The Scot's Scoop

Archived family newsletters for 2025-2026

Highland Park Middle School families,

A reminder that our outreach text messages are sent from 651-705-2351.

We recommend saving this number in your contacts as “Highland Middle School Alerts” so you always recognize messages from us.

Have a great week!

Monday, December 8 (A day):

• 4:00-5:30pm Girls basketball vs Washington at HPMS

Tuesday, December 9 (B day)

Wednesday, December 10 (A day):

• 4:30-6:30pm Wrestling match at Hidden River Middle School
• Winter Concert 6:00-8:00pm in auditorium

Thursday, December 11 (B day):

• 4:00-7:00pm Family-teacher conferences (NO Flipside today)

Friday, December 12 (A day)

Monday, December 15 (B day)

Tuesday, December 16 (A day):

• 4:30-6:00pm Girls basketball vs Battle Creek at HPMS

Wednesday, December 17 (B day):

• 4:30-6:30pm Wrestling match at Murray Middle School

Thursday, December 18 (A day)

Friday, December 19 (B day):

• Lost & Found clean out

December 22 - January 2nd: No School - Winter break

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.

Dear Highland Families,

We look forward to connecting with families on Thursday, December 11, for the upcoming winter conferences. We truly value your partnership. In an effort to make your 5 minutes as valuable as possible, teams have shared digital folders below. Please take some time to go over your student’s team-specific folder before conferences. The folders will contain newsletters for September to November and the new December newsletter, as well as grading information and contact information for staff.

Conference Details

Date: Thursday, December 11

Time: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Grade Level, Pre-Conference Information, & Contact Person

*click on the grade/team below for access to that team's folder of information

6th Grade Immersion (Chinese and Spanish Immersion) counselor: elisabeth.mulvaney@spps.org

6th Grade Eagles (Community School) counselor: elisabeth.mulvaney@spps.org

7th Grade Lobos (Spanish Immersion), counselor: danielle.seifert@spps.org

7th Grade Jets (Chinese Immersion & Community School), counselor: danielle.seifert@spps.org

8th Grade Tecolotes (Spanish Immersion), counselor: nou.katzmerek@spps.org

8th Grade Sharks (Chinese Immersion & Community School), counselor: nou.katzmerek@spps.org

Contact Information for support staff

Data/ Academic - Caitlin.Bailey@spps.org

Immersion Coordinator: Rachel.Hoheisel@spps.org

MYP/ Grading- Andrew.Bacskai@spps.org

Locations by Grade Level: To help with traffic flow, teams will be located in common areas:

• 6th Grade: Cafeteria

• 7th and 8th Grade: Gym

• Electives & Special Education: 1st Floor Classrooms

• Schoology Support: Auditorium

• Support with Immersion: Lobby

• Highland Gear: Main office

• 5-Minute Timer: We will use a timer to limit conferences to 5 minutes per teacher. We ask for your help and understanding in sticking to this limit so that all neighbors get a chance to meet with staff. Note: Accommodations will be made for families utilizing interpreters.

• Additional meeting times Post-Conference:

• We will have dedicated meeting times during the day, the week following the conferences (December 15–19). If you do not get to see a specific teacher on conference night, there will be a sign-up system available for you to schedule a virtual Google Meet or phone call with them during the following week.

• Sign-up information for these post-conference virtual meetings will be shared on December 11th by teams to families. Here, families can schedule specific times during the day.

Food & Refreshments – For Purchase (Indoors in the lobby)

• Sambusas–veggie and meat options available (cash only)

• Yum Yum Food Truck (croffles, boba tea, lemonade and coffee) - Cash/Credit

Proceeds will go to World Language and Immersion programs!

Sincerely,

The Administration Team

HPMS families, please consider donations to the Sunshine Committee fund for covering the cost of a catered meal for our teachers, for conference night, December 11th! Please see the Venmo app below, scan it, and donate! You are MUCH appreciated and we thank YOU!

Coffee Fundraiser: If you love coffee (or want to give a holiday gift that keeps on giving!), check out our fundraiser with Velasquez Coffee. The Velasquez family offers delicious, high-quality coffee and has been a generous supporter of our world language and immersion programs for years! Browse and order here: https://www.vfamilycoffee.com/collections/fundraiser and be sure to select HPMS at check out so we get credit for your purchase. Enjoy free shipping directly to your St. Paul door, or choose free delivery to HPMS!

*Order by Wednesday, December 10 for delivery Dec 12-14
*Order by Friday, December 19 for delivery Dec 20-24

All funds raised will go directly towards bringing language interns to HPMS next year!

Winter is here! Please ensure that your student is wearing winter-appropriate clothing to school. Anyone not wearing a sweatshirt or jacket, will not be permitted outside for recess.

We have many items in the Lost & Found as well! Please visit this area by the main office on December 11th - conference night, and remind your students to check for any lost items while at school. All items not claimed by December 19th will be cleared out and donated.

Dear Flipside Families,

We’re thrilled to see students fully engaged and enjoying their classes! It’s wonderful to watch them explore new interests and build skills every day. We encourage you to ask your student what they’ve been learning—those conversations make a big difference!

📞 Need Help or Have Questions?
If you need assistance or an early pick-up and no one is in the office, feel free to call or text Ms. Nikol at 651-420-0134. This is her work cell, and she’ll have it with her during program hours.

📅 Important Schedule Update
There will be NO Flipside on Thursday, December 11 due to Family/Teacher Conferences. Please mark your calendars!

Thank you for your continued support—and for sharing your amazing students with us.

Warmly,
The Flipside Team

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.

It's Give to the Max time in Minnesota! To make a donation to Highland Park Middle School, simply click on the photo below (or this link here) to be taken to the donation page for HPMS. Your donations are greatly appreciated!

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

Another menu line was added on Monday, November 17th in the cafeteria. Please see the new additions to lunches below.

Due to the federal government shutdown, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will not be issued for November. Find the latest updates about SNAP benefits at dcyf.mn.gov/federal-shutdown. School meals are NOT impacted. Breakfast and lunch will continue to be free for all students at school.

Minnesota has more than 300 food shelves and meal programs to help support families. Click on this link to review a list of free food resources in St. Paul: https://www.spps.org/news-details/~board/news/post/free-food-and-meal-resources

Here are additional food resources that are frequently updated in real time as resources are available.

https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/residents/assistance-support/assistance/food-resources

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.

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!

Family Community Connection (FCC) Dates: Below, we have shared 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.
9/29/25 6:00pm - Slides presentation from 9/29/25 FCC meeting

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

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!

Last week 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. 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

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