Following the fatal shooting of a woman by a federal agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday and increased federal actions in the Twin Cities, St. Paul Public Schools officials are working to reassure families of student safety and inform them of district procedures.

“I am writing to you with a heavy heart and struggling to find words about what we are witnessing and experiencing during this time in our city and neighboring communities,” Superintendent Stacie Stanley wrote in a communication to families Wednesday evening. “Minneapolis and St. Paul have become the center of federal actions by the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). While these actions have already caused unimaginable harm and anguish for our community, today the fear has only intensified due to a fatal shooting of a civilian by a federal agent in Minneapolis.”

Federal agents will not be granted access to SPPS schools or buildings without a verified judicial warrant and staff are outside the school at drop-off and pickup times, she wrote. Students can also let bus drivers know if they do not feel safe getting off the bus for any reason and drivers can make arrangements for a safe transport home, according to district procedures.

In Minneapolis, Minneapolis Public Schools are closed Thursday and Friday and district activities are canceled. The cancellations come after a report of armed of U.S. Border Patrol officers who entered school property at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis during Wednesday’s dismissal period, Minnesota Public Radio reported.

Stanley has been in contact with Mayor Kaohly Her and the St. Paul Police Department to monitor any activity that could impact schools, she wrote. Principals, security staff and other key personnel have safety procedures and protocols to follow to keep schools safe as well, she added.

As always, SPPS schools are locked and all visitors must identify themselves before being let into the building, according to Stanley.

Measures the district has in place for any Immigration and Customs Enforcement or federal enforcement activity or other safety concerns near schools include:

If ICE activity or other safety concerns are verified near a school, school officials will coordinate with SPPS security and SPPD and may put the school into a Secure protocol which means students stay inside and outside doors are locked until the area is cleared.

If a student does not feel safe getting off the bus for any reason, the student should inform the driver and stay on the bus while the driver makes arrangements for safe transportation home.

Students who walk to and from school are encouraged to travel in groups and stay aware of their surroundings, Stanley wrote.

“It remains true that school is one of the safest places that students can be,” Stanley said. “Families who choose to keep students home from school should report the absence as normal. If you have any concerns about your children or notice that they need additional support, please don’t hesitate to contact your school principal and encourage your children to talk with a counselor or other trusted adult at school.”

Minneapolis Public Schools announced class cancellations Wednesday night ““due to safety concerns related to today’s incidents around the city,” according to Minneapolis schools district officials.

All district programs, activities and athletics were also cancelled.

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“Now more than ever, this is a time for all of us to lean on each other and offer support for anyone in our community who may need it,” Stanley wrote. “This may look like offering rides, accompanying students on their way to and from school, or asking neighbors if your children need help getting to and from school safely. My team and I are fully committed to doing all that we can to support your family and protect our students from harm. I will continue to share updates as I have them.”

For more information on SPPS protocols, resources and safety tips, go to spps.org/immigration or spps.org/safety. For guidelines for parents on how to talk with their children about Wednesday’s fatal shooting, go to tinyurl.com/2p9kmn7x.