The Scot's Scoop
HPMS Family Newsletter for September 20, 2026
Monday, September 21: No School; staff development
Tuesday, September 22 (B day)
Wednesday, September 23 (A day)
Thursday, September 24 (B day)
Friday, September 25 (A day)
- 5:00pm Spanish Immersion bonfire
Monday, September 28 (B day):
- 6:00-7:00pm Family Communication & Connections (FCC) mtg in the HPMS library
Tuesday, September 29 (A day)
Wednesday, September 30 (B day):
- Eagle Bluff family information session for 8th Grade Spanish and Chinese immersion families, from 6:00-7:00pm in room 1415
Thursday, October 1 (A day)
Friday, October 2 (B day)
Other important upcoming dates:
- MEA/No School: October 15 & 16
- Flipside Afterschool Program: begins Monday, October 19
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.
Chinese & Spanish Immersion Programs Bonfire
Chinese & Spanish Immersion families: please join us for our annual Fall bonfire (Fogata) the evening of Friday, September 25th, at Como Park from 5-7pm. All family members are welcome to join, but students must be accompanied by an adult. Please see here for more details and a map. If you have any questions, please contact Rachel Hoheisel (rachel.hoheisel@spps.org). We hope to see you there!
Message from Principal Mohamed
Dear families,
Families should have access to campus and Schoology to stay up-to-date with their students' learning. Please make sure that the email you have on campus is accurate. For day-to-day course access, and updates, you will use Schoology. If you have questions on Schoology or Campus, connect with teacher, admin, or counselor. We have many opportunities throughout the year where we go over Schoology, MYP teaching and learning, and grade-specific topics. These Family Communication & Connections sessions take place in person and online and are posted on our website with details of topics covered. Please see below for other important updates.
Survey of the 6th grade orientation and Open House
Thank you for attending the 6th grade orientation and Open House! It was wonderful to meet so many families and students. Please complete a survey about Orientation and Open House below. Your feedback is important to us:
For English, click here.
For Spanish, click here.
To reset your guardian username and password for Campus Parent
Update: On the Password Reset Tool for Guardians, guardians must use the email address on file in Campus to retrieve their username or reset their password. If a guardian doesn’t have an email address or isn't sure which one is on file, they should contact the school's main office.
Parents and Guardians should log in to Infinite Campus Parent to stay up to date on your student’s attendance, schedules, grades, contact information, notifications and more! Download the app for easy access.
Here are directions for how to get logged in to Campus Parent: https://www.spps.org/families/campus-parent-portal-onestop
Transportation Requests
Back to School Forms: Families now need to contact their school’s main office for alternate transportation requests. This option is no longer available through Back-to-School forms. School phone number: 651-293-8950
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)
Welcome back letter from Principal Mohamed
To read Principal Mohamed's 2026–2027 Welcome Back Letter, please click here for [English] or [Spanish].
Flipside
Hello Flipside Families,
Fall registration is officially open, and I’m so excited for what’s shaping up to be an AMAZING year. We have a wide range of classes, and I’m confident there’s something for everyone.
A few important reminders:
Flipside begins October 19.
Registration: Please make sure students select their top TWO choices for each day. If a class fills, I want to be able to place them in another option they’re excited about. ➤ Please avoid choosing the same class twice. Here is the link to register for Fall Flipside: https://forms.gle/SuWRR5Z3WcfUrz3L6
Transportation: ➤ To receive a bus on the first day of Flipside, registration must be submitted by Sept. 25. ➤ Forms will still be accepted after that date, but bus service may take 1–2 weeks to begin. ➤ Sports students must register for Flipside to receive a bus. Athlete busing will begin Oct. 19, when Flipside starts. ➤ Please make sure your student has a bus assigned—do not assume one is already in place.
Confirmation Letters: These will be sent the week of Oct. 12.
Family Newsletter: Starting next month, I’ll be sending a monthly Flipside Family newsletter with program updates, staff introductions, and fun highlights. I’ll also continue posting updates in the Scot’s newsletter.
If you have any questions, please reach out anytime—I love hearing from families. Nikol.gordon@spps.org or 651‑420‑0134
See you on the Flipside! Ms. Nikol
Family Engagement
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
10/12/26 6:00pm
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.
8th Grade slidesOficina de Participación Familiar y Asociaciones Comunitarias
Hola Familias,
¡Bienvenidos al Nuevo Año Escolar 26-27!
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:
Boletín Informativo para Familias Latinas
Gracias,
Adriana Ríos Dessalet (Ella, ella)
Especialista cultural de LCD, Oficina de Participación Familiar y Alianzas Comunitarias
Escuelas Públicas de Saint Paul• 360 Colborne Street, St. Paul, MN, 55102
Oficina: 651-744-7630 • Celular: 612-523-2330
spps.org
Washington DC Notes
8th Grader 2027 Travelers (current enrolled):
The deadline to apply for an EF Tours scholarship is September 30, 2026.
Families should have received an email on Thursday with scholarship details and other fall notes.
8th Grade families:
Haven’t signed up yet? Enrollment is still open for any 8th graders interested in joining our 2027 trip to Washington DC. This year’s trip runs from Wednesday, March 10, 2027 - Saturday, March 13, 2027. (Hint: Enroll now to be eligible to apply for an EF Tours scholarship. Scholarship applications are due September 30th).
7th Grade families:
Stay tuned. We will start sharing information about our 2028 in late October/early November. 7th graders will learn about the trip in their American Studies class. Information will go out to families in the Scoop.
Email Kristin King (kristin.king@spps.org) for more information.
Athletics
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.
Parent Solidarity Network
We are the Highland Park Middle School Solidarity Parent Network. If you are looking for a way to get involved as a parent, we would love to have you join us! We are a 501c3 focused on mutual aid, fundraising and supporting the school to increase equity, and building community across all programs at our school. If you are interested in joining, please email us at highlandmiddlesolidarity@gmail.com. Thank you!
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