The Scot's Scoop

Archived family newsletters for 2025-2026

Monday, February 23 (A day): National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID) celebration

Schedule of the day:

• 8:45-9:45 Breakfast and speakers (in library)
• 9:54 -10:34 Family classroom visits
• 10:38- 11:45 Student performances in auditorium
• 11:50 - 12:30 lunch for families in the library

**There are no virtual teacher-student meetings during 1st and 2nd periods on this day!

Tuesday, February 24 (B day)

Wednesday, February 25 (A day)

Thursday, February 26 (B day)

Friday, February 27 (A day)

Monday, March 2 (B day)

Tuesday, March 3 (A day)

Wednesday, March 4 (B day):

• Quarter 3 Mid-term grades will be posted.

Thursday, March 5 (A day):

• Families can view Mid-Term grades on Campus.
• 4:00-7:00pm Family-teacher conferences

Friday, March 6 (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.

National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID)

Please join us on Monday, February 23, for NAAPID. Our Black Student Union (BSU) has been working hard to put together a series of performances and presentations to celebrate the day.

• Details: Please see the agenda below for the full schedule of events.

• Schedule of the day:
  

  • 8:45-9:45 Breakfast and speakers (in library)
  • 9:54 -10:34 Family classroom visits
  • 10:38- 11:45 Student performances in the auditorium
  • 11:50 - 12:30 lunch for families in the library

• RSVP: If you plan to attend, please Complete the RSVP Here. This helps us immensely with food orders and logistical planning.

For virtual students:

There are no teacher-student meetings during 1st and 2nd periods on this day. The 1st student performance will be available to view via a link that will be sent out between 11:15-11:45am.

Families, this week I would like to shine some bright lights on some of the great work happening at Highland Middle. Please take a moment and look. We will try to do Highland Highlights each Scoop.

Highland Highlights

Art- Ms. Eliott

The Art and Economics of Weaving in Peru:

As a Fund for Teachers grant recipient, Ms. Elliott was able to visit Peru last summer with the intention of creating a unit for Advanced Art students. The goal was to conduct

research across Peru in order to explore how traditional textile techniques can lead to economic development. More specifically, how can a group of people use the art practice of weaving to build economic wealth for their community?

This unit asks students to work as a co-op in order to create and collaborate for the collective good. While turning our classroom into a co-op, we are also investigating Peruvian culture and how weavings contribute to the uniqueness of the country.

This week, a local expert on Peruvian weavings visited the art class! Melanie Ebertz from Art Andes talked to us about her travels to Peru and Ecuador to give us a glimpse as to why Andean weaving is known for its color palette, durability, and creativity.

Spring Conferences: March 5th

Following our last Family Communication Connection (FCC) meeting, I am happy to provide more details regarding our upcoming Spring Conferences.

• When: Thursday, March 5th | 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM

• Format: Families may choose to attend in-person or virtually.

• Appointments: All sessions will be by appointment only to ensure every family has dedicated time with teachers.

• Registration: Click on this link to find your child's list of teachers, and then click on teachers' individual links to sign up for a conference time slot with them.

Parent Volunteers:

Finally, thank you for your ongoing partnership and for making Highland such a wonderful and safe place for our students to learn and grow. I want to give a special shout out to all of our parent volunteers who continue to organize and support our community during these challenging times. You may not hear it, but we are so appreciative of you, and our children and staff feel safer because of YOU, so thank you!

Highland families are the special ingredient that make our community thrive!

Warmly,

Hibaq Mohamed

Dear Flipside Families, Students, and Staff,

Our Family Showcase Nights are this week! Our students have been working incredibly hard, and we are excited to celebrate their accomplishments together as a community.

✨ Family Showcase Details

Family Showcase Nights

• February 25 | 3:45–5:00 p.m.
• February 26 | 3:45–5:00 p.m.

Theater Performance

• Our Theater class will present their full production on February 25 from 6:30–8:00 p.m.

✨ Program Updates

• Winter/Spring Session Has Begun
  Students who are currently enrolled may continue in their classes or request a class change, depending on availability.

Thank you to all our families, staff, and students—your support means everything. I appreciate your patience and understanding, and I hold each of you in my thoughts every day. Flipside is built on belonging, and every 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 right away, but I will work to find them, and I truly value your patience as we prioritize everyone’s safety and well‑being.

Thank you for being the heart of Flipside.

Warmly,
Ms. Nikol

GAME SCHEDULE:

Wednesday, February 25: 4:30pm Boys basketball vs Battle Creek Middle at HPMS

Monday, March 2: 4:00pm Boys basketball vs Murray Middle at Murray Middle

Monday, March 9: 4:00pm Boys basketball vs Murray Middle at HPMS

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

Athletic Events Visitor Policy

Purpose:
To ensure a safe, positive, and family‑friendly environment at all athletic events.

1. Supervision Requirement

• All visitors under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian for the entire duration of the event.
• Unaccompanied minors will not be permitted to enter the facility.

2. Behavior Expectations

• All attendees are expected to behave respectfully toward participants, staff, officials, and other spectators.
• Disruptive, unsafe, or inappropriate behavior may result in removal from the event without refund.

3. Entry & Identification

• Event staff may request proof of age or identification when a visitor appears to be under 18 years old.
• Adults accompanying minors may also be asked to verify guardianship or responsibility.

4. Re‑Entry Policy

• Re‑entry is subject to event rules. Minors may only leave and re‑enter if accompanied by their supervising adult.

5. Enforcement

• Event staff, school personnel, and security reserve the right to enforce all policies.
• Failure to comply with this policy may result in denied entry or removal from the premises.

Registration for Highland Park MS Spring Athletics is open. 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. 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.

Grade 7 and grade 8 students are also eligible to participate in the following Highland Park Senior High sports:

• Boys Golf

• Girls Golf

• Clay Target

• Boys Volleyball

• Boys Tennis

The registration process for senior high athletics is also through Arbiter Sports - St. Paul Highland Park Senior High program. If you have questions regarding senior high athletics, please contact the Highland Park Senior High Assistant Athletic Director, Duggan Parks, at 651-744-5822 or duggan.parks@spps.org.

Highland Park MS grades 6-8 students can also join Lacrosse or Ultimate Frisbee.

• Boys’ and Girls’ Lacrosse is available through Arbiter Sports by choosing the Central High School registration program. Contact Nick Anderson (nick.anderson@spps.org) for information regarding boys’ lacrosse. Contact Sydney Lieb (sdynneson01@gmail.com) for more information on girls’ lacrosse.

• If your student would like to join the Ultimate Frisbee team, please use this LINK to sign up. Connect with Head Coach Kaiden Thiers (ktthiers@gmail.com) and/or Ms. Ekegren (Alicia.Ekegren@spps.org) if you are interested in learning more about Ultimate Frisbee.

Please note that a valid Sports Qualifying Physical Exam is required for participation in all athletics. 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.

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 began 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.

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

Outside food or drinks from establishments/restaurants are NOT permitted in Highland Park Middle School. In addition, food and drinks from, or brought to students, from establishments and food services (e.g. restaurants, DoorDash) are NOT permitted. Students may bring a beverage bottle, such as a water bottle, and bag lunch from home. Sodas are not permitted at school.

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 - Slides presentation from 2/9/26 FCC meeting

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.

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