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Celebrating our South St. Paul Public Schools Board of Education

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Celebrating our South St. Paul Public Schools Board of Education

February is School Board Appreciation Month in the State of Minnesota. The goal of the month is to build awareness and understanding of the vital function elected school board members play in our society. SSPPS School Board Members are entrusted by this community with responsibility for about 3,000 students, 500 employees, and seven buildings and sites. SSPPS  is joining other school districts across the state in celebrating School Board Recognition Month to honor local board members for their commitment to our schools and students.

Who is on the SSPPS School Board?

The South St. Paul Board of Education is composed of seven members elected by residents of our district. They serve four-year terms with an election happening every two years. The current SSPPS Board Members include:

  • John Raasch (Chair)
  • Monica Weber (Vice Chair)
  • Nikki Laliberte (Clerk)
  • Anne Claflin (Treasurer)
  • B.E. Bernie Beerman
  • Tim Felton
  • Wendy Felton

What does the School Board do?

The School Board is responsible for making policies and helping to enforce the policies put in place. Sometimes this means making decisions that can be quite difficult or require researching large amounts of information. Through collaboration with school district staff they also help create the mission and vision for the district, focus attention on improving student achievement, and represent the school district in the community.

Where and When are Board Meetings and How Can I Reach Out to Board Members?

SSPPS School Board meetings take place the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month and are open to the public.

Committee-of-the-Whole Meetings: The Committee-of-the-Whole (COW) is intended to provide space for School Board members to hear and discuss district business. COW meetings are open to the public, but are not televised. They begin at 5:00 PM at South St. Paul City Hall.

Regular Business Meetings: The Regular Business Meeting is for School Board members to review and approve staffing and other official district business. Regular Business Meetings are open to the public and begin at 6:00 PM at South St. Paul City Hall. Regular business meetings are also televised through TownSquare Television. You can watch them live on Comcast Channel 15 or live-streamed online. A recorded version of the Regular Business Meeting is also available on the SSPPS District Website the day after a meeting takes place.

Public Listening Sessions: The School Board provides opportunities for community members to address the board. These are called Public Listening Sessions. They occur on the first meeting date of each month at City Hall at 4:15 pm, before the COW meetings take place. You can also submit an electronic Public Listening Session Comment. The forms will be acknowledged during the regular business meeting.