Updated 12/24/20

SPPS is following Minnesota’s updated Safe Learning Plan to ensure a safe return to in-person learning. Some of the new safety measures are:

• Face masks and face shields should be worn together by school staff whenever possible during the school day
• In settings where seeing a person’s lips is necessary, staff are strongly encouraged to wear a clear face mask in addition to a face shield
• In situations where wearing a face mask and a face shield creates a safety concern (e.g. operating a vehicle, working in a kitchen, lab, etc.), staff may choose to wear a mask only
  
  
• For early learning and elementary: Special lessons must be held in the classroom or outside (weather permitting)
• Physical education, art, and support services (counseling, special education, etc.) may be held indoors outside of individual classrooms
  
  
• Meals should be eaten in the classroom if 6 feet of physical distancing between students cannot be accommodated in the cafeteria and classes cannot be clearly separated within the cafeteria 
  
  
• Three feet of physical distancing or more is strongly recommended

SPPS is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for our students, staff and their families. Some of the changes that staff, students and families will see when returning to school include a masking policy, passive health screening guidelines, and changes to our cleaning protocols and meal service, among others. Building leaders have collaborated on these guidelines and are prepared to implement them at our schools.

Some of these health protocols include: 

• COVID-19 Student and Family Guidelines
• Updated reporting system for individuals with COVID-19 symptoms
• Guidance around masking (cloth face coverings)
• Health screening checklist and guidelines
• Signage around masking, social distancing/floor markings, health screening checklist, handwashing and COVID-19 symptoms

Updated 12/23/20

Public health guidelines have recently changed regarding COVID-19 quarantines due to close contacts. Saint Paul Public Schools has updated its guidelines to address these changes. SPPS has reduced quarantine time from 14 days to 10 days in certain circumstances. You cannot end your quarantine before 10 days for any reason. 14-day quarantines are still required when someone in your household has symptoms of or has tested positive for COVID-19, as the risk for infecting others is higher within the same household. 

K-12 students, SPPS employees and visitors are required to wear a face covering unless medically exempt. Face coverings are required in all SPPS school buildings, district offices and while riding on school transportation vehicles. Students, staff and visitors are expected to provide their own face coverings whenever possible. However, masks will be available for anyone who needs them.

• Fever greater than or equal to 100.4° F
• New onset and/or worsening cough
• Difficulty breathing
• New loss of taste or smell; OR
• at least 2 of the following:
  • sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, muscle pain, excessive fatigue, new onset of headache, new onset of nasal congestion or runny nose

• Did my child recently test positive for COVID-19?
• Does my child have any of the COVID-19 symptoms listed above?
• Does my child live with someone who is being tested for COVID-19 or showing symptoms of COVID-19?
• Did my child have close contact (within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes) with someone who recently tested positive for COVID-19?
  
  

• Do not send your child to school or activities, report your child's absence
• Report your child's symptoms or exposure using the online SPPS COVID-19 Reporting System found at spps.org and on all school homepages

In order to safely transition to in-person learning, the state requires schools to implement a rolling start in which students will gradually be brought back in the building. No more than three grade levels can be introduced into a school building in a two-week time period. Pre-K can be included with kindergarten if they are kept separate from the other grades.

Updated 1/6/21

The Minnesota Safe Learning Plan requires that school districts use at least two school days for planning and building preparation when changing learning models. There will be no instruction on these days. 

For SPPS, these transition days will be: 

• PreK-5, ESCE and Federal IV Special Education programs: January 25-29. January 29 was a previously scheduled teacher professional development day, so there will be no instruction for elementary students that week.
• Grades 6-12: To be determined

The Facilities Department has been busily preparing schools and buildings for staff and student safety. Improved ventilation, daily building sanitation, and safety reminders posted throughout schools are some of the many steps being taken to ensure a safe return to school.

Additional information about our facilities plan can be found here: spps.org/Page/40753

Updated 1/9/21

In-Person Meal Service

SPPS has changed our typical food service procedures in each of our schools. Cafeteria attendants and additional lunch monitors will assist with traffic flow, cleaning and customer service. Breakfast and lunch will be free to all students during in-person learning. 

