Principal's Newsletter

Happy Friday Packer Families,

I hope you have a fantastic weekend. I have just a couple of items to share (or a few more than a couple, sorry!):

• Spring Sports Registration is open! If your student is interested in participating in baseball, softball, track and field, boys tennis and golf you can register them on the Athletics and Activities homepage. You must have an up-to-date physical! If you need help with activity fees, scholarships are available! In order to participate in Spring activities, you must have a 1.7 GPA during the 2nd trimester.

• 2025 Europe Trip to France & Italy.There are still spots available for the 2025 Europe Trip. This will be our school’s only chance to travel abroad next school year. The trip is open to students in current grades 9-11. For more information please email Mr. Anderson at canderson@sspps.org.

• Multicultural Day Celebration is March 14th from 6:00-8:00 pm. Check out the video

• Gertens is hiring (more information can be found on the flyer below).

• End of Trimester 2 is just 9 days away. With only 9 days left in Trimester 2, please check in with your student and ask them the following questions?

• How has this trimester gone for you?
• Are you happy and/or satisfied with your grades?
• Is there work you could be doing over the long weekend?
• What do you need to do to finish the trimester strong?
• How can I support you?
• Together, we can/will get our students across the Trimester 2 finish line!!! If your student needs any additional support to complete Trimester 2 successfully, please make sure to send them in on W.I.N. (G.S.D.) Wednesday or have them stay after school for Homework Help (see below).

Thanks for all the support you give your student and the school! Go PACKERS!

Sincerely,

Chuck

Mr. Chuck Ochocki

South St. Paul High School Principal

700 2nd Street North

South St. Paul, MN 55075

(651) 457-9402

cochocki@sspps.org

Packer Pride: Today. Tomorrow. Forever.

Does your student speak a language other than English? If you answer yes, your student should take the MN Bilingual Seal test and earn college credit. See the flyer below for more information.

03/04/24

• LOYO (Living on Your Own), 12th grade
• IB 20th Century World History, 12th grade
• FACS 9/10 Day 1, Combination of grades
• Health 9/10 Day 1, Combination of grades

03/05/24

• Intro to Lit, 9th grade

• Honors Intro to Lit, 9th grade

• IB Applications and Interpretations, 11th grade

• World Literature, 11th grade

• IB English, 11th grade

• Chemistry, 11th grade
• Civics and Economics, 12th grade
• Sociology, 12th grade
• Health 9/10 Day 2, Combination of grades
• STEM Innovator, Combination of grades
• IB Business Management, Combination of grades
• Store Management, Combination of grades
• Spanish 3, Combination of grades
• Heritage Speakers, Combination of grades
• EL, Combination of grades
• FACS 9/10 Day 2, Combination of grades
• Culinary 2, Combination of grades
• Accounting 2, Combination of grades
• French 1, Combination of grades
• Anatomy & Physiology, Combination of grades
• Chemistry, Combination of grades
• Art: Drawing, Photo, Ceramics, IB Visual Arts, Combination of grades
• IB French - SL and HL, Combination of grades
• French 2, Combination of grades

03/07/24

• Western Civ, 9th grade
• Integrated Science, 9th grade
• Design 9/10 Business, 9th grade
• Geometry, 9th grade
• Spanish 2, 9th grade
• Intermediate Algebra, 10th grade
• French 3, 10th grade
• Honors 10 American Literature, 10th grade
• Biology, 10th grade
• American Literature 10, 10th grade
• IB Modern European History, 11th grade
• IB Chemistry 1, 11th grade
• Global Studies, 11th grade
• IB Chemistry 2, 12th grade
• Survey of Math Topics, 12th grade
• IB Physics 2, 12th grade
• IB Math A&A HL, 12th grade
• PE 9/10 - Day 1, Combination of grades
• Culinary 1, Combination of grades
• IB Psychology, Combination of grades
• Creative Writing, Combination of grades
• Yearbook, Combination of grades
• IB Spanish, Combination of grades
• IB Biology, Combination of grades
• Advanced Algebra, Combination of grades
• IB A & A Mathematics SL 2, Combination of grades
• Sports & Entertainment Marketing, Combination of grades
• Web Page Design, Combination of grades
• IB Physics 1, Combination of grades
• Physics, Combination of grades
• Human Performance, Combination of grades
• Team Sports 1, Combination of grades
• Team Sports 2, Combination of grades
• Individual/Dual Sports, Combination of grades

Here is some new information about due dates.

1. Yearbook orders are open until February 29th!

   1. Each book is $65.00

   2. For an additional cost, families can personalize their yearbooks and purchase additional accessories to help commemorate the school year.

2. Athletics and Activities Photo submissions open!

   1. There is now a drop-box for families, coaches, and advisors to submit photos for the yearbook

   2. Have a great photo of your student participating in a school activity? Submit it to our dropbox and we may feature it on one of our pages!

