Ask SPS

Hi Ashley, Our Nutrition, Physical Fitness, and Wellness procedure 6700 recommends that food not be used as an incentive. All activities involving food need to be approved by the principal and should happen after the regular school lunch time. Yes, parents can provide non-food items like pencils and stickers with the approval of the classroom teacher. COVID-19 Guidelines:

• During the COVID-19 pandemic, students attending school may bring food for personal consumption only.
• Food items should not be shared.
• Pre-packaged food items may be ordered through Nutrition Services.
• Commercially prepackaged food can be shared with approval by the school administrator.
• Celebrations that include pre-packaged food should occur after the lunch service.
• Food in schools must continue to comply with procedure 6700.
• Staff and students must follow all COVID-19 lunchroom protocols when providing food.

Hi Matthias, Thanks for your questions. We are down to about 500 substitutes from a regular pool of about 1,000. We will ramp up recruiting efforts this summer to try to hire as many subs as possible to meet the needs next year. Please help spread the word to friends and family to apply to be substitutes for our district! We anticipate needing substitutes in all areas. SPS continues to be the highest paying district for substitutes in the area. An incentive plan is being considered but nothing has been finalized.

Hi Mickie, Yes! Graduation for the Class of 2022 is scheduled for June 11-12.

Hi Jen, Thanks for your question. Next year, we are planning to return to our traditional hours of 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. for elementary, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. for middle school, and 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. for high school.

Graduates with family members who are fully vaccinated may exchange their two general seating area wristbands for up to four wristbands for the fully vaccinated seating area.

Hi Jennifer, The quarantine time after an exposure is now 10 days (rather than 14). This reflects WA DOH guidance.

Hi Brandi, Thanks for your question. We will continue to enforce mask guidelines set forth by SRHD, particularly as we continue to have COVID cases in our schools.

Hi Denise, Thanks for your question. Spokane Public Schools adheres to vaccination rules set forth by the state, and we will continue to do that going forward.

Hi Shelley, Thanks for your question. Since kindergarteners returned to in-person learning, we have followed a consistent practice of having students keep their masks on while eating. This was coverered during the back-to-school webinars held as each grade phased in to in-person learning.

Hi Anna, Thanks for sharing your concerns. We will continue to enforce mask guidelines set forth by SRHD, particularly as we continue to have COVID cases in our schools.

Hi Vincent, I'm sorry, but I'm not sure what you're asking. It may be best to check with your counselor or the student office if you think there's an error in your attendance record.

Hi Ashley, School staff should be contacting you to bring additional documents to complete your registration. You can find them here. The health record in #3 contains a place for you to make note of special conditions. Please check with your school if you have further concerns.

Thanks for your question. Teachers are not required to disclose their vaccination status. The COVID vaccine is not mandatory in Washington and so is not required for staff and students at this time.

Hi Josh, I talked with Lidgerwood Principal Steve Barnes who let me know that the music teacher's contract has her split time between teaching music at Lidgerwood and choir at Garry. This is a common practice. She is teaching differentiated music to Lidgerwood students based on their grade level, and does not teach third grade music to everyone. To maximize space at crowded schools, some subjects do use a cart for accessing classes of students. We are sorry to hear that you feel the quality of education has gone down. Please reach out to Principal Barnes to further discuss your concerns: stevebar@spokaneschools.org or 509.354.3225.

Hi Mark, It has been confirmed that the June Fridays are: June 4 = A cohort June 11 = B cohort June 18 = A cohort The website calendar has been updated to reflect this change.

Spokane Public Schools does not teach critical race theory.

Hi Cody, Thanks for reaching out with your concern. I shared it with our Lead Transportation Specialist Michael Warnecke, who said that because the bus number is a single digit, it was not a Durham bus, which is the transportation company for our district. He supposes it was a west or east valley bus that you saw, and said: "Regarding the tracks at Euclid and N. Greene St.: There is a stop light on the west side of the tracks, the traffic light can dictate go and stop for buses, (quite an ongoing debate for a lot of agencies). If the bus was on the east side of the tracks heading westbound, they should stop by law. (no traffic light) All Durham buses stop at all railroad crossings." If you have additional concerns, please contact Michael at 509-354-7388.

Hi Phillip, Yes, last night, the SPS Board of Directors voted 4-1 to build a new stadium downtown for the Spokane community. *SPS will build the stadium using the $31 million allocated in the 2018 school bond. Any building costs beyond $31 million, including upgrades or future renovations, are not the responsibility of SPS. *As part of the proposal, the United Soccer League has agreed to bring a professional soccer team to Spokane.
*During the term of the contract, approximately 2,000 free parking spots within the vicinity of the stadium will be available for all district events. Find more information here.

