The Scots' Scoop
Highland Park Middle School's Weekly Family Newsletter
May 29, 2022
All translations are computer generated.
We apologize in advance for any unintended errors.
May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh • was a Vietnamese Thiền Buddhist monk,
peace activist, author, poet, teacher, & “father of mindfillness"
Upcoming Important Dates
Monday, May 30: Memorial Day • No School
Wednesday, June 1: HPMS Pride Day (see more information below)
Thursday, June 2: Art Showcase Event • 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. • Various areas on 1st Floor of HPMS
Thursday, June 2: Red Balloon Book Fair • 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. • Media Center/Library (see information below)
Friday, June 3: Team Day Trips
Tuesday, June 7: Sharks 8th Grade Recognition • 2:00 p.m. • Auditorium
Wednesday, June 8: Tecolotes 8th Grade Recognition • 2:00 p.m. • Auditorium
Friday, June 10: End of Quarter 4 • Last Day of School
Update: Team Day Trip Eligibility
We have reconsidered our June 3 Team Day trip policy, as the district is in the process of clarifying such policies. Therefore, excessive tardies from May 2 - June 2 and/or dismissals or suspensions served between May 2 - June 2 will not affect June 3 Team Day Trip eligibility.
However, a student still may not be eligible for the Team Day Trip if a student is dismissed or suspended on Friday, June 3, the day of the Team Day trips.
HPMS Pride Day • Wednesday, June 1
All members of HPMS will benefit from a better understanding of Pride celebrations and the LGBTQ+ groups within our community.
Students and staff are encouraged to wear Pride colors (rainbow colors) on June 1st to celebrate our LGBTQ+ community here at HPMS!
8th Grade Recognition Photos for "Glow Ups"
- SHARKS TEAM: You can access the Google Form via your student's SPPS email account to submit photos to the Sharks team here: https://forms.gle/VtAkxRTUAqmaJrkw5.
- TECOLOTES TEAM: You can access the Google Form via your student's SPPS email account to submit photos for the Tecolotes team here: https://forms.gle/H3uC4CogczYGnCrh9.
Any questions?
- SHARKS TEAM: Please email questions regarding the Sharks team to Melissa Freeman (melissa.freeman@spps.org).
- TECOLOTES TEAM: Please email questions regarding the Tecolotes team to Maya Auguston (maya.auguston@spps.org).
Thank you for your assistance. We are very excited to celebrate our 8th graders and see how much they've grown and changed!
Returning Books to the HPMS Library
Students have been receiving email notices from the HPMS Library if they have any books currently checked out.
All books should be returned to the library by Tuesday, May 31.
Students who need materials for a class that are checked out may continue to hold onto them even after that date.
Red Balloon Book Fair is Coming to HPMS This Week
We will be hosting a Red Balloon Book Fair in the library this week May 31 – June 3. The book fair will be open to students during the day on both June 1 and June 2, and it will be open to students and families on the evening of June 2, from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m., during the Arts Showcase. Students and families will be able to browse and purchase a variety of books, from old favorites to titles that are hot off the presses.
Additionally, purchases may be made online on the HPMS page at the Red Balloon’s website at any time during the sale dates. All proceeds from the sale will go towards the purchase of new books for the HPMS library. This will be a great time to stock up for summer reading! Please send any questions to Adayle.Andrews@spps.org.
Flipside Youth Program Change-Maker
Youth ages 14-19: Join our creative, innovative team at Saint Paul Public Schools as a Flipside Youth Program Change-Maker!
Flipside has created a new project to hire more young people to help evaluate and strengthen our programs. We will be hiring 12 new youth staff to start training in August and work throughout the school year.
Flipside Afterschool is a program dedicated to high quality programming with and for young people between the ages of 10-14. Programming supports the development of 21st Century skills, social emotional and academic skills to succeed in school and life.
Applications are due by June 14th. Pay is $15-$18/hour. Youth ages 14-19. Training begins on August 15, 2022. Read the full position description in this job flier.
Apply online at bit.ly/flipsidechangemakers or print the job flier and follow the printed instructions for submitting.
