Como Park Senior High Newsletter

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year, Como families!

Como staff are excited to welcome students to a fantastic new school year. We are proud of our beautiful building and strive to create a learning environment that is safe and conducive to learning. Our priority is for students to feel safe, valued, and accepted. We encourage strong partnerships with families to ensure a meaningful high school experience where students can thrive and achieve their full potential. Como staff are more than ready to encourage, challenge, and empower students and we are confident it will be a successful year. Go Cougars!!

September

18- Picture Day

26- Campus/Schoology Workshop 5:30-7:00 PM

27- Homecoming Dance 7:00-10:00 PM

28- Homecoming Game 1:00 PM

October

3- No school (Professional Development)

7- Parent Advisory Council 6:00 PM

8- PSAT

10- Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:00 PM

15- Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:00 PM

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

School Expectations

*School begins promptly at 8:30.

*Students are expected to be in their assigned class at all times. This is how we can ensure students are safe and learning.

*PSEO, Self Directed, and Online Learning students can spend this time out of the building or working in the library.

*During school hours, students are not allowed to have food delivered to the school or leave the premises to get food. No food will be accepted that is delivered from Door Dash, GrubHub, Uber Eats etc. This plan is crucial in maintaining a positive learning environment, as it prioritizes student safety and minimizes disruptions during school hours. Outside food conflicts with SPPS Nutrition Services pledges to end hunger, focusing on increasing food security and improving nutrition over the next ten years by providing reliable and convenient access to no-cost meals for all children in Saint Paul. We appreciate your collaboration and patience.

Absences/Attendance

Please make sure to ALWAYS report your student’s absence by 9:30 AM. You can do this by calling the Attendance Line at (651)744-5343. If no contact has been made by a parent/guardian regarding your student’s absence, please send a note with the reason for the absence with your student when they return to school. Please contact the main office (651-293-8800) for the process to follow when taking an extended trip.

Any student that comes to class after the bell is "tardy".

Any student that comes to class after 30 minutes is "absent".

At Como Park Senior High School, we support our students in using technology for real-world life and especially as a learning tool. We are not allowing cell phones to be used in school during instructional time between the hours of 8:30-3 pm.

Our expectations around cell phone use:

1. Adults are in charge of the teaching and safety in spaces they lead.

1. Keeping phones out of learning spaces helps keep students focused on learning. Adults will first give a verbal redirection to put the phone away.

2. If the student does not follow this reasonable request or their phone becomes a barrier again, the adult will request the cell phone to go into a secure area with the adult until the end of the period.

3. If the student does not follow staff requests or their phone isn’t put away in a secure area in the class, the adult will request an intervention with a behavior staff. An office discipline referral form will be completed, then the device will be stored with a behavior staff or Admin for the remainder of the day. Family will be contacted.

4. If a student’s cell phone misuse becomes a pattern, or they continually defy reasonable requests, a family conference will be required and a phone agreement will be put in place.

2. Making phone calls or receiving phone calls are only permitted in the school office and with the permission of an adult or during passing/ lunch time. Students should not take or make phone/video calls on devices during class time.

1. Students who take or make phone or video calls on devices during class will be referred to the Behavior Intervention staff. Families will be contacted.

2. If a student continues to make or take calls on devices during class, a family conference will be required and a phone agreement will be put in place.

So why are we tightening up our cell phone expectations?

1. To grow as a person requires real, human interaction. We believe that learning the skills of in-person communication and collaboration are essential. One of the most important skills our students will learn at Como Park Senior is how to get along and work well, face-to-face, with a variety of people.

2. Electronics have become disruptive. Cell phone notifications disrupt both the student and the class. We want students focused on the learning, not who’s calling or texting them.

3. They get stolen. Unfortunately, as wonderful as our Como Park students are, phones are stolen. They are attractive items. While we try to help students problem-solve, the school is not responsible for lost or stolen electronics. Every classroom will have a safe, secure area to protect cell phones during instructional learning time, if a student doesn’t have a secure place to store them during class.

