The Scots' Scoop
Highland Park Middle School's Weekly Family Newsletter
December 10, 2023: News and Updates
Greetings families,
Students are well into Quarter 2 with lots of learning taking place! Students have been recording projects for their language classes, working on sentence structures and solidifying writing techniques, reading new books, updating their Xello profiles, learning about career opportunities and job interests they have, preparing for the upcoming Winter Band Concert, and so much more! Be sure to view the "Important Upcoming Dates" below for events this month.
The Scots' Scoop is Highland Park Middle School's newsletter to families and goes out every Sunday at 6pm. Be sure to read it weekly for important news and updates.
Important Upcoming Dates
- Tuesday, December 12: Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:00pm at HPMS / Conferencias de maestros 4:00-7:00pm a la escuela HPMS
- Wednesday, December 13: Band/Orchestra Winter Concert 6:00pm in the auditorium / Concierto de Invierno de Banda/Orquesta 6:00pm en el auditorio
- Monday, December 25 - Friday, January 5: No School; Winter Break / No hay clases; Vacaciones de invierno
Checking Lost & Found
Please check the Lost & Found area by the lobby when you come in for conferences on December 12th, and when you are in the building. Your child's lost items might be there, so be sure to check the space for missing items. Any items still left by December 15th will be donated before Winter Break.
Reading Opens the World Community Literacy Festival December 16
Save the Date: Plan to attend the Reading Opens the World Community Literacy Festival, a Book Giveaway for St. Paul families and SPPS educators on Saturday, December 16, 2023.
The Saint Paul Federation of Teachers is hosting a book giveaway for families and educators in our community on Saturday, December 16, from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the Neighborhood House, located at 179 E. Robie Street. This will be a great opportunity for HPMS families and other members of our community to build their home and school libraries.
Children may select up to 10 free books, with a maximum of 30 books per family. Educators may choose up to 50 free books for their classroom collections. Plan to arrive early for the best selection. Come for the books and enjoy food and family-friendly activities as well. SPPS educators must register with First Book, the supporting agency, to receive free books.
Registration is free. See the QR code on the attached PDF flyer (link below) or plan to register on site.
Link to PDF flyer of the event (also linked in the small photo above): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bp9vOmJqThp6tp-CMN0RkdiuRNZHGsPf/view?usp=sharing
Washington D.C. Educational Study Program
7th grade families! Highland Park Middle School has had the privilege and special opportunity for the last 20 years to take students on a 4-day educational study program to Washington, D.C. American History for your child is enhanced through this on-site, interactive experience that allows us to see first-hand what a dynamic history we have. The opportunity is open to any interested 8th grader to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Did you miss the meeting? Watch the video here to learn more. Only a few spots remaining!
Homework Help sessions after school!
Homework Help sessions are being offered Monday-Thursday during the first hour of Flipside after school. Homework Help is available to any HPMS student, they do not need to be currently enrolled in Flipside.
- Students that would like homework help can check in with Ms. Nikol in the cafeteria after school on the day that they would like to receive the homework help. Families/Other teachers can also reach out to Amanda Sell or Camila Dávila ahead of time if they have additional information to share.
- Ms. Nikol will send them with a pass to Sell or Dávila's rooms depending on the day.
- Students NOT enrolled in Flipside will need to have their own ride home at 4:00pm.
Monday/Wednesday = Sell (Room #1304)
Tuesday/Thursday = Dávila (Room # 1416)
Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Please contact Amanda Sell at amanda.sell@spps.org or Camila Dávila at camila.davila-schrandt@spps.org
Student Schedules
Student schedules can be viewed in the Student Portal on Campus, as well as in the Campus Parent app (be sure to download this app if you have not already!). Please direct any questions about student schedules to HPMS' school counselors:
- Nou Katzmarek, Grade 6 nou.katzmarek@spps.org (651) 744-3400
- Elisabeth Mulvaney, Grade 7 elisabeth.mulvaney@spps.org (651) 744-3399
- Danielle Seifert, Grade 8 danielle.seifert@spps.org (651) 744-7582
Drop-Off and Pick-Up
School Drop-off
Please enter the parking lot off Montreal Avenue and proceed to Door 20. Once you are in front of Door 20, please have your student exit the vehicle immediately. We experience a lot of car traffic in the morning at drop-off, so we need to be as efficient and safe as possible.
