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EPS HEADLINES
The latest stories about what's happening in our schools
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FACILITIES UPDATE
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Next Generation Community Forum
Dec. 8, 7-8:30 p.m., Edina Community Center, Room 349
You are invited to a community conversation to learn how Edina Public Schools is planning for a redesign of its district facilities to meet the needs of current and future learners. By focusing on learning as the constant, as articulated in its Next Generation of Edina Public School's Strategic Plan, the district is looking at ways to align and create flexible learning spaces that will serve it well into the future.
*This forum will be recorded for playback on the district's website at www.edinaschools.org
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TEACHER TUESDAY SPOTLIGHT
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ELISE SCHMIDT
Art Specialist at Concord Elementary
Elise Schmidt can't remember a time when she didn't love art. As a child her mother encouraged her to create with anything and everything, and from that place she grew to love the craft.
After graduating from Gustavus Adolphus College in 2011, Schmidt landed a job as a kindergarten paraprofessional at her alma mater - Normandale French Immersion School. The following year, she received the opportunity to pursue her true passion as an art teacher at Concord Elementary. Read more.
Do you know a teacher or group of teachers who deserve recognition? Send your nominations to [email protected] to be considered for the weekly blog spotlight.
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Important News for the EPS Community
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Edina Give and Go launches new website to close opportunity gap
Edina is a community that offers many enriching life and learning opportunities in academics, athletics, and the arts. But nearly 10 percent of Edina's 8,400 students struggle with poverty and it is difficult (if not impossible) for them to take part in these opportunities. This has created an opportunity gap in Edina. The mission at Edina Give and Go is to close this gap and offer ALL Edina students the opportunity to GO far in life.
Edina Give and Go works with teachers, social workers, and families to recognize the needs of individual students in Edina Public Schools. While keeping the identities of the students confidential, they use their website to tell students' stories and communicate their needs to the community. Visit their new and improved website at edinagiveandgo.org, read the stories of need, and be moved to GIVE so that ALL Edina students can GO.
The Spirit Store open until Dec. 27
The Edina Athletic Booster Board has opened The Spirit Store to help with your holiday shopping. It is located inside the Neighborhood Ice Cream Shoppe off of Valley View and Kellogg Road. The store will be open from noon to 5 p.m. every day until Dec. 27 and features sweatshirts, sweatpants, blankets, hats, mittens and scarves, pullovers, flannel pants, T-shirts, stocking stuffers, etc. All proceeds go to the Edina Athletic Booster Cub, which supports all Edina High School athletic teams.
VEAP Holiday Toy Program
This holiday season, Edina Public Schools is once again partnering with VEAP (Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People) to provide toys for parents in low-income families to give to their children. VEAP is preparing to serve up to 5,000 children this year. The goal is to provide every child a $15 gift, a book and two winter wear items, plus a game for every family.
You can help by donating new and unwrapped gifts/toys to VEAP's donation box located at the Edina Resource Center, (inside North door #3 of the Edina Community Center, 5701 Normandale Rd.) from Nov. 17-Dec. 11. All donations must be new items. Due to health regulations, VEAP cannot receive or distribute used items. Cash donations are also welcome and can be mailed directly to VEAP at 9600 Aldrich Ave. S., Bloomington 55420.
The greatest needs are for toys for ages 0-18, winter wear items (hats/mittens/gloves/scarves), books, $15 gift cards from local retailers (Target, Walmart, Kohl's etc.) and games. Please see VEAP Holiday Toy Store Wish List to learn more. You can contact Lana Davis by email or at 952-848-3921 with any questions about donating or how families can utilize VEAP's services.
Take the Vision Edina survey by Dec. 12
The City of Edina has opened up the Vision Edina community engagement session to an online survey! The survey will remain open until Dec. 12. Take the survey and provide your views about the future and your thoughts on a number of key themes that are important to shape the character and future development of the city. Find the report or watch the video and take the survey at www.EdinaMN.gov/Vision
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EPS IN THE NEWS
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District Response to Star Tribune Article About TIES
As a member district of TIES, Edina Public Schools contracts for a variety of technology products and services, as well as trainings for our staff. We do not anticipate any negative financial impact on Edina Public Schools as a result of the recent news about their financial situation. Nonetheless, from what we have heard and read about the situation, the practices highlighted in the audit do not align with our own approach and philosophy of fiscal stewardship. We look forward to TIES improving their financial operations so that they are able to continue to serve its members effectively. Read Star Tribune story.
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RIC'S REFLECTIONS
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The Impact of Facilities and Physical Environments on Learning
Designing Spaces for Their Future, Not Our Past
Edina Public Schools has always done a masterful job of using our available school facilities to compliment student learning. We've successfully repurposed, remodeled, renovated and added to our school facilities since our most recent new school was built in the early 1970s. This has been a team effort involving creative staff, expert construction professionals and a supportive community.
