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Schools:
Schools:
EP Online (K-12)
Eden Prairie High School
Central Middle School
Cedar Ridge Elementary
Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion
Eden Lake Elementary
Forest Hills Elementary
Oak Point Elementary
Prairie View Elementary
In Fall 2025, Eden Prairie Schools participated in the Fast Track Pilot, a streamlined process for schools already recognized by the Green Ribbon program, to further support their commitment to sustainability and community engagement through joining the MN GreenStep School Program.
“Growing Within Prairies of Sustainability”
“Growing Within Prairies of Sustainability”
Eden Prairie High School students take Advanced Biology, Botany, and Horticulture to learn about the plants that inhabit the school grounds from Science Teacher Jayson Sandeen.
Eden Prairie Schools (Eden Prairie) serves over 9,300 students across nine school buildings. Over 50% of Eden Prairie students identify as people of color, and 35% speak a language other than English at home. The district’s mission is to “Inspire Each Student Every Day,” and one of its five core values is that “Community benefits when each person contributes.” Eden Prairie Schools’ “EP” earnestly expresses the district’s commitment to “Each Person,” which it fulfills by designing authentic, personalized learning experiences that are relevant and adaptable to an evolving future. Eden Prairie Schools has seen significant value in joining the MN GreenStep Schools Program, as it supports the district’s commitment to its community and inspires students to discover, explore, and pursue.
Eden Prairie Schools’ step toward environmental sustainability aligns with the three Green Ribbon Pillars of the MN GreenStep Schools Program. Eden Prairie Schools believes in inspiring students to become stewards of the environment and to embrace sustainable practices both within their schools and beyond. By integrating these principles into its curriculum and daily operations, the district aims to create a culture where sustainability is not just an initiative but a fundamental part of its identity. Through this collaboration, Eden Prairie Schools aims to become a model for how education can lead the way in sustainability, encouraging its diverse student body to thrive as it grows within the rich prairies of sustainability. Together, we are eager to turn the district’s vision into action, and we can't wait to see the incredible outcomes that will emerge from this commitment.
One of the district’s several rooftop solar arrays, this one located at the Administrative Services Center.
One of the district’s several rooftop solar arrays, this one located at the Administrative Services Center.
To reduce environmental impacts and costs, about 85% of the energy used in Eden Prairie comes from solar arrays, enabling the district to reinvest over $6 million in student learning over the next 25 years. In 2024, a stormwater collection system was installed to facilitate irrigation of the high school’s green spaces. The district actively reduces solid waste, including electronic waste, and has a robust recycling program. By strategically planning school start times and schedules, Eden Prairie consolidated bus routes and reduced fuel use and emissions by 15% each year. Nearly 27% of Eden Prairie Schools students walk, bike, or carpool to school. Eden Prairie Schools has also prioritized improving water quality, efficiency, and conservation. The district regularly tests all faucets, drinking fountains, and bottle-filling stations used for consumption. Fixtures testing above 5 ppb are retested, and fixtures and water supply pipes are promptly replaced as necessary. In the summer of 2023, Eden Prairie Schools’ partnership with SitelogIQ also focused on reducing water use throughout the district. A Year 0 realized savings of 18.18% reduction from baseline, and a Year 1 projected savings of 37.93% reduction from baseline were achieved by upgrading existing water closets and urinals in all restrooms to high-efficiency, low-flow fixtures.
District Baker Mitch Miller and his team in the full service bakery located at Eden Prairie High School.
District Baker Mitch Miller and his team in the full service bakery located at Eden Prairie High School.
