Resources - South St. Paul School Public School District (2024)

Current School Year

District Calendar

Staff Directory

Student Support

Family Resources

Want to be more involved with the School District? Learn more about the many volunteer opportunities and advisory groups available for families to join on the Get Involved webpage.

FORMS
TECHNOLOGY HELP
TOOLS/PROGRAMS
STUDENT CHROMEBOOKS
FAMILY GUIDE TO STUDENT DEVICES
PROGRAMS FOR COMPUTERS AND INTERNET ACCESS
SCHOOL-LINKED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS
DIGITAL LEARNING AND BOOT CAMP

FORMS

Educational Benefits Application Form

Fill out the form with the state
Applications can be submitted at any time

Nutrition Services

SSPPS Student Device Agreement Form (6^th-12^th)

All students in grades 6^th-12^th must have a submitted form
Optional insurance payment to cover accidental damage to a student’s device

2023-24 SSPPS Student Technology Acceptable Use Policy Instructions

Transportation Forms

Pay to Ride
Daycare Transportation
Alternative Address Transportation

Transportation Services

Field Trip Parent Authorization

Parent Authorization Form
Parent Authorization Form- Spanish

Statewide testing opt-out forms

Statewide Testing Opt-Out Form
Statewide Testing Opt-Out Form- Spanish

Grievance Form

South St. Paul Public Schools (SSPPS) is dedicated to providing our students and staff with a safe, welcoming, and culturally responsive environment to learn and work. We strive to provide the support our students need to stay in school and learn. The Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook is designed to assist the district in accomplishing its mission to ignite a passion in every learner to inquire, continuously improve and engage in positively changing our world. We want to encourage a learning environment of mutual respect, problem-solving and restorative practices among all students and staff at every school. In partnership with the School Board, the district has developed comprehensive policies and procedures that define our students’ rights and responsibilities and provide for a positive learning environment. The Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook serves as a resource for students and families in understanding these policies and expectations as well as their alignment with district procedures. Thank you to our families for your continued partnership as we strive to prepare each and every student for their next step. Together we can help our students stay in class and school so they can take advantage of the many learning opportunities available to them every day.

Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook

This Handbook is intended for incidents and scenarios taking place on properties under the ownership or control of South St. Paul Public Schools (SSPPS), as well as those connected to activities sponsored by or associated with the SSPPS. It may also be applicable to incidents involving SSPPS students in cases where an unauthorized connection or association with SSPPS or its staff is explicitly or implicitly indicated or inferred, such as instances of hazing.

Discipline Complaint Procedure

Minnesota Statute Section 121A.61 requires the School District to enact a districtwide school discipline policy that contains a discipline complaint procedure that students, parents and other guardians, and school staff may use to file a complaint and seek corrective action regarding the when the requirements of Minnesota Statutes Sections 121A.40 to 121A.61, including the implementation of the local behavior and discipline policies are not being implemented appropriately or are being discriminatively applied. SSPPS urges that parties first attempt to resolve complaints with the principal or assistant principal before filing a formal complaint. If these attempts have been unsuccessful, a formal complaint may be filed using the Discipline Complaint Procedure Form.

TO FILE A DISCIPLINE COMPLAINT, REFER TO THE FOLLOWING RESOURCES:

TECHNOLOGY HELP

CHECK OUR WEBSITE FIRST:http://bit.ly/sspfamilytech

If you need assistance, parents and students can both contact our Parent Tech Help line:
(651) 457-9458

ParentTechHelp@sspps.org

TOOLS/PROGRAMS

Campus Parent/Family Portal

Weblink:https://sspssd.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/parents/sstpaul.jsp

The Campus Parent Portal is a confidential and secure website for parents to:

Update contact information
Manage emergency contacts
Track your child's attendance
View student schedules
View report cards
View district and school notifications

Set up your account:
Contact your school office for your activation key.

Schoology (for parents of 6-12 graders)

Teachers and students in gr. 6-12 are using Schoology, our Learning Management System. Teachers post the assignments and course content to Schoology and students access the site to complete their learning activities. Parents will be able to view the following up-to-date information for their student:

Upcoming, current and overdue assignments
Calendar of assignments and events
Gradebook for each class

Parents must have their Campus Parent Portal account set up prior to getting a Schoology account.

Tips for navigating around the Parent Portal:

Parent Link for Schoology:
https://app.schoology.com/

SchoolCafé (School meals: grades K-12)

Deposit money directly into your child's meal account.Click herefor more information about SchoolCafé.

https://www.schoolcafe.com/

STUDENT CHROMEBOOKS

The goals of our Student Chromebook Program are to enhance and accelerate learning, leverage technology for personalized instruction, promote collaboration and increase student engagement, strengthen the current age skills necessary for future success, and to provide digital tools for completion of assignments and projects.

