Saint Paul Public Schools Publishes March 19 Coronavirus Update

Press release from Saint Paul Public Schools:

March 19, 2020

This is your daily update regarding the statewide school closure due to COVID-19. You are encouraged to check spps.org/covid and our social media channels for additional information.

All COVID-19 information is now available in English, Spanish, Hmong, Karen and Somali.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Check our FAQ page regularly for answers to common questions about the closure.
• Call the Student Placement Center at 651-632-3760 or email spc@spps.org if you have additional questions that aren’t answered above.

Meal Service

• Morning school bus routes are being used as meal pickup locations.
• 7:30 schools are on Wednesdays, 8:30 schools are on Thursdays and 9:30 schools are on Fridays.
• You can also pick up at your nearest school during the first half hour of the regular school day.
• Each box includes 10 meals - five breakfasts and five lunches
• All children 18 and under, as well as older students with disabilities enrolled in school programs, are eligible.
• Visit the meal service page for a complete list of pickup times and locations.
• Families who have a critical need for home delivery can call 651-523-6328. Home delivery is limited to those families who have no other means of getting food.

Distance Learning

• Distance learning will not begin until Monday, April 6.
• This is to allow teachers time to prepare lessons should a longer-term closure become necessary.
• If you were not able to pick up your student’s iPad yet, please pay attention to messages from your school regarding additional pickup times.
• After this week, the district will work to get iPads delivered to those families that have not picked them up.
• For families who do not have internet access at home, Xfinity has free hotspots in place throughout the area, or contact your child’s teacher to request a Wifi hotspot.

Student Health & Wellness

• If your student has medication or health office supplies at school, contact your school health office staff to make arrangements.
• A limited number of Health Start locations are open. Please note we cannot test for the flu or COVID-19 at these sites. For more information, visit the Student Health & Wellness page.

Childcare for First Responders and Healthcare Providers

• Essential Kids Care is open for school-age students of first responders and other medical staff. More information is available at spps.org/ekidscare.
• At this time, there is no other childcare available.

Thank you again for your support and attention during this time.

This press release was produced by Saint Paul Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.