The Scots' Scoop

Translations

ENGLISH

Prefer a language other than English? You can open the newsletter link and click a button on the right (on a computer) or at the bottom (on a mobile device) 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 651-293-8950.

SPANISH

¿Prefiere un idioma que no sea inglés? Puede abrir el enlace del boletín y hacer clic en el botón a la derecha (en una computadora) o en la parte inferior (en un dispositivo móvil) para traducirlo a muchos idiomas diferentes. Tenga en cuenta que la función de traducción puede ser inexacta o incompleta. Si tiene alguna pregunta, llámenos al 651-293-8950.

SOMALI

Ma waxaad doorbideysaa luuqad aan aheyn af-Ingiriis? Waxaad furi kartaa lifaaqa wargeysyada oo guji batoonka midigta (ee kumbiyuutarkaaga) ama xagga hoose (ee taleefankaaga gacanta) si aad wargeyska ugu tarjuntid luuqado badan oo kala duwan. Fadlan ogow in natiijada turjumaaddu ay noqon karto mid aan sax ahayn ama aan dhammaystirnayn. Haddii aad wax su'aalo ah qabtid, fadlan naga soo wac 651-293-8950.

HMONG

Puas xav tau ua lwm hom lus? Nej qhib txoj kab mus rau hauv daim ntawv xov xwm thiab nias lub pob ntawm sab xis hauv lub koos pis tawj, los sis yog lwm hom twj no ces nyob hauv qab, ces yuav muaj txhais ua ntau hom lus. Nco ntsoov tias cov lus txhais no yuav tsis raug txhua lo los sis txhais tiav tiav. Yog nej muaj lus nug, thov hu rau peb ntawm 651-293-8950.

KAREN

ကျိာ်ဂုၤဂၤတခါလၢနအဲၣ်ဒိးအီၤ လၢအတမ့ၢ် အဲကလံးကျိာ်န့ၣ်အိၣ်ဧါ. နအိးထီၣ်ကွၢ်လံာ်တၢ်ကစီၣ်ပှာ်ဘျးစဲ ဒီးစံၢ်လီၤဖဲ ပှာ်ဘျးစဲအဖီခိၣ်ဖဲစုထွဲတကပၤ(လၢခီၣ်ဖၠူထၢၣ်ဖီခိၣ်) မ့တမ့ၢ် စံၢ်လီၤဖဲတၢ်ဖီလာ် (လၢနလီတဲစိ ဖီခိၣ်) ဒ်သိး တၢ်ကကွဲးကျိာ်ထံအီၤလၢကျိာ်အဂုၤအဂၤအဂီၢ်သ့ဝဲဒၣ်န့ၣ်လီၤ. ဝံသးစူၤသ့ၣ်ညါလၢ လံာ်လၢ တၢ်ကွဲးကျိာ်ထံအီၤန့ၣ် ကအိၣ်ဝဲဒီး တၢ်အကမၣ် မ့တမ့ၢ် တၢ်တလၢတပှဲၤသ့ဝဲဒၣ်န့ၣ်လီၤ. နမ့ၢ်အိၣ်ဒီး တၢ်သံကွၢ်တဖၣ်န့ၣ်, ဝံသးစူၤကိးပှၤဖဲ 651-293-8950 န့ၣ်တက့ၢ်.

Students are well on their way to a great 1st quarter of learning! It's wonderful to see their projects, critical thinking, discovering, and social experiences in the classrooms as they determine their goals and hopes for this school year, and the start towards achieving those.

The Scots' Scoop is Highland Park Middle School's newsletter to families and goes out every Sunday at 6pm. Be sure to read it weekly for important news and updates.

• Monday, September 18: Flipside registration begins
• Monday, September 18: FCC (Family Communication Committee) at 6:00-7:00pm (at the school, room 1314); topic covered: Schoology
• Tuesday, September 19-21: Sports tryouts
• Monday, September 25: No School, staff professional development day
• Friday, September 29: Family bonfire for Spanish Immersion Program

Fall middle school sports tryouts begin this Tuesday, September 19th. Since our Scoops Extra went out last Tuesday, all coaches have been hired for all fall sports!

The following fall sports are offered at Highland Park Middle School:

· Girls’ soccer

· Boys' soccer

· Girls' volleyball

· Co-ed flag football

Tryouts will take place over three days, Tuesday, September 19 – Thursday, September 21, 2023. Tryout times are 3:15 p.m - 4:45 p.m. You must provide transportation for your student if they wish to stay after school for tryouts.

