The Scot's Scoop

Archived family newsletters for 2025-2026

Monday, February 2 (A day): Start of Quarter 3

Tuesday, February 3 (B day)

Wednesday, February 4 (A day)

Thursday, February 5 (B day)

• Washington D.C. parent meeting (pre-departure meeting for current 8th grade families) 6:00-7:00pm in the HPMS auditorium

Friday, February 6 (A day): Team day is postponed

Monday, February 9 (B day):

• 8:00-9:00am virtual FCC meeting (Google Meet link: https://meet.google.com/buy-vfuv-xra)

Tuesday, February 10 (A day)

Wednesday, February 11 (B day)

Thursday, February 12 (A day):

• Washington DC trip

Friday, February 13 (B day):

• Washington DC trip

Monday, February 16: No School - President's Day Holiday

Tuesday, February 17 (A day)

Wednesday, February 18 (B day)

Thursday, February 19 (A day)

Friday, February 20 (B day)

The Smore family newsletter, along with other school documents and notices, can be translated. For the newsletter, click on the button for translation and select the language preferred.

Welcome to Semester 2!

As of this week, Semester 1 is officially complete. We want to extend a huge congratulations to our scholars for finishing the first half of the year strong, especially given the many challenges currently taking place across our state. Your resilience is impressive!

As we transition into the new semester, please keep the following in mind:

• New Schedules: Students will begin their Semester 2 schedules this week. This includes starting new elective classes.

• Schedule Shifts: Some core classes may have moved to a different period of the day. Students should go into campus and look up their new schedule, if they haven’t already. Counselors and teachers have supported students with accessing their schedules this past week.

• Virtual Learners: These changes apply to both in-person and virtual students. Students in Virtual learning, please email your counselors or any one of your teachers if you have questions on your schedule.

• Counselor Support: Students can connect with their Grade level Counselors if they have specific questions regarding these changes. Please note that all schedules are now final.

Note to Families: For students who had an N grade in last quarter, teachers will email families with next step details between now and February 9. Please see details below for how students can access their archive courses.

Check your student's portal today to ensure they are ready for the new semester!

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you all on Monday!

Quarter 2 Grade Recovery: Important Deadlines

If your student received an "N" for the second quarter, they have an opportunity to improve their grade through our recovery process. Please review the following timeline and steps to ensure your student stays on track:

Key Dates to Remember

• February 9th: You and your student will receive an email from their teacher listing the specific assignments that need to be completed or resubmitted.

• March 4th: This is the final deadline. All work must be submitted by this date to be eligible for a grade change.

How Your Student Can Complete Work

Since the second quarter has ended, the courses have moved locations in our digital classroom.

1. Find the Work: Students must log into Schoology, go to the "Courses" tab, and select "Archived" to find their Q2 classes.

2. Submit: Complete and upload the assignments directly within those archived folders.

3. Notify the Teacher: Once work is submitted, the student must email their teacher. Teachers are not automatically alerted to submissions in archived courses, so this step is vital to ensure the work is graded.

How You Can Help

• Check the Inbox: Look for the teacher’s email on February 9th to identify exactly which tasks will have the biggest impact on the grade.

• Verify the Email: Ask your student to show you the "Sent" email they sent to their teacher after they finished their work.

Meal Boxes for Temporary Virtual Learning Students

Nutrition Services has partnered with Second Harvest Heartland to provide shelf-stable meal boxes for households with students enrolled in the Temporary Virtual Learning Option. Families were contacted if they indicated interest in meal support on the Temporary Virtual Learning Option registration form.

Delivery is limited and will be scheduled based on resource capacity. If your virtual learning families missed the opportunity to request Essential Home Meal Delivery, please direct them to NS@spps.org or 651-603-4950 for assistance.

Hibaq Mohamed, Principal

SPANISH

¡Bienvenidos al segundo semestre!

A partir de esta semana, el primer semestre ha finalizado oficialmente. Queremos felicitar enormemente a nuestros estudiantes por haber culminado la primera mitad del año con éxito, especialmente dadas las numerosas dificultades que se están presentando en nuestro estado. ¡Su resiliencia es admirable!