3. Links: Links are also available on the district website under the yearbook tab
   1. Purchase the 23-24 yearbook
   2. Submit Activities and Athletics Photos for the 23-24 Yearbook

*Please reach out to Hannah O'Brien with any questions at hobrien@sspps.org

Instilling healthy habits and routines (adequate sleep/nutrition) and consistent attendance ensures a student’s success in school even as early as kindergarten. We know that too many absences/tardies, for whatever reason, can cause children to fall behind both academically and socially.

To help ensure healthy habits consult with your health care provider regarding well-visits and immunizations, as well as maintain good personal hygiene. Also:

• Get the appropriate vaccines.
• Wash your hands frequently.
• Stay home if you are sick (so you do not spread the illness to other people) (do not return to school until fever free for 24hrs without use of medication or 24hrs after last time vomited).
• Use a tissue, or cough and sneeze into your arm, not your hand and turn away from other people.
• Use single-use tissues. Dispose of the tissue immediately.
• Wash your hands after coughing, sneezing, or using tissues.
• Do not touch your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands (viruses can enter your body from unwashed hands).
• Do not share cups, glasses, dishes, cutlery, or cellphones.

The school district will follow the guidelines from the Minnesota Department of Health for recommended exclusion and notification for vaccine-preventable diseases including mumps, measles, rubella, pertussis, diphtheria, viral hepatitis, chickenpox, and meningitis. Families will not be notified, and students are not excluded for lice, mononucleosis, pink eye or strep throat.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me:

Rick Moore BSN, RN, PHN moorer@sspps.org

651-457-9449

Reminder - Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for at least 5 days from the onset of symptoms or test date (asymptomatic) and can return when fever free for 24 hours (without fever reducing medication). Following symptom improvement and return, individuals must wear a mask (not shield) for days 6-10 OR individuals may remove their mask sooner than day 10 with two sequential negative antigen tests 48 hours apart. See MN Department of Health Guidance for further details.

If you have a junior or senior with a cumulative GPA of 3.000 or above and if they are interested in becoming a member of the National Honor Society, the student must attend one of the two NHS informational meetings being held on Thursday, February 9th in the Stock Exchange. The meetings are at 7:15 AM and 2:35 PM. Current NHS members do not need to reapply.

FYI – NHS Application Requirements

In order to apply for the National Honor Society, the following criteria must be met:

• Must be a junior or senior with a cumulative GPA of 3.000 or above
• Important: If your cumulative GPA drops below 3.000 due to late entered grades for SSP coursework or PSEO semester classes, you will not meet the academic eligibility requirements for NHS membership and are no longer eligible to apply.
• No chemical/conduct violations
• Must be of good character
• 50 hours of documented community service during the school year, which does include the summer prior to the start of the school year.
• Approximately one page typed paper documenting prior and present leadership responsibilities.
• Three letters of recommendation from non-family members that attest to your character. One letter must be from a non-school employee.

Please make sure to update your contact Information.

In order to receive important information regarding school closings and family messages, make sure your contact information is correct in our student information system, Infinite Campus- Parent Portal. To do so:

• Log into your Infinite Campus Parent Portal account

• Click on the user menu icon in the upper left hand side of the screen

• Click on Settings

• Click on Contact Preferences

• Check to make sure all information is correct and preferences are updated

ParentSquare Communications

South St. Paul Public Schools uses ParentSquare for school to home communications. When the need for an emergency school closing arises, this is the system that will alert you.

• One of the best ways to receive these alerts is by downloading the app from the Google Play Store or the iOS App Store

• Look in your ParentSquare account settings and be sure you HAVE NOT turned off notifications from your student’s school or the district, directions here

• Check your phone settings and be sure you are not blocking unknown calls, or you can add SSPPS as a contact in your phone 651-457-9400

• If you have not been receiving school texts, you many have accidentally opted out from receiving them, to start them back up send the word "START" to 66458 to opt back in

February 28-W.I.N .WEDNESDAY

March 6- W.I.N .WEDNESDAY

March 7- End of Trimester 2

March 8- No School

Want to see our students and staff in action? Come watch them at a home event. Here is the link to this weeks schedule: Weekly Home Schedule

If your family is experiencing homelessness, such as staying in a shelter, hotel or temporarily with others, we can help make sure your child has stability in their education through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act. For help in accessing these services, please contact Candace Burckhardt, Special School District #6 Homeless Liaison/Local Coordinator.

For more information please look at the resources at the following link: https://www.sspps.org/departments/student-services/special-education

Additional resources can also be found at https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/HealthFamily/PublicAssistance/Housing/Pages/default.aspx or MDE's website: https://education.mn.gov/MDE/dse/ESEA/home/

Email: cochocki@sspps.org
Website: https://www.sspps.org
Location: 700 2nd Street North, South Saint Paul, MN, USA
Phone: 651-457-9402