What's Happening at SHMS

For more important dates, check our school calendar.

For more information about our Sports & Activities, visit our SHMS Athletics page.

Student-Led Conferences will be:

• February 5th: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
• February 6th: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM

For questions or assistance with scheduling your conference, please contact Mary Kujawski via email at Mary.Kujawski@district196.org or call the SHMS main office at 952-423-7581.

Schedule your conferences here

All items will be donated after student-led conferences.

Below are links to the four Scott Highlands scholarship applications available to graduating seniors who were SHMS attendees. All scholarships should be submitted on or before Monday, March 31st, 2025. Students may apply for more than one scholarship if eligible.

Scott Highlands Middle School Alumni Scholarships

The Ron Finger Field of Teaching Scholarship

SHMS Ted Siefkes Field of Science Scholarship

WEB Alumni Scholarship

Monday, 2/10 6pm at the RHS Student Center

All golfers planning on trying out should attend with a parent/guardian!

Questions? anthony.mahady@district196.org

• Make an impact as a mentor and role model
• Build friendships, confidence and leadership skills
• Gain hands-on experience working with campers
• Grow from a camp invention alum into a leader

Camp Information:

Week 1: July 7-10

Week 2: July 14-17

Week 3: July 21 - 24

Location: Silverbell Learning Center Eagan

Questions? kimberly.caldie@district196.org

Pre-season requirements:

Must have your home high school as Eastview.

Must be at least 12 years old and have a Firearm Safety Certificate.

Available for grades 6-8.

Registration runs from February 4th - March 24th.

Season cost is $330 plus the cost of the jersey and shooting bag (purchased separately.)

Season Dates: March 30th - May 21st

Wednesday is the normal shooting day at 4pm at West End Gun Club unless student has a conflicting schedule with spring sports or religious reasons.

Questions? Contact Head Coach Pete Nichols

(651) 492-9246

sirgona1@gmail.com

Please complete course registration for the 25-26 school year only during the specified timeframe that applies to the CURRENT grade level of your child.

Visit the Course Registration 25-26 page under Academics on the Scott Highlands webpage for important information.

If you have questions about the registration process, call Scott Highlands Middle School at 952-423-7581.

Dear 8th Grade Families,

As we approach the exciting transition to high school, we want to ensure that both students and parents are fully informed about the registration process. To help guide you through this, each high school has created videos that explain everything you need to know about course selection, requirements, and what to expect in high school.

Please take some time to watch these videos, as they will provide valuable information to support your student’s registration process. You can access the videos here:

AVID: AVID Program Presentation

Apple Valley High School 2 videos: Incoming 9th Grade Registration & AVHS Electives

Eastview High School 1 video: Intro Message from Assistant principal and Electives

Rosemount High School 1 video: Incoming 9th grade Registration

These videos will cover:

• High school course options

• How to choose courses and electives

We encourage you to watch the videos with your child, so you can both ask questions and discuss the best options for their high school journey. On Thursday, January 23rd during math class your student will meet with a high school counselor from the school they will attend next year. The videos have been posted on Schoology too. Students should have had the opportunity to watch these during homeroom but due to the cold day we wanted to make sure they were shared to families too.

If you have any questions or need additional support, please don’t hesitate to contact your high school counselor.

Apple Valley High School Counseling: 952-431-8218

Eastview High School Counseling: 952-431-8914

Rosemount High School Counseling: 651-423-7522

Thank you for being a part of this exciting time in your child’s educational journey!

Hello Scott Highlands Families,

Cases of contagious illness including influenza, norovirus, COVID-19, RSV, pneumonia, and pertussis are on the rise in Minnesota and in local schools.

Please be aware of the following guidelines to help your family stay healthy during this time:

District 196 follows guidance from leading health organizations (i.e. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Minnesota Department of Health, American Academy of Pediatrics) to reduce the spread of communicable disease. When unsure if your child should attend school, consult with a healthcare provider or contact your school nurse.

Children should stay home from school for the following reasons:

• Fever of 100.4 or higher - can return when fever free for 20 hours without fever reducing medication.
• Strep throat - can return after 12 hours of antibiotics and fever free for 20 hours without fever reducing medication.
• Vomiting or diarrhea (without a known reason) can return 20 hours after last episode.
• Rash (without a known reason) with behavior change or fever of 100.4 or greater.
• Excessive coughing that persists and makes it difficult to participate in school.
• Not healthy enough to participate in routine school activities.

If a child becomes ill at school and needs to go home:

• The school nurse will call guardians listed in the child’s Infinite Campus record. Please update your contact information as needed, including emergency contacts.
• Students who are ill need to be picked up as soon as possible to prevent the spread of illness.

