The Scots' Scoop
Highland Park Middle School's Weekly Family Newsletter
March 5, 2023
All translations are computer generated.
We apologize in advance for any unintended errors.
March is Women's History Month
"You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.”
–Indira Gandhi • the first &, to date, only female
prime minister of India
Important Upcoming Dates
- Friday, March 10: No School • Staff Development Day
- Wednesday, March 15: MCA Testing • Reading (see article below for more information)
- Thursday, March 16: MCA Testing • Math (see article below for more information)
- Thursday, March 16: Student-Led Conferences • In-Person • 4 -7 p.m. (see article below for more information)
- Thursday, March 16: Pre-Conference Staff Meal (see article & sign-up link below)
- Friday, March 31: End of Quarter 3
- Mon., April 3 - Fri., April 7: No School • Spring Break
- Monday, April 10: Beginning of Quarter 4
- Mon., April 17 - Thu., April 20: MCA Testing • Science – 8th grade only
- Friday, April 21: No School • Staff Development Day
- Monday, May 29: No School • Memorial Day Holiday
- Wednesday, June 14: Last Day of School / End of Quarter 4
MCA Testing March & April
Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) tests will be administered in grades 6-8 in March and April this spring. All students are scheduled to take the reading and math MCAs; eighth graders also take the science MCAs. Please encourage your child to get a good night's sleep before the following testing dates:
Reading Test: Wednesday, March 15 • 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Math Test: Thursday, March 16 • 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Science Test – Grade 8 only: April 17 - 20 (in science classes)
There are no cell phones, smart watches, and other electronics allowed during testing. Please have your child leave those items at home on testing days.
If you do NOT want your student to take the MCA tests this spring ... If you plan to opt your child out of the MCA testing please email a completed MCA opt out form (completed) to the HPMS principal at john.andrastek@spps.org. All opt out forms require a date, your child's full name, your full name & signature. Students who opt out of testing will use the testing time as a study hall in the cafeteria, so should come prepared with work to do.
NOTE: Opt out requests are due by 11:59 p.m., THIS Friday, Mar 10, 2023. Opt out requests will not be accepted after March 10, 2023.
If you have questions about MCA testing please contact your child's school counselor:
elisabeth.mulvaney@spps.org (grade 6)
danielle.seifert@spps.org (grade 7)
nou.katzmarek@spps.org (grade 8)
Student-Led Conferences • In Person • Thurs., March 16 • 4 - 7 pm
The last Student-Led Conferences of the year will be held, in person, Thursday, March 16, from 4 -7 p.m. Conferences are scheduled by appointment only. Please check your emails, as sign-up for conferences are being sent out via email by teachers.
The student-led conference is an important Middle School practice, as it gets students to self-advocate for and have ownership of their own learning -- an important aspect of middle-school student development. So, it is important that your child be present for the conference.
Pre-Conference Staff Meal
It has been a tradition at Highland Park Middle School for parents bring a dish to share to help nourish staff for a pre-conference meal on the last conference evening of the year, which will be Thursday, March 16. The meal theme is a pasta: regular & gluten-free options. Please go to
https://signup.com/go/AGhiPDE to sign up to bring a dish or refreshment.
Highland Park MS Girls Soccer Camp this Summer
The Highland Park Girls Soccer team is running a soccer camp for girls going into 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. The camp is run by head coach Chris Steenberg and members of the girls varsity team. Please use this link for more details and learn how to register for the camp.
Contact Chris Steenberg if you have any questions at chris.steenberg@spps.org.
Athletic Events Policies
SPPS athletic events are governed by the Minnesota State High School League. SPPS student conduct at school and district events is governed by the SPPS Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.
Please go to this link to read about rules at athletic events at school.
Tardy Concerns
Parent/Guardians:
Each day we have a sizable amount of tardies at the beginning of the school day, and throughout the day. All research shows that students who come to class on time do better in school. Any student who continues to be tardy may:
- receive lunch detention(s), as a result of continuous tardies,
- be required to return with a parent/guardian for an attendance conference,
- be required to sign an attendance contract to ensure they are to class on time,
- be identified by Ramsey County as a candidate for Truancy Intervention Program (TIP), and/or
- be required, along with their parent/guardian, to attend a School Attendance Review Team (SART) hearing sponsored by Ramsey County Juvenile Court.
If you are dropping your child off at school in the mornings, please make ample time to do so. Our parking lot gets very busy by 8:15 a.m., so please make a point to leave a little earlier so your child is in the building by 8:25 a.m., to get to class on-time by 8:30 a.m. Finally, check your Campus One Stop regularly to keep abreast of your child's attendance.
Anything marked on your child's attendance record as "TUN" means an unexcused tardy; anything marked as "AUN" means an unexcused absence. For example, state law does not excuse a tardy to school as result of heavy traffic & therefore will show up on the attendance reports as "TUN" for the first period of the day. To help avoid the serious consequences noted above, please discuss with your child the importance of being on time to class.
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/t7r1n.
Sprayed Perfumes and Deodorants
- We have experienced an increase in students bringing sprayed perfumes and deodorants to school. Please have your students keep these at home. Sprayed perfumes and deodorants may cause serious allergic reactions to others.
Lasers/Shockers
- On our last Team Day, students chose to purchase a toy that has a laser on one end and a a button on the other end that gives a person a shock. Those items need to stay home.
In all cases, if a student brings any of the above items to school, they will be asked to give over the item to a staff member upon request, and the item may have to be picked up by a parent at the end of the day.
Students Selling Treats/Other Items is Prohibited
Students are not allowed to sell any items on school grounds. If found doing so, the items will be confiscated and a parent will be asked to pick the items up from school.
Afterschool Pick-Up Reminder
Reminders about Snack
We have seen an increase in students eating candy, chips, and pop throughout the day & in the hallways. However, snacks are to be eaten only during Foundations (11:16 - 11:41). Furthermore, pop and other sweetened drinks are not allowed during the school day outside of the cafeteria. Water is allowed throughout the school day.
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
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.
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