The Scot's Scoop

The HPMS family newsletter goes out on Friday at 6:00pm via email and text message.

Archived 2026-2027 Family Newsletters

Monday, October 19 (A day):

• First day of Flipside afterschool program

Tuesday, October 20 (B day)

Wednesday, October 21 (A day)

Thursday, October 22 (B day):

• Highland Park Cross Country Ski Team meeting at 3:05 in high school room 3304

Friday, October 23 (A day):

• Service Learning Day
• 6th grade movie night 5:00-7:00pm

Monday, October 26 (B day)

Tuesday, October 27 (A day)

Wednesday, October 28 (B day)

Thursday, October 29 (A day):

• Conferences 4-7pm (for last names A-K)

Friday, October 30 (B day)

Monday, November 2 (A day)

Tuesday, November 3 (B day)

Wednesday, November 4 (A day):

• winter 1 sports registration closes

Thursday, November 5 (B day):

• Conferences 4-7pm (for last names L-Z)

Friday, November 6 (A 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.

6th Grade families,

Our 8th grade WEB Leaders would like to invite you to our 6th Grade Family Movie Night on Friday Oct, 23rd, from 5-7pm. Entrance to the movie is free and there will be pizza and concessions available to purchase. Students must be accompanied by an adult within their own family in order to attend.

Have a gallon plastic container? Instead of recycling it, please donate it to Highland Park Middle School for the 6th grade team to use them for their service learning. Please rinse out the container, send it to school with your student, and have them bring it to the office, Ms. Sell, or Mr. Boesel's room. The team is in need of 80 more containers before October 23rd.

On Friday, October 23rd, 2026, sixth grade students at HPMS will engage in a service learning day project at school. Service learning aligns with our school’s International Baccalaureate (IB) framework designed to connect classroom knowledge with real-world community needs. Students will not follow their regular schedule that day; rather, they will participate in various activities surrounding the theme Water Justice.

Students will watch a short documentary about the world’s water crisis. They will also participate in a Walk for Water relay at our school’s outdoor track. The purpose of the Walk for Water is to raise awareness of how far some people walk in order to have access to clean drinking water. In teams, students will take turns walking around the track holding a gallon of water. Student teams will collectively walk 1 mile around the track to represent the miles walked by people around the world to access clean water (one lap around the track each). Teams may pledge to walk farther if they wish. Students will take turns on the track and in the stands cheering on their classmates.

After the Walk for Water, students will have the opportunity to research current water issues that affect people both locally and globally.

Please help make sure that your student dresses appropriately, as we will be outside for at least an hour. We also recommend that students bring their own water bottle to drink from.

Students will be served a regular lunch in the cafeteria.

If you have any empty gallon jugs (with their caps) that you can donate, please have your student bring them to school as soon as they can.

We look forward to a meaningful and engaging service learning experience!

Sincerely,

6th grade HPMS teachers

Dear 7th Grade Families,

This school year, our 7th graders will be diving into an ongoing service-learning project focused on how waste impacts our local community—and how we can help make a difference. Students will learn from guest speakers and participate in trash pick-up along the Mississippi River as well as helping with trash and recycling at HPMS throughout the school year. We aim to keep this project free for all families, but we need supplies to make it happen. Please consider contributing via our Supply Wish List Link.Thank you for your support!

Dear HPMS Families,

As the weather turns cooler, cold and sniffle season is officially upon us! To help keep our classroom clean, healthy, and stocked up, we are asking for donation of a few essential supplies that we are running low on.

If you are able to donate, we would greatly appreciate any contributions of:

• Kleenex / Facial Tissues

• Hand Sanitizer (pump bottles)

• Disinfecting Wipes

How to send donations:

• With your child: Send items directly in their backpack to bring to the classroom.

• Drop-off: Leave items at the main office with our class name attached.

Thank you so much for your generosity and for helping us keep our students healthy and ready to learn!

