April 30, 2025
- Jessica Premo
- Apr 29
- 4 min read
Welcome to the final (meaningful) month of the school year!
Our negotiations has collected and coded more than 300 suggestions from our membership. The team is asking all members to complete this prioritization survey by the end of the month. This will help our team develop language and strategize prior to our meetings with the district’s negotiations team, beginning in June.
As a reminder, the district’s open enrollment period is open through tomorrow (May 1). This year, we have a new vision insurance option available to our members. Premiums and benefits are reflected on the Human Resources (Benefits) page of the district’s website. If you would like to make changes to your insurance benefits, please be sure to file the appropriate request(s) through the Employee Access Center (EAC), linked on the district website.
As teaching season transitions fully through testing season, we can feel the pressures of our work in many different ways. However, the light at the end of the calendar is brighter by the day, and that is a trend that will not change. Unbelievably, there are only 3 full-working weeks from now until the end of the school year. We’ve got this!
In solidarity,
Charles Cooper
Guidance from Your Member Rights Advocate
If you are in need of support at an administration meeting, believe there is a contract violation, or have a performance/conduct-related support request, please connect with Carla Thompson
(Lead MRA) cthompson@edenpr.org or 952-240-6577
Member Benefits:
Built In Benefits With Membership
ESI PerksConnect - discounts to area activities and restaurants
NEA Discount Marketplace - discount tickets and travel programs
Rep Convention Elects New Executives
On July 1, Education Minnesota will be under new leadership for the first time in more than a decade. With the retirements of President Denise Specht and Secretary-Treasurer Rodney Rowe, our union made important decisions at the Representative Comvention (4/25-26). Monica Byron (currently serving as EdMN Vice President) will serve as our next Education Minnesota President alongside Vice President-elect Marty Fridgen (music teacher, United Teachers of South Washington County) and Secretary-Treasurer-elect Ryan Fiereck (social studies/CTE teacher, Education Minnesota St. Francis). The convention also voted to fill two NEA Director vacancies, which will be filled by Jasman Myers (North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale Education Association) and Aaron Donais (Education Minnesota-St. Louis County).
May Day National Day of Action
On Thursday, May 1, working-class Americans are coming together to raise their voices for better, safer and stronger communities across the country. On this May Day National Day of Action, we will fight back on behalf of families, neighborhood public schools, affordable housing and access to high-quality health care.
We are joining the call to action to stop the billionaire takeover! The entire week of May Day (International Workers and Immigrants Day), Minnesotans will be in motion across the state, fighting for the world we deserve, and demanding #HandsOff our unions, services, health care and more. To view the many events happening in Minnesota on May Day and join one near you, visit www.maydaystrongmn.org.
Federal update: Court blocks Trump administration's actions targeting DEI
When we fight, we win! The District Court of New Hampshire has issued a preliminary injunction against the U.S. Department of Education’s Feb. 14 "Dear Colleague" letter, which threatened school districts and colleges and universities with the loss of federal funding if they continued to pursue “impermissible DEI” activities, which the letter itself did not define.
The lawsuit challenging these policies was brought by one of our national affiliates, the NEA, as well as the NAACP. Like many state education agencies, the Minnesota Department of Education recently declined a request by USDOE to certify that it was not allowing “illegal DEI” in public schools. This case is likely to continue to proceed through the federal courts, and we will keep you updated on future developments.
We're looking for part-time field staff
Education Minnesota is seeking members interested in becoming part-time field staff. Our Part-time Field Staff Program is designed to provide training and experience opportunities to union members who desire to move into staff work as a career. Part-time field staff continue in their current employment while participating in this program. The work assignment consists of about 300 hours of Education Minnesota employment per year. Positions are assigned to a field office near the member's current residence. Apply here!
April 30 School Board Meeting
On Monday April 30, the Eden Prairie School Board met with an agenda to address the board’s budget for FY2025-26, the board’s calendar for FY 2025-26, the FY2025-26 Capital Budget, Apple device leasing, and edits to district policies 413 (Harassment and Violence) 512 (School-Sponsored Student Publications and Activities) and 704 (Development and Maintenance of an Inventory of Fixed Assets and a Fixed Asset Accounting System).
DUE TO A WEATHER-RELATED SCHOOL CLOSURE, THE MEETING HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO MAY 5, 2025.
May 1 - MAY DAY NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION, WEAR RED (EPEA Gear), QComp Steering Committee
May 9 - Comp Day #2
May 14 - EPEA Executive Board Meeting
May 17 - EdMN End of Session Rally
May 19 - EPEA Rep Congress (tentative)
May 20 - EPEA Citizen Finance Committee
May 27 - EP School Board Business Meeting (Closed Session on Negotiations)
May 28 - South Suburban United Intermediary Organization Meeting
June 10 - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
“If kids come to us from strong, healthy functioning families, it makes our job easier. If they do not come from strong, healthy functioning families, it makes our job more important.” - Barbara Colorose
In Solidarity,
Charles Cooper, EPEA President
Mike Woizeschke, EPEA Vice President
Brent Bovitz, EPEA Treasurer
Jessica Premo, EPEA Secretary
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