COVID-19 Student and Family Guidelines

Families should familiarize themselves with these guidelines, which are updated regularly and cover prevention strategies, health screening and monitoring, exclusion guidance and the SPPS COVID-19 Reporting System. 

Health Screening Guidelines and Expectations

Families should conduct a health screening for COVID-19 symptoms every morning before sending their student to school or the bus stop. School staff will also monitor for symptoms throughout the school day. If your child is exhibiting any symptoms, do not send them to school. Please report the absence and submit a report to the COVID-19 Reporting System as soon as possible.

Face Coverings

SPPS will require face masks for all teachers, staff, students and visitors (ages 2 and older) in all SPPS buildings, regardless of a person’s vaccine status, unless they have a qualifying exemption. This will include indoor physical education classes and during meal times when not eating or drinking. Masks are also required on school buses. In general, people do not need to wear masks outdoors (e.g. recess).

Students are strongly encouraged to bring their own clean, well-fitting masks to school each day, including extras. Disposable masks are available at all schools and on buses for students who forget theirs.

Find more information on COVID-19 guidelines for the 2021-22 school year, including social distancing, quarantine protocols, field trips, athletics and more, at spps.org/safelearningplan.

Open House

Please join us at our open house to welcome students and families to a new year on Thursday September 2, 2021 from 4:30-6PM on the blacktop outside the school. Additional information will be sent to families. 

School Hours

School begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m. With Covid-19 restrictions still in place when dropping off a child after 7:30am please ring the buzzer and your child will be let in. Adults will not be allowed in the building except by appointment only. If you're picking up your child early please call the main office so your child is ready to be picked up when you arrive. Please visit https://www.spps.org/mays if you need an appointment. 

School Bus Transportation

Students will receive a postcard in the mail with bus information at the end of August. The postcard lists details about where and when to meet the bus. Please arrive at the bus stop five minutes before the bus is scheduled to pick up your child. Be sure to track the status of your child’s bus on our school’s website.

If you believe your student is taking the bus but did not receive a postcard, please call our lead clerk, Krystian Johnson at 651-325-2400 as soon as possible. 

School Drop-off and Pick-up

Parents will see signs where parent drop off/pick up is and all students will need to enter the building at the yellow doors only. Students need to be dropped off by 7:15am and picked up by 2:00pm. 

Breakfast and Lunch

All students receive a free breakfast at school, served daily through the Breakfast to Go program. As students arrive at school, they can grab their breakfast and eat in class. Hot and cold breakfast options are available.  

For the 2021-2022 school year, breakfast and lunch will be free for all students. Students who bring lunch from home can also get a meal from the cafeteria. Students must pick 3 items (such as a fruit, vegetable and milk) to count as a free lunch. Students can still purchase milk separately for $0.50.

All families are strongly encouraged to complete an Application for Educational benefits. These applications determine how much educational funding our school receives, and there are many other benefits for families who qualify for free or reduced eligibility. The application can be completed online at schoolcafe.com/spps. Paper applications are available at school. 

Immunizations

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many children missed the opportunity to have their regular well child exams and immunizations. Please check in with your health care provider to make sure your child’s immunizations are up to date before school starts in the fall. Visit spps.org/immunizations or call our school nurse for more information. 

Discovery Club

Discovery Club is a fun and nurturing child care program that supports learning and development before school, after school, on non-school days and during summer. Please note all sites are running a waitlist at this time. For a list of fees, more information and to join the waitlist, call 651-632-3793 or visit spps.org/discoveryclub. 

Contact Information 

Please check our school website regularly, spps.org/mays, for information and updates. If you have questions the website doesn’t answer, please call our lead clerk, Krystian Johnson at 651-325-2400

I’m so proud to be part of this wonderful school community. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Kenneth O. Turner Jr., Principal

Benjamin E. Mays IB World School