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, November 10 (A day): Start of Quarter 2

• Winter 1 sports begin: Girls Basketball and Wrestling

Tuesday, November 11 (B day)

Wednesday, November 12 (A day):

• Picture retake day

Thursday, November 13 (B day)

Friday, November 14 (A day): Team Day

Monday, November 17 (B day)

Tuesday, November 18 (A day)

Wednesday, November 19 (B day)

Thursday, November 20 (A day)

Friday, November 21 (B day)

Monday, November 24 (A day)

• FCC meeting at 8:00am in the library
• Girls basketball vs Global Arts at HPMS, 4:30-6:00pm

Tuesday, November 25 (B day)

Wednesday, November 26 (A day)

Thursday, November 27: No School - Thanksgiving holiday

Friday, November 28: No School - Thanksgiving holiday

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.

Subject: Middle School Grading Changes for School Year 2025-26

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

We also sincerely appreciate every family who took the time to share valuable feedback during the conference process. Your input is critical to our school's growth!

We want to assure you that the School Leadership Team and various departments have already reviewed the feedback. Our goal is to make thoughtful adjustments and changes to better support the needs and ideas you shared. Your partnership is essential!

Families can learn more about the program and reserve their free tickets on the event webpage. Limited walk-up tickets are available in person at the Walker front desk on the day of the event.

Dear HPMS families,

Highland Park Middle School is excited to announce an opportunity to join our team! We are currently seeking a dynamic Educational Assistant who is bilingual in Spanish to support our English Language Learners in the ELL Department.

This role involves working directly with students to provide academic and language support, helping them thrive in our school community.

If you or someone you know is interested, please visit the link below and enter Job Code 1021984 to apply:

👉Apply with link below: https://hr.sppserp.org/psc/careers/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_SCHJOB_FL&Action=U

Thank you for helping us spread the word!

Warm regards,
Hibaq Mohamed
Principal, Highland Park Middle School

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.

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

Click here to view the counselor October newsletter! There is lots of helpful information including the topic of the month, Executive Functioning Skills, ways to practice at home, community resources, and much more!

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

An important note from the 8th grade teams

The Sharks and Tecolotes teams are excited to share that our students will be starting a service learning project this month. Our HPMS 8th graders will be paired with an Elementary classroom from SPPS and will begin writing letters back and forth as Pen Pals.

On our first team day, Nov. 14th, our students will travel to their partner elementary classroom to read a picture book with them and to lead a conversation about what the book makes them think about. With that in mind, we are asking for donations of gently used picture books.

Please send any donations of picture books by Nov. 6th. Donations can be brought to the main office where there will be a drop box. Thank you for your support!

The 8th grade teams, Sharks and 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!

10/27/25 6:00pm - Slides presentation from 10/27/25 FCC meeting

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

Dear Flipside Families,

It’s been a joy to see students engaged and excited about their classes. Most students have been assigned and settled into their classes—some have already made switches—and we hope everyone is enjoying what they’re learning. We’re truly grateful they’re here. Their energy and enthusiasm are what make Flipside such a vibrant and successful program. Seeing them each day is a highlight!

📣 Debate Starts Monday! We’re excited to announce that Debate officially begins on Monday, November 10th! All Debate students should report to the cafeteria after school.

Before Monday, please make sure your student knows how they’re getting home and has their bus information if applicable. If they’re unsure, encourage them to ask—we’re happy to help!

🕒 Early Pick-Up Info -If you need to pick up your student early 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 has it with her throughout the program.

🎨 Still Interested in Joining Flipside? We’re thrilled by the incredible interest in Flipside—nearly 300 students are already registered! While we’d love to welcome even more, many of our classes are currently at capacity (which is amazing!) and one class, Debate, is just getting started.

If your student is hoping to join, please know there may be a delay as we assess space availability. We’re doing our best to accommodate as many students as possible while maintaining a high-quality experience for everyone.

📧 Attendance Notices from Flipside- If you receive an attendance notice from Flipside when your student is absent, please know that it does not affect their regular school day attendance. Flipside is an extracurricular program, and while we love seeing students every day, attendance is not required.

Thank you for your continued support—and for sharing your amazing students with us. Things are going great, and we’re excited for what’s ahead!

Warmly, The Flipside Team

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