Nov 146 min read

November 15, 2024

November got off to a bit of an uneven start as we all worked to realize the gravity of a historic election. As with any election, the results will have a range of consequences in the coming years. Locally, we have reason to believe those results will be positive for us and our students. EPEA-endorsed candidates (Kim Ross, Jody Ward-Rannow, and Ann Bradsher) swept the election! Because of this dramatic change, our School Board will have a majority of members endorsed by our union. Our community has provided a clear message to each of us: we matter, and we do great work.

In the state, our Senate and our Governor’s mansion remain pro-public education, while the State House of Representatives is, literally, evenly divided. When the new session begins in January, our voice will be heard in St. Paul. We will continue working to ensure we are provided with the compensation and conditions necessary for our students to find success. As we work to win better pay, better healthcare, and better pensions for educators, I ask that we continue to work together to win these changes we so thoroughly deserve. During the legislative cycle, our local union will staff a Local Action Leader to connect the voice of teachers in Eden Prairie with our representatives in St. Paul. When we stand together, we win the change we deserve.

Finally, I want to thank each and every one of you for the work already dedicated to our students and our community. Thank you for showing up for your students every day of the week. Thank you for the extra time you devote to our community when others would simply disengage. Thank you for choosing to stand together as teachers for what matters most.

In Solidarity,

Charles Cooper

EPEA NEWS:

Your contract language around prep time changed in our newest contract!

In an effort to protect our time as professionals and provide our students with the best learning experiences possible, our contract added “uninterrupted” to our preparation time protections. As a result, our prep time should not be interrupted by administration-mandated meetings. At the elementary level (K-5), every teacher should be afforded an uninterrupted 45 minutes of preparation time during the course of their basic day. At the secondary, the same protections are applied to one (1) period. Contractually, this time cannot be reduced when averaged over the course of a week.

Want to make a difference? Become a Local Action Leader

This January, the Minnesota legislature will return to session. During the last two sessions, we have made significant progress in fixing the problems that are all too familiar for public school professionals. Admittedly, there is still plenty of room for improvement. From wages to healthcare and pension reform, the only way change will happen is if you become involved. Our EPEA will be hiring a Local Action Leader to take our voice to St. Paul this year. If you are interested in advocating for our colleagues, contact Charles Cooper (charles_cooper@edenpr.k12.mn.us OR epea4you@gmail.com) to express your interest in becoming our Local Action Leader.

Link to previous EPEA Newsletters

Lnk to EPEA Staff and Leaders

Important Dates and Happenings

November 15: Annual EPEA Budget Audit (District Office)
November 18: EPEA Representative Congress (Central Middle School)
November 19: Cedar Ridge Site Meeting
November 20: Labor Management Committee Meeting #1 (District Office)
November 21: TASSEL Site Meeting
November 22: Eden Lake Site Meeting
November 27-29: Thanksgiving Break

Classroom Coverage

As teachers, we know that colder days mean one thing beyond anything else: students get sick. We also know that when our students get sick, we usually follow suit. Contractually, we have a number of days allocated for our absence, and we should use them when needed. Sometimes, this means our absences require our colleagues to fill in for us, so what does that look like?

If you are a classroom teacher, you have new protections this year because of our most recent contract settlement! If you are required to cover a class, you have the option to be paid (schedule below) or receive a personal day. In order to receive a personal day, you must complete the equal number of periods contained in the student day. If you end a year with a number of periods less than one full day, those periods will roll over to the next year!

If you are a licensed, non-classroom teacher, you have new protections this year because of our most recent contract settlement! If you are required to cover a class, you have the option to be paid (schedule below) or receive a personal day. In order to receive a personal day, you must complete the equal number of periods contained in the student day. If you end a year with a number of periods less than one full day, those periods will roll over to the next year!

Remember, your principal should be making these assignments “as equitably as practicable”!

Link to EPEA Contract

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
NEA Mental Health Program
AFT Trauma counseling program

School Board Business Meeting 10/28

The monthly general business meeting for the Eden Prairie school board took place on Monday 10/28 at the Administrative Services Center with all members in attendance. During the open comment portion of the schedule, a parent of a student at Oak Point brought forward a complainant regarding safety in our schools. The parent directly questioned the progress of the Safety Taskforce established in March of this year. The board did not provide immediate comment or clarification for the remarks, which is in line with the board’s policies (NOTE: Eden Prairie Local News published an article on the same topic on 10/31). During the same period, a community member encouraged the district, a Green Ribbon awardee, to dedicate funds to provide electric buses. The board, again, did not provide immediate comment or clarification for the remarks, but later in the meeting this comment was referenced when discussing budgeting for transportation.

During the boardwork portion of the agenda, CJ Strehl and Kim Ross engaged in a rousing discussion regarding board policy EL 2.4 (job descriptions, evaluations, etc). The line of questioning centered around the isolation of classroom and school staff from the board itself. The policy progress was unanimously seen as reasonable; however, there was discussion to move the policy to the appropriate committee for further development.

During the Superintendent’s consent agenda, the district confirmed that enrollment in EPS is higher than at any point in nearly a decade. As a district, this is great news because nearly 90% of the current year’s funding will be based on these enrollment numbers, with roughly 10% of the following year’s funding determined by the same measure. The largest driver of this ballooning enrollment is EP Online, which now has roughly 550 full-time students enrolled in its K-12 programming. The district remains aggressive in its outreach to potential families as it attempts to close the open enrollment gap that had grown in the years after Covid closures.

Resources for Members

In the all-member message from Education Minnesota on November 18, there were a range of resources and opportunities for members. These are great opportunities to build community and capacity as an organization, and all are led and designed by teachers in Minnesota.

Affinity Spaces - A number of locals have put together affinity spaces for their members. These spaces have served as a place for members with similar identities to come together to support one another. If you are curious about starting an affinity group within EPEA, we can connect you with other locals who have already started for insights and advice. You can also join one of our statewide affinity groups.
Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric & Deportation - The NEA website has resources on the rights of immigrant students and their families and supporting them during uncertain times.
“Worth Fighting For” Community Gatherings - Sign up to host a "Worth Fighting For" virtual gathering in your community via the Election Response Center on Mobilize.