Practice good hygiene: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before eating, after using the bathroom, and any time your hands are visibly soiled. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer as a substitute for handwashing ONLY if soap and water aren't available. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, and throw away used tissues. Do not share eating utensils or drinks with others.

Limit close contact: Avoid close contact with people who are sick, and limit close interactions with them if you are infected.

Eat well and exercise: Eat a healthy diet, exercise, and get enough rest.

Thank you!

Beth Gissibl MSN, RN, LSN, NCSN

Licensed School Nurse

Beth.gissibl@district196.org

952-423-7583

Kung Fu: Beginner, White and Yellow Belt (ages 5-adult)

Mon | Jan 27-Mar 17 | 6:30-7:00 p.m. | 7 sessions | $79 | CP

Additional class dates available!

Safety and Self-Defense (ages 10-15)

Wed | Jan 29 | 6:00-8:00 p.m. | $55 | DHMS

Eastview Lightning Boys Volleyball Skills and Competition Clinic (boys, grades 6-8)

Sun | Feb 9-23 | 1:00-3:00 p.m. | 3 sessions | $60 | VMS

Adventures in Dungeons & Dragons™ (grades 6-12, adults welcome too!)

Thu | Feb 13-Mar 20 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | 6 sessions | $120 | FRMS

Karate and Mixed Martial Arts-Kick Boxing (ages 6-adult)

Tue & Thu | Feb 18-Mar 20 | 7:00-8:00 p.m. | 9 sessions | $105 | WV

Allegro Choral Academy (grades 6-9 – Bel Canto)

Thu | Feb 20-May 8 | 6:20-8:00 p.m. | 12 sessions | $155 | EVHS

Skyhawks Advanced Volleyball (ages 9-12)

Sat | Feb 22-Mar 15 | 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. | 4 sessions | $89 | DR

Archery Adventure Camp (ages 9-17)

Mon | Feb 24-Mar 17 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | 4 sessions | $85 | PW

Eastview Lightning Boy's Volleyball

Middle School Skills & Competition Clinic

Come learn some skills and play some games at our winter clinics!

Come to a few dates or all of them!

Scan the QR code to learn more and register.

At the beginning of January, nearly 1,300 SHMS students began the Spelling Bee Contest in their English classrooms. About 20 students advanced from each grade into a grade level competition, and from those bees, three students from each grade advanced to our All-School bee. On Wednesday, SHMS crowned 8th grader, Esther our school champion! Esther will now take the qualifying test to advance into the Minnesota Regional Spelling Bee, which is held at St. Paul College on March 6th! If Esther wins that competition, she will attend the SCRIPPS National Spelling Bee in Washington DC!

Esther was the SHMS School Champion when she was in 6th Grade. That year she placed third at the MN Regional Bee then, so we know she will represent SHMS to the best of her ability!

Congratulations to all of the spelling bee finalists! This year our finalists were given words like tegular, amoeba, entourage, marauders, viand, lyre, progeny, endive, harlequin, larboard and retinue to spell! They did an outstanding job!

On Saturday, the Future City Team competed in the MN Regional FCC.

Thirty teams from Minnesota and Western Wisconsin competed in the event held at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul.

This year the team was challenged with creating a city at least 100 years into the future that floated on water as a way to address rising sea levels and climate change. The team placed their city off the shores of Venice, Italy!

They have been meeting since the first week of October, and have put many hours into their competition. The team also was awarded two Special Awards this year: Most Innovative Constructability and People’s Choice.

What:

When:

Where:

Cost:

Register:

Greetings from the Eastview Community Foundation!

We are preparing to award close to $90,000 in scholarships to Eastview High School seniors this spring. We are looking for volunteers to help us read scholarship applications from the Class of 2025.

Reading will take place from Feb 3-24. As we have in the past, we will provide the essay readers with links to the essays they will read, a scoring rubric and scoring sheet. We expect the essays to be ready to share by February 3rd and would request that the scores be returned by February 24th.

If you are interested in volunteering your time, please complete this short commitment form by January 22, 2025.

https://forms.gle/g2xAzAMnHzpRVAud9

Thank you again for your support of the Eastview Community Foundation and our seniors!

Eastview Lightning: Boys Volleyball Clinic

Boys grades 6-8

February 9th, 16th, 23rd from 1-3pm

Eastview High School & Valley Middle School

$60 to register.

ce.district196.org

651-423-7920

The district is currently in need of clerical substitutes. Please share this information with someone you know who may be interested in working during their holiday break as well as future breaks from school. It is also a great opportunity for anyone who would like to work around a child’s school schedule. We have open jobs every day with varying start times, allowing for a flexible schedule. No previous experience is needed, the requirements for subbing are listed below, the process is very easy. I have a sub orientation this week, they could be ready to work after the holiday break.

