The Scots' Scoop
Highland Park Middle School's Weekly Family Newsletter
January 22, 2023
All translations are computer generated.
We apologize in advance for any unintended errors.
Important Upcoming Dates
- Mon., Jan. 23 — Thu., Jan. 26: No Flipside This Week (see article below for more information)
- 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 6: ACCESS for ELLs testing begins (see article below for more information)
- Friday, February 10: Quarter 2 Final Grades Reported on Campus One Stop
- Monday, February 13: NAAPID (see article below for more information)
- Monday, February 20: No School • Presidents' Day Holiday
- Monday, February 27: FCC Meeting • 6 - 7 p.m. • Room 1314
No Flipside This Week
There are NO Flipside classes this week, January 23 —January 26. However, registration for the Winter/Spring Flipside/EDL program has begun. Families may still register online on the Flipside tab of the website, or at this link: Winter/Spring Flipside Registration. Paper forms are also available in the Flipside office. Registration forms will be accepted through this week for Winter/Spring session. All students, including returning students, must register for the new session and the new classes.
Great news: There WILL BE busing all 4 days of Flipside starting Jan. 30 (which is 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.
ACCESS for English Language Learners (ELL) testing in February
Minnesota students who are identified as English Language Learners (ELL) in grades K-12 will participate in the ACCESS for ELLS language proficiency test. The testing will take place during the school day during the weeks of February 6 — February 28. ACCESS for ELLs provides a standardized measurement of academic language proficiency for EL students in the areas of listening, reading, writing and speaking throughout the state of Minnesota and in other states. With this information, we will be able to monitor students' English language progress on an annual basis. Students who were identified for testing were given a letter with more detailed information to bring home. If you have questions about this test, please contact your child’s EL teacher or school counselor:
MariÁn Pradas-Ten, 6th grade Pumas and Eagles EL teacher, 651-293-8950
Elisabeth Mulvaney, school counselor, 6th grade , 651-744-3399
Danielle Seifert, school counselor, 7th grade, 651-744-47582
Camila Carroll, 7th grade Lobos and Jets EL teacher, 651-293-8950
Nou Katzmarek, school counselor, 8th grade, 651-744-3400
Hannah Filipiak, 8th grade Tecolotes and Sharks EL teacher, 651-293-8950
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.
Spelling Bee Winner
The Highland Park Middle School Spelling Bee took place on January 19. We had a phenomenal group of spellers who wrestled with words like "squinched," "intubated," "thurible," "deign," and "caparisoned."
The Results:
- First Place: Ruby Anders, 7th grade Lobos
- Second Place: Zoe Ormsby, 8th grade Tecolotes
- Third Place (tied): Eva Ganser, 7th grade Jets; Isabella Dawit, 7th grade Jets; Freya Moen, 6th grade, Pumas; Andreas Cervantes, 7th grade Pumas
Congratulations to all students who participated, and to families and staff who supported the students along the way!
Congratulations Knowledge Bowlers!
We have one more meet this season in early February, and we hope to take home a trophy or two.
Here are the HPMS Knowledge Bowl team members:
- George Beaumaster
- Daniel Connelly
- Sarah Cordes
- Audrey Elenbaas
- Elias Emrick
- Esther George
- Ruby Hirman
- Andre Jara-Santos
- Cooper Johnson
- Ian Larson
- Amelia Matthes
- Cameron Quirk
- London Rademacher
- Brooke Roberts
- Margaret (Maisy) Roller
- Karl Salkowski
- Mohammed Siraj
- Juliet Solem Valentine
- Campbell Walsh
Coach: Mandi Jung, Science Teacher
Girls' Basketball Takes 2nd Place
M.S. Wrestling Team Takes Honors
On Saturday, January 14, our middle school wrestling team participated in a wrestling tournament against most of the middle schools in SPPS. We took many wins!!
Daniel Vasquez Rojas - 1st Place
Eddy Milla Sanches - 1st Place
Mateo Carroll - 1st Place
Syler Soulisak-Hoang - 2nd Place
Aren Matacastillo - 3rd Place
Brando Henandez Henriquez - 4th Place
Congratulations, wrestlers!
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
Lost & Found
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