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, 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)

Monday, November 9 (B day):

• Winter 1 Sports begin

Tuesday, November 10 (A day)

Wednesday, November 11 (B day):

• Picture Retakes

Thursday, November 12 (A day):

• End of Quarter 1

Friday, November 13: No School - staff development 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.

Dear families,

As we approach the Halloween season, we want to inform you that Highland Park Middle School does not observe Halloween and, therefore, costumes and candies will not be permitted during school hours.

This decision is made to maintain a focused learning environment, and ensure the safety of all students. We appreciate your understanding and support as we prioritize a respectful and distraction-free atmosphere. Please communicate this to your scholars.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Principal Mohamed

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)

• Thursday, November 5: Student last names L – Z

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.

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

• 6th Grade: Gymnasium

• 7th Grade: Gymnasium

• 8th Grade: Library

• ELL, Electives & Special Education: 1st Floor Classrooms

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 flex seating space near the auditorium lobby 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 Sambusa Express (vegetarian options available) and Hello Boba (Boba teas and lemonades). Mexican food and coffee beans also for sale-cash only- while supplies last.

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!

The Highland Park Middle School Parent Solidarity Network is having a fundraiser at the Highland Park Chipotle on November 16th from 4pm-8pm. See below fliers for more details. If ordering at the restaurant, show a picture of the flyer to make sure it counts toward our fundraising. If ordering online for pick up, use code H8DM3RR.

The Highland Park Middle School Parent Solidarity Network is a 501(c)(3) formed by a group of HPMS parents. Our goal is to support HPMS students and build community among HPMS students and families. This year we are working towards a goal of raising $10,000 to support the rising cost of buses for service learning projects and field trips and to strengthen our school community.

Can't make it to Chipotle but still want to donate? Click here to donate.

Interested in getting involved? Email us at highlandmiddlesolidary@gmail.com for more information.

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!

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!

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)

Electives Updates

Hello Flipside Families,

We have successfully completed our second week of Flipside! Students are settling into their classes, teachers are excited and engaged with their groups, and transportation is continuing to work through the typical start-up adjustments. Thank you for your patience as bus routes and schedules are refined. We appreciate your support and are thrilled to see students building connections, trying new activities, and having a great experience after school!

Please review the important updates below:

Upcoming Flipside Schedule Changes

Please note that there will be NO FLIPSIDE on the following dates:

• Tuesday, November 3 due to Election Day
• Thursday, November 5 due to Parent/Teacher Conferences

Students should follow their normal after-school plans and transportation on these days.

Parent Pick-Up Reminder

If you are picking up a student after Flipside or sports, please park in the parking lot rather than the bus turnaround. We have 10 buses using that area to safely pick up Flipside students.

If you are picking up your student early or need to reach Ms. Nikol, please call or text 651-420-0134.

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.

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