Hi Chad,

Spokane Public Schools adopted a model Emergency Waiver Resolution with guidance from the State Board of Education. The Washington Legislature approved EHB1121 this legislative session and the State Board of Education created the rules for school districts to adopt and follow. There are prescribed requirements and uses for the Emergency Waiver as defined by the State Board of Education. High school counselors are connecting with Class of 2021 seniors and their families who may need emergency waivers with final approval by building principals. Students who are approved for Emergency Waivers will be able to graduate on-time and will be counted into the high school and overall district graduation rate just like other Washington school districts across the state.

Hi Charlotte, At its May 5 meeting, the SPS Board of Directors voted 4-1 to build a new stadium downtown to replace the aging Joe Albi facility. The decision was not made lightly, and involved hundreds of emails, several public forums, a ThoughtExchange survey, and many spirited discussions with members of our community.

As it considered how to evaluate new information that recently emerged, the School Board recognized the significance and role of a 2018 advisory vote. Many things have changed since then. The new stadium proposal, which was first presented in March 2021, includes specific details and benefits to the school district that were not available and/or defined in 2018.

Board President Jerrall Haynes said the decision allows the district to innovatively support students and families that are on the margins of society far too often. Learn more about the proposal here.

Not in the traditional sense. Some schools are working on senior end-of-the-year celebration events, so be sure to check with your principal to learn what your school is planning.

Yes! As you probably know by now, there is school today. All 5th & 6th graders have a virtual learning day.

Fifth and sixth graders in SPS have a virtual learning day April 27, and then return to full-time in-person learning April 28.

We will not remove the mask mandate until Spokane Regional Health District, WA Department of Heath, and the CDC all say that it is safe to do so.

Hi James, We are very interested in people's thoughts about the draft boundary adjustments, and encourage you to share your feedback with the Boundary Committee at boundaries@sps81.org and/or the SPS School Board at Schoolboard@spokaneschools.org. In addition, the school board plans to hold a public hearing June 2 on the final proposed boundary adjustments.

We currently have one board member who lives in the East Central neighborhood (on the north side of the highway).

Our school board members are elected at-large, unlike the city council members who represent regions. The school board has had various conversations on this topic as they want to promote and encourage diverse representation within the community. We encourage anyone interested in serving on the school board to participate in the elections process facilitated by Spokane County Elections, which is accepting candidates through May 21 for this election cycle.

Hi James, Thanks for your question. I urge you to reach out to NC Principal Steve Fisk (SteveF@spokaneschools.org or 509.354.6235) to learn about the outreach that has been done. One of the many challenges he mentioned is how to effectively reach the representatives and leadership from the 123 different tribes represented across Spokane.

Thank you for your feedback. We will pass along your thoughts to the SPS School Board.

Hi Kim, Thanks for reaching out. Here is the process for renaming a school or mascot:

1. Individual or group submits a request to the School Board of Directors and the Superintendent.
2. The School Board and Superintendent will review and will determine if it will be placed on the school board agenda.
3. If placed on board agenda, the individual or groups requesting the change will be asked to present the request.
4. After discussion, the school board will decide to consider renaming of a school or different school mascot, then will schedule a public hearing.
5. After the public hearing, the school board will make the decision to rename the school or change the mascot. You can contact the SPS School Board at Schoolboard@spokaneschools.org.

Hi Curt, I reached out to Principal Nikki Golden. She said that students were starting to tackle and push and so they cancelled it temporarily. They are looking into COVID-safe options of play, and are considering flag football, but really want to just play games that do not encourage “hands on.” They cancelled “tag” as well due to COVID. If you have other questions, please contact Principal Golden: NicoleG@spokaneschools.org or 509.354.3200.

Hi Charlotte, The survey on the new stadium closed March 31. If you'd like to share feedback, please contact the SPS School Board: Schoolboard@spokaneschools.org. Thank you!

Hi Haley, It would be great for you to talk about this with your counselor.

Yes, students say the Pledge of Allegiance each day.

Hi Emily, In the Course Registration Information, it looks like there are some honors math offerings. Please connect with your counselor to find out more.

Hi Chad, SPS has maintained an ongoing commitment to following the guidance and regulations of public health officials and returning students to in-person instruction as quickly as possible. The Department of Health recently released updated reopening guidelines that specifically adjust the social distancing requirement in classrooms to 3 feet. The requirement for 6 feet of social distance continues between adults, adults and students, and specific settings such as lunch, band, choir, and fitness courses.

Details of the updated guidelines are being closely evaluated to determine feasibility and the potential for any revisions to the district’s reopening plan. An update will be provided to the School Board on April 14.

Hi Michael, You can find information about school attendance laws here. You may want to connect with your daughter's school counselor to discuss your particular situation.