4. Students don’t need them. Every student at Como Park is given an iPad for academic use. We are asking you to not only review these expectations but also to help out by not texting or contacting your student during the school day. In the event of an emergency, please call the main office, 651-293-8800 and we will get a message to your student as soon as possible.

Also available in Hmong, Somali, Spanish, and Karen

Picture Day is September 18th!

All students need to get their picture taken. Students who were photographed will receive a Student ID card that is used for various things at school. If you'd like to order pictures, families can send payment and the order form with their student on picture day to be given to the photographer OR pictures can be ordered online using this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13azhslSuRMsW0uL5XZWe_9OU1vviAfoB/view?usp=sharing

Our Picture Day ID is : EVTXNQ3MD

9/13/24

Updates from the Counseling Department and the Como Career Pathway Center (CPC)

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”.

Get Ready: Postsecondary Support for 12th Grade For seniors seeking postsecondary support, please contact Get Ready Pathways Coordinator Mai Chue Moua (Mai.Chue.Ozcan@state.mn.us) and Ka Siab Yang (Ka.Siab.Yang@state.mn.us).

College Knowledge Month at Como October is College Knowledge Month!! October is a great time for students and families to learn about researching, applying to, and paying for college. Check out the CPC Event Calendar on the Como Park page of the CPC Website to see all of the events going on in October. Contact Ms. Aisha (amohamed.ach@spps.org) for more info. Students can also check out opportunities via the CPC Update posted every week on Schoology to each class year.

• College Knowledge Night October 10 from 4:30 - 7:00 pm
• Families will have the opportunity to connect with college representatives, learn about the college application process, gain resources for postsecondary planning and so much more!
• NACAC College Fair October 5.
• The 2024 National College Fair at the Minneapolis Convention Center will be taking place this fall on October 22nd from 9AM - 12PM and 5PM - 7PM, and October 23rd from 9AM - 12PM. Como will be taking a select number of students in October for the morning session. Permission slips can be found in room 1304 and in the counseling department.
• Career Connect Day October 15
• Students from St. Paul Area high schools are invited to attend Career Connect Day with their schools. For 90 minutes, they will have the opportunity to meet and talk with people who work in the real world, in a wide array of career areas, and even try interactive activities related to those careers and find out what it takes to move toward their dream job. Join us for an inspiring day! Permission slips can be found in room 1304 and in the counseling department.

Juniors! Pre-register for the PSAT The PSAT is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program and will be administered on Tuesday, October 8, 2025. Students will pre-register on Tuesday, Sept. 17th. There are limited spots, so please be aware that the form will no longer be available when spots are filled. For questions, please connect with Ms. Vang. There are only 40 spots available!

XELLO - Xello is the career & college planning tool that every student has access to and will get lessons on various topics throughout the year. This year seniors will use the Xello platform to:

• Research Careers, Colleges and Majors
• Build Their List of Colleges
• Send Transcripts to Colleges
• Request Letters of Recommendation

Check out the XELLO HELP page on the CPC Website for instructions on logging in and performing the tasks listed above. *Note: If your student is applying through the CommonApp, they must link their Common App and Xello Accounts. Please reach out to counselors or Ms. Aisha to help with this process.

Reporting ACT Score Requests - Many colleges are still not requiring students to report their ACT/SAT scores, however some schools still need ACT scores. Juniors will be taking the ACT offered at school in the spring but if Seniors would like to take it again they can follow up with Ms. Aisha for a fee waiver. If your senior wants to report their test scores to colleges via their transcript, they must email the following counselor after making the transcript request in Xello:

• Non-Common App Transcript Requests: Ms. Aisha Mohamed (amohamed.ach@spps.org)
• Common App Schools: their respective counselor based on last name

***Check out this video on requesting your transcript in Xello.

***You can also send your ACT scores directly to the colleges through your MyACT.org account.

PAYING FOR COLLEGE

MN Office of Higher Education Downloadable Guides (available in various languages)

Many colleges waive their applications through this month so apply now! As well, Ms. Aisha and Ms. Mai Chue have fee waivers for college applications available so please connect with them.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Find Scholarships in your Xello Account!