To be eligible for participation, students MUST do the following:

**Click on the links below for the required documents.

1. Register for a fall sport: https://forms.gle/K8qWcwYP1WvBKLZq5

2. Complete the MSHSL Eligibility Statement: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xw94sC-iWA-mVr_YhhfBtZBrYPV6BP6f/view

3. Have an approved Sports Qualifying Physical on file in the school health office: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19d2xJDWp6C0ktwHTihew8ICprGT-LNq5/view

Your student will only be able to take part in tryouts if we have record of their sports physical completed.

For more information about sports at Highland Park Middle School, including online registration and sports physical information, please go to https://highlandparkms.rschoolteams.com/.

Spanish Immersion Program Family Bonfire/ Fogata familiar del programa de inmersión en español

Spanish Immersion families: please join us the evening of Friday, September 29th, for a bonfire. Details will be sent home with your student and can also be found in your email. If you have any questions, please contact Rachel Hoheisel (rachel.hoheisel@spps.org). We hope to see you there!

Familias del programa de inmersión en español: Nos complace invitar a todas las familias a una fogata la tarde del viernes, 29 de septiembre. Su estudiante traerá un folleto con detalles del evento y también se pueden ver en su correo electrónico. Si tienen alguna pregunta, no dude en contactar a Rachel Hoheisel (rachel.hoheisel@spps.org). ¡Esperamos verlos a todos allí!

The Lobos team is planning a service-learning project! They will be packing supply bags for unhoused people in St Paul. They need your help getting the materials for these bags. There are two ways to support:

• Drop off non-perishable snacks, like granola bars to the office or send with your Lobos student to give to their Foundations teacher
• Contribute to the DonorsChoose project by clicking on the link below. All donations are tax-deductible and will be matched by the Allstate Foundation, so every dollar donated is doubled!

Thank you so much and please contact Mandi.Jung@spps.org with any questions or concerns.

https://www.donorschoose.org/project/hpms-lobos-team-gives-back/7828070?utm_source=dc&utm_medium=sendFriend&utm_campaign=IFproject&utm_term=teacher_4813892&rf=sendFriend-dc-2023-09-IFproject-teacher_4813892&challengeid=21008055

We are thrilled to announce open enrollment for the SHINE Girls Group program for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year! Flier linked here

• At SHINE, we are dedicated to providing a supportive and empowering environment for 6th-12th grade girls to grow, thrive, and shine. Our bi-weekly gatherings offer opportunities to have fun, make new friends, connect with peers, and acquire essential life skills through engaging lessons and community involvement.

• Our program focuses on nurturing self-confidence, promoting community engagement, and helping girls explore their future goals and aspirations. We believe in instilling crucial social and emotional skills during this pivotal stage of development.

Don't miss this chance to be part of SHINE Girls Group! For enrollment visit http://www.weshinetogether.org for more information and registration details (interest form at the bottom of this page: https://www.weshinetogether.org/programs)

Flipside is an after-school program that partners with SPPS Extended Day Learning program and offers enrichment classes in art, science, technology, health, fitness and culture for youth to discover their interests and talents, while setting the conditions to empower youth, nurture and amplify their voices, and create a space where they can experience belonging at school, thrive academically, develop lifelong skills, and shape their future with confidence. Classes run Mon/Weds or Tues/Thurs. from 3:00-5:00 p.m. The program is a free program and bussing after Flipside is provided.

Registration has begun for the Flipside after-school program. Registration forms can be found in the office, with Ms. Nikol, on the Flipside website, or through our online registration found at this link:

Flipside Registration 2023-24

Lockers Soon to Be Assigned to 7th & 8th Graders

Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, each student at Highland Park Middle School was assigned a locker for the school year. However, that changed during COVID, as schools tried to minimize person-to-person contact because of social distancing. As we are normalizing school behaviors since the outbreak, we are reinstating lockers for all students. It is the safest way for students to store both school and personal items.

What we have learned in reassigning lockers, however, is that some of our lockers are not working properly—they are original to the building, which opened in the 1950s, almost 80 years ago. Through the years, normal maintenance of all lockers has been spotty. So, while all 6th graders have an assigned locker, 7th and 8th graders do not…yet. Construction of the 3-story tower building during the summer delayed going through many of our lockers in a timely fashion. Therefore, we are aiming for all students to have an assigned locker by the end of September. We thank you in advance for your patience, understanding, and ongoing support!

Student schedules can be viewed in the Student Portal on Campus, as well as in the Campus Parent app (be sure to download this app if you have not already!). Please direct any questions about student schedules to HPMS' school counselors:

• Nou Katzmarek, Grade 6 nou.katzmarek@spps.org (651) 744-3400
• Elisabeth Mulvaney, Grade 7 elisabeth.mulvaney@spps.org (651) 744-3399
• Danielle Seifert, Grade 8 danielle.seifert@spps.org (651) 744-7582

School begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m. School doors open at 8:00am. Students may be dropped off at 8:00am, but not prior to this time, as they are not permitted into the building and there is no supervision prior to 8:00am.