Hi Aislynn, Good news! Your account is still available and enabled so you should be able to log in using the same credentials you had as a student.

Hi Isabella, The following letter was sent to all 6th grade parents: We are so excited to have your 6th grade student returning to the classroom! We know there will be some changes and adjustments as your student returns and wanted to address what this will mean for the band/strings/art elective courses.

Our band, string, art teachers will still travel to the schools to provide instruction, but the elective block will look more like an enrichment class. Students will have the opportunity to explore multiple modes of expression through various art forms. Experiences will be anchored in creativity and the artistic process.

Due to safety protocols and logistics, we will not be able to continue band & strings in the classroom. We will, however, provide after school virtual clubs for those who want to continue playing their band or string instrument or who wish to continue art with the teacher who has been providing their remote art instruction.

For band/string students who want to continue playing, we will be providing after school virtual clubs taught by your students’ band/string teacher. Virtual art clubs will also be available for students who were taking this option during our remote time. *Clubs will be held virtually, on Teams, from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. *Each teacher will decide on a schedule and let the students and buildings know which day(s) they will be providing the club. *Clubs will run March 15 - May 28. *Registration for clubs will be via forms, email or a way that works best for your student’s school. *For those band and string students that borrowed an instrument from the district and who will not be participating in a club, a plan to collect instruments will provided once students come back in person. You can expect to receive communication about clubs soon from your student’s band, string, or art teacher. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to your building administration and/or your band, string, or art teacher.

Hi Pamela, Thanks for checking back. A few weeks ago, the U.S. Dept. of Education let all states know that state testing would still be required this Spring. OSPI (representing the state of WA) is going to resubmit a proposal to the U.S. Department of Education at the federal level to ask for flexibility on the amount of students tested and what should be tested (i.e. representative sampling).

They are accepting public comment on their proposal before formally submitting to the U.S. Dept. of Ed. They are submitting to the U.S. Dept of Ed on March 23, which means we might not know final ruling for a week or two.

Hi Layne, Certificated substitute positions are filled at every one of our schools consistently and support all buildings across the district.

Hi Greg, When a critical incident impacts a school community, we notify parents as soon as possible via our Blackboard Messenger notification system. Please make sure your emergency contact information is always up to date at your child’s school. Also check the SPS homepage at spokaneschools.org, the SPS Facebook page, or our Twitter feed for updates.

Typically, emergency situations are fluid and multiple agencies are involved, so communication is coordinated through the “lead agency,” which may cause a delay in notification. We will provide as much credible, accurate and timely information as possible. Information received from sources other than the school administrator or SPS communications office may be inaccurate.

Find more information about our emergency procedures here.

Hi Chad, Thanks for asking.

1. Being within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more, either consecutively or cumulatively.
2. COVID cases are confirmed by lab-performed testing that is approved by SRHD.

Hi John, SPS has been moving forward with a plan to build a new stadium at Joe Albi due to the disrepair of the current 50-year-old facility. It has been consistently stated that our planning is continuing on schedule, and that any group in the community is welcome to share ideas about the concept of a downtown stadium if new details or information becomes available.     As you are aware, the district recently received a formal request from the Downtown Spokane Partnership (DSP) to present a new proposal for a downtown stadium option.

The SPS Board of Directors accepted the request of the DSP and the United Soccer League (USL) to present on March 10. The purpose of the board presentation was for the DSP to share new facts and to answer questions. The new proposal includes:

• A central location for events
• $17.5 million in cost savings for the district
• Plans for ample and free parking
• A commitment for a professional soccer league team
• Potential economic impact for the local economy

Provided the information and details are significantly different compared to previous downtown stadium options and potentially beneficial to the district, the SPS School Board is requesting public input on the new downtown stadium proposal.

Please consider attending a public forum March 16 or 17, and also taking part in our ThoughtExchange Survey.

Yes, disposable face coverings are available if a student forgets theirs.

I think that most school dress codes discourage tops with spaghetti straps, but each school sets its own dress code.

Hi Stacy, Please connect with your student's counselor or principal to talk about options. We are working hard to support the wishes of all our families.

Hi Lori, The hybrid model is being used to reduce student populations in schools to meet health & safety requirements. In the older grades, there's just not enough room in schools for all the students to attend at the same time while maintaining a safe social distance. Hybrid learning can provide unique opportunities to give students strategies and structures, such as self-management, they will use throughout their life. If you haven't already, please take a few minutes to listen to this podcast on hybrid learning with education consultant Jeff Utecht.

Hi Pamela, We are awaiting guidance from OSPI (the state superintendent's office). We have heard that they have submitted a waiver to the US Dept. of Education to not administer the SBAC this spring, but have not heard any guidance yet from the new administration as they transition in. As more guidance comes out, we will make sure to let schools, students, and families know.