Colleagues:

Over the last week, Minnesota experienced new records of COVID-19 cases and, sadly, deaths on an almost daily basis. The ongoing impact of this pandemic is significant. Behind each of these statistics is a person. Many of them are people we know; perhaps a family member, a coworker or a neighbor. The pandemic is not just something being experienced by "other people." It’s impacting SPPS and our families directly.

Monday begins the fourth week that our Stage 1 schools and programs have been implementing hybrid schedules. They have worked incredibly hard adhering to our safety protocols and serving students in person. We also continue to see Pre-K-12 students enrolling at our Academic Support Centers. Plans are underway to expand support in the near future. We also completed our first week of Extended Day Learning (EDL) programming for a limited number of students, and I want to thank our staff and leaders for their work to make this happen. 

I also want to point out that we have experienced the impact of COVID-19 at some of these sites. Students and/or staff have either reported symptoms or have learned they were exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or came into contact with someone who has been exposed. Each of these situations have been handled following our COVID-19 health and safety protocol, affected staff and students have been notified and quarantined, and programs have adjusted accordingly. We will continue to closely monitor all of our in-person programs, including Stage 1 of hybrid learning, Essential Kids Care, our Academic Support Center, EDL and our other in-person programs, and remain ready to act to keep our students and staff as safe and healthy as possible.  

This virus has prevented most of our students and teachers from being where they need to be - in the classroom. It has prevented us from providing not only the best academic experience for our kids, but also the social-emotional support that we know our students and our colleagues need to thrive. None of us are truly at our best right now. 

While "COVID fatigue" is real, now is not the time to concede. We cannot let up on our efforts 1) to keep ourselves and those around us safe and healthy, and 2) to improve upon and deliver the best experience for our students.

I understand it may be easy to get complacent and even tell ourselves, "There’s nothing more I can do." But we can’t let that kind of thinking get in the way of the work we need to do. Instead of giving up or giving in, now is the time to double down on our efforts. Here are a few things we can all do to get this virus under control: 

• Social distance in every public situation. This means avoiding gatherings and staying at least 6 feet apart from anyone who is not in your household. We have all heard of “superpreader events,” usually involving dozens if not hundreds of people in a common area. But even small gatherings can spread the virus. Please be aware of who you're around and keep your distance.
  
• Wear a mask. Always wear a mask. And encourage people around you to do the same. As the saying goes, “I wear a mask to protect you; please wear a mask to protect me.”
  
  
• Pay attention to your symptoms and stay home if you're not feeling well. This bit of common sense is more important than ever.

I and my team continue to do everything possible to model these behaviors and to monitor COVID numbers in our community. Doing right for our students, for each other and for our community takes on a whole new meaning during a pandemic. Thank you for taking care of those we serve by taking care of ourselves.

In partnership,

Joe Gothard, Superintendent