Breakfast service will continue with slight modifications and some menu changes. Students will continue to eat breakfast in their classroom. School cafeterias will be used for serving and eating lunch. Tables will be set to reinforce social distance, and cohorts will remain separate when they are eating in the cafeteria. Signs and floor decals will help remind students to maintain social distance. Acrylic partitions will be placed between staff and students at the serving line, and covered containers will replace traditional lunch trays. 

In buildings where the cafeteria is not large enough to meet social distancing guidelines, classrooms may be used as dining space. Nutrition staff will prepare and package meals, and transport foods in individual containers to classrooms.Hand hygiene practices will be in place for all students and staff, and staff will wear face coverings with a face shield when serving students.  

After-School Meal Kits

Students attending school in-person will also have the option to take home after-school meal kits, which will include a variety of healthy foods and recipes. Meal kits will be offered at no cost and distributed once a week to students.

Meal Pickup & Delivery

Meal boxes are available for pickup at select schools throughout Saint Paul. Meals are free to all children 18 and under, plus those with a disability currently enrolled in a school program, who are not receiving meals at school. After January 25, delivery will only be available to a limited number of Saint Paul Public Schools students who are medically fragile or cannot leave their home to pick up meals.

For more information, visit spps.org/2021meals.

Updated 1/5/21

Here are some of the health and safety practices that will be implemented when transporting students to and from school.

Masks

Bus drivers and K-12 students are required to wear masks on the bus. Bus drivers have student masks available if needed.

Arrival and Departure

School staff will supervise bus drop-off by meeting each bus, monitoring the number of students exiting at one time, and encouraging students to maintain social distancing. Schools will design a dismissal routine that supports social distancing. 

Health Screening

Families are responsible for checking their student’s symptoms before they go to the bus stop.

Cleaning and Disinfecting

Buses are disinfected daily. Drivers will sanitize high-touch areas between runs. 

Windows

Weather permitting, windows will be open to help increase air circulation.

Student Health and Wellness, Environmental Services Group (ESG), Security and Emergency Management, and custodial staff are working closely together to ensure the safety of our students and staff. Saint Paul Public Schools follows a four-tiered cleaning plan to reports of COVID-19 related symptoms and/or diagnosis. 

Our custodial staff will significantly increase the wiping down and disinfecting of public spaces and high-touch surfaces across our buildings and throughout the school day. We will also provide greater access to cleaning materials for our teachers and staff so that they can clean and disinfect spaces, as needed.

Each evening, our custodial team will conduct a thorough cleaning of our spaces, again disinfecting high-touch surfaces like sinks, drinking fountains, door handles, tables and desks.

Regardless of the scenario that MDE advises school districts to follow, SPPS will be offering SPPS Virtual Learning School throughout the year for any family who does not want their students to attend an in-person or hybrid schooling option for the 2020-2021 school year.

SPPS Virtual Learning will maintain a student's path to graduation and will address state standards.

Updated 12/23/20

SPPS students ages 12 and under who are children of Tier 1 critical workers will be cared for at no cost during normal school hours. This program is staffed by non-licensed childcare staff. Children are with the same small group of peers and staff each day. Masks are required, and Minnesota Department of Health guidelines for childcare programs are strictly enforced.

Time is set aside for students to work on their distance learning. They are expected to work independently with minimal assistance from staff. Breakfast and lunch are also provided. Learn more about Essential Kids Care here.

Discovery Club

Families who previously registered for before and after-school care through Discovery Club have until December 27 to confirm their childcare needs. Staffing capacity will determine whether care can begin prior to all PreK-5 students returning to in-person learning. For more information, visit spps.org/discoveryclub and click Register.

Updated 12/22/20

Following the current Executive Order from Governor Tim Walz, all in-person athletics and extracurricular activities are currently paused. SPPS will resume practices for winter sports on January 14. For more information, please visit spps.org/sports.

Updated 1/13/21

The purpose of the SPPS Academic Support Center is to provide in-person academic and/or social-emotional learning support for 6-12 grade students and their families during distance learning. The centers will provide academic support, not classroom instruction. 

A team of Educational Assistants, Teaching Assistants, SPPS temporary staff, retired teachers, contractors, community partners, and volunteers with a background in education and teaching, will provide the support to all students visiting these centers. 

The center will reopen on January 19 at Washington Technology Magnet School. For more information, visit spps.org/asc.