Al comenzar el nuevo semestre, tengan en cuenta lo siguiente:

• Nuevos horarios: Los estudiantes comenzarán sus horarios del segundo semestre esta semana. Esto incluye el inicio de nuevas clases optativas.
• Cambios de horario: Algunas clases principales podrían haber cambiado de horario. Los estudiantes deben consultar su nuevo horario en el campus, si aún no lo han hecho. Los consejeros y profesores han brindado apoyo a los estudiantes para que accedan a sus horarios durante la última semana.
• Estudiantes de aprendizaje virtual: Estos cambios se aplican tanto a los estudiantes presenciales como a los virtuales. Si estudias de forma virtual y tienes preguntas sobre tu horario, por favor, envía un correo electrónico a tu consejera o a cualquiera de tus profesores.
• Apoyo de las consejeras: Los estudiantes pueden comunicarse con las consejeras de su nivel académico si tienen preguntas específicas sobre estos cambios. Tengan en cuenta que todos los horarios son definitivos.

¡Gracias y esperamos verlos a todos el lunes!

Recuperación de calificaciones del segundo trimestre: Fechas límite importantes.

Si su hijo/a recibió una calificación de "N" en el segundo trimestre, tiene la oportunidad de mejorar su nota a través de nuestro proceso de recuperación. Por favor, revise el siguiente calendario y los pasos a seguir para asegurarse de que su hijo/a se mantenga al día:

Fechas importantes que debes recordar:

• 9 de febrero: Tú y tu hijo/a recibirán un correo electrónico de su profesor/a con la lista de las tareas específicas que deben completarse o entregarse nuevamente.
• 4 de marzo: Esta es la fecha límite. Todos los trabajos deben entregarse antes de esta fecha para poder optar a un cambio de calificación.

Cómo su hijo/a puede completar las tareas:

Dado que ha finalizado el segundo trimestre, los cursos se han trasladado a una nueva ubicación en nuestra plataforma digital.

1. Para acceder a las tareas: Los estudiantes deben iniciar sesión en Schoology, ir a la pestaña "Cursos" y seleccionar "Archivados" para encontrar sus clases del segundo trimestre.
2. Para entregar las tareas: Completen y suban las tareas directamente en esas carpetas archivadas.
3. Para notificar al profesor: Una vez que hayan entregado las tareas, los estudiantes deben enviar un correo electrónico a su profesor. Los profesores no reciben notificaciones automáticas de las entregas en los cursos archivados, por lo que este paso es fundamental para que las tareas sean calificadas.

Cómo puedes ayudar

• Revisa la bandeja de entrada: Busca el correo electrónico del profesor del 9 de febrero para identificar exactamente qué tareas tendrán mayor impacto en la calificación.
• Verifica el correo electrónico: Pídele a tu hijo/a que te muestre el correo electrónico que le envió a su profesor después de terminar su trabajo.

Cajas de comida para estudiantes que participan en el aprendizaje virtual temporal

El Departamento de Servicios de Nutrición se ha asociado con Second Harvest Heartland para proporcionar cajas de alimentos no perecederos a las familias con estudiantes matriculados en la Opción de Aprendizaje Virtual Temporal. Se contactó a las familias que indicaron interés en recibir apoyo alimentario en el formulario de inscripción de la Opción de Aprendizaje Virtual Temporal.

El servicio de entrega es limitado y se programará según la disponibilidad de recursos. Si las familias de estudiantes que participan en el aprendizaje virtual no solicitaron el servicio de entrega de alimentos a domicilio, pueden comunicarse con NS@spps.org o llamar al 651-603-4950 para obtener ayuda.

Hibaq Mohamed, directora

GAME SCHEDULE:

Monday, February 2: 4:30pm Boys basketball HPMS vs Global Arts Plus at HPMS

Monday, February 9: 4:00pm Boys basketball vs Humboldt at Humboldt

Tuesday, February 17: 4:00pm Boys basketball vs Washington Middle at HPMS

Please refer to the district athletic site for the most up to date game schedule information.

Registration for Spring Athletics is open starting tomorrow, February 2nd. All students interested in participating in BADMINTON, BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, or TRACK must be registered by 3:00 pm on Friday, March 27th. No late registrations will be accepted.

To register, please visit the Arbiter Sports website at: https://arbiter.io/

Be sure to select Highland Park Middle School and the correct sport. If you need assistance with the website registration, please contact Arbiter Support for Families at registration@arbitersports.com or 800-311-4060.

Please note that a current qualifying sports physical is required for participation. If your student does not have an up-to-date physical on file, please schedule an appointment as soon as possible to avoid delays in eligibility.

Please contact highlandmsathletics@spps.org with any questions.

Looking for some activities for your middle schooler to keep them busy this summer? Check out these FREE summer activities, sponsored in partnership with the University of Minnesota.

