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Good morning SPS Families,

Thank you for your patience as we navigate this week’s weather challenges.  Today, Feb. 28, SPS will operate on a two-hour delay out of an abundance of caution for student safety and current conditions.

We encourage students to attend school to the greatest extent possible. Our schools provide a warm, supervised place where students can get a meal and be part of a learning community. Parents can contact the school office to request an excused absence for their student.

Here are the revised start times for today’s 2-hour delayed start:  

SCHOOL/PROGRAM SCHEDULES 

CLASS SCHEDULES ON 2-HR DELAY 

Spokane Public Schools sent mutliple messages to families and staff on Dec. 10, 2022 regarding a hoax threat at our schools. Here they are, in order of when they were sent:

11:39 a.m.

To: All SPS Families and Staff

This morning, Spokane Police Department responded to reports of an active shooter at Lewis and Clark High School and North Central High School. SPD has confirmed that this appears to be a prank swatting hoax. We are working closely with SPD and will continue to inform families of developments.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that at least one Montana school was targeted with a similar hoax at the same time.

In a precautionary measure, Lewis and Clark and North Central High School will remain in lock down while the situation is evaluated.

12:12 p.m.

To: All Rogers High School Families

Dear Rogers Parents,

Rogers High School has entered lockdown as an abundance of caution due to an unsubstantiated threat. SPD are evaluating the situation and we will provide updates.

Thank you.

Spokane Public Schools

12:27 p.m.

To: All LC Families, Students and Staff

Good afternoon LC families,

Today, LC went into lockdown from approximately 11:00 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. regarding a hoax call on an active shooter on school grounds. LC is currently in Secure and Teach.  The Spokane Police Department quickly responded and swept the entire building to ensure all students were safe and accounted for. Parents wanting to pick up students must pick their student(s) up at the south side of the Field House. Parents or emergency contact must bring identification and check their student(s) out with an SPS staff member. Unless you were dismissed by a LC staff member, return to class.

Spokane Public Schools

12:30 p.m.

To: All Rogers High School Families

Dear Rogers Parents:

The lockdown at Rogers High School has now been lifted.

Thank you.

Spokane Public Schools

12:53 p.m.

To: All SPS Families and Staff

Dear SPS Parents and Staff:

UPDATE: Lockdowns at North Central High School and Rogers High School have been lifted. There will be a police presence outside Ferris High School out of an abundance of caution. There is no threat to Ferris High School and school remains in session.

Lewis and Clark lockdown has been lifted and the school is currently in "Secure and Teach" (exterior doors are locked, but normal activities continue inside the building).

Thank you.

Spokane Public Schools

Good morning SPS families and staff,

Spokane Public Schools will be on a regular schedule today, Thursday, Dec. 1. Questions? Please contact us at spokaneschools.org/letstalk.

Spokane Public Schools

Good morning SPS Families,

Heavy snow accumulations forecasted throughout today are expected to impact road conditions, visibility, and walking routes both now and this evening. Out of a concern for the safety of students and staff, Spokane Public Schools will close schools on Wednesday, Nov. 30. This includes all scheduled SPS events and afterschool extracurricular activities.

We will continue to monitor the weather forecast and will send an update to families regarding school operations for Thursday, Dec. 1.

Thank you for your patience as we navigate this week’s weather related challenges.

Spokane Public Schools

Good afternoon SPS Families, 

Thank you for your continued understanding as we confront the challenges brought by the surge in COVID-19 cases. As we mentioned in our communication last week, we are using every means available to maintain in-person learning, as per guidance from health officials.

Based on an evaluation of the current conditions and ongoing staffing shortages, we will be moving forward with adjusting the school calendar to utilize Jan. 24 as a “no school day.” This is part of our effort to avoid any abrupt, unplanned school closures, and ensures students are provided with our planned 180 days of in-person instruction. 

The schedule over the next two weeks will be as follows:

• Monday, Jan. 24 – No school* (replaces March 4 Professional Learning Improvement Day)
• Friday, Jan. 28 – Early release
• Monday, Jan. 31 – No school (semester break day)

*Please note: On Monday, Jan. 24, there will be no morning or afternoon childcare, including Express and preschool programs. Athletics and extracurricular activities scheduled for that day are being adjusted to the greatest extent possible. Please contact your athletic director or building administrator with specific questions.
 