ABOUT THE CHROMEBOOK PROGRAM
STUDENT DEVICE EXPECTATIONS
BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE
CHROMEBOOK INSURANCE

ABOUT THE CHROMEBOOK PROGRAM

The changing landscape of the world’s information to digital form requires our students to have a different set of skills than what was required in the past. Future graduates must be equipped with current age skills of problem solving, critical thinking, communication, and information technology literacy. Our rigorous International Baccalaureate curriculum is a great framework for achieving these skills. This framework, together with access to digital devices, will give students the tools required to quickly find, synthesize and communicate information. These tools will allow for greater collaboration not only within their school, but the global community at large.

South St. Paul Public Schools’ goal is to help students develop the skills and knowledge necessary to responsibly navigate our changing world. In an effort to achieve these goals, South St. Paul Secondary has a 1:1 (student to computing device) program for the students using district Chromebooks.

The goals of the Student Chromebook Program are to:

Enhance and accelerate learning
Leverage technology for individualizing instruction
Promote collaboration and increase student engagement
Strengthen the current age skills necessary for future success
Provide digital tools for completion of assignments and projects

This program will increase access to digital curriculum. It will supplement or replace some traditional print textbooks and classroom equipment, such as graphing calculators. Using devices will give student access to anywhere, anytime learning–in classrooms, at Internet cafés, and at home.

Apps

Some programs and applications (apps) will be provided by the District for academic use and are the property of South St. Paul Public Schools and must not be removed.

Google Applications may be added by the students as needed, but must be appropriate for school. Apps that are a distraction to the classroom environment will be removed.

STUDENT DEVICE EXPECTATIONS

Student's Use & Care of the Device

Never leave a device unattended. When not in your personal possession, the device should be in a secure, locked area. Unattended devices will be collected and delivered to the Media Center.
Do not lend your device to another person. Each device is assigned to a student and the responsibility for the care of the device solely rests with that individual.
Each device has a unique identification number and at no time should the numbers or labels be modified or removed.
Students will use their school computer account to access their device. To help secure their personal information on the device, students should not share their username and/or password.

Device Care
• Use care in transporting your device to school every day.
• Always keep and carry it in the protective case AT ALL TIMES.
• Avoid placing weight on the device.
• Never throw or slide a device.
• Never expose a device to temperature extremes or direct sunlight.
• Never keep your device in a vehicle where it could be stolen.

Device Screen
While the device is durable, it not indestructible.
• Never throw a backpack that contains a device.
• Never place a device in a book bag that contains food, liquids, heavy, or sharp objects.
• Never place heavy objects on top of the device.
• Do not apply pressure to the device screen, that will damage it.
• Never drop your device.
• Careful placement in your backpack is important.

While the device screen is scratch resistant, it is not scratch proof.
• Avoid using any sharp object(s) on the device screen.
• The screen can be cleaned with a soft, slightly damp lint-free cloth.
• Avoid getting moisture in the openings.
• Do not use window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, alcohol, ammonia, or abrasives to clean the device.

Device Cameras & Microphone
The device comes equipped with audio and video recording through a built-in microphone and rear-facing camera. All recordings created with the device must comply with District policies and State and Federal laws. District policy prohibits the use of electronic recording devices in a manner that compromises the privacy interests of other individuals (District Policy #523). District policy also prohibits harassment and bullying (District Policy #514). Use of the device in a manner that violates district policy may result in revocation of the device and may result in further disciplinary consequence.

Use of the school device and any other devices with audio and video recording capabilities during the instructional time is at the discretion of the teacher. The student must obtain prior approval to use the device for such purposes. Recordings obtained with the device may not be shared, published or rebroadcast for any reason by the student without permission. Students should be aware that State and Federal laws in many instances prohibit secret or surreptitious recording undertaken without the knowledge and consent of the person or persons being recorded. Violations of State and Federal laws may be reported to the proper authorities and could result in criminal prosecution.

Device Cases
When students check out their device, they will be given a district case. The device MUST ALWAYS REMAIN IN THE CASE.

If they lose it or if it stolen, students will need to purchase another one from the Media Center. No stickers or any other items should be attached to the device itself or the case unless placed there by school staff.

Device Battery
The device must be charged up every night so that it is ready to go for school use in the morning. Fully charged device batteries will typically last 6-7 hours. Failure to bring a fully charged student device and their charger to school may result in the student’s inability to participate in classroom learning activities. Classroom teachers are not expected to provide capacity for plugging in device for charging.