October is Bullying Prevention Month. At Highland Park Middle School we are showing our support in creating a safe and welcoming school environment through a series of Foundations activities. We also will be participating in the national recognition of "Unity Day" on Wednesday, October 21st. Let's all wear orange that day to show we're committed to making our school a kind and friendly place. When we work together, we can really make a difference!

To learn more about what parents can do to support their children click here: https://www.pacer.org/bullying/parents/helping-your-child.asp

If you have any concerns about bullying behaviors during the school year, please contact your child's school counselor.

Dear Highland Park Middle School Families,

You are invited to our upcoming Fall Family-Teacher Conferences! To keep wait times short and accommodate as many families as possible, these will be brief, 5-minute drop-in check-ins.

Conference Schedule (4:00 PM – 7:00 PM)

Please attend on the evening assigned to your student’s last name if possible:

• Thursday, October 29: Student last names A – K

• Thursday, November 5: Student last names L – Z (If you cannot make your assigned night, you are welcome to attend the other date.)

Important Tips for Your Visit

• Monthly Newsletters: Please be sure to read your student’s monthly team newsletter to stay informed about classroom updates, upcoming projects, and team activities!

• 5-Minute Limit: We will use a 5-minute timer per teacher to keep lines moving (extended time provided for families using interpreters).

• Follow-Up: If you miss a teacher, you can contact them directly to set up a time to connect starting the week of November 9.

• Learn About MYP Grading (Oct. 12): Join our virtual Family Communication & Connections (FCC) meeting on Monday, October 12, led by MYP Coordinator Andrew Bacskai. Learn how IB MYP grading works and how to support your student. Use this link: meet.google.com/rau-chww-gqx

Locations by Grade Level- Staff will be in 1-2 locations.

• 6th Grade: Cafeteria

• 7th Grade: Gymnasium

• 8th Grade: Library / Common Spaces

• Electives & Special Education: 1st Floor Classrooms (see map)

More To Do While You’re Here

• Mental Health Team: Connect with our nurse, counselors, social workers, and psychologist.

• Informational Sessions: Join a 20-minute presentation on "Schoology Access & Grading at HPMS" in the Library at 4:00, 4:30, or 5:30 PM.

• School Spirit & Food Trucks: Purchase Highland gear in the main office and support our food truck fundraiser featuring more to come on this– some vendors may take cash only!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Warmly,

Hibaq Mohamed

Highland Park Middle School

As we prepare for our upcoming parent-teacher conferences, we are looking for donations to help provide a meal for our hardworking staff. Conferences are long days, and having a meal available allows teachers and staff to stay energized while meeting with families and supporting our students.

We are gratefully accepting donations of any amount. Contributions can be sent via Venmo to @HPMS_Sunshine or cash/check to the school office.

Thank you for supporting our Highland Park Middle School staff. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and helps make conference day a little easier for the team that works so hard for our students every day.

Thank you for your support!

Highland MS Winter 1 sports season begins November 9th. Registration is now open for GIRLS' BASKETBALL and CO-ED WRESTLING.

Registration is through the BOUND website. Follow the instructions below to register through the Bound App or the Bound Website.

Registration for Girls’ Basketball and Co-ed Wrestling will close on November 4, 2026. LATE REGISTRATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

*All middle school teams practice Monday - Thursday, 3:15 pm - 4:45 pm. Game schedules and locations can be found on the BOUND St. Paul Highland Park MS Scots page either by clicking on the activity link for a specific sport or choose the 'Calendar' link near the top of the page.

We're raising funds through DonorsChoose to replace worn-out and mismatched equipment with updated resources that are safe and reliable. Now is a great time to help because all donations are currently being doubled, thanks to support from Mission Tiger, allowing every contribution to have twice the impact!

If you'd like to support this project, please visit: Support Our DonorsChoose Project

Thank you for helping us provide students with the equipment they need to learn, participate, and succeed. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference!