New contact tracing form for students 

An interactive contact tracing tool will be posted at spokaneschools.org tomorrow, Jan. 21, to increase the efficiency of providing guidance to staff and schools regarding quarantine timelines. The contact tracing form will allow families to enter information related to student exposure, test results, and symptoms. Families and school staff will be given a return to school date upon completion of the form.

Parents and guardians of students who are exhibiting symptoms, have tested positive, or have been exposed inside or outside the household need to fill out this form. 

NOTE: Families that have already contacted their school nurse and have not yet received a call back from a contact tracer should fill out the form to determine their student’s return date.

After filling out the form, please continue to contact your student’s school attendance line to report symptoms.

Please also continue to wear a mask, practice good hygiene, and stay home if you have any COVID-19 symptoms. Here are three community resources that may be helpful as we navigate this pandemic together: 

• Regional vaccination clinics
• SRHD COVID testing sites
• gov - Free at-home COVID-19 tests

If you have any questions or comments, please contact us via Let’s Talk or visit the SPS website for more information.

Spokane Public Schools

Thank you for your continued patience as we confront the challenges brought on by the surge in COVID-19 cases. We are using every means available to maintain in-person learning and avoid abrupt, unplanned school closures. We are particularly grateful for the many substitutes and staff who have stepped in to cover classrooms. This includes over 50 central office administrators and numerous members of our support team.

Despite our efforts, we are still facing a large number of shortages every day, creating a significant strain on individual classrooms, schools, and district operations. Public health officials have predicted the omicron surge will peak next week, meaning staffing conditions will likely not improve and may worsen over the next several weeks.

Considering this, we are adjusting our school calendar to provide additional time for staff to complete quarantines required by the Department of Health. Recognizing that current staffing levels have reached a critical point, we believe this approach will help us return staff to work and manage contact tracing, while offering as much advanced notice as possible and continuity for students.

Our intent is to continue providing in-person learning, as recommended by public health officials. Shifting the school calendar instead of canceling school keeps as many students in school as possible with minimal disruption to education and other SPS services.
 

Calendar adjustments 

The next three weeks will include the following calendar days and adjustments:

• Monday, Jan. 17 – No school (MLK Day)
• Tuesday, Jan. 18 – No school (replaces March 14 snow make-up day)
• Monday, Jan. 24 – No school for students, pending conditions (see *note below)
• Monday, Jan. 31 – No school (semester break day)

*NOTE: We highly anticipate the need to utilize Jan. 24 as a non-student day (replacing March 4) and will provide final confirmation no later than Thursday, Jan. 20, to allow staff and families as much advance notice as possible.
 

Additional considerations for Jan. 18

On Tuesday, Jan. 18, there will be no morning or afternoon childcare, including Express and preschool programs.

Athletics and extracurricular activities are being adjusted to the greatest extent possible. Please contact your athletic director or building administrator with specific questions.

Our goal is to keep as many students in school as possible with minimal disruption to education and other SPS services. Please continue to wear a mask, practice good hygiene, and stay home if you have any COVID-19 symptoms. Families should contact their student’s school attendance line to report symptoms. Here are two community resources that may be helpful:

• Regional vaccination clinics
• SRHD COVID testing sites

If you have any questions or comments, please contact us via Let’s Talk or visit the SPS website for more information.

Spokane Public Schools

SPS Community,

We’re aware of a troubling post that has been shared widely this week on the social media platform TikTok. The post refers to a threat to school safety “for every school in the USA, even elementary,” on Friday, December 17.

The post is part of a national TikTok trend and did not originate in our school district. We have heard reports from many other districts across the state that the same post is circulating in their schools. While we do not believe the threat to be credible, we are closely monitoring the situation and taking it seriously. We will continue working diligently to preserve the safety of our learning community.

This situation serves as a good example of why it is important to avoid sharing posts online that refer to school safety threats. Even if they are not credible threats, they can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety for our students, families, and staff. We ask our families to monitor their children’s social media activity and speak with them about proper behavior online.

If you or your child become aware of any potential threat posted to social media or anywhere else, please notify a school staff member or trusted adult right away.

As always, we appreciate your partnership as we work to ensure a safe, secure, and positive learning environment for our students.

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