With a new school year underway, students and parents in St. Paul Public Schools will see a number of changes.
There are new district buildings, student cell phone use and high school career opportunities.
Here’s what families should know:
New construction
There are 37 construction projects happening in the district this year, but at least two major ones are completed for the fall semester.
A ribbon cutting will be held Sept. 25 for the remodeled Barack and Michelle Obama Montessori and Middle School and on Oct. 2 for the new Bruce Vento Elementary School.
The finished Obama Montessori and Middle School houses both the pre-kindergarten through 5th grade Montessori program that has been located at J.J. Hill Montessori, and a new 6th through 8th grade middle school.
Remodeled areas include a general learning space, gym, cafeteria, media center, art room and administration office. The middle and elementary schools are connected by shared spaces, such as the cafeteria and media center.
The Bruce Vento construction is the district’s first new building in a decade.
Construction of a new 160,000-square-foot building has been completed and it will continue to house pre-kindergarten to 5th grade students and now include an Early Childhood and Community Hub, which includes childhood programming and community services
Technology
St. Paul Public Schools adopted its district-wide cellphone policy earlier this year. It states that the use of personal electronic devices, such as cellphones and smartwatches, will not be permitted during school hours and such devices must be put away. High schools can have individualized plans, with some allowing cellphone use during non-instructional time.
The district also is providing 38,000 new iPads to students and staff.
Also new this year: parents can now track the status of their students’ school bus using a GPS tracking app. To learn more, go to: spps.org/families/transportation.
New programming, meals
The district’s Karen Language and Culture Program at Wellstone Elementary is going to expand from kindergarten to first grade and the East African Magnet School has added a seventh grade.
The East African Magnet School, which serves pre-kindergarten to seventh grade, is expected to add eighth grade in a year, said Jackie Turner, SPPS executive chief of administration and operations.
High school seniors will be able to earn credits toward an apprenticeship this year as part of a district partnership with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49. The one-year program includes a classroom portion on careers in equipment operation and time in a sandbox where students learn to operate heavy machinery.
In addition to new programming, the district also has new lunch and breakfast options this year.
New leadership
Eight St. Paul schools will have new principals this school year.
They are Amanda Herrera Gundale at Obama Middle School; Danielle Hughes at Benjamin E. Mays IB World School; Lesly Gamez at Global Arts Plus Upper Campus; Andrea Thiner at Harding Senior High School; Andrew Barter at L’Etoile du Nord French Immersion; Lauren Bolopue at Nokomis Montessori North; Phillip Hutcheson at St. Anthony Park Elementary; and Dr. Theresa Thao-Yang at Txuj Ci HMong Upper Campus.
And, Superintendent Stacie Stanley, who started last May, will be serving in her first full school year. Stanley, who grew up in St. Paul, previously was the superintendent for Edina Public Schools.
Related Articles
Police: Student, 14, found with gun as year starts at St. Paul high school
St. Paul offers to put cops outside every school for week after Minneapolis school shooting
Twin Cities mom wants to help you have ‘The Talk’ with your kids
Back to school: A roundup of east metro school cellphone policies
St. Paul Public Schools to host paraprofessional hiring event Thursday
Leave a Reply