#RoyalFam Newsletter

We ask scholars to wear attire they feel most comfortable learning in that does not show private parts, or underwear, is not offensive, and does not promote violence or drugs. This expectation extends to jewelry and accessories. We are seeing an increase in scholars wearing hoodies that read “cookies,” and “backwoods.” These clothing items are not allowed to be worn in school as they promote marijuana and tobacco use. If scholars wear these clothing items in school they will be asked to change. If they do not have something to wear or refuse what we offer they will remain in an isolated area for the remainder of the day.

The Principal Tea is designed for parents and caregivers to engage with Principal Ballard on various topics. This month’s tea was focused on Safety and Security. The next Principal Tea is scheduled for October 24, from 5:00-6:00. Information about safety and security for Hopkins Schools can be found on our webpage here.

The quarterly State of the School Address is designed for stakeholders to learn more about data at HHS. Due to a low attendance rate at our first State of the School Address, we will host a virtual session that will be recorded and shared in an upcoming newsletter. More information will follow.

Cold season is just around the corner, and we could use your Kleenex tissue donations! Please send your donations to school with your scholar, and they can drop them off at the Main Office. Or, you may drop donations off with our greeter at Door A by the cafeteria. Thank you!

Mark Your Calendar

9/28 - Homecoming Dance

10/3 - Rosh Hashanah - No School

10/4 - Conferences - No School

10/17 & 10/18 - MEA - No School

10/22 - PSAT for Juniors

10/24 - Digital Learning Day (Scholars access learning online)

School Calendars

District Calendar

This year we are raising funds to gift some HHS seniors $1000 scholarships. We ask for each HHS scholar to donate $3 to our fundraiser. Scholars who donate will receive a class T-shirt. Donation stations will be set up during lunches.

We would like to extend the invitation for parent chaperones for our Homecoming Dance. If you are interested in chaperoning the Homecoming dance on Saturday, September 28, from 7pm-10:15pm, please click the link below to fill out the interest form. You will get a separate email with information. We need chaperones to supervise specific areas, restock snacks and drinks, facilitate coat check for scholars, and supervise our quiet area.

https://forms.gle/zagt6zdDme7LixMZ8

Spirit Week.

Monday: Pajama Day

Tuesday: Jersey Day

Wednesday: Pink Out

Thursday: Country vs. Country Club

Friday: Class Colors

Club Fair. The club fair will be held on Wednesday, September 25, during lunches. Clubs and activities are encouraged to table at this event and engage with new potential members.

Powderpuff. The annual Powderpuff football game will take place on Wednesday, September 25, after school. Each year we cheer for the junior and senior class at this event. In the last 2 years, the class of 2024 won. We look forward to celebrating the winners this year.

Pep Fest. Our pepfest will take place on Friday, September 27, in the RAC. On this day we will run a Royals Connect schedule. Scholars should first report to their RC for attendance and then walk to the RAC with their class.

HOCO Game. The HOCO game will take place Friday, September 27, 7pm, at the HHS Football Stadium. Scholars who continue to not meet school expectations will not be permitted to attend.

HOCO Dance. The dance will take place in the HHS mall on September 18, 8-10:30pm. Scholars who continue to not meet school expectations will not be permitted to attend. Scholars who are eligible for educational benefits were sent an email with a reduced promo code.

Please click the following link for the Student Council Monthly News for more details on all of the upcoming events: https://secure.smore.com/n/7mzbe

A parking permit fee is $160 for the school year and is reduced by $40 at the start of each term.

Scholars with documented eligibility for educational benefits will receive a separate email containing discount code that can be used to purchase permits online. Discounted permits are $80 and reduced by $20 at the start of each term.

Both cash and credit card payments are accepted. Credit card payments are made using the link on the registration document below.

To receive a parking permit, scholar must meet the following requirements:

• Possess a valid driver's license

• Completed 2024-25 Parking Application Form

Parking permits can be picked up in the main office.

More details about parking passes and the registration form can be found here.

If you are applying to 4 year colleges using the Common Application you must sign your FERPA Waiver in order for counselors to send your school reports and transcript. In order to do this please follow these steps below.

1. Log into your Common Application account

2. Complete the "Education" section

3. Go to "My Colleges" tab

4. Click on a college added to your Common App (any college)

5. Click Recommenders and FERPA

6. Complete the Release Authorization Form

7. Confirm you have read and understand the instructions

8. Check the box that you waive your right to review recommendations (this is what colleges want to see so that they know you have not read any recommendations or influenced your recommendations in any way)

9. Check that your waiver applies to all colleges

10.Sign your name and date

PSAT Registration is Now Open! On Tuesday, October 22, juniors have the opportunity to take the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT). This exam is a shorter version of the SAT and serves as the initial screening for the National Merit Scholarship Program, which identifies students who score in the top 1% nationally. Participation in the PSAT/NMSQT is optional and not required for graduation. There is no makeup test. Testers will need to make up any missed assignments. Testing will start at 8:40 am and end around 12:40 pm.

Your scholar will receive an email with a link to register, which can also be accessed here. Please Note: your scholar must log into their Hopkins Google account to access the registration link.