Youth in Action (YA!) Program: College Access Program for 8th Graders
YA! is a college readiness/access program at CLUES that supports Latinx high school students as they navigate their journeys to higher education. They also connect participants with mentors, leadership development, career exploration, and volunteering opportunities. Additionally, they hold parent sessions to help familiarize them with the college application process, as well as other relevant topics to raising a teen.
YA! is still open for students to apply. The deadline for application is Sunday June 12th. Currently they are looking for incoming freshmen for the 22-23 school year.
Water Bottles and Spraying
Students have been informed that any spraying of water anywhere on school grounds, before or after school, is prohibited, and may lead to suspension.
Please encourage your student to be responsible with their water.
Attendance and Office Update
The middle school office has been understaffed since the end of March. Please be patient as our support staff work hard to keep up with the daily workload.
You may notice that at peak times, the phone is not answered immediately. In addition, attendance messages may not be updated daily. If you receive a robocall regarding attendance, please check the Campus Parent Portal to view your students' attendance. If the attendance has not been updated within two days of your message, please feel free to contact the office. The preferred communication is via email: highlandmsattendance@spps.org
Parents/guardians can also help to ease the workload by sending a note with your student when they need to leave during the school day. Students should bring the excuse to leave note to the office before classes start in the morning. This will also help to avoid interruptions to the classroom instruction.
You May Still Purchase a Yearbook in Person
If you are still interested in purchasing a yearbook for this year, you may pay either Ms. Wise in Room 1323, or Mr. Andrastek in the school main office, and a yearbook will be made available when they are handed out to students in June.
Food Options Throughout the Summer
As our school year ends, we want to make sure all families, if needed, know how to access food throughout the summer. Here are two programs that are available for families:
Every Meal
Every Meal is the same program available to all families throughout the school year. Every Meal Bags will be available at many locations throughout the Twin Cities. These community sites can be found here on their website which includes food resources and programs. More information about various programs can also be found here.
Hunger Impact
Hunger Impact is another organization that wants to make sure all students have access to food over the summer. Information is here: https://hungerimpactpartners.org/meals-for-kids/mobile-app/.
Flyers with different translations here if you scroll down to the bottom.
No registration or prior sign-up is necessary for most sites. The sites which require prior registration are clearly marked on the site information. There are also free serving sites across the state at school, parks, recreation centers, community centers, and libraries. All kids up to age 18 can locate the nearest site, show up at the right time, and eat.
UST Youth Summer Soccer Camps Start Soon
Please see the photo below for information about the summer camps for students at the University of St. Thomas.
Claim Items in Lost and Found Before it's Too Late!
Unclaimed items will be donated or thrown away at the end of the school year.
SPPS Summer School Registration Open Now
Dress Code Expectations
Please Leave These Items at Home
Cell Phones, Earbuds, Electronics
Highland Park Middle School has a "No Cell Phone Policy" during school hours. Please read more about this policy at this link: https://www.smore.com/pz8km.
Other Items
We are seeing more students bringing stuffed animals (e.g., Squishmallows) and blankets to school. These items are not only distracting, but can become unsafe in a school setting. Please leave these, and other items like them, at home.
COVID-19 Vaccines Available Ages 5 - 17
Experiencing COVID-19 Symptoms?
Please review this updated illness guidance for what to do if your child gets sick or tests positive for COVID-19. The SPPS COVID-19 Team continues to provide information to families who report positive cases to the SPPS COVID-19 Reporting System. If your child tests positive for COVID-19, please notify your child's school and activities with absences and return dates that are determined when making a report or by the COVID-19 Team.
If you or your child are experiencing any of the above symptoms, please do the following:
Go to the SPPS COVID-19 Reporting System Website: https://commedspps.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9G0WvcJlWfuqwlL & follow the instructions there, then
Call the HPMS Attendance Line at (651) 744-3393, or email highlandmsattendance@spps.org to notify the school if you will be keeping your child home from school.
Homework Help at Highland Park Public Library
On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 4 - 7 p.m., the Highland Park Public Library has a homework help center! The library has volunteers available to help with homework assigned to anyone from kindergarteners to college students. They also have school supplies and internet access.
The Highland Park Public Library is located at 1974 Ford Parkway. For more information, you may call the library at (651) 695-3700, or visit the Saint Paul Public Library calendar of events online at www.sppl.org/calendar. Please have your student take advantage of this free service!
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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