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South Saint Paul board hears back-to-school plans; approves contracts, consent items 5-0
Summary
At its Aug. 25, 2025 meeting the South Saint Paul School Board received presentations from elementary, middle and high school leaders about the start of the year, early-learning moves to Kapoja, curricular changes and student supports. The board also approved consent items and continuing teacher contracts by unanimous votes.
The South Saint Paul School Board on Aug. 25, 2025 received a series of back-to-school updates from building leaders and approved routine business items including consent claims and continuing teacher contracts by 5-0 votes.
Early learning and preschool: Kristen Somartano Weeks, the district’s early learning coordinator, told the board the ECFE program moved from the Family Education Center into Kapoja to place youngest learners inside elementary buildings. “We made a big move out of the Family Education Center and into Kapoja,” she said, and invited families to an open house at Kapoja on Wednesday, Sept. 3 from 4 to 7 p.m. Kristen reported strong preschool enrollment: “We’ve got 3 full classes of all day 4 year olds at Lincoln this year and 2 full classes of full day classes at Kapoja. Her threes classes are nearly full.” She also named a newly hired parent educator, Bethany Pankow.
Lincoln Center Elementary: Principal Sofia Bulsard said the school welcomed staff and celebrated an outdoor classroom garden and a therapy dog that supports the art program. She said Lincoln will run an open-house-style family event (10 a.m.–6 p.m.) so families can visit flexibly and schedule brief teacher meetings.
Middle school: Principal Leah Borg outlined the middle school’s continuous improvement plan and new curricular adoptions. She said science will use the Amplify curriculum and the English language arts team will use Arts and Letters (a middle-school-aligned version of Wit & Wisdom). Borg said the school has two strategic goals for the year: raise positive attendance by 3 percentage points and increase the percentage of students with passing grades to at least 87 percent.
High school and CLC: High-school principal Chuck described attendance and grading changes, incentives for reducing tardies, and an update to the Win Wednesday schedule (a pause in dedicated Win Wednesday programming until the seventh week of a trimester so students can initially focus on classes). He also said the school will adopt Xello for career and postsecondary planning and will require students to complete a post-summative assessment reflection. Robin Schwab, who works with the Community Learning Center (CLC), described the CLC’s theme for the year (“grown 101”), Friday support blocks for credit recovery, and that Tri District will move into first-floor space for health careers programming.
Superintendent items and family resources: Superintendent Dr. Michael Zambrino (listed in materials as doctor Zambrino) praised staff and described district action items for families. He urged families to update the annual census information in Infinite Campus and to submit the application for educational benefits (formerly the free/reduced-price lunch application) because it affects district compensatory aid and services. He warned that students lacking required immunizations may not be allowed to attend until compliance is documented and announced a vaccine clinic with Dakota County Health on Wednesday, Aug. 27 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the secondary building.
Board actions: The board approved the meeting agenda and minutes (covering July work session, July business meeting, and August work session), approved the consent items (financial claims, bills payable and staffing), and approved continuing teacher contracts for the 2025–26 year. All votes recorded were 5-0.
Ending: Administrators said the district will begin school with a rolling start (Sept. 2 and Sept. 3 for different grade bands) and encouraged families to consult the district website (sspps.org) for handbooks, supply lists and open-house details.
