Back to School Information

Find out important back to school dates and information.

South St. Paul receives Safe Routes to School grant to improve walking and biking paths for area students

June 14, 2019 — South St. Paul Public Schools (SSPPS) students walking and biking to school next year will have some extra support to help make that journey safer thanks to a $98,600 grant from the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (MnDOT) Safe Routes to School program (SRTS). SSPPS is one of six school districts awarded the SRTS grant this year, out of a total application pool of 12 districts.

SSP junior accepted into prestigious scholars program for high-achieving, underrepresented students

June 6, 2019 — As many South St. Paul Public Schools (SSPPS) students prepare for a summer away from school, one SSP junior is preparing for an intensive six-week, college-preparatory summer academy at Amherst College in Boston as she plans for her future. This spring, Jenaye Vergin learned that she was one of a select group of students from across the nation accepted into the prestigious SCS Noonan Scholars Program. The mission of SCS Noonan Scholars is to help high-achieving, low-income, underrepresented students get into and graduate from top colleges equipped to achieve their full career potential.

District’s commitment to student health earns county award for highest student immunization rate

June 5, 2019 — District officials recently learned that its efforts to ensure all students are receiving vaccinations as required under Minnesota law, has paid off in more than just healthier kids. Last week, Dakota County Public Health notified SSPPS that the district had earned its Immunization Achievement Award for having the highest overall vaccination rate (98.33 percent) for seventh grade students in Dakota County.

Study shows additional success for SSP Secondary, besting comparison schools in graduation rates for students in poverty

June 3, 2019 – In April South St. Paul (SSP) Secondary learned that it had increased its overall four-year graduation rate from 92 percent in 2017 to 96 percent in 2018. Upon further investigation into the data, district officials learned that this trend also places SSP at the top of metro area public high schools that serve populations with higher poverty rates.

District receives grant for comprehensive arts education planning with goal of increasing access and opportunity to arts programming

May 30, 2019 — South St. Paul Public Schools (SSPPS) is one of eight Minnesota school districts chosen as recipients of the 2019-2021 Comprehensive Arts Planning Program provided by the Perpich Center for Arts Education. Minnesota’s Comprehensive Arts Planning Program (CAPP) provides assistance to selected public school districts as they design three-year, strategic plans for K-12 arts education programs. CAPP provides financial and technical assistance to support the strategic planning process through workshops, site visits, leadership development, and resource materials.

District plans for summer construction projects including security updates at Secondary and Lincoln Center playground replacement

May 29, 2019 — To many in Minnesota residents, summer is road construction season. It is also when school districts do most of their facility construction and updates. Such is the case in South St. Paul, as the district ramps up for three major construction projects this summer as part of its annual maintenance updates. As part of the district’s long-term facility maintenance plan, Lincoln Center will be getting a new playground, and Kaposia will update its 25-year old boiler system. One of the biggest maintenance projects scheduled for this summer, helped in part from a $500,000 School Safety Grant awarded to SSP Schools from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), is the renovation and relocation of the school’s main office.