Welcome to the 2024-25 School Year

Dear EXPO families!

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! All of us at EXPO Elementary School look forward to seeing students in grades 1-12 on Tuesday, September 3, and Pre-K and kindergarten students on Thursday, September 5.

We are excited to continue to build our students' strong literacy and reading skills through the latest evidence-based Science of Reading in literacy instruction. Our teachers will teach these important foundations through language development, explicit phonics instruction, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing. Additionally, to ensure a well-rounded education for each and every student, we are proud to offer resource specialists for accelerated math, physical education, art, music, and science with elements of outdoor education.

At Saint Paul Public Schools, our mission is to inspire students to think critically, pursue their dreams and change the world. This means providing challenging and engaging instruction in welcoming classroom environments that represent and respect the diverse backgrounds of our students. This way, every student can feel seen, empowered and ready to find joy in learning.

Please check our school website regularly expo.spps.org, for information and updates. You can also check out our 2024-25 School Year Calendar . If you have questions the website doesn’t answer, please call the front office at 651-290-8384.

I’m looking forward to welcoming you and your child to a new school year. I’m so proud to be part of this wonderful school community. The first day of school is exciting for students, families and staff alike. It can also be overwhelming. Here are a few things to know so you can help your students be ready for the first day.

Sincerely,

John Bjoraker

Principal

Parents and guardians in primary households can now complete 2024 Back-to-School Forms. Update contact information, complete required forms and verify your address for transportation at spps.org/families. Updating your information in iUpdate will ensure that you receive proper services, eligible transportation, and important communication. One parent or guardian from each primary household is expected to complete iUpdate.

Attendance is an important part of student success. Missing less than nine days of school each year helps students to stay engaged, experience success in their schoolwork and keep on track to graduate on time.​ We recognize there are many reasons a student may be absent from school. If your student is ill, check SPPS’s illness guidelines at spps.org/studentwellness. Please call the main office 651.290.8384 at your earliest convenience if your child will be absent. Communication between home and school is vital to a positive school experience. More information about consistent attendance can be found at spps.org/attendance.

Students will receive a postcard in the mail with transportation information at the end of August. The postcard lists details about where and when to get on and off the bus. Please arrive at the bus stop five minutes before the bus is scheduled to pick up your child. Track the status of your child’s bus on our school’s website or the Bus Status app.

If you believe your student is taking the bus but did not receive a postcard, please call Transportation at 651-696-9600 as soon as possible.

Parents/guardians who drive their children to and from school are asked to drop off and pick up their children at the back parking lot by the playground entrance at Pascal Street.

Parent drop-off is 7:15-7:30 am, and parent pick-up is 1:55-2:05 pm.

The following is a list of helpful tips for parent drop-off/pick-up:

• Signs in car windows at pickup with student name(s), grade, and teacher are very helpful!

• Parents/guardians who are willing/able to walk their child home/school or to/from a parked car are much appreciated—to limit the volume of cars.

• School door opens with staff supervision at 7:15 am. Please do not let children out of cars or into buildings prior.

• Please pull all the way around the half circle to drop-off so we can unload 4-5 cars at a time.

• Say goodbyes while in the car and be ready with backpacks at the time of drop-off.

• If you want to walk your child to the door, you will need to park your car in the lot. Cars may not be parked or idle in drop-off.

• If you arrive after 7:30 am, there may not be staff outdoors. Back doors are locked. If you arrive after this time, you will need to drop your child off at the front entrance.

A friendly reminder for the safety of our students: please avoid using the bus lane on Warwick Street in front of the school for drop-off between 7:00 and 7:30 am and pick-up between 1:45 and 2:15 pm. This time is crucial for school buses to park, and traffic is significant.

Elementary school students (PreK-5) who live less than a half-mile from school may have the option of walking to and from school with the school patrol. School patrols are led by older students and assisted by school staff and will be on duty before and after school. Mr. Mark Mueller, the school patrol lead at EXPO, will share additional details with families.

Families seeking to pick up students during the school day should phone ahead if possible. When a family member arrives for pick-up, please phone or use the school’s outside intercom system to let the office know you have arrived.

All students are eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch under the Minnesota Free School Meal program. As students arrive at school, they can grab their breakfast and eat in class. Hot and cold breakfast options are available.

Single Item Purchases and Second Meals

Second meals, incomplete meals and single items, such as milk only, must be purchased. The 2024-25 meal and milk prices are:

• Student Second Breakfast: $3

• Student Second Lunch: $5.25

• Milk Only: $0.50

• For a complete list of prices, visit spps.org/ns.

Application for Educational Benefits

While all in-person students will receive free breakfast and lunch under Minnesota’s Free School Meals program, it remains critical that all families complete an Application for Educational Benefits each school year. These applications determine how much funding your child’s school receives for educational programs and supports. Additionally, eligible families can qualify for other benefits. The application can be completed online at schoolcafe.com/spps. Paper applications are available at school.

Please check in with your healthcare provider to ensure your child’s immunizations are current before school starts in the fall. Visit spps.org/studentwellness or call our school nurse for more information.

Discovery Club is a fun and nurturing child care program for students in grades PreK-5 that supports learning and development before school*, after school, on non-school days and during the summer. Space is limited. For a list of fees, locations, and to register or join the waitlist, visit spps.org/discoveryclub or call 651-632-3793.

Beginning October 21st through December 9th, the following extracurricular classes will be offered at EXPO through Community Education:

Dance, Art, Chess, and Lightsaber Fencing (new) on Mondays from 2:10-3:10 PM

Piano lessons will be offered on Wednesdays from 2:15 to 5:45 PM

Registration opens September 4th at 9:00 AM. Please visit https://commed.spps.org/

SPPS strives to create welcoming schools where each and every student is seen, known and valued. There are rights students are guaranteed when they are at school as well as responsibilities that accompany those rights. Families are strongly encouraged to review the Rights & Responsibilities Handbook.

Safety is a top priority at our schools. EXPO Elementary School has an Emergency Operations Plan that is created specifically for our school and regularly reviewed. Families receive communication home when an incident directly impacts their students, such as a lockdown. Exterior doors are always locked and all visitors must sign in.

Families, students and staff can use the MySPPS app to “Send a Tip” and confidentially report unsafe behaviors to SPPS Security and Emergency Management (SEM). Every tip is taken seriously and acted on right away. Learn more at spps.org/safety.

August 29: Open House 4:00-6:00 PM

September 3 : 1st Day of School for students in Grades 1-5

September 3 & 4 : Welcome Meetings for PreK and Kindergarten families- More information to follow

September 5 : 1st Day of School for students in PreK and Kindergarten

September 5 : Welcome Breakfast for our PreK and Kindergarten Families at 7:35AM

October 3 : No School

Email: john.bjoraker@spps.org
Website: www.spps.org/EXPO
Location: 540 Warwick Street, Saint Paul, MN, USA
Phone: 651-290-8384