The Scots' Scoop
Highland Park Middle School's Weekly Family Newsletter
January 15, 2023
All translations are computer generated.
We apologize in advance for any unintended errors.
Important Upcoming Dates
- Monday, January 16: No School • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Holiday
- Thursday, January 19: HPMS Spelling Bee, 10 - 11:30 a.m. in Library
- Thursday, January 19: Highland Senior H.S. Showcase (for current 8th graders), 6:30 - 8 p.m at H.S.
- Monday, January 23: Winter Sports Session 2 Tryouts — M.S. Boys' Basketball
- Thursday, January 26: Last Day of Quarter 2
- Friday, January 27: No School • Teacher Grading Day
- Monday, January 30: First Day of Quarter 3
- Wednesday, February 1: Black Out Day (see article below for more information)
- Monday, February 13: NAAPID (see article below for more information)
- Monday, February 20: No School • Presidents' Day Holiday
NAAPID Events
National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID) is a day for all parents to come to their child's school, see what their day is like and to support their child's educational future. Some of the goals of NAAPID are to:
- Promote parent involvement in their child's education,
- Address the serious achievement gap facing African & African American students, &
- Promote & provide strategies for all parents and students to take full advantage of the educational process at all levels of the educational system (preschool through college).
At Highland Middle School, we are planning the following activities:
- Wed., 2/1: Black Out Day — students & staff wear something black to support Black History Month
- Fri., 2/10: Kick Off of Black History Month Trivia Contest — students will have to find clues all around the building to help them answer the questions (this contest will run until 2/28).
- Mon., 2/13 - NAAPID (National African American Parent Involvement Day) — parents will be served a continental breakfast & they can go and visit their child(ren) in class thereafter. In addition, there will be a BSU presentation in the auditorium. All programming will be completed by noon.
WEB Leaders Offering Tutoring
Hello 6th grade students and families! As WEB Leaders at HPMS, we would like to help out our 6th graders by tutoring them! We will provide help in all subjects and in multiple languages.
Tutoring for 6th graders will occur during Foundations on the next two Thursdays: January 19th and 26th. In addition, tutoring for 6th grade students will also occur during Foundations on Friday, January 20th, in Ms. Elliot’s room – the art room, room 1305.
Spots are limited, so students are to sign up in their Foundations classes as soon as possible!
-- HPMS WEB Leaders
Spelling Bee Jan. 19
The HPMS spelling bee will be held this Thursday, January 19, 2023, from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. in the HPMS Library.
Parents/guardians are invited to watch the bee in person and may arrive between 9:45 – 10:00 a.m., and please arrive through Door 20, off the parking lot. The bee will end by 11:30 a.m. If a winner has not been determined by that time, the bee will be concluded on Monday, January 23, at 10:00 a.m.
Lost & Found
Flipside Registration for Winter/Spring Begins
Great news: There WILL BE busing all 4 days of Flipside starting Jan. 30 (the beginning of the Winter/Spring session!
Questions about Flipside?
Please contact Flipside coordinator, Nikol Gordon at either (651) 744-6525, or at nikol.gordon@spps.org.
TutorMe Free Online Homework Help
TutorMe, a Free Online Homework Help is Now Available on school iPads for All SPPS Students!
TutorMe is an online tutoring platform that allows students to connect with a live tutor 24 hours a day in over 300 subjects, which is now available on students' iPads. Their network of over 10,000 verified tutors is ready to help with 1:1 live tutoring sessions. With TutorMe, your child can even submit papers and receive in-depth feedback from academic writing experts within hours, helping them polish their written assignments and hone their writing skills.
All HPMS students in grades 6-8 will be introduced to the TutorMe app in the next few weeks during foundations.
To access TutorMe, students should log on to Clever and click on the TutorMe icon to begin engaging with a live tutor.
Check out this quick video to learn more about TutorMe. For more information on TutorMe, check out this link.
HPMS Yearbook Photo Submissions Requested
A new feature, called Community Upload, has made submitting pictures easier for everyone! Everyone means students, teachers, parents can submit pictures that they would like to see in this year's yearbook. The yearbook advisor (Ms. Wise) will double check that each & every submitted picture is appropriate.
Note: please be aware that just because you submitted a picture(s), does not guarantee that the picture(s) will be in the yearbook. We only have a limited number of pages in the yearbook and therefore not all pictures submitted will be used. Thank you for your understanding! You may have already received a link in your email. However, here is the link to submit a picture(s) for the yearbook as well: https://community.lifetouch.com/invite?code=HPMS2023-23
HPMS Family Engagement Plan and Title I Compact
College Access Opportunity!
6th Grade Breakthrough Twin Cities Application Now Open
Breakthrough Twin Cities (BTC) is a six-year, free academic enrichment and college preparatory program that helps under-resourced students prepare for college success. Students (and their families) enrolling in Breakthrough Twin Cities make a six-year commitment. While it does not cost anything to participate, students and families “pay” for the experience with their hard work and commitment.
The Application Deadline is FEBRUARY 28TH, 2023.
Please visit our website for more information at https://www.breakthroughtwincities.org/student-application/. Click on this video link to watch the Breakthrough Twin Cities video about the program.
To apply, please visit our online application here: https://www.tfaforms.com/4869088
If you have questions, please contact Elisabeth Mulvaney, HPMS 6th grade counselor at 651-744-3399 or email at elisabeth.mulvaney@spps.org.
St. Paul Public Library Homework Centers
Please go to this link for information regarding free homework help for students.
Attendance Notes
REPORT STUDENT ABSENCES
Please call (651) 744-3393, the HPMS Attendance Line, or send an email to highlandmsattendance@spps.org, when your child is unable to come to school.
PICK UP STUDENTS EARLY
Please send a note with your students on the morning of the planned absence. The note should state the date, time and reason for the early dismissal. The student should bring the note to the office first thing in the morning. Office staff will give the student a pass to leave early and record their absence in the Campus system. At the time indicated on the pass, the student can leave and meet their ride at Door #20 (parking lot).
LATE ARRIVALS
No need to call the office if your student arrives to school late. Please send a note with your child. Have them check into the main office.and we will adjust the attendance.
About HPMS
At Highland Park Middle School, it our mission is to:
- Provide our students with a sense of community and global perception in a nurturing and caring learning environment,
- Help students acquire the skills necessary to value themselves, and take pride in their accomplishments, and
- Develop respect and understanding of other people and their cultures.
Website: https://www.spps.org/highlandms
Location: 975 Snelling Ave S, Saint Paul, MN, USA
Phone: (651) 293-8950