January 15, 2016 | VOLUME 4 ISSUE 20






SNAPSHOT: More than 400 high school students from around the state participated in the 3rd Annual Edina Model United Nations Conference at EHS on Jan. 9. The students tackled issues pertaining to the refugee crisis, looking for viable solutions in a United Nations format. The EMUNC is the only student-run United Nations Conference in Minnesota.
Headlines
EPS HEADLINES



EHS THESPIANS PRESENT HIGH SCHOOL PREMIER OF DISNEY PLAY
Being in the right place at the right time snagged a prime opportunity for the EHS Thespians and their director, Tony Matthes. The troupe will be the first high school in the country to stage the Disney play, "Peter and the Starcatcher," Jan. 21-23 at the Edina Performing Arts Center (EPAC). According to Matthes, it is both an honor and a challenge. The story is a prequel to "Peter Pan" and offers an imaginative look into how Peter and Neverland came to be. Read more
JOINT STATEMENT ON TENTATIVE CONTRACT AGREEMENT
The Edina Public Schools (EPS) and Education Minnesota-Edina (EME) announce a tentative agreement of a new two-year contract for the district's teachers and licensed educators.

The settlement was reached after months of negotiations between the two parties, concluding in an all-day mediation session on Monday, Jan. 4. Read more



FACILITIES PROGRESS REPORTS
 
 
School Board approves land purchase for construction of new transportation services facility
The Edina School Board has approved the purchase of land for the construction of a new district transportation services facility. At the Jan. 11 meeting, the Board reviewed and approved the Contract of Sale and Purchase with sellers JASUE LLC and ALEFF LLC, both operated by Kin Properties. The property is 9.25 acres of vacant land in a plat known as the Edina Interchange Center, located at 7600 Metro Boulevard, west of Highway 100. Read more
 
INTRODUCING Construction Video Updates - Episode 1: A Matter of Process 
The district has launched a new way to help you understand the construction process and stay up-to-date on the progress of projects around the district. The first of an ongoing
series of video Construction Updates is now available on the district website.

This episode describes the process the district is following to design learning spaces and lets you hear the voices of a few of the many parents, teachers, students and staff who have been members of Core Planning Teams. The initial schematic design phase has been all about conversations and hearing many different perspectives, which result in plans that reflect community beliefs. Hear the conversation and find out what comes next. Then watch for more episodes to come! (Click above to view now, or look for links to this video on the home page of the district website and at edinaschools.org/facilitiesplanning.)

View progress updates on all teams on the district Construction Updates page. See meeting materials for the different planning teams as well as draft diagrams and plans to date for all facilities projects on the Planning/Design pages.
READ MORE HEADLINES!
communitynews
COMMUNITY NEWS
Give Kids a Smile Day offers free dental care Feb. 6
The School of Dentistry at the University of Minnesota will hold its annual Give Kids a Smile Day on Saturday, Feb. 6, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 515 Delaware St. S.E., Minneapolis. The school opens their clinic that day to provide kids under 18 years of age with free dental care. EHS alum Maddie Gamble (Class of 2011) will be among the dental students providing care that day! For more information and to make an appointment, call 612-625-1669.

TEDxEdina videos available online
All 12 of the talks presented at the TEDxEdina event in October are now available to view online. Hear talks such as "What the dying taught me about living," "Conscious Travel," and One woman, one sentence." Click here to view videos.
 
It's tax time!
  • Tax preparation assistance programs are available for income-qualifying households. For information on tax clinic locations, dates and times and what to bring, contact the Edina Resources Center, 952-848-3936.
  • Parents with students in KIDS Club, WISE Guys and SURGE can access a printable tax statement for 2015 by logging into your account and click the Download Tax Information button.
inthenews
EPS IN THE NEWS 

WCCO Radio: Erik Anderson talks about tweeting from State of the Union
Valley View social studies teacher Erik Anderson was invited to a White House Social earlier this week to tweet the State of the Union address live. He talked about that and how he uses social media in his classrooms on WCCO's Chad Hartman show Monday. He also appeared on KARE11 last weekend and did an interview on KS95 radio. 
 
schoolboard
SCHOOL BOARD UPDATE 
School Board Meeting: Jan. 11
 
Meeting highlights:
  • At their annual organizational meeting, the School Board elected the following officers: Chair Lenny Wallen-Friedman; Vice Chair Sarah Patzloff; Treasurer David Goldstein; and Clerk Regina Neville. They also appointed members to School Board Committees.
  • Approved the purchase of land for the construction of a new transportation services facility
  • In the work session following the meeting, the Board heard progress updates on facilities construction planning and the Next Generation Strategic Plan
The School Board's next meeting is Monday, Jan. 25, 7 p.m., ECC Room 349.
Complete agendas and meeting minutes are available online.
Watch video of past School Board meetings on the district website
savethedate
SAVE THE DATE  

Jan. 18: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • No school grades K-12
  • No PreK, Early Ed classes or Childcare
Jan. 19 & 21: Early Education Family Dialogue Sessions
  • Tuesday, Jan. 19, 6:30-8 p.m.
  • Thursday, Jan. 21, 10:30 a.m. - noon
  • Edina Community Center, Room 350
  • Early Childhood families are invited to participate in conversations about potential program changes for infants and toddlers and the district's vision for a comprehensive Early Childhood education program for Edina Public Schools.
  • To help us plan, please RSVP here if you plan to attend.
Jan. 21-23: EHS Thespians present Peter & the Starcatcher
  • Thursday-Friday, Jan. 21-23, 7 p.m., EPAC
  • Reserved tickets $12; general admission, $8 for adults, $6 for students and seniors
  • Available at the door and online: edinatheater.org
  • Peter and the Starcatcher is a wildly theatrical, hilarious and innovative retelling of how a miserable orphan came to be "the boy who never grew up." Taken from the young adult novel, the story answers questions such as: How did Peter and Hook become enemies? Where did the dust that makes people fly come from? How did Peter get his name?  Who are the Lost Boys?
* The EHS production will be the first high school performance of this play, which was a Broadway favorite. EHS is one of three high schools nationwide asked to pilot this show by Disney Theatrical Productions. Don't miss these premier performances!

Jan. 24: 8th Annual Skate with the Hornets
  • Sunday, Jan. 24, 1-2:30 p.m. at Braemar Arena
  • Bring your skates and cameras -- Hornet Varsity and JV hockey players will sign posters, take pictures and skate with their fans
  • Please bring a non-perishable food item for the VEAP Food Shelf. (Cash donations also accepted.) Click here for more information.
Jan. 25: No School - Teacher Data Day
  • No School K-12
  • No PreK, Early Ed classes or Childcare
Jan. 25: School Board Meeting
  • Monday, Jan. 25, 7 p.m., ECC Room 248
  • Complete agendas and meeting minutes are available online 

Jan. 29-30: EHS Thespians present The Jar

  • Friday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m., EPAC
  • Saturday, Jan. 30, 1 p.m., EPAC
  • All tickets are general admission: $8 for adults, $6 for students and seniors
  • Available at the door and online:  edinatheater.org
  • This one-act play is the story of Don Lollo, a wealthy landowner, produces such a prodigious olive crop that he orders an immense container for the oil. The jar becomes his proudest possession. Find out what happens when it breaks and his Uncle Dimo comes to fix the jar and seals himself inside in the process.
  • This production will the EHS entry in the MSHSL One-Act Play Competition.
 

 

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