Please do not drop off your student in the parking lot at any point until your car gets closest to the school building, nearest to the sidewalk to Door 20. We want students to be safe. Dropping off students in non-designated areas creates an unsafe environment.
During the morning at drop-off, feel free to drop off your student along Montreal Avenue, with your car facing east (school building side of the street) as there is a sidewalk, and students may walk to Door 20 via the sidewalk that runs along the parking lot curb to enter the building.
Upon leaving the parking lot, you may only turn right onto Montreal Avenue, as the line of cars leaving with you backs up very quickly.
You may not drop off your student along Snelling Avenue at any time, as this is a busy bus zone for both morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up.
School Pick-up
Follow the same procedures as listed above. However, you may not park on Montreal Avenue at the end of the day, as Montreal Avenue becomes a bus zone for our school buses.
Outside food and drinks
Students may bring a bottle of water and bag lunch from home. However, food and drinks from, or brought to students, from establishments and food services (e.g. restaurants, DoorDash) are NOT permitted.
Only water is permitted in bottles. Other beverages are NOT permitted.
*If your student brings a beverage from a coffee shop, juice bar, etc., it must be finished by the time the student goes to class, as we are trying to minimize pest issues in the building.
Cell Phone, Earbuds, & Electronic Devices
Cell phones should be turned off and put away during school hours, 8:30am-3:00pm. Please see this link to our school policy as it pertains to cell phones, earbuds, and electronic devices.
We do not recommend that you bring any valuable personal items to school - including phones and earbuds. The school is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
Meals & Application for Educational Benefits
Application for Educational Benefits
The Minnesota Free School Meals Program provides all students with ONE FREE BREAKFAST and ONE FREE LUNCH per school day. *Students will be charged for single item purchases, such as milk and second meals. The prices for single item purchases can be found at here and on the website at spps.org/ns.
While all in-person students will receive free breakfast and lunch under Minnesota's Free School Meals program, it remains critical that all families complete an Application for Educational Benefits each school year. These applications determine how much funding your child's school receives for educational programs and supports. Additionally, eligible families can qualify for other benefits. The application can be completed online at schoolcafe.com/spps. Paper applications are available at school.
Daily, weekly, and monthly breakfast and lunch menus are available online at Nutrition Services spps.org/ns.
Every Meal Program
Healthy eating is so important for children. At HPMS, we work hard to ensure students receive a healthy breakfast and lunch each day to support their developing brains and bodies. Research shows that children who eat regular, nutritious meals are more likely to attend school and be engaged in learning.
We are excited to partner with Every Meal to offer a free weekend meal program to all our students.
Every Meal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to fight child hunger through community and school partnerships. They strive to make a difference in children’s lives by focusing on food gaps like weekends, school breaks, and summer when they can’t receive food in school.
- Free for all families
- No qualifications required
- Students enrolled in the program will receive a 4-5 pound bag of nutritious, nonperishable food each week
- Every Meal does not collect information from families; privacy is protected
- Families may choose to participate in the program anytime throughout the school year
- Families may choose from a variety of different weekend food bag options
If you wish to participate, please fill out our enrollment form which can be found here. Or feel free to reach out to Katie Monroe, one of our social workers, at kathryn.monroe@spps.org or 651.744.4616.
S.H.I.N.E. - Bi-weekly After-school Opportunity for Girls
We are thrilled to announce open enrollment for the SHINE Girls Group program for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year! Flier linked here
At SHINE, we are dedicated to providing a supportive and empowering environment for 6th-12th grade girls to grow, thrive, and shine. Our bi-weekly gatherings offer opportunities to have fun, make new friends, connect with peers, and acquire essential life skills through engaging lessons and community involvement.
Our program focuses on nurturing self-confidence, promoting community engagement, and helping girls explore their future goals and aspirations. We believe in instilling crucial social and emotional skills during this pivotal stage of development.
Don't miss this chance to be part of SHINE Girls Group! For enrollment visit http://www.weshinetogether.org for more information and registration details (interest form at the bottom of this page: https://www.weshinetogether.org/programs)
Volunteering at HPMS
About HPMS
At Highland Park Middle School, 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