Log into Xello > Click Goals and Plans > Click College Planning > Click "Local Scholarships"

FAFSA - The 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid will open December 1. FAFSA is going through changes this year and we will be sharing the updated information in November. Be on the lookout for that information!

Email Ms. Aisha (amohamed.ach@spps.org) or sign up for an appointment if you have any questions with the FAFSA application process.

MN DREAM ACT - If your student is not a US citizen, you’ll complete the MN Dream Act instead of the FAFSA. Check out the Paying for College page on the CPC website for a step-by-step video on completing the application. Heads up - this is an older walkthrough, but very little has changed (except you'll use 2023 tax info)!

Email Ms. Aisha (amohamed.ach@spps.org) or sign up for an appointment if you have any questions about the MN Dream Act application process.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Find Scholarships in your Xello Account! Log into Xello > Click Goals and Plans > Click College Planning > Click "Local Scholarships"

For more scholarship opportunities and to customize your search, please log into your Xello account (Click “College Planning” → “Find Local Scholarships”) or visit the Scholarship page on the CPC website. An additional document is available to seek out other scholarships - Scholarship Tracker.

Let me know if there are any issues with my post!

Best,

Aisha

You can schedule an appointment with me using this link: calendly.com/como-cpc

--

Aisha Mohamed (She/Her/Hers)

Career & College Readiness Coordinator – Como Park Senior High School
Achieve Twin Cities

amohamed.ach@spps.org

Como Park Sr Career Pathways Center: 651-774-2487

740 Rose Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55117

www.achievetwincities.org

Counselor's Note

If your student is credit deficient, registration for your student to sign-up to make up those credits from the previous year will be available this Monday September 16th-September 23rd. Please refer to the timeline for registration, start and end dates.

We want to make sure you know who we are and when we are here.

Services Provided To Students Are:

Physicals

Immunizations

Reproductive Health Services

Care for Acute and Chronic Illnesses

Nutrition Counseling

Sports Nutrition

Mental Health Counseling/Therapy

Health Education Services (including sexual health, smoking cessation, and relaxation techniques)

Classroom presentations on a variety of health topics

Hours of services:

Our Clinic at Como will be open Monday-Friday from 8-4 this fall. (See below for clinic schedule; some providers are in on different days).

Our staff this fall:

Nurse Practitioner: Christine Chitambar (Mon,Tues, and Thurs)

Health Educator: Aniz Anderson and Abby Benusa (E/O Mon and Fri)

Mental Health Therapist: Amy Froiland-Parada (Mon-Thurs)

Registered Dietitian: Katie Meaux (Tues)

Medical Assistant: Bao Thao (Mon, Tues, and Thurs)

Clinical Coordinator: Khadijah Fofana (Mon-Fri)

Referrals for all (non-mental health) clinic services:

To refer a new student, please send or bring student to the Health Start Clinic to start the initial paperwork.

*FOR MENTAL HEALTH REFERRALS: please see Social Worker Christy McCoy or Holly Moser and they will connect the student to the clinic.

Reminders:

We are located next to the school nurse.

Main scheduling line for appointments (students can call or text): 651-233-8951

Direct line to the Health Start Clinic: 651-487-8539

Please remember that services for students are confidential.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE CLINIC AND STUDENTS IN ALL THEIR HEALTH CARE NEEDS!

All Parents are Invited

Come learn more about what Como Park has to offer

We meet every 1st Monday of the month. The Parent Advisory Council (PAC) works together to provide input regarding school policies and school improvement. Parents are an integral part of developing our Family Engagement Plan, School Compact, and School Continuous Improvement Plan (SCIP). PAC also helps organize school events such as Family Fun Night and the Senior BBQ. For more information, contact Jamie Hoffman at jamie.hoffman@spps.org or 651-744-5529.