Well-being is one of three core strategies identified in the current Eden Prairie Schools Strategic Plan, as part of its goal to improve health and wellness among students and staff. To achieve its mission between now and 2028, the district will nurture wellbeing among all students and staff by fostering a sense of belonging, ensuring physical and emotional health, and promoting safety, kindness, and personal responsibility. A significant outcome of this strategy is that “each student will experience wellbeing through safe and intentionally designed instruction and learning environments.” To support wellbeing, the district prepares whole-grain, healthy breakfast and lunch items on-site in a kitchen and a full-service bakery. Its Farm to School program supplies local milk and apples, and each school offers a fresh salad bar. To advance the Strategic Plan, Eden Prairie Schools has implemented a comprehensive Pest Management Plan, including monthly inspections by Orkin and adherence to safety guidelines for mercury, lead paint, and asbestos. Annual HVAC inspections by certified contractors ensure fuel-burning equipment is safe, while radon testing occurs every five years, with prompt remediation as needed. Additionally, the district prioritizes clean environments by using certified cleaning products and conducting proactive mold inspections. Facilities benefit from advanced air quality monitoring systems and natural lighting, with significant measures in place for water quality, including regular chlorine checks in school pools.
Elementary students attempt to make a fire with a bow drill at Baker Outdoor Learning Center.
Eden Prairie Schools is committed to fostering a dynamic environmental and sustainability education that inspires students at every stage of their journey. Eden Prairie is a remarkable city with 4,500 acres of open space, parks, lakes, and wetlands that serve as a vibrant backdrop for discovery. Taking full advantage of these spaces, students in Eden Prairie Schools dive into sustainability and environmental exploration from a young age. From the very beginning, in elementary school, students learn more about nature through engaging Discovery Groups like “We Explore Nature,” igniting their curiosity about the world around them. In the innovative Discovery Groups, elementary students choose topics that spark their curiosity and collaborate across grades in areas such as “Protecting our Environment” and “Animals of Eden Prairie.” This hands-on approach includes using outdoor classrooms and unique features such as “hammock forests” and boulder circles, fostering a deep connection with nature. As they move into middle school, learners can take GreENGINEERING, a course that delves into the fascinating intersection of engineering and architecture, revealing how these fields shape our environment.
In high school, every student immerses themselves in an Earth and Space Science course, while also exploring various career pathways that emphasize sustainability and community engagement. They have opportunities to participate in classes focused on outdoor activities, nurturing a love for the great outdoors. Complementing this rich educational experience, Eden Prairie Schools' comprehensive health and safety services create a supportive environment that ensures the wellbeing of students, staff, and faculty. The Key Club International chapter at Eden Prairie High School helps each member complete 50 years of community service per year. Many of these volunteer opportunities are environment-related, including clearing litter from ditches, planting native plants, and cleaning local lakes. In the school’s 4-H club, students plant a community garden and teach other students and community members about “food miles,” emphasizing the importance of consuming locally grown food for the environment and the economy. Together, these elements cultivate a favorable school climate where everyone can thrive. Additionally, the district collaborates with local organizations—such as Staring Lake Nature Center and the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum—to provide enriching outdoor experiences, and partnerships with STARBASE Minnesota allow students to engage deeply with STEM, inspiring the next generation of innovators.
In Eden Prairie Schools, the journey of learning is as expansive as the nature that surrounds the city: never-ending, enriching, strong, and diverse. Eden Prairie Schools is firmly committed to cultivating a sustainable educational landscape that reflects the vibrant and diverse nature of its community. By focusing on reducing environmental impact and costs, they aim to foster healthy, thriving environments for both students and staff. The district’s initiatives in health and wellness not only enhance the community's daily lives but also lay the groundwork for lifelong wellbeing. Joining the MN GreenStep Schools Program marks a pivotal moment for the district and aligns seamlessly with their strategic vision for the next five years and beyond. This partnership serves as a foundational step toward integrating effective environmental and sustainability education into Eden Prairie Schools’ curriculum, empowering each student to be a proactive steward of the prairies surrounding them.
Steering Committee Members
Kyle Fisher, Director of Facilities, Safety & Grounds
Jason Mutzenberger, Executive Director of Business Services
Brenda Boehm, Director of Child Nutrition Services
Members of Green Team:
Kyle Fisher, Director of Facilities, Safety & Grounds
Jason Mutzenberger, Executive Director of Business Services
Jamee Suggs, Special Education Lead, Cedar Ridge Elementary School
Cedric Fuller, Principal, Central Middle School
Meghan Gasdick, Associate Principal, Eden Lake Elementary School
Jessica Puchner, Social Worker, Oak Point Elementary School
Sharon Joe, Paraprofessional, Little Eagles Preschool
Juan Quinonez, Social Worker, Forest Hills Elementary School
MN GreenStep Schools Representative: Kyle Fisher, Director of Facilities, Safety & Grounds
School Superintendent: Josh Swanson, Ed.D.