As our school district moves forward with implementing our Next Generation of Edina Public Schools Strategic Plan, we know that our facilities and structures are integrated with the programming transformations. As a district we have been studying our facilities for several years, including the recent Facilities Advisory Task Force (FATF), comprised of students, staff, parents, alumni and community members. The work and recommendations of the FATF continues to guide School Board and administrative discussions as we work toward a concept proposal to bring to the community for a vote in May.
Throughout our study of how to improve and update our facilities to ensure they support the learning needs of current and future students, we have heard from a variety of voices on what is needed and desired. As with any remodeling or construction project, there is never enough money to do everything we hope. Yet, we are working to make sure that all of our schools and programs have the opportunity to see improvements to help advance our Next Generation work. We also know that we need to address some basic infrastructure improvements, including safety and security upgrades at our schools and fields.
The time is now to align our strategic programming efforts with our spaces, and we will do this through a collaborative approach. In the next few weeks, the Board will identify a basic framework for a facilities improvement proposal, which will then be followed by several months of information sharing, dialogue and engagement. Much of the detail work with the Next Generation spaces will play out following a community vote on the concepts. I look forward to the many staff and community conversations that will occur over the next few months. But even more, I look forward, presuming a successful referendum in May 2015, to the innovative and creative ideas that will be generated by students, staff, families and community members when we enter the design phase next summer and fall. This will be an opportunity to create classrooms and learning spaces that complement the educational needs and demands of our future students, which will require us to build a variety of learning spaces that provide flexibility to adapt to the ever changing needs of learners. Just as we know that a one size fits all approach to learning does not meet the needs of all students, so too do uniform, factory style classrooms not meet the needs of all learning styles and instructional strategies.
By including a variety of spaces in our future plans, we will be able to address the needs of direct instruction as well as individual, small and large group learning. These spaces will align with our strategic programming work that include future learning experiences for early childhood, elementary (grades K-5), middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12), in addition to continued learning opportunities for all ages.
These next few weeks and months will go by quickly, with increasing detail and information being shared and input opportunities along the way. I appreciate how busy everyone is, especially this time of year, but I encourage all of us to be involved in this important process and stay informed on the proposals coming forward. Our current and future students are counting on us to provide diverse learning environments, both programmatically and structurally,that help all of our learners thrive and achieve.
To read more about the district's facilities planning, visit www.edinaschools.org/FacilitiesPlanning.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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Valley View Theater Presents: The Phantom Tollbooth
Dec. 4-6, 7 p.m., EPAC
Valley View Middle School students in grades 8-9 will perform "The Phantom Tollbooth" at the Edina Performing Arts Center on Dec. 4-6 at 7 pm. The play follows the life of Milo, who is always bored with everything - until one day a mysterious package arrives. Within the package is a tollbooth that takes Milo to the Land of Wisdom, where he meets the Watchdog, Tock, who protects time from being wasted. Together, the two must rescue Dictionopolis and Digitopolis from the chaos that has descended since the Princesses Sweet Rhyme & Pure Reason were banished to the Land of Ignorance. In the end, Milo learns the true value of time and learning.
Tickets are general admission only and are $6 for students and seniors and $8 for adults. Tickets will be sold in the VVMS cafeteria during lunch on December 4 and 5 and through the EPAC box office one hour prior to show time. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
South View Theater Presents: 30 Reasons Not to be in a Play
Dec. 11-12 at 7 p.m.; Dec. 13 at 2 p.m., Dragseth Auditorum South View Middle School students in grades 6 and 7 will stage a play ironically called "30 Reasons Not to be in a Play." The play features a series of hilarious monologues, duets and ensemble pieces expressing how many non-thespian students feel about performing on stage -- horror. It promises a lot of laughs and perhaps will bring back memories of your own youthful stage experiences.
Tickets are general admission and are $10; $5 for students and seniors. Purchase tickets at edinaschools.org/southview or at the box office one hour before each performance.
2nd Annual Winter Jubilee Features Music, Drama
Showcase for EHS Performing Arts is Dec. 12-13
Experience the instrumental, choral and dramatic talents of the Edina High School (EHS) performing arts students at the 2nd Annual Winter Jubilee Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12-13. The event features performances by the EHS concert band, concert choir, symphony orchestra and thespians, and celebrates the season with music and fun. Proceeds from this year's event will go toward upgrades and improvement of the lighting system in the Fick Auditorium.
Performance times are Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 13 at 3 p.m. at the EHS Fick Auditorium. Reserve tickets by contacting [email protected] Last year's event sold out quickly, so don't delay!
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DID YOU KNOW?
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Next Gen Educational Competencies Video Now Online
Six educational competencies have been identified by Edina Public Schools as key to the success of Next Generation learners. The teaching of these skills and literacies is embedded in curriculum district-wide. Learn more about what the competencies are and how you can recognize them in action.
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Help us keep the 2014-15 school year Hope & Happiness theme alive.
Contact the communications team at 952.848.3919 or email us at [email protected] with news, story ideas or photos!
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5701 Normandale Road
Edina, MN 55424
952.848.3000
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