What's Happening at SHMS

For more important dates, check our school calendar.

For more information about our Sports & Activities, visit our SHMS Athletics page.

Have you pre-ordered a yearbook for your child yet? There will be a flash sale during conferences on Wednesday-Friday. Prices will not be this low again!

Student-Led Conferences will be:

• February 4th: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
• February 5th: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM

For questions or assistance with scheduling your conference, please contact Mary Kujawski via email at Mary.Kujawski@district196.org or call the SHMS main office at 952-423-7581.

Schedule your conference.

The 2026 theme, "Farm to Table" challenged students to design sustainable cities that eliminate food waste and promote health, using circular economy principles.

Open Registrations for Spring Sports

Eastview Athletic Association (EVAA) offers a variety of youth sports programs designed to build confidence, teamwork, and a lifelong love of the game. Our programs bring kids together with their friends, classmates, and neighbors—strengthening connections across schools and neighborhoods as we are all part of the Eastview community!

Families can explore more information at: www.evaasports.org

⚾ BASEBALL

Traveling Baseball (9U–14U) Register @EVAA
Registration: Now – Feb 8

In-House Baseball (PreK–12th Grade) Register @EVAA
Registration: Now – Mar 22

⚽ SOCCER

In-House (PreK–Grade 9) Register @EVAA
Registration: Now – Mar 15

🥍 LACROSSE

Co-Op with IGH & Eagan (6U–14U)

6U: EVAA Register @EVAA

Girls (8U-14U): Co-Op with Eagan Register @Eagan

Boys (8U-14U): EVAA Register @EVAA
Registration: Now – Mar 8 or April 6 (depending on age)

🥎 SOFTBALL

Fastpitch (8U–18U) Register @AVFusion
Registration: Feb 4 – Mar 2
Tryouts: March 14–15

Slowpitch/Fastpitch (6U) Register @AVFusion
FREE program
Registration: Feb 4 – Apr 2

🙌 Volunteer Coaches Needed

For all sports – no experience necessary, training and support provided!

📲 Register today:

www.evaasports.org

TRY RUGBY CAMP - Middle School Boys & Girls

Our district club rugby program is offering a K-8 Try Rugby Camp, Saturdays on February 7th, 14th and 21st, from 11:30-1PM at the Rosemount Irish Dome. The cost is only $30 and all players receive a t-shirt. This is a great opportunity to learn what rugby is about before our spring season kicks into gear.

NO EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY. Our program is District-wide, open to all kids and schools. As a club sport, our Varsity players can earn their letter.

Go to www.eaasports.org/rugby for more information on the camp, regular season and registration links. Please direct any questions to Eric Curtin, Director of Rugby, at rugby@eaasports.org.

Families,

In recent weeks, we have been navigating difficult times and emotions. We recognize the grief, confusion, and fear present in our community. We acknowledge that not everyone feels safe right now. Some families and staff fear leaving their homes, driving to school or work, or participating in school activities fully because of federal immigration agents in our area.

We have been asked how students can stay connected to school and continue classwork if they cannot come to school. We want to continue supporting our students and families.

Starting next week, Jan. 20, we will offer a temporary option that allows students to get schoolwork online. This option is only for a short time. If you want this option, please complete this form.

We are committed to maintaining safe, welcoming schools for all students.

• We prioritize student safety and have protocols in place to protect students and staff.
• Students can come to school on any day, even if they have registered for onlineaccess.

Short-term support

This option will last about four weeks. It is meant to help students continue learning, as some families have requested flexibility during this time

• This is not an online school or distance learning.
• This should not be used for vacations or for convenience; it is to support safety.
• Teachers will post learning materials onlineand staff will check in with students to help them stay on track.
• Teachers will answer questions during office hours.

Our goal is to help students and families. We will focus on essential learning. For high school students, our focus is on course completion and staying on track for graduation. For middle school and elementary students, our focus is continued growth in literacy and math.

If you are looking for a full-time online school, we do not offer that option in District 196. Please visit the Department of Education website for options. MDE resource.

If you complete this form, a staff member from our school will contact you with more specific information. We value you and your family. We are here to support you.

