "Smart Snacks in School."


*Note: All fundraisers from PTOs and school clubs/groups must be approved by the school's principal. Groups selling food must submit a Fundraiser Request Form 60 days prior to the date of the fundraiser.
 

 

SIGN UP TODAY! e.Leadership: an opportunity to grow your leadership skills 
Edina Public Schools will again be offering e.leadership, a four-session leadership skills course for all EPS staff. The course is open to staff members involved in leadership positions within their sites or programs, and provides training and applied learning in a collegial, cohort model. Over 70 teachers, custodians, coordinators, administrators, and support staff have completed the training.  The commitment involves four 1�-hour sessions over the fall and early winter months, which are facilitated by Research and Evaluation Director 
Chad Schmidt and Superintendent Ric Dressen. 
  • Meeting time: 4:30-6 p.m.
  • Meeting dates:
    • Thursday, Sept. 25
    • Tuesday, Oct. 21 
    • Tuesday, Nov. 11 
    • Tuesday, Dec. 9
  • Location: Edina Community Center, room TBD 
  • Registration: Sign up via KeepCertified
  • Program details:
    • Click here for a screencast that provides more information (note you must be logged into Edina Apps before clicking on the link). 
    • For additional information, please contact Chad Schmidt
MyTime Users: having trouble with MyTime?
Here are some solutions to help you with certain situations:


Order your business cards online
EPS Staff can order their own business cards online at any time of the year. 
Follow the instructions below to complete your order. (also available in the Staff Resources tab of the district website.) NOTE: You must have your own budget code for business cards, the Communications Dept. does not cover the cost of printing. 
  1. Visit http://www.jessenpress.com and click on "customer login"
    in the upper right corner.
  2. Login using the Edina Public Schools account:
    • Username: edinapublicschools 
    • Password: edinaschools1!
  3. Click on "Document Library" in the left side navigation.
  4. Select the quantity of business cards you would like to order
    and click "continue."
  5. Enter your information as you would like it to appear; any fields left blank will not appear on your card; once you are finished,
    click "preview."
  6. The site will generate a preview of your order; click "order"
    to place order or "modify" if you need to make changes.
  7. Fill in the requested information and click "submit request"
    at the bottom of the screen.
Next Generation FATF UpdateSchoolBoard

Facilities Advisory Task Force Aug. 26 Meeting Recap

On Aug. 26, the Facilities Advisory Task Force (FATF) held its inaugural meeting to analyze pertinent information and consider options for facilities to meet the need of EPS' Next Generation learners. After a review of the group's charge and meeting process, the FATF participated in team development activities to get to know one another better and encourage group engagement, during which they discussed what school was like for them and how their experience was different from school today. Members also identified any preconceptions they had about current EPS facilities. The FATF then heard from Superintendent Ric Dressen and Director of Teaching & Learning Randy Smasal on the history of Edina Public Schools and the Next Generation Strategic Plan. 

 

Visit edinaschools.org/FATF to learn more about how the group will work together to rethink and envision facilities to meet the needs of Edina Public Schools' Next Generation learners.

  • All meeting materials and resources are available online.
  • The next FATF meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 2, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Edina Community Center, Room 350. All meetings are open to the public.
EPS IN THE NEWSInTheNews
 
Learning from the masters (Sun Current) 
1998 Edina High School graduate Kyle Hawkins recently completed 
a Supreme Court clerkship, saying that his educational background
helped prepare him for the demanding workload and expectations. 

Now that he has completed the clerkship, Kyle is trying to discern the next step in his career. Read more about his Supreme Court work experiences here.

EVENTSevents
  • Sept. 1: Labor Day (No School)
  • Sept. 2
    • Creek Valley Fest, 5-7 p.m.
    • Sept. 2: Facilities Advisory Task Force Meeting, 6:30-8:30 p.m.,
      Edina Community Center, Room 350
    • Edina High School PTO Forum: Your Student and the Law, 7-9 p.m.,
      Edina Performing Arts Center
  • Sept. 4
    • SVMS Back to School Night For Parents, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
    • VVMS Curriculum night for grades 7-9, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
DID YOU KNOW?didyouknow
Multicultural Dates to Note
As part of our efforts to increase the awareness of the changing demographics of our Edina Public Schools community and help EPS staff understand the various backgrounds of our students, The Weekly Buzz will periodically include a listing of some upcoming multicultural and religious holidays and events. Additionally, we are including other dates of interest for your classroom and program planning. For background on many of the multicultural events noted, click here.
  • Sept. 1: Ecclesiastical year begins, Orthodox Christian
  • Sept. 7-13: Arts In Education Week
  • Sept. 11: Patriot Day
  • Sept. 15-Oct. 15: National Hispanic Heritage Month
  • Sept. 23: First Day of Autumn
  • Sept. 24-26: Rosh Hashanah, Jewish
  • Oct. 4: Yom Kippur, Jewish 
  • Oct. 4: Dasara, Hindu
  • Oct. 4-7: Eid al Adha, Islam
  • Oct. 9-15: Sukkot, Jewish

Help us keep the 2014-15 school year Hope & Happiness theme alive. 

Contact the communications team at 952.848.3919 or email us at  communications@edinaschools.org with news, story ideas or photos! 
Missed an issue of The Weekly Buzz? Click here for archives.
 
 
5701 Normandale Road 
Edina, MN 55424
952.848.3000
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