Como Park Senior High Newsletter

Prefer a language other than English? You can open the newsletter link and click the button on the top to have it translated into many different languages. Please know that the translation function may be inaccurate or incomplete. If you have any questions, please call us at 651-293-8800.

For Karen, Somali, Hmong, and Spanish, click here.

February

23-28- Washington DC Trip

25- ACT Registration 8:30-10:30 AM

27- Parent-Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:00

March

3- Family Engagement Meeting 6:00

5- MnACC College Fair 9:00-10:30

6- Shoe Drive Fundraiser Ends

7- No School (Professional Development)

7- Iftar 5:45-8:00

11- ACT

11- Booster Club Meeting 6:30-8:00

Please check out our upcoming athletic events: https://sppscomoparkhighschool.rschoolteams.com/

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES

This will be the last parent/teacher conferences for the school year

Thursday February 27th from 4:00-7:00pm

Need transportation? Contact Jamie Hoffman at jamie.hoffman@spps.org or 651-744-5529 for more information.

When: Monday March 3rd

Time: 6:00 PM

Location: Virtual through Google Meet (more details to come)

Topics Discussed: SCIP (School Continuous Improvement Plan), Family Fun Night, Conferences, Question of the Month, and more!

Please email jamie.hoffman@spps.org if you'd like to add a topic of discussion to the agenda.

Attention Seniors!

Please make sure that your first and last names are spelled correctly in Campus. Como staff want to make sure your diploma is accurate before ordering. Contact Maria Silva at maria.silva@spps.org if there are any misspellings.Thank you.

Link also provided: https://forms.gle/o2BmU7f6B4cNScnA6

Help provide great memories for our seniors!

Link also provided: https://www.givemn.org/story/Comoseniors

March 20th, 7:00

Admission: $5 or pay what you can

This will be a concert featuring band, choir and orchestra students, performing in chamber ensembles or solos.

SHOE DRIVE ENDS MARCH 6TH! We need your shoes, Como community!

MCA & MTAS/Alt MCA Testing 2024-2025

Each spring, the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) or the Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS) are provided to students in mathematics (grades 3-8 and 11), and reading (grades 3-8 and 10). The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) or the Alternate MCA is provided to students in science (grades 5, 8 and in high school upon completing biology). Most students take the MCA; however, some students who receive special education services and meet eligibility requirements take the MTAS or Alternate MCA. These tests provide a snapshot of student learning of the Minnesota Academic Standards. The MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA are used to meet federal and state legislative requirements. The Minnesota Department of Education and SPPS can use results to look across student groups, schools and districts to evaluate equitable learning opportunities for all students.

Assessments are designed to provide information about student learning, but there is no single assessment that can provide the full perspective of what a student has learned. These assessments provide one data point that should be considered in the context of additional evidence of student learning.

Students will take the MCA or MTAS/Alt MCA between March 3 - May 9, 2025. If you have questions about your student’s participation in statewide assessments, reach out to your school’s principal.

For more information on the MCA and MTAS please go to:

• SPPS MCA & MTAS/Alt MCA Family Testing Information website: https://www.spps.org/about/departments/research-evaluation-assessment/test-coordination/mca-family-information

• MDE Family Testing Information website: education.mn.gov/MDE/fam/tests/

Click here for Hmong, Somali, Spanish, and Karen.

If you have any questions or need support, please contact your student’s counselor:

9th-12th (Alphabetical by last name):

A-Fr Holly Moser, holly.moser@spps.org, 651-744-4664, (https://calendly.com/holly-moser)

Fu-Ma Kia Thao, kia.thao@spps.org, 651-744-8170 (https://calendly.com/msthao)

Mc-Reh Farah Abuqalbeen, farah.abuqalbeen@spps.org, 651-744-1141 (https://calendly.com/farah1)

Rei-Z Choua Vang, choua2.vang@spps.org, (https://calendly.com/choua2-vang)

The CPC is Open! The Career Pathway Center (CPC) at Como is open Monday-Thursday from 9:00am-4:00pm in room 1304 (across from the Counselor’s Office). Students can email Ms. Aisha (amohamed.ach@spps.org), check out the Career Pathway Center website, drop into the CPC, or sign up for an appointment! for information on student career opportunities, college planning, and scholarships and check out the Como Park page under “Student” and then “Career Pathway Center”.

For the latest updates from the counseling department and the Como Career Pathway Center, click here.

U of M Twin Cities PSEO Virtual Information Session

• Wednesday, March 26: 5:30–6:30 p.m. (Zoom)

• Session info and registration: z.umn.edu/pseoinfo

• Join via Zoom to hear from current students and program staff about the U of M Twin Cities PSEO program and the 2025-26 academic year admissions process.

Attention juniors and any senior who did not take the ACT last year at SPPS,

The ACT will be administered March 11th at 8:30am in the gym and fieldhouse. Please arrive to school on time. Students who arrive after testing starts will not be allowed to take the test. Students need to bring their student ID, a calculator, and a water bottle. Snacks and pencils are provided, but calculators are limited. No cell phones are allowed. If a student accesses their cell phone during testing, their test will be invalidated.

Mandatory registration for the ACT will be on February 25th during period 1 and seminar. Students will be called to the library by the first initial of their last name. Students who do not register prior to test day will not be allowed to take the test.