Lost, Stolen, Damaged Devices
If the device is lost, it must be reported to the student’s teacher and the Media Center staff IMMEDIATELY. It may be the responsibility of the student and family to recover or replace the lost device. If necessary, the District and the police will assist in recovery.

Do not attempt to gain access to the internal electronics or repair your device. If it fails to work or is damaged, please bring it to the Media Center. Devicerepair or replacement options will be determined by Technology Department staff. You may be issued a temporary device or other materials until your device is working properly or replaced. If the device is experiencing technical difficulties outside of school hours, you will need to wait until you return to school to fix it.

Replacement fees may be assessed for stolen, lost, or damaged items in accordance with the District’s Student Fee Schedule:
• Replacement case is $30
• Replacement charger is $30
• Repair fine for a damaged screen is $75
• Replacement device is $250

To help families protect against some of these damages, a district insurance program is available through the District to cover the device damages, not the accessories or lost or stolen devices. More information is on the Student Device Agreement.

Students who leave South St. Paul Public Schools during the school year must return the device, along with any other accessories, at the time they leave. The device and all accessories should be returned to the Media Center.

BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE

In an effort to maximize student access to teacher information and instructional content, South St. Paul Secondary has a 1:1 device program. We have standardized on Chromebook devices. The District recognizes that a very effective plan for school use would be a device that the student/family owns, cares for, and has access to 24/7, 365 days a year. For this reason, our schools wish to partner with parents by allowing for family-owned devices to be part of our 1:1 computing initiative through a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program.

Students MUST register their device with our Technology Department. The top portion of the Chromebook Agreement must also be completed and returned.

While a specific device has not been mandated by South St. Paul Public Schools for the BYOD program, a device brought to school is recommended to meet the following minimum standards:

The device should have a minimum screen size of 7", however a 8.9" screen or larger is recommended. The device shall run Google Docs (Drive) (note: any Windows, Mac, Android, or Linux device will meet this requirement). Many of our district apps do not function on the iOS completely.
The device shall be able to connect to a wireless network (WiFi) and must support 802.11G or 802.11N networks (devices that list the new 802.11AC connection are acceptable as long as it supports the G or N network).
The device should have a physical keyboard (note: this could be a separate keyboard that works with the device, such as a Bluetooth keyboard).
The device shall have a microphone and a headphone jack (note: this could be two separate jacks for the microphone and headphone, or it can be a combined microphone/headphone jack) with audio recording capability.
The device should have a minimum of one web camera with video recording capability.
The device should have a minimum battery life of five to six hours (this can include battery swapping, if necessary).
Note that personal Chromebooks are not acceptable because they are not compatible with some of the new tools we are using this year.

In addition:

A student should bring a headset or earbuds with his device (the earbuds can include a built-in microphone).
A student should have a protective case or padded bag for their device (take time to pick a good case--corner protection is important for tablets).
A student will need to access broadband Internet outside of school, either through WiFi or a physical connection, to complete homework assignments. Access is available at all public buildings in South St. Paul and at a number of private businesses. Programs for reduced cost access are made available through Comcast and other providers for qualifying families.

Families may purchase devices that meet the recommended specifications from the vendor of their choice.

Note: South St. Paul Public Schools is not responsible for damaged, lost or stolen student property. Please refer to your school's Student/Parent Handbook for more information.

CHROMEBOOK INSURANCE

South St. Paul Public Schools recognizes with the implementation of our Student Chromebook Program there is a need to protect the investment by both the district and the family. The participation cost for those choosing to purchase the District Insurance Plan is $30 per student device per school year. Families who have completed the 2023-24 Educational Benefits application and qualify for free or reduced price meals will see a discounted insurance premium listed for their student when purchasing insurance online.

Educational Benefits Eligibility Status	Device Insurance Cost	Maximum Family Cap
Full Meal Price	$30	$90
Reduced Meal Price	$20	$60
Free Meal Price	$10	$30

**Please contact the Technology Department (ParentTechHelp@sspps.org) if the Maximum Family Cap applies to your family.**

Student Chromebook Agreement

Student Chromebook Agreement must be completed yearly by all students in grade 6th-12th.

The Insurance Plan provides coverage for ACCIDENTAL damage such as drops, broken screens, fire, flood, natural disasters, and power surges due to lightning. The insurance payment is non-refundable. This annual coverage begins upon receipt of the payment and ends at the conclusion of the school year.

Insurance covers your accidental damage to the student’s device for the entire school year.