Our first PAC meeting is: October 7th at 6:00 PM in room 1312. Please email me with suggestions, topics, concerns, or questions to be discussed at the next PAC meeting.

3DE is a high school model created by Junior Achievement in 2015 to break through traditional barriers and redesign the framework of education. The purpose of 3DE is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. This is accomplished through focusing on the skills and competencies students will need to be successful during and after high school across content areas. We also focus on connecting students with local and national business partners who can help support students in their growth of these skills and competencies using real world business situations and challenges.

3DE is launching in Saint Paul Public Schools at Como Park High School and Washington Technology Magnet. All 9th grade students will experience 3DE as part of their AVID or Freshman Focus class and the model will continue to add a grade each additional school year.

Schools that have participated in the 3DE model have seen a decrease in student absenteeism, an increase in students' sense of belonging and inclusion, higher graduation rates and increased teacher retention. These are all outcomes we hope to see reflected at Como Park High School in the next few years.

Attention all students interested in business and being an entrepreneur! See flier below for a terrific opportunity to develop business skills and to make some money.

Spanish teacher Leah Deiman and two colleagues led 22 students for a week of immersive education during July in Spain. Coordinating with Education First Tours (EF Tours), the group traveled to Barcelona and Madrid. While the art and architecture of the Spanish cities was abundant, Deiman said the greatest value for students was "gaining independence and self-confidence through exploring different cultural perspectives."

We have three students who completed unpaid summer training through the GenesysWorks program and have been placed into a paid corporate internship.

GenesysWorks recruits and trains students from high schools in all of Ramsey County, so it’s rather competitive.

Here they are:

• Sonom Vang – 3M
• Roman Rivers – Target
• Mary Xiong – Land O’ Lakes

Again, these are corporate positions, so pretty awesome.

Our weight room got an upgrade thanks to the Thielen Foundation! If you haven't seen the video of the ribbon cutting ceremony, click here!

It has been an overwhelming busy summer for the Como Park MCJROTC. The Annual Cadet Leadership Camp to the Korkow Ranch in South Dakota for 55 cadets was a huge success for the units comradery, leadership, and Espirit D' Corps. All cadets got private airplane rides, archery skills, camping, physical fitness, Raider Training, and horseback riding at our SLC24. A bit of break and thrust into the large Back to 5O's Community Service Event late June. As usual supporting the community with several Color Guards this summer at multiple parades. With July amongst us that fast, approximately twenty-seven of our cadets got travel and adventure to multiple leadership camps from the United States Marine Corps Headquarters. STEM Camp, Cyber Patriot Camp, Senior Leadership Camps, National Drill Camp in Texas, and the Outdoor Odyssey Adventure Camp in Pennsylvania. We continued to push on as Marines do, and accomplished our two-day Cadet Staff Development Camp in early August accomplishing the Trollhaugen Adventure Park, Night Hikes and Camping aboard Fort McCoy, and some R&R at Noah's Ark, Wisconsin Dells. At last, we completed our annual Minnesota State Fair MCJROTC Volunteer Event just prior to returning to school with records number of cadet turnout every day. Ooh Rah- Approximately 50 of our cadets showed up each day to deal with State Fair Trash. Go, Go, Go - Cadet Cougars!

Please welcome our new Registrar, Maria Silva

My name is Maria Silva and I am the new registrar at Como Senior this year! I was the Attendance and Records clerk at E-STEM Middle School for the last 3 years as well as the softball coach.

I'm a very outdoorsy person so if I have free time I will almost always be hiking, camping, or mushroom foraging with my fiancé and our dog! I'm very excited to be a part of the Como team and I look forward to getting to know everyone. 🙂

Please welcome our new Attendance Clerk, Katy Hull

My name is Katy Hull and I'm the new Attendance Clerk here at Como! I've worked in the district only for a little while, mostly at 1930 Como. I started here as a temp and liked it enough, so I decided I just didn't want to leave. I've worked with Nutrition Services and Facilities, and I'm excited to be in a school and get up close and personal with the systems I was supporting. I moved up to Minnesota a few years ago, but my mother is actually from here! I moved from Cody, Wyoming a state which has maybe 2 whole escalators in it, probably less.