Students should have received a postcard in the mail with transportation information. The postcard lists details about where and when to get on and off the bus. Please arrive at the bus stop five minutes before the bus is scheduled to pick up your child. Track the status of your child’s bus on our school’s website or the Bus Status app.

If you have not yet received a postcard and believe your student is taking the bus, call the Transportation Office at (651) 696-9600 OR you can view your child's bus information in the parent portal (Campus Parent) using your guardian username and password (see One Stop page if you do not know your username and password at spps.org/onestop).

We strongly encourage families to drop off their student sometime between 8:00 a.m. - 8:25 a.m for our 8:30 a.m. start of the school day.

• School Drop-off

• Please enter the parking lot off Montreal Avenue and proceed to Door 20. Once you are in front of Door 20, please have your student exit the vehicle immediately. We experience a lot of car traffic in the morning at drop-off, so we need to be as efficient and safe as possible.

• Please do not drop off your student in the parking lot at any point until your car gets closest to the school building, nearest to the sidewalk to Door 20. We want students to be safe. Dropping off students in non-designated areas creates an unsafe environment.

• During the morning at drop-off, feel free to drop off your student along Montreal Avenue, with your car facing east (school building side of the street) as there is a sidewalk, and students may walk to Door 20 via the sidewalk that runs along the parking lot curb to enter the building.

• Upon leaving the parking lot, you may only turn right onto Montreal Avenue, as the line of cars leaving with you backs up very quickly.

• You may not drop off your student along Snelling Avenue at any time, as this is a busy bus zone for both morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up.

• School Pick-up

• Follow the same procedures as listed above. However, you may not park on Montreal Avenue at the end of the day, as Montreal Avenue becomes a bus zone for our school buses.

Please go to this link to find the most updated supply list for Highland Park Middle School.

Outside food or drinks from establishments/restaurants are NOT permitted in Highland Park Middle School.

Students may bring a bottle of water and bag lunch from home. However, food and drinks from, or brought to students, from establishments and food services (e.g. restaurants, DoorDash) are NOT permitted.

Only water is permitted in bottles. Other beverages are NOT permitted.

*If your student brings a beverage from a coffee shop, juice bar, etc., it must be finished by the time the student goes to class, as we are trying to minimize pest issues in the building.

Cell phones should be turned off and put away during school hours, 8:30am-3:00pm. Please see this link to our school policy as it pertains to cell phones, earbuds, and electronic devices.

We do not recommend that you bring any valuable personal items to school - including phones and earbuds. The school is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

Application for Educational Benefits

The Minnesota Free School Meals Program provides all students with ONE FREE BREAKFAST and ONE FREE LUNCH per school day. *Students will be charged for single item purchases, such as milk and second meals. The prices for single item purchases can be found at here and on the website at spps.org/ns.

While all in-person students will receive free breakfast and lunch under Minnesota's Free School Meals program, it remains critical that all families complete an Application for Educational Benefits each school year. These applications determine how much funding your child's school receives for educational programs and supports. Additionally, eligible families can qualify for other benefits. The application can be completed online at schoolcafe.com/spps. Paper applications are available at school.

Daily, weekly, and monthly breakfast and lunch menus are available online at Nutrition Services spps.org/ns.

SPPS strives to create welcoming schools where each and every student is seen, known and valued. There are rights students are guaranteed when they are at school as well as responsibilities that accompany those rights. Read the Rights & Responsibilities Handbook.

Attendance is an important part of student success. We realize there are many reasons that a student may be absent from school. If your child will be absent from school, please notify the school at your earliest convenience. Communication between home and school is a vital component to a positive school experience.

Safety is of the utmost importance at our school and district. Families, students and staff can use the MySPPS app to “Send a Tip” and confidentially report unsafe behaviors in school to SPPS Security and Emergency Management.

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 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 food bag 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.

The Bereavement Department at Children's Minnesota is offering programming for grieving children and teens three times a year, meeting weekly for 6 weeks. This is a therapeutic support group facilitated by Child Life specialists and Music Therapists. This programming is available for any school-age child/teen experiencing grief - the death of a loved one, death of a friend, or other experience bringing about a sense of loss. All programming and resources are free of charge, and we offer families free parking vouchers, or help with transportation needs. We also work with Interpreter Services as needed to hope to accommodate any language needs.

See this flyer for more information.

We welcome family members to volunteer at HPMS. If interested, please go to this link and fill out the online form titled, ”Volunteer Interest Form.” Thank you for supporting HPMS!

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