Hello Scott Highlands Middle School Families:

As you know, we do not have a school fundraiser at Scott Highlands. Instead, I ask for your help with our twice-a-year Teacher Appreciation Luncheons. And, we have another Teacher Appreciation Luncheon coming on Thursday, February 5th.

Please consider donating towards our Teacher Appreciation Luncheon.

With teachers having 10-hours of conferencing on Thursday the 5th, I am asking for you to consider a donation towards offering teachers a nice lunch that day.

My promise is that every dollar donated goes towards this luncheon.

If you wish to donate, you can drop off a check or cash in the Scott Highlands Main Office through the end of conferences OR you can use the QR code.

We have a parent who has volunteered her Venmo QR Code to help make donations easier for some of you.

You can use this QR Code to donate to our luncheon.

Thank you for considering donating to this Teacher Appreciation Luncheon.

Have a wonderful day!

Dan Wilharber

Principal

Scott Highlands Middle School

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We’ve all seen it: the "zombie walk" in the hallways, the quiet dinner tables, and the rising anxiety in our kids. We know something has changed, but as individual parents, it feels impossible to fight the tide alone.

Join us for a transformative community workshop: Parenting in the Digital Age: Reducing Childhood Anxiety. Inspired by the groundbreaking research in Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation and the practical strategies in 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World by Jean Twenge, this two-hour session is designed to move us from worry to action.

What to expect:

Deep Dives: Why the "Great Rewiring" happened and how it affects our kids' brains.

Practical Tools: Concrete rules for managing tech without the constant power struggle.

Community Power: Join forces with other parents!

When: Feb. 9th at Black Hawk Middle School 6- 8 p.m.

Feb. 19th at Valley Middle School 6-8 p.m.

Feb. 24th at Rosemount Middle School 6-8 p.m.

Mar. 4th at Scott Highlands Middle School 6- 8 p.m.

Participants MUST register for the course through this Community Ed Link

Together, we can give our kids their childhood back.

Best,

Michelle Gustafson

Grant Eustice

Phone Free Schools 196

State Leads for MN Distraction Free Schools

Register through EduTrak Connect. EduTrak registration will close on Friday, February 20th.

Students must register on EduTrack Connect and have a sports physical on file by February 24th to participate in the following sports

• Swimming and Diving (grades 7 & 8)

• Boys Basketball (8th grade)

Days Off: March 6th, March 19th, March 23-27th, April 10th

MITY’s program for middle school students provides a unique opportunity to investigate new topics and dive deeper into students' passions at a level that is challenging and motivating. Intellectually curious students take two classes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, enabling them to explore different disciplines, experience things that are not possible within a normal school setting, and forge new friendships.

https://mity.org/summer-programs/explorschool/

Attention parents of current 7th graders.

The SHMS Washington D.C. for 8th graders is planned for Oct 14-17, 2026 (MEA). An informational meeting will take place in the SHMS Cafeteria from 5:30-6:30PM on Thursday January 29, 2026

Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth (MITY) is now accepting applications for its summer sessions.

The high school program, Expand Your Mind, offers academic enrichment, the opportunity to experience life on a college campus, and a way to connect with peers from across the Twin Cities and beyond who share common interests.

Students select from over 20 STEM, humanities, and fine arts courses and can stay in the dorms at Macalester College or attend as a day student.

Need-based financial aid is available. This is a great opportunity for bright and motivated young people to explore their passions and meet their people.

• We are entering viral season. You can help your students stay healthy by supporting them with getting enough sleep, washing hands often, covering their coughs, and staying home when sick.
• As a reminder District 196 schools no longer have over the counter medications for students, with your permission, your student can self-carry acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
• Sports Physicals are good for three years, your can find your students date in Infinite Campus.
• ISD 196 will be enforcing MN State Law for No Shots, No School with first exclusion being February 26, 2026.