When I'm not working, I enjoy my time off with my well named black cat, Trouble. She enjoys cheese, causing mayhem, and mousing without any teeth. Trouble helps when I'm writing, and supervises me playing video games. She has an immensely busy schedule.

Congratulations to our 2024 Como AVID graduates: Abdulahi, Zuhura; Abron, Shanya; Adan, Nimo; Baw Meh, Palita; Boley, Joy; Carrion Nunez, Dylan; Cunningham, DeeNaeja; Davis, Isis; Diaz, Laila (AVID Ambassador); Hailu, Henoch; Htoo, Tha Blay; Hussein, Aisha; Jama, Fadumo; Lar, Naw Bee; Mo, Kassakorn (AVID Ambassador); Mohamed, Asia; Mohamed, Gudon; Mohamed, Sumeiya; Moo, Paw K; Paw, Hser Eh; Ray, Htoo; Sher, Sher; Shuriye, Manal; Streeter, Destiny; Tenbrook, Nia; Vang, Desiree; Worika, Ebisa; Xiong, Gaokia

Congratulations to our MCJROTC Cadets. For the seventh year in row, they have been awarded the National Honor School recognition for outstanding MCJROTC units across the world. Only 20% of all world wide MCJROTC's units are pegged with such recognition. The diverse highlights of the program started well before we even got back into the normal SY23-24 environment with several cadets involved in the Cyber Stem Camp, National Drill Camp, Senior Leadership Camp, Cadet Leadership Camp, multiple physical fitness sessions, multiple community service events, and our annual seven-day Minnesota State Fair Fundraiser which generated over $37,000.00 dollars. The JROTC cadet staff again was one of the strongest we have had in years and kicked it into high gear to sustain instruction points (242), increased competition points (434), Public Affair Color Guard points (34), and another very busy Como Park MCJROTC community service hours record of (4,044 hours). Cadets sacrificed multiple SY23-24 weekends for Community Service hours. Cadets sacrificed multiple before school hours, Saturdays, Holiday Breaks, and other holidays to perfect the Como Park drill teams SY23-24. Although not qualifying for drill nationals, the unarmed teams jumped from last to fourth overall out of approximately fifteen other MCJROTC’s. The unarmed inspection team secured a first-place win at the Regional Level for the first time in CPSHGS MCJROPTC History. Lastly, an impressive Senior Cadet Scholarship Awards Program was valued at over 1.1 million dollars in graduating scholarships, which directly reflects our senior cadets achieving full or partial academic scholarship towards higher education and service to their country. It has taken a village to achieve this JROTC honor, and we are very grateful to our supporters, CPSHS Staff, and all past, present and future cadets. Again, congratulations cadets on this high achievement seven years in a row. Semper fidelis - Always Faithful - OOH RAH!

Would you like to know what is happening around the Como Park neighborhood? Click the link for news and updates from your District 10 Como Community Council. View this email as a webpage

A weekly after-school program for kids 6th grade to 12th grade interested in learning the basics of sewing. We will begin with sewing a cubby basket to keep their sewing projects throughout the year. Over time, the kids will choose their own sewing projects from a selection of patterns made available by The Makery.

For students grades 6 - 12

Where: The Makery, 2230 Carter Avenue #8, St. Paul, MN 55108

When: Tuesdays and Thursdays , 3:30 - 5:30

Sep 17, 2024 - May 29, 2025

Learning Objectives:

• Familiarity with sewing machines, stitches, buttonholes, and zipper stitches

• Hand stitching techniques

• Upcycling thrifted items

Price: $225/month for both Tues & Thurs or $112.50/month for single day attendance

For more information, click this link: https://www.themakery.space/sew-squad