Principal's Newsletter

Happy Friday Packer Families,

I hope that you had a wonderful Winter Break. It was very nice to be able to take some time off and relax, rejuvenate and re-energize.

Did you know that schools across Minnesota use the month of January as Re-month. That means we Re-View routines, RE-Mind students of expectations and Re-Teach important concepts that were covered before break. In honor of Re-month I would like to remind all families:

• If you are dropping off your student before 7:50 AM please make sure that they use door number 4 (by Central Square). At 7:50 AM we lock all doors and all students that are coming to school after 7:50 AM need to use door number 7 (by the attendance office). Before 7:50 AM, door number 7 is used by our students with special needs that come to school by bus. We want to make sure our students with special needs are as close to the building as possible when departing their busses.

• Please make arrangements to pick up your student by 2:45 PM. If they want to work on homework or schoolwork they may go to the media center until 3:30 PM. All students are asked to exit school property by 2:45 PM unless they are under the direct supervision of a teacher, coach or advisor. Students who stay after school and go to the media center will need to exit school property at 3:30 PM.

• Please call you student in when they are going to be absent. The number to call and leave a message is 651-457-9415

Starting January 10 our W.I.N. Wednesdays program will begin. Students that come to school will come in at 7:30 AM. with 1st period starting at 7:50 AM. The students will follow the same bell schedule as they would on Monday, Thursday, and Friday. This additional classroom time on Wednesday will give our students and teachers even more time to work together to ensure academic growth.

Have a great weekend. 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.

W.I.N. Wednesday will start this week. Wednesday is NOT a late start. Doors will open at 7:30 AM and first period will starting at 7:50 AM.

Students who are earning a C or lower will need to attend W.I.N. Wednesday and come into school to get help in their classes.

Students who are earning a C+ and above may work from home if they have their parent/guardian permission to work from home. You may always send your student to school.

9th and 10th grader students must come to school if they are earning a C or lower in any class. 9th and 10th grade students that are coming in for W.I.N. Wednesday must attend all their classes, no matter their grade in their classes.

11th/12th grader students must come in for the class/es that they are earning a C or lower in. Depending on their class schedule and the time of their classes, 11th/12th grader students that choose to come late or leave early must sign in and out of the high school attendance office if they choose not to attend the entire day (this is only for W.I.N. Wednesday).

Teachers will create 2 W.I.N. Wednesday folders for each week: C and lower (for Additional support), C+ and higher (extension) so your student will have work they need to complete both at home or in school.

Kaposia Boulevard will closed to traffic from 3rd Street N to Wentworth starting on Tuesday, January 2nd–January 12th. The closure is necessary for watermain work as part of the Water Treatment Plant at Well No. 3. Detour signage will be posted.

January 10- W.I.N .WEDNESDAY starts

January 15- No School- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 17- W.I.N .WEDNESDAY

January 24- W.I.N .WEDNESDAY

January 25- Student-Family Connect (conferences) from 3:30-7:30

January 26- Digital Learning day for grades 9-12

As part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring a meaningful and holistic educational experience for our students, staff spent the day on Wednesday, December 20 interviewing groups of middle and high school students to:

• understand their perspectives on current educational practices

• gather suggestions and ideas for improvement; and

• foster a collaborative environment where students feel empowered to share their insights

More than 250 students participated in one of 30 groups throughout the school day to help us dive deeper and build on their Desired Daily Experience at SSPPS. We believe that our students are not just learners but also valuable contributors to our educational community. These student interviews are just one component of this collective work. Visit our website to learn more about the process underway to Sunrise Our New SSPPS Curriculum as we sunset the International Baccalaureate Primary Years and Middle Years Programs at the end of this school year.

CDLU is a Student Affinity Group open to all students grades 6-12. In CDLU, we celebrate our many different cultures as we strive for high academic success through education, real world discussion, and participation in a collaboration of community events. Want more information? Please check out this slideshow: CDLU 2024

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

We are looking for some Parent/Guardians to representative the greater school community on the Calendar Committee and our Family Advisory Committee. If you are interested please reach out to Principal Ochocki at cochocki@sspps.org. Thanks for volunteering!

While we seem to be in a nice fall weather pattern these last few weeks, it’s still important for you to review the information listed below so you are prepared in the event an emergency closing is declared for South St. Paul Public Schools. All this information can also be found on our website at www.sspps.org/newsroom/emergency-closing. If you have any questions, please contact your school office.

• Policy 307 - Emergency Closing of Schools - Every effort will be made to make school closing or late start decisions by 5:30 a.m. with communication to staff and families following shortly after. All unscheduled school closings, late starts and early dismissals due to severe weather or other emergencies, will be communicated with staff and families through the district’s:

• Messaging system (email, text, and voice if necessary);

• Website (sspps.org);

• Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)

• WCCO-AM Radio (830)

• WCCO (Channel 4)

• KSTP (Channel 5)

• FOX 9 KMSP; and

• KARE 11

To ensure your family is receiving important messages from SSPPS, please login to your Campus Parent Portal to review and update your contact information (phone number, email address, etc.) and other preferences (i.e. primary language). Families needing to create a Campus Parent Portal Account, click here. Families having trouble accessing their Campus Parent Portal Account, contact the SSPPS Tech Help Department at ParentTechHelp@sspps.org or (651) 457-9458.

Flexible Learning Plans - South St. Paul Public Schools will utilize Flexible Learning Days to provide continuity of learning in the event of inclement weather, emergency closings and other preplanned circumstances. When an emergency closing occurs, your child’s school will communicate specific details around the learning plan for that given day

Emergency Flexible Learning Days will occur when the district or a specific school must close due to inclement weather. Students will learn from home through a variety of lessons posted and communicated through the student’s teacher(s).

If an Emergency Flexible Learning Day is called, SSP High School will do the following:

1. Teachers will have assignments ready and released at 9:00 AM.

2. Emergency Flexible Learning day assignments will be linked in the agenda/in a folder/on calendar.

• Assignment needs to be completed by the end of day (3:00 PM)
• Attendance will be determined based on the assignments completed by 3:00 PM

3. Teachers will hold office hours 10:00- 12:00 PM and monitoring/responding to emails and Schoology messages until 3:00 PM

If we need to call three or more consecutive Emergency Flexible Learning Days students will attend school virtually via Google Meet (details below).

• Google Meets Code: Can be found in the Schoology folders for each class
• Day 1/Day 2: Classes will continue to be every other day
• Attendance: will be taken by teachers in the Google Meet
• Google Meet schedule can be found below.

1. Senior baby photos are open until January 20th!
1. These are an additional $40.00 and include:
1. A baby photo of your senior published in the yearbook
2. A personalized note to your senior to be published alongside the baby photo
2. Yearbook orders are open until January 26th!
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.
3. 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!
4. Links: Links are also available on the district website under the yearbook tab
1. Purchase the 23-24 yearbook
2. Submit Senior Photos
3. Submit Baby Photos
4. Submit Activities and Athletics Photos for the 23-24 Yearbook

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

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/

We're looking for people interested in part-time work with the school district. Flexible, daytime hours for you to work while your student is in school. We are currently hiring for a variety of positions including, but not limited to: Lunch room, maintenance, student supervisors, paraprofessionals, and more. Click on the link below to view all openings and to apply.

View Open Positions and Apply

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