The COVID virus has taken an unfairly harsh toll on our students and their families. Even more disheartening is the disproportionate impact it has had on people of color, people living in poverty and families who live in diverse and vibrant cities like Saint Paul. In addition, our educators and other staff members have been asked to go above and beyond throughout this pandemic, and their tireless efforts should not go unnoticed.

The school board acknowledges that the uncertainty and discomfort of this moment has been hard on our community. As a collective, we listen, reflect, and adapt to meet our community's needs to the best of our ability. We invite all who call Saint Paul home to seek out ways to support the families and staff in our SPPS community. We encourage everyone to show grace and compassion to one another as we navigate these challenging times together.

The school board takes seriously the health and welfare of all its staff and students in our buildings. As a result, we have recommended that Superintendent Gothard and his administration work with our school communities to implement temporary shifts as needed on a site-by-site basis. We are grateful to all who have worked so hard to develop and refine this plan.

In the last two years, the school board has witnessed students, families and staff rise to meet the challenges that the COVID virus has presented. We know that there are challenges yet to come and we are confident in our collective ability to meet those challenges by working collaboratively and keeping the success of our students at the center of everything we do.

For questions, comments or feedback, please contact our board secretary at sarah.dalhke@spps.org or call 612-434-1105. Or our board email at sb.members@spps.org.