Pay Rates for the Clerical Substitute position

• $15.00 Clerk positions (Instructional Clerk, Library/Media Clerk, Technology Support Clerk, etc.).
• $16.50 Paraprofessional and Early Childhood Teaching Assistant positions.
• For those substitutes that work over 31 days in these roles during the 2024-2025 school year, pay increases to an incentive rate of $18.00. They’ll continue to receive the incentive rate for all of next school year as well.

Requirements for Clerical Subbing

· High School Diploma

· Willing to work across the District at all schools of at least two levels (elementary, middle school, or high school)

· Must be able to pass a pre-employment background check (paid for by the applicant)

· Must complete a Personal Care Assistant Certificate of Training (Click here to take the PCA/CFSS training and test)

· Must complete a pre-employment physical (paid for by the district | district will provide Physical Form)

· Must attend a New Hire Orientation

Upcoming Orientation Dates

Please use this form to select an orientation date from the list of upcoming clerical substitute orientations.

· Tuesday, December 17th, 2024: 10:00am – 12:00pm

· Friday, January 3rd, 2025: 10:00am – 12:00pm

· Tuesday, January 14th, 2025: 10:00am – 12:00pm

If you know someone who is interested, please forward this along. I’m happy to answer any questions they may have about this opportunity.

Families are encouraged to complete an Educational Benefits Application. Your children may qualify! Applications are now open.

While meals are free for all students, all families are highly encouraged to complete an Application for Educational Benefits. Your approved application provides critical funding to our school district. This compensatory aid helps increase funding for teachers, paraprofessionals and social workers to include math and reading support. An approval for educational benefits also allows families to receive discounted Activities/Community Education fees. Learn more about the Educational Benefits Program.

Questions or concerns: ask our Nutrition Services department at Nutrition@district196.org or 651-683-6958.

6th Grade: Brian Buechner

(952)-423-7602

brian.buechner@district196.org

7th Grade: Sarah Blasing

(952)-423-7603

sarah.blasing@district196.org

8th Grade: Ashley Welke

(952)-423-7608

ashley.welke@district196.org

From left to right: Brian Buechner, Sarah Blasing, Ashley Welke

Navigating the Holidays

As the holiday season is upon us, many see this season as a full of hope, cheer, reflection, and togetherness. For some, however, the holiday season may bring reminders of grief and loss, trauma, loneliness, and stress. Here are some tips for your child (and you!) to navigating the holiday when you aren't in a place to feel very festive.

https://secure.smore.com/n/mbecy

Healthy eating is so important for children. At Scott Highlands Middle School, 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. Here are some important things to know about Every Meal:

• 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 are interested in receiving food from Every Meal, please fill out this google form: Every Meal Electronic Enrollment

The first bags of food will be delivered in early October. If you have any questions, please reach out to Sarah Blasing, the 7th grade counselor, at sarah.blasing@district196.org.

Versión en español de este mensaje

Fariintan oo Soomaali ah

If you have a student who is dealing with the loss of an immediate family member (sibling, parent, grandparent, caregiver) or individual who significantly influenced your student and feel they would benefit from participating in Park Nicollet's Growing Through Grief group, we would like to offer your student this grief group opportunity.

Scott Highlands Middle School will be hosting this group again; this year it will be facilitated by Jenny Simmonds, a licensed grief therapist through Park Nicollet. Group sessions will be held during the school day and will run throughout the school year. Our hope is that this group would begin sometime in October. If you are interested in having your student participate, please email your student's school counselor with the name of your student and they will contact you to provide further information.

Community Resource Guide Dakota County - this guide includes information on health care, dental, women’s health, food, housing, special needs/disability, and other supports for families

FastTracker MN - a behavioral health search tool that allows you to filter services based on your search criteria, which can include free and sliding fee services available.

Virtual Calming Room - designed to assist in identifying different strategies for managing emotions, this webpage includes links to calming tools and other resources for youth and families

Worried about your student’s OR your own mental health?

Dakota County Crisis Response: Call 952-891-7171

National Crisis Text Line: Text SCHOOL to 741741

Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988

To report an absence, send an email to shms.attendance@district196.org (preferred) or call the 24 hour attendance voicemail number at 952-423-7587. Please provide the following information:

• Student’s Name (please spell the student’s first and last name)
• Grade
• Name of person reporting absence
• Reason for absence

**The direct line to Beth Gissibl, school nurse, is 952-423-7583

You can also report an absence by filling out this form: Report an Absence

We are a GREAT School because we are:

Respectful

to all people in the building

Responsible

with ourselves and our belongings

Ready to Learn

by being prepared and present in the learning environment

Website: https://shms.district196.org/
Location: Scott Highlands Middle School, Pilot Knob Road, Apple Valley, MN, USA
Phone: 9524237581
Instagram: shms_saints