The Insurance Plan does not cover:

lost or stolen devices
intentionally-damaged devices
lost or stolen charging cables ($30 for a replacement charger)
lost or stolen cases ($30 for a replacement case)
damage to the device that occurs when the device is not in its case

IMPORTANT: All Insurance Plan claims MUST BE REPORTED within 72 hours to the Media Center staff in ordered to be covered.

If you choose not to purchase the Insurance Plan, the following fees are assessed:

$50 for a broken screen
$250 to replace a severely damaged or destroyed device
Other damage fees for broken bezels (the frame around the screen), lost keys on the keyboard, damaged ports or buttons, etc. will be determined by the Technology Department.

FAMILY GUIDE TO STUDENT DEVICES

Set Expectations

Regularly share your expectations with your child about accessing only appropriate sites and content, as well as being a good citizen when online (even when parents aren’t watching). Outside of school, it is likely that your child has already been confronted with multiple opportunities to access content that parents wouldn’t approve. Your teen’s use of devices (such as iPods, video game systems, and cell phones) may give them the ability to connect to unfiltered public wireless networks (such as in a public library or coffee shop). It is important to maintain a regular, open dialog about Internet use and access. Come to a mutual understanding your expectation for appropriate use, behavior, and potential consequences.

Monitor & Limit Screen Time

Surfing the Internet should be done in a central place at home, such as the kitchen or family room, rather than away from adult supervision or behind a closed door. Know what your child is doing with technology and how his or her time is being spent. Technology can be a great tool and resource, but also has the potential to be a bigdistractor. Help your child learn to focus on completing tasks or assignments first before spending time on games, browsing, or social networking. Teaching our children how to manage multiple sources of information and potential distractions is a critical life skill, one best learned before heading off to college or the workplace.

Put the device to bed, but not in the bedroom

Parenting experts suggest parking all technology devices, from cell phones to laptops, in a common family room or the kitchen overnight to discourage late night, unmonitored use and sleep disruption. Don’t allow your teen to sleep with theChromebook, laptop or cell phone in their room. Remember to model appropriate use and balance of technology in your own life, too!

Common Sense Media Guides for FAMILIES and Teens in High School

TheCommon Sense Media sitehas great resources for parents to guide conversations with their children about media use. It’s designed to help parents set expectations around media use that is right for their family. This is an excellent resource to help families get on the same page about media and technology use.

Cyber Safety

Cyber safety is an important subject to revisit frequently. Children are actually most vulnerable to online dangers while in their own home. The following suggestions are provided to help you guide your child’s use of the school device and other technology devices.

Outside of school, parents bear responsibility for the same guidance of Internet use as they exercise with information sources such as television, telephones, radio, movies and other media. Parents are responsible for monitoring their student’s use of school-issued equipment, email accounts, and use of the Internet when the student is accessing from home or through other remote location(s).

Filter Access

District-provided student devices filter internet content both at school and at home. We still suggest installing software to filter and block inappropriate content on your wireless home network and non-school devices your children use. Check with your internet service provider to see what content filtering services they may offer, or consider services such asOpen DNS (free version available here), SafeEyes, and NetNanny. Some of these products offer additional protection features such as cell phone filtering, text message and photo screening tools, and digital footprint/reputation monitoring.

Helpful websites with Internet safety tips:

PROGRAMS FOR COMPUTERS AND INTERNET ACCESS

Comcast Programs

Internet Essentials program

$9.95 Internet access orLow-cost computer for $149.99:

With affordable home Internet from Comcast, your family can search for new jobs and pay bills online, complete homework assignments and stay connected to family and the outside world. You may qualify for Internet Essentials if your child is eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program.

To learn more or apply, visit:InternetEssentials.comor call: 1-855-846-8376. Comcast also offers free classes and online tutorials.

EveryoneOn Programs

EveryoneOn is a national nonprofit working to eliminate the digital divide by making high-speed, low-cost Internet service and computers, and free digital literacy courses accessible to all unconnected Americans. They aim to leverage the democratizing power of the Internet to provide opportunity to all Americans – regardless of age, race, geography, income, or education level.

VisitEveryoneOn.orgfor details.

Bringing Affordable Internet & Devices into the Home:

Through partnerships with local Internet service providers, EveryoneOn is able to offer freeor $9.95 home Internet service. Theywork with device refurbishers, so individualsand their families can purchase discounted devices, including $150 tablets and $199 laptops.

Free Basic Digital Literacy Training:

They collaborate with libraries and non-profits to advertise free computer & Internet coursesat over 8,000 training sites across the country. By calling 1-855-EVRY1ON or visitingEveryoneOn.org, users can discover the closest class in their communities.

