The Scot's Scoop

Archived family newsletters for 2025-2026

Highland Park Middle School families,

A reminder that the district has updated the phone number we use to send text messages. Our outreach text messages are sent using a local 10-digit phone number.

New Text Message Number for Outreach: 651-705-2351

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

Have a good week!

Monday, October 13 (B day)

Tuesday, October 14 (A day)

Wednesday, October 15 (B day)

• 3:30pm Girls Soccer vs Washington, at Washington
• 4:30pm Boys Soccer, Flag Football, Volleyball vs Battle Creek, at HPMS
• Noche Latina 5:30-7:30

Thursday, October 16: NO SCHOOL

Friday, October 17: NO SCHOOL

Monday, October 20 (A day):

• 3:30pm Boys Soccer, Flag Football, Volleyball vs Murray, at 280 Como Avenue

Tuesday, October 21 (B day)

Wednesday, October 22 (A day):

• 4:30 Girls soccer vs Hidden River, at HPMS

Thursday, October 23 (B day):

• Family conferences 4:00-7:00pm

Friday, October 24 (A day)

Monday, October 27 (B day):

• 3:30pm Boys Soccer, Flag Football, Volleyball vs Murray, at HPMS
• 4:00pm Girls Soccer vs Hidden River, at 631 Albert Street North
• 6:00-7:00pm FCC (Family Community Connection) meeting in the library

Tuesday, October 28 (A day)

Wednesday, October 29 (B day)

Thursday, October 30 (A day)

Friday, October 31 (B day): Fall sports end

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.

HPMS Food Truck Fundraiser

El Burrito Mercado and Yum Yum food truck will be parked at the Highland Golf Course, 1797 Edgcumbe Rd, for the Cross Country Invitational on Tuesday, October 14th from 2:30-6:00pm. 20% of proceeds will be donated to our HPMS immersion and world language programs! Please stop by to grab dinner and a treat!

¡Noche de Diversión en Familia!

Únase a nosotros para celebrar el Mes de la Herencia Hispana con una noche llena de cultura, comunidad y diversión. ¡Tendremos lotería, un potluck delicioso, música y mucho más!

• Cuándo: 15 de octubre

• Hora: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

• Dónde: Cafetería de la escuela

También compartiremos información importante sobre nuestra escuela y los programas que ofrecemos. ¡Vengan a celebrar con nosotros!

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Join us as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with an evening full of culture, community, and fun! We'll have lotería, a delicious potluck, music and more!

• When: October 15

• Time: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

• Where: School Cafeteria

We'll also be sharing important information about our school and the programs we offer. Come celebrate with us!

In-Person Family-Teacher Conferences & More on Thursday, Oct. 23

Dear Highland Park Middle School (HPMS) Families,

We are pleased to invite you to our upcoming in-person Family-Teacher Conferences on Thursday, October 23, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

This will be an important opportunity to connect with your students' teachers for a brief, drop-in style check-in. To accommodate as many families as possible, each conversation will be limited to approximately 5 minutes.

Due to the format, it may not be realistic to meet with all of your students' teachers. We ask that you please identify and plan to visit with the 2 or 3 teachers you most need to see. For some families, conversations will include an interpreter and may require more time. We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to provide a meaningful experience for everyone.

More to Do During Your Visit:

Conferences are also a great time to connect with other resources at our school. While you are here, you are also invited to:

• Visit with members of our Mental Health Team (school nurse, counselor, social workers and school psychologist).

• Connect with our Immersion Coordinator.

• Purchase Highland Gear to show your school spirit at the office.

• Attend one of three informational sessions on "Schoology Access for Families and Grading at HPMS." These 20-minute sessions will take place in the library at 4 pm, 5 pm, and 6 pm.

• Support our food truck fundraiser and enjoy a treat from El Burrito Mercado, Yum Yum Truck and MN Nice Cream.

When you arrive at the school, we will provide you with a map showing teacher classroom locations and a detailed schedule for these additional sessions and activities.

Your partnership is vital to your student's success. We look forward to seeing you at the school on October 23rd!

Thank you for your support!

Hibaq Mohamed

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

Be sure to select Highland Park Middle School and the correct sport.

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. A copy of the sports physical paperwork is attached.

Please contact highlandmsathletics@spps.org with any questions.

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

11/24/25 8:00am

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

Do you want to give your child the opportunity of a lifetime?

Highland Park Middle School is excited to continue a tradition of more than 20 years: a 4-day educational study program in Washington, D.C. This unique learning experience brings American history to life for our 8th grade students through on-site, interactive exploration.

We are currently getting ready for our current 7th graders to travel in 2027 (during 8th grade). Students will learn more next week in their American History classes.

What makes this trip special?

• Visit national treasures that bring democracy and sacrifice to life—from the U.S. Capitol and Library of Congress to Arlington National Cemetery and the Changing of the Guard—leaving students with unforgettable memories of our nation’s core institutions.
• Explore diverse cultures through the stories told at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Museum of the American Indian, and the Holocaust Museum—broadening perspectives and deepening empathy.
• Analyze pivotal historic events, turning points, and heroes, using Washington, D.C. and Virginia as their classroom—from presidential memorials to Mount Vernon and Ford’s Theatre—helping students connect with defining moments and the people who shaped them.
• Gain a deeper understanding of America’s history and future as students encounter the Smithsonian museums, war memorials, and monuments—emerging with insight into the impact of choices and their own role in shaping what comes next.

Virtual Family Information Session (via Zoom)
Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Time: 7:00–8:00 p.m.

RSVP at: https://rsvp.efexploreamerica.com/mny387f

RSVP to receive the Zoom link for the meeting. If you can’t attend the session, use the same link to let us know you are interested so we can follow up with more information

For questions, please contact:
Kristin King
📞 (651)-293-8950
📧 kristin.king@spps.org

**DC 2026 Families**

8th grade students traveling in 2026 should have received a manilla envelope with important forms and information. Envelopes were distributed during Foundations on Friday 10/3. Reach out if you have any questions. kristin.king@spps.org

You can view your child's team monthly newsletter by clicking on their team below:

Eagles

6th Grade Immersion

Jets

Lobos

Sharks

Tecolotes

Hello Flipside Families!

I’m so excited for another awesome year of Flipside! We’ve got an amazing lineup of hands-on classes—art, science, fitness, tech, and more—plus academic support, all led by our fantastic team of teachers.

New to Flipside? We’re a free afterschool and summer program for middle schoolers. Our goal is to help students grow socially, emotionally, and academically—while having a blast! It’s a great way to stay connected to school in a fun, positive way.

Here’s what’s coming up:

• Start Date: Monday, October 6, 2025

• Registration: The online form is open! Sign up here: Flipside Registration Form

• Class List: Attached in today’s newsletter. Chat with your student and choose their top two classes for both Mon/Wed and Tues/Thurs. ➤ If they don’t list two different options per day, and I can’t place them in their first choice, I’ll assign them to any open class. ➤ Class descriptions are here: Class Descriptions

• Transportation: To receive bus service, registrations must be submitted by Friday, Sept. 19. Late signups may experience delays.

• Confirmation Letters: Sent out the first week of October, including transportation info.

I can’t wait to welcome your students back to Flipside this year!

Feel free to reach out with any questions—or just to say hi 😊

See you on the Flipside! Ms. Nikol

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.

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