Project Success Update re: MPS Teacher & Educational Support Professionals Strike

At Project Success (PS), “Kids First” and “Love is the Key” are two of our core values that drive the work we do. We love our students and families, and we love the adults who come together across the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) district to support their education and well-being. Since 1994, our Project Success team has provided MPS students and families with programming that helps connect them to their purpose through our curriculum, expeditions, arts, and certificates programs. We couldn’t do this work without our strong working relationships with partners across MPS.  

From the 240+ teachers who partner with us to welcome PS Facilitators into their classrooms each month for goal-setting workshops and to provide experiential learning field trips for their students, to the 22+ middle and high school Principals who we work with to plan experiences for students that fit the needs of their school communities; from the counselors, social workers and education support staff to ensure we meet each student where they are, to the leaders at the district level who help make our programs possible with resources and support; we have been able to work with more than 200,000 students over 28 years in our Project Success programs due to our long-standing relationships across the entire MPS district.   

We care deeply about the teachers and educational support professionals and support their right to advocate for creating “safe and stable schools in which students and staff feel respected, protected, and connected to our community of learners.” As the MPS district and the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Union (MFT59) negotiate for a new contract, we hope they can come together on a mutually acceptable agreement as soon as possible. We send all involved in the negotiation process well wishes as the district and union seek to find an agreement that works for all parties.  

It takes all of us to unite as a community to support students and families. We will continue to provide our programming that happens outside of MPS sites, including:  

• Certificates at the Project Success Institute 
• Theater events on evenings and weekends 
• Global Experiences  
• Outdoor experiences  
• Virtual Northeast middle school musical rehearsals (Students should check their emails for more information about virtual rehearsals) 

While MPS sites are closed, we will not be providing the following programming. We look forward to returning to the following programming once the strike ends and MPS sites re-open: 

• In-classroom workshops  
• Field trips  

Students and families can expect to hear from us if there are any changes to programs they are registered for during a strike period.  

QUESTIONS? 

If you are a student or family member who has a specific question about the strike’s impact on a program you or your child is participating in, please reach out to our Programs team at programs@projectsuccess.org.  

Any other questions regarding this update should be directed to Adrienne Diercks, Founder and Executive Director at adrienned@projectsuccess.org and/or Matt Dreier, Director of External Programs and Operations at mattd@projectsuccess.org.