Saint Paul Public Schools is upgrading restrooms in all locations undergoing major building renovations. The new restrooms are designed to be private, safe and secure. Students of all genders have equal access to private and secure toilet stalls with floor-to-ceiling door and walls, and share the handwashing area.

Private

Each toilet stall is equipped with its own:

• Floor-to-ceiling door and walls.
  
  
• Fan and light that automatically come on.
  
  

Safe and Secure

• The new restrooms are easy to monitor:
  
  
  • Students and staff walking by can easily see into the general restroom area, which has an open design and wide entrances.
    
    
  • The restrooms are located in busy areas.
    
    
  • The handwashing area is under camera surveillance.
    
    
• Each toilet stall has a door lock that clearly displays whether a stall is vacant or occupied.
  
  
• Elementary teachers have a key to restroom stalls in case of emergencies.
  
  

What’s different?

More privacy: Each toilet stall is equipped with floor-to-ceiling door and walls. Each door has a lock that clearly shows from the outside when a stall is vacant or occupied. On the inside, the sign reads as secure or unsecure.

All genders have equal access to the same restrooms. Each student uses a private, individual stall. Students of all genders use the same restroom wash stations. At middle and high school sites, both students and staff may share the same restrooms.

No more urinals.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Why are inclusive restrooms being installed?

Saint Paul Public Schools is upgrading restrooms in all locations that are undergoing major building renovations. The new restrooms are designed to be private, safe and secure.

Students of all genders have equal access to private and secure toilet stalls with floor-to-ceiling doors and walls, and share the handwashing area.

To ensure a wide range of needs was addressed, the SPPS Facilities Department developed and designed the new restroom model in partnership with a local design consultant, the City of Saint Paul, and students from Johnson High School.

2. What do the inclusive restrooms look like?

The new restrooms are brighter, safer and more accessible than traditional restrooms. Each toilet stall is equipped with its own floor-to-ceiling door and walls with a light and fan that turn on automatically. From the outside, the lock clearly indicates if the stall is vacant or occupied. On the inside, the sign reads as secure or unsecure. There are no more urinals.

3. How are inclusive restrooms different than traditional restrooms?

More privacy: Each toilet stall is equipped with a floor-to-ceiling door and walls. Each door has a lock that clearly shows from the outside when a stall is vacant or occupied. On the inside, the sign reads as secure or unsecure.

All genders have equal access to the same restrooms. While each student uses a private, individual stall, students of all genders use the same restroom wash stations. At middle and high school sites, both students and staff may share the same restrooms.

No more urinals.

4. What makes inclusive restrooms safer?

The new restrooms are easier to monitor: the open design and wider entrances make it easy to see into the general restroom area. The restrooms are also located in busy areas, so staff and students walking by can easily see into the handwashing area, which is also under camera surveillance. 

5. Which schools are getting new restrooms? Will all SPPS buildings eventually get these new restrooms?

Johnson High School has had their redesigned restrooms since 2016-17. 

As of January 2022, these schools and buildings also received new restrooms in coordination with their school remodeling/construction: Adams Spanish Immersion, Como Park Senior High, E-STEM (first floor), Education Operation Service building (Training area), Frost Lake Elementary (Addition), Global Arts Plus (Lower and Upper), Horace Mann Elementary, Highland Park Elementary, Humboldt High School, RiverEast, and St. Anthony Park Elementary.

Redesigned restrooms will be factored into remodeling at other SPPS buildings as budgets allow.