Food, Agriculture and Learning (June 22-26)

Food and Plant Science Lab (June 15-18)

Ecosystems of STEM (multiple dates)

HPMS Donation link: https://my.cheddarup.com/c/support-our-highland-park-middle-school-community/items

Food pantry request: https://forms.gle/ZKR7TBNsugFZEKjd7

Enlace para donaciones a HPMS:

https://my.cheddarup.com/c/support-our-highland-park-middle-school-community/items

Solicitud de despensa de alimentos: https://forms.gle/ZKR7TBNsugFZEKjd7

ACCESS Testing for EL students at Highland Park Middle School will begin February 4th, 2026. Please use the links below to find important information about this test:

Family Announcement Letter - ACCESS Testing (English)

Family Announcement Letter - ACCESS Testing (Spanish)

Family Announcement Letter - ACCESS Testing (Somali)

Family Announcement Letter - ACCESS Testing (Hmong)

Family Announcement Letter - ACCESS Testing (Karen)

We have an open science teacher position. If you are interested in applying for this position, please do so through the standard portal on the Careers webpage: https://www.spps.org/about/departments/human-resources/careers

Position Details

Teacher - Science Jr High position with Spanish being preferred. Job ID# 1022205.

Dear Flipside Families, Students, and Staff,

Due to recent schedule changes and everything happening right now, we have decided to postpone our Flipside Family Nights to a date in February. This includes all performances, plays, and showcases. Our students have worked incredibly hard, and we want to make sure their efforts are celebrated fully. Postponing will allow us to come together at a time that feels right and share their talents as a community.

Here are a few important updates:

• Winter/Spring Session Begins February 2
Students may remain in their current class or switch to a different one, though some classes may already be full. Please contact Ms. Nikol if you would like to request a class change.
If you would like to join Flipside for the new session, here is the registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScbrgVNwfWsUi9PNw4-hVATplmSKpAMSgSudXnU01UMBD9Nmw/viewform

• Family Take‑Home & Alternative Options
We are preparing family take‑home kits and exploring additional options for students who may not feel comfortable attending Flipside in person. More details will be shared soon.

I want all of our families, staff, and students to know how deeply I appreciate you. You are in my thoughts every day. Flipside is built on belonging, and each one of you is an essential part of our community. Please know you can always reach out if you need anything—I may not have all the answers, but I will work on finding them out, and I truly appreciate your patience as we prioritize everyone’s safety and well‑being.

Thank you for being the heart of Flipside.

Warmly,

Ms. Nikol

Each of the 6 teams at HPMS have a monthly newsletter for families. Teachers share what students are learning in their classes for the month, and other important information. You can view your child's team monthly newsletter by clicking on the team below:

6th grade:

Eagles

6th Grade Immersion

7th grade:

Jets

Lobos

8th grade:

Sharks

Tecolotes

We believe that a strong partnership between home and school is essential for student success. Join us for our monthly Family Community Connection meetings!

10/27/25 6:00pm - Slides presentation from 10/27/25 FCC meeting

11/24/25 8:00am - Slides presentation from 11/24/25 FCC meeting

1/12/26 8:00am - Slides presentation from 1/12/26 FCC meeting

2/9/26 8:00am

3/16/26 8:00am

4/20/26 6:00pm

5/18/26 6:00pm

Know your child's Grade Level Norms & Practices and review them together!

These slides can be found below. We kindly ask that you take a few moments to review them with your student. This will help reinforce what was discussed at school and ensure we are all on the same page as we move forward together.

6th grade Slides

7th Grade slides

8th Grade slides

Families are encouraged to monitor their student’s clothing selections to make sure they are appropriately dressed for cold weather. Students who do not have the appropriate winter clothing will not be able to participate in outdoor recess.

Per the district clothing guidelines for winter weather, below you will find the "feels like" temperature and clothing appropriate for it:

Under 15 degrees to 30 degrees: Dress in layers

All SPPS students in grades K-12 use an iPad app called Xello to create their Personal Learning Plans (PLP). The app helps students identify their strengths and interests, plan for the future, and explore different careers.

Parents can view the activities and plans their students are working on in class and with counselors though Xello Family. Parents and guardians should have received an email from Xello to activate your Xello Family account on Friday, January 9.

Your Xello Family account will automatically connect you to your student’s Xello accounts when you log in. Visit https://www.spps.org/academics/college-and-career-readiness/xello-family for more information about the program.

