We need our parents to act now to advocate for our students at St. Croix Catholic School. The entire SCCS community has worked tirelessly this summer to prepare for our children to return to school five days a week for in-person learning during a global pandemic. This has been no small task!
Unfortunately, Stillwater Area School District #834 is refusing to commit to busing SCCS students when the public school students do not have in-person learning. Currently, this applies to Fridays, but this will most likely include all days of the week if District #834 moves to full distance learning.
Additionally, SCCS is encountering challenges in accessing other services through District #834, similar to what other Catholic schools throughout the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis are experincing.
Therefore, we are encouraging our families to reach out to Interim Superintendent Malinda Lansfeldt and the Stillwater Area School Board through the following emails:
Feel free to use and personalize the pre-drafted message below or write your own message.
Sincerely,
SCCS Board of Director members:
Father Michael Izen, Liz Doll, Stacie Forti, Judy Logan, Samantha Bertrand,
Emily Fridgen, Maggie Justen, Sam Nelson, and Dan Schulte
Message:
Dear Superintendent Lansfeldt and Stillwater Area School Board:
I write to you as a member of the St. Croix Catholic School community regarding District #834's responsibility to provide consistent and high-quality services of busing, health staff, and special education services to private school students residing in District #834. As you know, the majority of our families live in the Stillwater Area School District and are paying taxes that support our public school system, from which we use minimal services. Additionally, St. Croix Catholic School is currently able to have its doors open for in-person learning, five days a week, for all students. We believe it is our right and represents equality and fairness to have access to the services our students need, daily, Monday through Friday, and in person, and kindly request that District #834 provide these services as due to SCCS students and families whether or not District #834 will be providing in-person learning throughout the year. Denying daily transportation to/from school, proper in-person health staffing, and in-person special education services for the students at St. Croix Catholic School is not fair, nor is it equitable.
We are hopeful that you will reconsider SCCS's requests for further collaboration with District #834. These requests are supported and encouraged by the most recent guidance from the Minnesota Department of Education, specifically regarding busing.
https://rb.gy/mpd1jq
Sincerely,
Your Name
SCCS Parent
