Back-to-School Information 2023-24

Welcome back to school Kaposia Education Center Families!

Well, maybe not yet, but the school year is quickly approaching and this newsletter will provide you with important information to make sure your child begins their year ready to continue to grow as a South Saint Paul Packer. We hope you all have taken the time to slow down, enjoy family and friends, and get out and enjoy this beautiful Minnesota summer. The Kaposia staff has been taking some time off to re-energize before we gear up for the 2023-2024 school year. The 2023-2024 school year will be special for Kaposia Education Center. We will celebrate our 30th year educating students! Kaposia first opened its doors in September of 1993. Before being named
as the home of KEC, it was the site of the old Washington Elementary building. Throughout the fall our district and staff will be celebrating 30 years as an awesome institution for learning!

Kaposia History: Did You Know?

• Kaposia was built on the original site of Washington Elementary School (1929 to 1993).
• Two elementary schools were torn down, Washington and Roosvelt (located on the 500 block of 5th Ave), and students from those two schools were sent to Kaposia beginning in 1993.
• The name Kaposia Education Center was decided upon by the naming committee to honor the members of the Kaposia tribe that resided in the area and along the banks of the Mississippi before and during the early years of South St. Paul (originally called South Park).
• Five of our current staff have been working at Kaposia since it opened in 1993: Mrs. Croonquist, Mrs. Rue, Ms. Callies, Ms. Spannbauer and Mr. Wright.

This letter is being sent to inform and assist you in preparing for the upcoming school year. Be sure to read all of the details carefully.
There will be more specific information as we approach the start of the school year. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact the front office directly at 651- 451-9260.

Family To Do List:

Review the Back to School List

• Log into your Parent Portal account to see your child’s teacher
• Sign up for a Family Connection Conference at https://www.ptcfast.com/schools/KEC
• All families complete the Educational Benefits Application (even if you don’t think you qualify)
• All transportation-eligible families complete the survey on District Provided Transportation

Review Arrival and Dismissal Information

• School starts for Grades 1-5 on Tuesday, September 5
• School starts for Kindergarten on Thursday, September 7

Kaposia Education Center FAQ

Where do I locate my child’s supply lists for the 2023-2024 school year?
Please visit the district’s web page at www.sspps.org and ook at the home page, scroll down and click on Back-to-School Information to find our supply list and other pertinent information.

How and when do I find out who my child’s teacher is?
Homeroom assignments will be released Friday, August 11. Please understand that all homeroom placements are final. To find a
student’s assigned teacher, log into the Parent Portal, and click on the “schedule” tab. For technical assistance, please email
parenttechhelp@sspps.org or call 651-457-9458. If you need to set up your parent portal account, please contact the main office at
651-451-9260 for your activation code.

How do I update my Parent Portal account?
School to family communication is a critical component of a student’s success. SSPPS uses Campus Parent Portal as our district-wide
database for family contact information and preferences. To ensure your family is receiving important communication from SSPPS,
please login to your Campus Parent Portal account to review and update all contact information (phone number, email address, etc.)
and other preferences like the primary language you would like to receive your communication.

How do I sign up for a Parent Portal account if I don’t have one?
If you need assistance signing up for Campus Parent Portal, click here, how to create your Campus Parent account.

When are Family Connection Days? How can I sign my student up?
Our Family Connection Day for grades K -5 will be on Thursday, August 31, from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM. Additional kindergarten family
connection days will be held on Tuesday, September 5, and Wednesday, September 6, from 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Kaposia staff want to learn about your child, your family, and how we can begin to partner to allow your child to thrive at school. Click
https://www.ptcfast.com/schools/KEC to sign up for a Family Connection Conference. Students are welcome to bring in school supplies at the time of their conference. Please note that kindergarten conferences will be one hour in length to allow for a conference and assessment.

Food trucks will be at KEC on August 31 for you to enjoy some delicious food!
A portion of the proceeds will benefit our school.

What is an “Educational Benefits” form? Do I need to fill one out?

While all students will receive one free breakfast and lunch each day through the new Free School Meals for Kids legislation that was
passed this spring, SSPPS still needs you to complete or opt out of the 2023-24 Educational Benefits Application. Completed
applications determine how much funding your child’s school receives from the state for educational programs and other supports. In
addition, qualifying families may be eligible for a variety of discounts. Visit our website at www.sspps.org/departments/nutrition and
click on the Educational Benefits tab to complete your application and view other discounts available to qualifying families.
Completing an Educational Benefits Application is easy, confidential and can be done one of three ways:

1. Online: Complete an application online at www.schoolcafe.com.
2. Mail or Drop off: Complete the enclosed application and mail or drop off at the SSPPS Nutrition Services Office (104 - 5th Avenue South)
3. Back to School Events: Return completed Educational Benefits Application during the Student/Family Connection Days for your school.

Does my student qualify for district-provided transportation (a.k.a. the bus)?
Families who qualify for district-provided transportation were sent a survey from SPPS on July 12; please fill it out. The survey is
asking families to accept or decline their student’s transportation for the 2023-2024 school year. If you did not receive an email and
believe you meet the district-provided transportation guidelines (elementary students living 1.0 miles or more from assigned school
and 1.5 for secondary students), visit our website at www.sspps.org/departments/transportation to view the qualifying boundaries
and/or contact our transportation office at eryan@sspps.org.

My student does not ride the bus. Where should I drop off and pick up?
It is the responsibility of each family to know and understand the arrival and dismissal procedures at Kaposia. Please review the map
linked here and the Arrival and Dismissal Family Procedures linked here. Always park your vehicle in the parking lot. Do not park
along the yellow curb at any point of the day for any reason.

If my student doesn’t qualify to ride the bus, can they still ride the bus?
Safe-Way Bus Company is offering Pay-to-Ride transportation on a first-come, first-served basis for students who are not eligible for
district-provided transportation. Pay-to-Ride space is limited so interested families should complete the Pay-to-Ride Registration form
located on our website at www.sspps.org/departments/transportation. Families should also make alternate plans as Pay-to-Ride
availability may not be determined until October 1 or later when all district-provided transportation obligations have been met.
Families will be notified when a transportation space becomes available.

Our family is in transition and without a home. How will our child get to school?
If your family is experiencing homelessness, such as staying in a shelter, hotel or temporarily with others, we can help make sure your
child has stability in their education through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act. For help in accessing these services, please contact
the main office at 651-451-9260.

How do I sign up for Kaposia’s weekly parent newsletter?
We do our best to communicate what is happening at Kaposia and throughout the district. The electronic communication tool we use
is Parent Square. The newsletter and important announcements will be delivered from Mr. Bretoi directly to your email inbox through
Parent Square and Smore.

Important Dates to Remember:

• Thursday, August 31: Grades K-5 Family Connection Day 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
• Tuesday, September 5: First Day of School for grades 1-5 and Kindergarten Family Connection Day 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• Wednesday, September 6: Kindergarten Family Connection Day 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• Thursday, September 7: First day of school for kindergarten students
• Monday, September 18: Grades K-5 student fall photos

Looking forward to having our Kaposia students back in school to have the most AWESOME year yet!!

Terry Bretoi, Principal
Jody Hansen, Assistant Principal

Kaposia Education Center
30 Years of Awesome!