Last name A-H 8:30

Last name I-P 9:10

Last name Q-Z 9:50

The ACT is not required and completely voluntary.

For Hmong, Karen, Somali, and Spanish, click here.

Mayor Melvin Carter and SPPS Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Kirk Morris, came to Como to visit during National African American Parent Involvement Day. Our fabulous students showed them around the school, making sure to stop in our impressive new weight room and our warm and inviting library.

Como HOSA Participates in the University of Minnesota Brain Bee

Linnea Pedersen, Como HOSA President, competed in the University of Minnesota Brain Bee. Linnea ranked number 6 in the top 30 students competing in Round 1 of the event. She was also able to attend a lecture by a U of N neurologist and tour the neuroscience labs on campus. It was an eventful and informative day. Como HOSA plans to send a larger team to Brain Bee next year-stay tuned!

Como HOSA Red Cross Blood Drive

The Como HOSA-Future Medical Professionals of America students hosted a Red Cross Blood Drive today. The Como Community showed some love for Valentine's Day by donating 33 pints of blood to the Red Cross. Each pint of blood can save up to three lives! Staff, Students, and Community Members participated in this drive. Way to go Como Community!

Cultural Specialist, Cyndi Johnson, and our American Indian students involved in Braided Journeys went to the MMIR March on February 14th to honor missing and murdered Indigenous relatives. They listened to compelling speakers about MMIR movement at the newly renovated Minneapolis American Indian Center and walked more than a mile in the freezing cold temps with a few hundred other natives representing organizations, schools and communities from across the metro area. They also volunteered to work the concessions at the Ain Dah Yung powwow.

Please click here for more pics of the event.

Mr. Zamacona took about 30 students to the Construct Tomorrow trades event. Students learned about the numerous career opportunities in the trades, including Iron Workers, Construction, Electricians and, as you can see, enjoyed many hands-on activities!

F2! Fun Friday! It was a great way to end our long JROTC week. The Sophomore class with a few junior stragglers hosted the annual MCJROTC Valentine's Day Festival. Tearing up the field house gym with a full-on indoor obstacle course. More than 50 cadets participated. The Cupid Shuffle line dance followed by so much sugary sweets to eat. Keep up the morale and spirit. Ooh Rah!

Congratulations Senior Cadet Mohamed Muse who enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard. We hope they shave his head at basic:) Ooh Rah!

Congratulations to Senior Cadet Soe Thoo sworn in to serve the United States Army for four years after graduation. He'll go to basic training this summer and follow-on to being a Combat Engineer. A US Army Combat Engineer is a military professional who supports combat forces by building, clearing, and destroying structures and will also help other soldiers navigate combat zones by detecting and avoiding mines and other hazards. OOH RAH!

The MCJROTC Cadets continue to perfect their craft at the Cretin Durham Hall Upper Midwest Drill Competition . A special shout out to Freshman Color Sergeant Lance Corporal John Yang's Color Guard Team. 2nd Place overall against 13 other JROTCs. Great job!

Cadets in support of a Black History Month celebration at the Saint Paul McDonough Recreational Center. Supporting a carnival, face painting, a various other activity this evening. Awesomeness.

Our Partner Blaze Credit Union has their upcoming Annual Meeting & Member Appreciation Day on February 22nd and would like to invite our Como community.

The event will be held at Grace Church in Eden Prairie at 2pm. Parking is free! Bussing is available too; options will be presented when you register for the event.

There are many fun things in store. Attend an optional financial wellness seminar at 12:45pm, get an update on the state of the credit union from Blaze CEO Dan Stoltz, be inspired by one-handed former MLB baseball player Jim Abbott, enjoy entertainment from Circus Juventas, take a photo with your favorite Minnesota mascot, and get $25 upon leaving!

Register now and learn more by clicking here! Please bring as many people as you wish. You do not need to be a member to attend!

Also in Karen and Spanish.

Wilder Community Mental Health and Wellness Clinic

451 Lexington Parkway N.

2nd Floor

Saint Paul, MN 55104 651-280-2310 wilder.org

· Alyssa Larson, Wilder Outpatient Clinical Manager

· Hafia Gray, Wilder Rehab Clinical Manager

Outpatient mental health therapy

· Individual therapy for children, youth, adults

· Family and couples therapy

· Can also provide assessments for substance abuse

Rehab services

· Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health Services (ARMS) – skills training for adults

· Children's Therapeutic Services and Supports (CTSS) – skills training for children

· Peer support specialists – support for parents of children receiving therapeutic services

· Skills training includes things like setting and tracking a budget, planning and organizing a shopping trip, emotion regulation, healthy communication….

The best way to get started for all Wilder mental health services: Walk in!

Hours for walk in

· Mon – Thurs, 9am – 3pm

· Fri, 9am – 2pm

· Can also do “walk ins” virtually (call 651-280-2310)

Walk ins will get started right away with…

· General intake

· Insurance review and MNSure Navigation (if necessary)

· A mental health assessment

· Cultural navigators AND language supports available (Somali, Hmong, Karen, English, Spanish)

· If appropriate, schedule the first therapy appointment before you leave

Nobody seeking Wilder mental health services is turned away – Wilder utilizes MNSure Navigators and a sliding scale to ensure that all who seek supports can have them