Check infinite campus to review your students immunization status

1. When your student receives vaccinations, please send in vaccine records to Nurse Beth Gissibl beth.gissibl@district196.org (not all clinics report to the state registry)

2. Complete a notarized objection form if you plan to opt out of required vaccinations.

3. Contact Beth Gissibl with questions: 952-423-7583

Sarah Blasing

Counselor

Students with Last Names Aa-Gq

(952) 423-7603

sarah.blasing@district196.org

Emily Mueller

Counselor

Students with Last Names Gr-Nh

(952) 423-7602

emily.mueller@district196.org

Ashley Welke

Counselor

Students with Last Names Ni-Z

(952) 423-7608

ashley.welke@district196.org

McKinley Higgins

School Social Worker

(952) 423-7581

mckinley.lavin@district196.org

If you have a student who is dealing with the loss of an immediate family member (sibling, parent, grandparent, caregiver) and feel they would benefit from participating in a SHMS student grief group, we would like to offer your student this group opportunity.

Scott Highlands Middle School will be hosting this group again; this year it will be facilitated by Emily Mueller, a pre-licensed mental health therapist (Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor.) When needed, our social worker McKinley Higgins will co-facilitate. Group sessions will be held during the school day and will run throughout the school year. Our hope is that this group would begin sometime in October. If you are interested in having your student participate, please email Emily Mueller with the name of your student and she will contact you to provide further information.

Emily Mueller

SHMS Counselor

Emily.Mueller@district196.org

• Inside school support
• Tier 1 support
• College and Career
• Social Emotional Learning
• Academic Supports
• 504 Plans

What it is: Every meal is a nonprofit that partners with communities and schools to fight child hunger in Minnesota. Every meal supplies bagged meals to fill in food gaps for children, especially on weekends.

Who is it for: Everyone! Every meal is free for all families and has no qualification requirements.

Enrollment: You can enroll your child anytime throughout the school year

How it works: If you are interested in your child being enrolled in every meal, please reach out to your school’s site coordinator. Information below:

• Site Coordinator: McKinley (Lavin) Higgins | 952-423-7581 |mckinley.lavin@district196.org

Receiving Meals: bagged meals of your choosing will be discreetlyplaced directly in your students backpack every week, typically on Fridays

Meal Options: You may choose from the 5 meal options below. Meals are identified by color. All meals come with 4-5lbs of non-pariashable food containing a variety of nutrients.

Blue Bag: Tailored to East African dietary preferences. This bag is pork free and may contain items including tuna, spaghetti, black-eyed peas, corn flour, and tomato products

Green Bag: Tailored to a wide variety of dietary preferences. This bag may contain items including chicken, tuna, pasta, rice, mac n cheese, chili/soup, and varied vegetables and fruits.

Orange Bag: Tailored to Latino dietary preferences. This bag may contain items including rice, black beans, pinto beans, corn flour, fideo pasta, enchilada sauce, chipotles in adobe, and diced chilies.

Purple Bag: Tailored to Southeast Asian dietary preferences. This bag may contain items including rice, rice noodles, coconut milk, bamboo shoots, curry paste, green beans, and mandarin oranges.

Yellow Bag: Tailored with ready-to-eat food items. This bag may contain items including dried fruit, tuna salad, chicken salad, sunflower seeds, granola, oatmeal, and soups.

Community Resource Guide Dakota County - this guide includes information on health care, dental, women’s health, food, housing, special needs/disability, and other supports for families

FastTracker MN - a behavioral health search tool that allows you to filter services based on your search criteria, which can include free and sliding fee services available.

Virtual Calming Room - designed to assist in identifying different strategies for managing emotions, this webpage includes links to calming tools and other resources for youth and families

Worried about your student’s OR your own mental health?

Dakota County Crisis Response: Call 952-891-7171

National Crisis Text Line: Text SCHOOL to 741741

Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988

To report an absence, send an email to shms.attendance@district196.org (preferred) or call the 24 hour attendance voicemail number at 952-423-7587. Please provide the following information:

• Student’s Name (please spell the student’s first and last name)
• Grade
• Name of person reporting absence
• Reason for absence

**The direct line to Beth Gissibl, school nurse, is 952-423-7583

You can also report an absence by filling out this form: Report an Absence

We are a GREAT School because we are:

Respectful

to all people in the building

Responsible

with ourselves and our belongings

Ready to Learn

by being prepared and present in the learning environment

Website: https://shms.district196.org/
Location: Scott Highlands Middle School, Pilot Knob Road, Apple Valley, MN, USA
Phone: 9524237581
Instagram: shms_saints