Green Team Plan: The green team plans to meet 3 times per year.
Timeline
Timeline
2011-Present | Eden Prairie Schools partners with Hennepin County and the Washburn Center for Children to provide targeted mental health support to students across the district, and invested more than $1.1 million in these services prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Another $967,500 in COVID-related ESSER funds supported the addition of 3.5 full-time-equivalent therapists and 2 therapists providing services to students over the summer.
2021-2022 | Changed school start times, consolidating bus routes, and resulting in a 15% fuel use emissions reduction. The schedule consolidation also accelerated the retirement of older, less environmentally friendly school buses. All buses now in service were built no later than 2011 and utilize clean diesel engines or electricity.
2021-2022 | In a strong demonstration of both STEM knowledge and civic engagement, several Prairie View Elementary School students researched ways to remove buckthorn around a local lake and presented the plan to the Eden Prairie School Board during the 2021-22 school year.
2022-2023 | 60% of the students in the Natural & Applied Sciences Pathway, which leads to a Science Research & Design Capstone course, chose to conduct research relating to sustainability, including water quality, river ecosystem health, and plant biodiversity within a prairie ecosystem.
Summer 2023 | A major building project reduced both GHG emissions and water usage: LED technologies, low-flush fixtures, and other improvements resulted in an 11.41% reduction in GHG emissions and 37.93% in water savings in year 1 alone.
Summer 2023 | Eden Prairie Schools collaborated with SitelogIQ to reduce GHG emissions by upgrading all fluorescent lights to LEDs and installing lighting controls, such as dimmable fixtures and occupancy sensors. They sealed building envelopes to minimize air leakage and improved energy efficiency by adding new sweeps and seals to exterior doors, sealing roof penetrations, and isolating high-heat-load areas. These measures improved indoor air quality and reduced HVAC energy use.
Results | Ultimately, this project alone has resulted in a 5.99% GHG reduction from baseline in Year 0 (through Dec. 2023) and is projected to achieve an 11.41% reduction in Year 1 (through Dec. 2024)
Fall 2023 | Sustainability education is woven into each Eagle’s experience, starting early: In interest-based Discovery Groups launched in Fall 2023, elementary students guided their own learning in groups called “Protecting our Environment,” “Animals of Eden Prairie,” and “Would you be a Naturalist?”
Fall 2023 | 25 students were enrolled in an Advanced Biology, Botany, and Horticulture course, which takes students outside to identify local plants and discuss their life stages based on seasonality.
May through December 2023 | The district reduced its annual non-transportation energy usage intensity from 13,057.6 kBTU/person/year to 12,017.3, a 7.97% reduction from baseline.
2023-2024 | Jennifer Britton, chief clinical officer at the Washburn Center for Children, commended the district’s commitment to mental health, noting its significant impact compared to other districts. Eden Prairie Schools prioritizes mental health by integrating support services, including site-based therapists in each school and a chemical health therapist in secondary schools. The district also offers free or low-cost services for families in need through its Family Resources Program.
Summer 2024 |A stormwater collection system was installed in a retention pond at Eden Prairie High School, a 680,000-square-foot building on 64 acres. Stormwater flowing to that pond is used to irrigate the school’s green spaces, simultaneously reducing stormwater runoff and decreasing water consumption.
2024-2025 | More than 20 students take Advanced Placement Environmental Science each year, and in the 2024-25 school year, EPHS introduced a new course titled Sustaining our Fish, Wildlife, and Natural Resources.
Winter 2025 | Eden Prairie Schools received the first of three Blue Bird zero-emission electric school buses, funded by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Commerce. The buses improve air quality for students and the entire Eden Prairie community.
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