If you did not receive an email from Xello to set up an account or need assistance, please contact your child’s school counselor:

Grade 6-Elisabeth Mulvaney 651-744-3399 elisabeth.mulvaney@spps.org

Grade 7-Danielle Seifert 651-744-7582 danielle.seifert@spps.org

Grade 8-Nou Katzmarek 651-744-3400 nou.katzmarek@spps.org

As winter weather sets in, bus routes may experience delays or changes.

Here’s how to quickly check if your student’s bus is running late.

Download the 'Versatrans My Stop' app to your mobile phone in the Apple Store or Google Play. My Stop login information is available in Campus Parent.

Log in to Campus Parent and click on the student’s name you would like to look up. Then click “More” in the left-hand menu and then click “Transportation” to see all of your student bus information, including your My Stop login information. Watch the Transportation Video Tutorial to learn how to look up your student's transportation/bus information, including how parents and guardians can find their My Stop account username and password in Campus Parent.

Click here to view the counselor newsletter for November/December.

Dear Highland Families,

At Highland, it is essential that learning expectations for students are clear and achievable. While we shared this information during opening week and FCC meetings, we would like to reshare the changes to the way we evaluate students’ academic progress this school year, as we close out the quarter. Our school is implementing a research-based grading strategy called Standards-Based Learning and Grading. Highland was selected as a pilot site this school year, in preparation for district-wide implementation for all 6-8 schools starting in the fall of 26-27.

This means we are moving towards consistent grading practices across SPPS middle schools, making it easier for students and families to understand student learning and progress. As an MYP school, this isn’t a huge move for us. However, there are a few changes to consider.

Standards-Based Learning and Grading uses a grading scale of 0-4. As MYP, students are graded on an 8-point scale. We’ve created an adjustment that ensures both metrics are honored. The number corresponds with a description of how well a student understands specific content, ranging from “0 - Insufficient Evidence of Proficiency” to “4 - Extending Proficiency”. Please review the Middle School Standards-Based Grading scale we will be using below.

Things to look for:

• All classes at Highland will use the same rubric template to communicate what students have learned.

• Teachers will use improved criteria to clearly identify the skills and knowledge students are expected to learn in each content area.

• Students will have a better understanding of what content they know and areas where they need additional support.

• Students will have multiple opportunities to improve and demonstrate their learning by retaking assessments. Our goal is to help students recognize their growth.

• Students' grades will be based on 20% formative (homework, classroom practice, etc) and 80% summative (final projects, examination, etc). * See the PowerPoint linked below for more details.

During our FCC Meeting on October 27, Andrew Bacskai, the MYP coordinator, went over this with families. Please see this PowerPoint from the last FCC meeting for more details, or set up a meeting with our MYP coordinator, Mr. Bacskai, at Andrew.Bacskai@spps.org or email individual teachers if you have questions about specific rubrics.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to your students’ learning throughout this school year.

Sincerely,

Hibaq Mohamed, Principal

Registration is now open for the 2027 Washington, D.C. trip!
Seventh-grade families can now sign up their students for this unforgettable educational experience—exploring our nation’s history, visiting iconic landmarks, and creating memories that last a lifetime. Don’t miss out! Learn more and register today at highlandms.spps.org/activities/washington-dc-field-trip.

Breakthrough Twin Cities (BTC) is a six-year, tuition-free academic enrichment and college preparatory program that helps students prepare for college success. Breakthrough supports 6th graders on their journey to college with an awesome summer program, school year advisor support and college counseling.

To apply, please visit the online application here. Early Action Applications are due January 2, 2026. Regular decision deadline is March 20th, 2026.

Have more questions- please contact BTC Program Manager, Simon Lee, at slee@breakthroughtwincities.org.

To have your student attend, please reach out to please contact Elisabeth Mulvaney, HPMS 6th grade counselor at 651-744-3399 or email at elisabeth.mulvaney@spps.org.

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 again 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 foodbag 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.

Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, parents have the right to request information regarding the professional qualifications of their student’s classroom teachers and paraprofessionals. Parents who would like to receive this information should write to the Human Resource Department, Attn: ESSA Teacher Qualifications, Saint Paul Public Schools, 360 Colborne Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102-3299. You have the right to ask for the following information about each of your child’s classroom teacher(s).

• Information about whether the teacher has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction;
• Information about whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualification or licensing criteria have been waived;
• Information about whether the teacher is teaching (subjects or content) in which proper certification is held by the teacher.
• Information about whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

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