SCHOOL-LINKED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS

Emotional ups and downs are to be expected during this time of COVID crisis, but if your child is experiencing any of the following, please consider reaching out for some extra support:

Increased problems in multiple areas of life: academic, social, family relationships, etc
Excessive worry
Crying, hopelessness, or feeling sad
Significant changes in sleeping or eating habits
Feeling bad about themselves
Withdrawal from activities or relationships they used to enjoy
Engaging in negative behaviors
Self harm behaviors or statements like “I wish I weren’t here”

The Associated Clinic of Psychology (ACP) was awarded a grant by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to provide school and community based therapy to students and their families throughout Dakota County. ACP works directly with students and their support teams to address issues impacting their well-being. All services are conducted by qualified mental health professionals and practitioners, who will help develop an effective and comprehensive treatment plan tailored to meet each student's goals. ACP's services include:

Prevention
Skills development
Therapeutic intervention
Diagnostic evaluations
Consultation
Counseling
Parent and family collaboration
School collaboration

Through the grant program, we are able to offer services to students in Dakota County regardless of their insurance coverage. We will work directly with the insurance plan on your behalf to answer any questions.

Make a referral

By Phone:
- During regular business hours, you may call our school and home-based Client Coordinator at 612-455-8643.
- If preferred or if a family member or parent could also use some support, referrals for clinic-based services can be made by calling our Apple Valley office at 952-432-1484, or the West St. Paul office at 651-450-0860. Clinic services are not grant supported.
Onlineathttps://acp-mn.com/community-school-based/

DIGITAL LEARNING AND BOOT CAMP

To be successful in our Digital Learning Program, students are expected to know the information in the documentbelow.

With your parents, students MUST review all the information in these slides:SSP Digital Learning Boot Camp(Device Expectations).

360 Communities Family Support Workers

Family Support Workers are here to support you in finding community resources that can help with the challenges of raising a family today - everything from food and finances to getting connected with activities, volunteering, counseling and other specific needs based resources.

Natalie St. John
South St. Paul Secondary
(651) 552-3094
nstjohn@360communities.org

Alicia Perez
Kaposia Education Center &LincolnCenter Elementary
(651) 288-6883 ext 6320
aperez@sspps.org

360 Communities Website

SSP COMMUNITY SUPPORT

South St. Paul Public Schools is partnering with local organizations to provide support to the South St. Paul community.

Dakota County and Local Support

Associated Clinic of Psychology (ACP)
Dakota County Children’s Mental Health
Dakota County Crisis 952-891-7171
Text – LIFE to 61222
Emergency 911
FACTS MN - Family and Children Therapy Services in Minnesota

National Support

COMMUNITY FOOD RESOURCES
COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS

COMMUNITY FOOD RESOURCES

South St. Paul Public Schools is partnering with local organizations to help our families and community stretch their food dollars and ensure their children are well fed and ready to learn.

The followingisa list of organizations that will provide freeor reduced price food to our community members this year:

Free Take 'n Bake Meals

At Central Square Community Center. Meal available to pick up Mondays after 2:30 pm and available until Saturday afternoon while supplies last.More information here.

Neighbors Food Shelf

Neighbors is a non-profit, social-service agency that provides food, clothing, transportation and financial assistance to residents of Inver Grove Heights, South St. Paul, West St. Paul, Mendota Heights, Mendota, Sunfish Lake and Lilydale.

NAPS: Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors – FREE for qualifying senior citizens

www.neighborsmn.org

Monday – Friday
8:45a.m. - 12:15p.m. and1:00-3:30 p.m.

Fare for All

Fare For All is a great way to save money on quality nutritious food. Buy fruits, vegetables, and frozen meats in bulk and save up to 40% off grocery store prices.

SSP Central Square Community Center
100 7thAvenue North, South St. Paul, MN 55075
(651) 366-6200 | www.fareforall.org
Third Tuesdays
4:00–6:00 p.m.

South St. Paul Farmers’ Market

Wakota Credit Union Parking Lot
12th and Southview, South St. Paul
Wednesdays in the summer
2:00-6:00 p.m.
stpaulfarmersmarket.com/

Other Food Options Around the Community:

Serving FREE hot meals:

River Heights Vineyard Church
6070 Cahill Ave E, Inver Grove Heights
Monday – Thursday
5:30-6:30 p.m.

St. Matthew’s
510 Hall Ave., St. Paul
Monday – Friday
5:00–6:00 p.m.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS

TriDistrict Community Education is a partnership between the school districts of South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, and West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan.Itprovides high quality, respectful, equitable, learning experiences for every person in the community.

Visit the SSP Community Education Site