PARENT POST: Back to School Updates

Thursday, September 2, 2021

Share first day photos with #EPEagles1 hashtag

Share your photos and video from the first day of school with the Eden Prairie Schools community by using the hashtag #EPEagles1 on social media. You can also email your photos or videos to communications@edenpr.org.

Students in kindergarten through grade 9 start on Wednesday, Sept. 8. EPHS students in grades 10-12 begin their school year on Thursday, Sept. 9. EP Online, all grades (K-12), start Wednesday, Sept. 8.

School Start Times

New school start and end times will begin with the first day of school. Please make sure that you know the correct start and end times for your school.

Oak Point: 7:45-2:15

Eagle Heights: 7:45-2:15

Cedar Ridge: 8:00-2:30

Forest Hills: 8:00-2:30

EPHS: 8:35-3:20

Prairie View: 8:40-3:10

Eden Lake: 8:40-3:10

CMS: 9:25-4:07

EP Online: Times for live, synchronous, learning will be shared by school staff

Bus Route Practice on Monday

Eden Prairie Schools bus drivers will practice driving their bus routes on Monday, September 7. When you see buses in your neighborhood on Monday, know that it's a rehearsal for the first day of school.

Campus Payment Changes Notice

The vendor for online payments to Child Nutrition has changed. Here is what you need to know:

Payment methods and recurring payments were not transferred during the change to the new vendor.
Parents/guardians who wish to make online payments will need to log into Parent Portal, set up their payment method (checking account/debit card/credit card), then create recurring payments for each child’s food service account.
Funds are only needed in student’s food service accounts if they wish to make a la carte purchases. School meals for all students, if they have all the required food components, will be rung up at zero cost for the 2021-2022 school year.

Parent Portal

Plan Ahead with Lunch Menus

Check out your school lunch menu, as well as find other important information about Child Nutrition on their website. Call 952.975.8055 or email FoodService_Office@edenpr.org with any questions you may have.

Child Nutrition Website

Thought Exchange – Share ideas on how to support students

As stakeholders of Eden Prairie Schools, we’re requesting your input on funds available to our school district. One-time, federal coronavirus-relief funds (called ESSER III) are meant to help sustain the safe operation of schools and support students' academic and social-emotional development.

We are using a platform called ThoughtExchange. This is a web-based tool that allows participants to submit ideas and review the ideas of others. ThoughtExchange honors confidentiality.

Please give us your input, and review what your community members have to say, by Sept. 13. Multiple languages are supported in ThoughtExchange.

Share Your Ideas

District Policies

As we start the school year, parents/guardians should be aware of the following district policies:

Harassment - 413
Student Discipline - 506
Bullying - 514
Hazing - 526

Handbooks Available for Review

Directory Information / Image Restriction Notice

Eden Prairie Schools keeps data about students, known as directory information, that can be shared with the public and military recruiters. Directory information is information that you might find in a school directory or in an activity/athletic program. Families have a choice to restrict some or all of this data. You can also use this form if you wish to have a report card mailed to your residential address.

Link to Information

Back-to-School Supplies Program

Every year, students need adequate supplies to be successful in school. The Back-to-School Supplies Program seeks to ensure EACH student is prepared, even if a family is experiencing financial hardship. To access supplies, please go to the school your child will be attending for the 2021/2022 academic year and ask for the School Supplies Program or to speak with the school social worker.

If your child is attending EP Online and needs access to supplies, contact:

Reta_Johnson@edenpr.org or 952-975-7030.
For additional support, visit the Family Resources page.

Advance Child Tax Credit Payments Notice

The Internal Revenue Service has asked that school districts share information regarding Advance Child Tax Credit payments. Now available is an IRS tool that helps eligible families who receive little or no income submit the information needed to get advance payments. Please visit the IRS page for more information.

Minnesota K-12 Education Credit

The following message is from the Minnesota Department of Revenue regarding a possible tax benefit parents may qualify for on their 2022 Minnesota income tax return.

Minnesota Revenue offers two valuable tax benefits for parents who purchase school supplies for their K-12 students, the K-12 Education Credit and Subtraction. These benefits can reduce parents’ taxes to increase their refund, but is only available for those who keep their receipts. Purchases for most school supplies, field trips, and musical instruments for school band are eligible.

Most Minnesota parents qualify for the K-12 subtraction, which reduces their taxable income. Parents under certain income limits may also qualify for the K-12 credit, which can refund up to 75% of their costs – even for parents who don’t owe any taxes. Visit the Minnesota Revenue website for details.

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

A new program is available to help families pay for Internet at home. The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that provides a temporary discount on monthly broadband bills for qualifying low-income households. Consumers should visit getemergencybroadband.org or call 833-511-0311.

EPHS Senior Iesh Gujral qualified for four national tournaments in Extemporaneous Speaking at Speech Nationals last spring. He became a four-time quarterfinalist and a semi-finalist during the tournament.

Sahil Parasharami (right), a 6th grader at CMS, and Gavin Getchius (left), a 5th grader at Oak Point, participated in the national level Pickleball tournament (2021 AAU Junior Games) held in Houston, Texas. They won a silver medal in the boys doubles category. Congrats!

Adam Rushdy, a 10th grader at EPHS, built a shed for CMS to fulfill the requirements for his Eagle Scout project. Thank you!

September 2 – CMS 6th Grade Open House

September 6 & 7 – No School

September 8 – First Day of School, K-9 & EP Online

September 9 – First Day of School, EPHS 10-12

September 14 – CMS 7th Grade Curriculum Night

September 16 – CMS 8th Grade Curriculum Night

September 23 – CMS 6th Grade Curriculum Night

October 6 – EPHS Conferences

October 11 – EPHS Conferences

October 12 – CMS Conferences

October 14 – CMS Conferences & Elementary Conferences

October 15 – No School

October 19 – Elementary Conferences

October 21 & 22 – No School: MEA