Dear Saint Paul Public Schools Staff,

I am writing to acknowledge and thank you for your thoughtful and meaningful support of your students, your colleagues and yourselves during this stressful election season. I am proud to know that many of our students participated in mock elections and learned about the democratic process with your guidance and support. Thank you also to the schools that served as polling places, and for exercising your own right to vote in this important election.

Along with our fellow Americans, we are all processing Tuesday’s election results and what they may mean for the future of our families, our neighbors and our schools. This includes many of our students who are expressing their feelings about the results of the election at school. 

I’m writing today to remind and assure you that Saint Paul Public Schools is fully committed to our district’s values of equity and inclusion in all of its forms, which includes supporting the right of all students to express their feelings and opinions, respectfully. No matter how an individual feels about the outcome, we remain fortunate to live in a democracy where we can have these conversations and exercise our right to vote.

Our mission, to “inspire students to think critically, pursue their dreams and change the world,” calls us to help ensure that all SPPS families are supported in our schools and community. If you need assistance in addressing questions about the election, please revisit this extensive list of resources provided by the SPPS Office of School Support. As a reminder, all staff are eligible for four free counseling sessions per year through Sand Creek.

As always, thank you for your support of your students and Saint Paul Public Schools.

Sincerely,

Dr. John Thein, Interim Superintendent