Dear Colleagues,

I hope you are getting into the groove of the new year, settling into new routines, and building community within your schools and programs. There is always some shifting that happens at the beginning of the year, and new schedules at some high schools and different start times for some of our elementary schools come with their own growing pains. Overall, I continue to hear positive reports from schools, and I am here to support any areas that need extra attention.

One thing we are watching closely is enrollment. In the spring, we projected that district enrollment would decrease by 1,482 students to 31,883. As of Friday, our daily enrollment count was 31,848, just 35 students below projection. (Staff can view these reports if they are logged in on the Data Center.) While an enrollment decline is not cause for celebration, it is what we expected and planned for, and it provides a baseline for where we go from here. 

Some schools have seen big gains in their enrollment, including several of the schools impacted by Envision SPPS. In particular, Phalen Lake Hmong Studies Magnet, Maxfield Elementary, Hamline Elementary and Bruce F. Vento all increased by more than 100 students each. Cherokee Heights, Wellstone, L’Etoile du Nord and Highwood Hills also saw double-digit gains as of Friday’s report. We’ve also been able to add and reallocate some classroom teachers to move kids off the waitlist and into their new schools.

At the Board of Education meeting last week, Director Ward shared an update on the enrollment and retention committee. This committee is a collaboration between the Board, Saint Paul Federation of Educators, district staff, and five parents/community members who applied and were selected to be part of this effort. Their work is focused on stabilizing enrollment for next year, and growing enrollment at under-enrolled schools for the 2024-25 school year. 

With declining birth rates and more competition from charter schools, we know we need to do more to get families to choose SPPS, and to stay with the district through graduation. This is not simply a marketing campaign; it takes all of us working together to make our schools welcoming, desirable, and ready to support every student and family who walk through our doors. I am excited about what’s to come and welcome your ideas on how we can collectively show families that SPPS has the best school for their children.

Thank you for putting your best foot forward every day for our students, families and each other. I continue to be impressed and inspired by this district and firmly believe that our staff are one of the biggest reasons for families to choose and stay in SPPS.

In Partnership,

Joe Gothard, Superintendent