Eden Prairie Schools is giving community members a behind-the-scenes look at the district and its operations starting in November.
The new program, Citizens in our Schools, will take around 25 community members and educate them on the different aspects of EP Schools, from human resources to nutrition to the various district facilities.
“Through this, we’re using this term ‘radical transparency’ and ‘immersive learning opportunity’ with a goal of folks developing a really deep understanding of all areas of operations beyond just educating children, which is certainly going to be part of this as well, and people get an inside look at what that looks like,” said Molly Malone, the district’s director of community engagement and alumni relations.
The program lasts six months and offers seven required sessions that cover various aspects of the district, including safety, finance, and transportation, Malone said. The first session kicks off Nov. 5 with a program orientation and district bus tour, and the final session takes place April 27, covering the school board and featuring a cohort graduation.
Two of the seven mandatory sessions take place during the school day, and a light breakfast or dinner is provided at every session. Other optional events will be offered throughout the duration of the program.
Malone said while there is time built in for lecture-style talks, Citizens in our Schools is meant to be an immersive, hands-on experience for participants.
“This is going to be, get your hands dirty,” Malone said. “We are sending you on a bus with middle schoolers. We are sending you into a classroom with our early childhood team. We’re gonna do some practice decision making, (we’re) going to show you how to inspect a bus. It really is intended to be hands-on.”
Applications for the first cohort are due Oct. 20. Participating in Citizens in our Schools is free, and eligible applicants must:
- Be 18 or older
- Live or work within the boundaries of Eden Prairie Schools, or be a current parent of an open enrolled Eden Prairie Schools student
- Not be a current employee or student
- Be available for all seven required sessions
- Pass a background check and complete the Sharing Inspiration Volunteer Program training
Superintendent Josh Swanson said he has been wanting to implement something like Citizens in our Schools for a while, after seeing similar programs used in school districts across the country and in Eden Prairie’s own Citizens Academy. He said he believes programs like these are opportunities for mutual learning between the public and the school district, which can build trust and understanding that ultimately benefit students.
“We truly believe relationships flourish on mutual trust and respect, and the more people we get involved, like the more perspectives we bring to the table, people are going to learn from us, but we’re also going to learn through that process from hearing from others, too,” Swanson said.
Malone added participants do not have to be parents of current students to apply for Citizens in our Schools. Rather, EP Schools is hoping to attract a diverse applicant pool with different relationships to the district and that come from all walks of life.
At the end of the program, Swanson hopes participants leave with the experience of getting to see the heart of public education in action, as well as with a deeper understanding and respect of the district.
“I’m hoping people leave the program feeling deeply informed, that they trust and believe in the work that we’re doing here at Eden Prairie Schools … and that they create a sense of community among themselves too, or that we foster an environment in which this group of 25 people feel like they experience something really special together,” Malone said.
Learn more about Citizens in our Schools and apply for the first cohort here. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Oct. 20. Organizations interested in sponsoring the program can email Molly Malone.