Looking for a fun way to get outside, learn a new sport, and be part of a super fun community this winter? Join the Highland Park Cross Country Ski team! The team is open to seventh and eighth graders, and is run through the high school athletics department. No experience (or equipment) is required - we will teach you how to ski! Interested students should go to the sign-up meeting on Thursday, October 22 at 3:05 PM in High School Room 3304. Questions? Email Coach Will Robertson at wpcrobertson@gmail.com or check out the team website at https://sites.google.com/view/highland-park-nordic-ski/

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.

Click on your child's team link below to view their monthly team newsletter, which shares information about curriculum and important things to know.

6th grade Phoenixes (Chinese & Spanish immersion)

6th grade Eagles (community school)

7th grade Panthers (Chinese & Spanish immersion)

7th grade Jets (community school)

8th grade Tecolotes (Spanish immersion)

8th grade Sharks (Chinese immersion & community school)

Hello Flipside Families,

Flipside starts on Monday, October 19! With over 300 students registered, I'm looking forward to an amazing session with everyone.

Please review the important updates below:

Ongoing Registration & Transportation

Registration is still open for Flipside! If your student would like to join they can register with the following link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScQjZRYeU51VDNqpauZN8MFVRfuW6NEzqQA4AHsYpNKayh8fQ/viewform

Please note that students registered after the October 5 transportation deadline may experience a delay in receiving bus service. Transportation is currently estimating 1-2 weeks to establish new bus stops and routes. If your student begins attending before transportation is available, they will need a ride home until their bus stop has been assigned. They cannot take buses home with friends, etc. They have to have a bus assigned to take a bus.

Confirmation Letters

Confirmation letters have been distributed to students and emailed to families. These letters include your student's class schedule and transportation information. If you have not received your confirmation letter or have questions about your student's placement, please contact me.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out anytime:

• Email: Nikol.gordon@spps.org
• Cell: 651-420-0134

See you on the Flipside!

Ms. Nikol

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

Family Communication & Connections (FCC) Dates: Below are the dates and times for the upcoming FCC meetings. These meetings are a great opportunity for us to connect, share important information, and answer any questions you may have.
9/28/26 6:00pm - slides presentation

10/12/26 6:00pm - slides presentation

11/23/26 8:00am

1/11/27 8:00am

2/8/27 8:00am

3/22/27 8:00am

4/19/27 6:00pm

5/24/27 6:00pm

Know your child's Grade Level Norms & Practices and review them together! During the first week of school, we met with each grade level (6th, 7th, and 8th) to go over a set of slides that establish shared norms, expectations, and practices for our school community. These slides can be found below. Please 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

Hola Familias,

Les quiero compartir el boletín mensual dirigido a nuestras familias latinas. En este boletín encontrará actualizaciones e información relevante sobre asistencia y apoyo para las familias Latinas de las Escuelas Públicas de Saint Paul.

Por favor, abra el siguiente enlace:

LCD boletín de octubre

Gracias,

Click on the following link for the counseling curriculum, mental health core curriculum, October college knowledge month and bullying prevention month information, and important contacts. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fQohCHvvPycwQ4CJHTv6G1uueWcUItS1WvqSAZyyOIc/edit?usp=sharing

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 here: https://forms.gle/WkUSJ62opzE8wxFLA Or feel free to reach out to Leah Rosen, one of our social workers, at maryleah.rosen@spps.org, 651-744-7946.

We are the Highland Park Middle School Solidarity Parent Network. If you are looking for a way to get involved as a parent, we would love to have you join us! We are a 501c3 focused on mutual aid, fundraising and supporting the school to increase equity, and building community across all programs at our school. If you are interested in joining, please email us at highlandmiddlesolidarity@gmail.com. Thank you!

There are rights students are guaranteed when they are at school as well as responsibilities that accompany those rights. Both are summarized in the Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. In addition, the Rights and Responsibilities Handbook outlines the work SPPS is doing to build a positive school culture and hold students accountable for behavior that is not appropriate.

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