For more information, practice tests, and preparation tips for the digital PSAT/NMSQT, visit the following links:

• Learn More

• Practice Test and Answer Explanations

• List of Prohibited Items for Test Day

• Please remember that all phones, smartwatches, and wearable technology must be turned off and stored away during the test to avoid disruptions.

For questions, email denise.nohlquist@hopkinsschools.org.

Have a 10th or 11th grader who needs to explore colleges or a 12th grader applying to college? Have them sign up to meet with the many college reps that are coming to HHS. They will get to meet the people who will actually be reading their college applications and get to know the campuses better. To sign up, have your scholar use MaiaLearning (under the events tab). If you want to see what schools are coming, you can view it here ​.

The application deadlines are already starting. If you want your student to begin exploring national and local scholarships, please have them log into MaiaLearning and click on the financial plan tab. Both types of scholarships can be found there.

Does your scholar qualify for free college tuition at any Minnesota Public college or university? Please learn more about the North Star Promise Scholarship by clicking on this link.

Please see the information poster below. Click this link to register.

Maya Sullivan organizes this event, which is in its third year. If you have scholars interested in attending an HBCU, we strongly encourage them to sign up via the Google Form linked below. There will be a fair, virtual admissions presentations, and a student panel: https://forms.gle/XK4SPG3iCYhEZ76J6

As scholars are embarking on the college application process, they may have identified that their GPA would be higher if we included their 9th-grade IB scores in the high school GPA calculation. If scholars wish for a supplementary letter to be sent explaining their GPA would be higher if we included their IB grades, please fill out this form to make that request from Dr. Kuhl. Please note, she will not send the letter if your grade point average is not higher when including your IB grades.

Lifetouch Picture Distribution (9/24) and Retake Day (10/10)

Lifetouch pictures and ids will be distributed during Royals Connect on Tuesday, Sept. 24. If you have not ordered photos, but would still like to, each scholar will receive a packet with proofs and ordering information. You may also log into mylifetouch.com and type in your scholar’s student id. Retakes will be during lunches on Thursday, Oct. 10. Scholars should bring their original picture packet for retakes.

Senior Photos

If you would like to utilize Lifetouch on October 10 for the senior portrait for the yearbook, they will provide a free picture. If you have your own senior photo you would like to submit, please follow these instructions, which include an upload link.

Please note:

1.) Upload only one photo. Make sure you choose the photo you like that meets our requests and upload ONLY that photo. If you upload more than one photo, we will not reach out to you, we will choose a photo for you.

2.) Select a photo that is styled after a professional headshot. We will crop all photos so that faces are about the same size, which means any props, trees, cars, athletic equipment, instruments, or walls you may be peaking around will not be included in the photo and will only serve to distract from your head and shoulders once we crop it.

Senior Yearbook (Ad) Tribute

We are proud to continue the popular tradition of the senior yearbook tribute. Here's how it works:

1. Find an adorable photo of your graduate from a much younger age

2. Create a 40-50 word message honoring who they have become

3. Purchase and upload the yearbook tribute at Jostens before January 31

Yearbook Ordering Information

Order your yearbook as early as possible to take advantage of the lowest prices to help us gauge an accurate order by our deadline. Please email jeff.kocur@hopkinsschools.org if you have any questions or would like to coordinate a cash or check payment.

We are taking an incredible trip over spring break in 2026! We are doing a civil rights/HBCU tour to Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana. We will be visiting famous sites like the Edmund Pettus bridge and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and we’ll tour the Whitney Plantation and Lafayette Cemetery. We will tour Spelman and Morehouse Colleges and more! I will host some information nights beginning in November, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, you can view the entire itinerary and see the price at www.explorica.com, enter tour ID Heimlich-8408 You can sign up to pay monthly payments too. Students, you can always stop by Ms. Heimlich’s room, W112, with any questions. Families, you can email me with any questions at jennifer.heimlich@hopkinsschools.org

We are taking an amazing trip over spring break in 2025 to Croatia, Slovenia, and Venice! You can watch a brief video overview by clicking on this link (here is the presentation).

Current Juniors who are taking AP Euro or AP World during the 24-25 school year and current Seniors who took AP Euro or AP World for the 23-24 school year as a Junior are eligible to register. (This is not available for incoming 9th graders at this time.) We currently have 25 students signed up and the trip is capped at 40.

If you have signed up and registered, there will be a meeting in the Fall (around Term 1 conferences, which is the first week of October) for everyone who is registered to begin discussing logistics and other items to be ready for the trip in the Spring of 2025!

Students and families, you can email me with any questions at michael.babinedinnen@hopkinsschools.org You can also check out our detailed tour itinerary at www.explorica.com, select Register for a Tour, and enter the tour ID: Babine-Dinnen-2359.

Are you the caregiver of a child who transcends traditional binary gender roles? We are offering a supportive, ongoing group for parents and caregivers to ask questions, share ideas, and support one another. Some children may identify as transgender, gender fluid, non-binary, gender queer, gender expansive, or simply move through the world in a much more gender free type of way. Our first meeting of the year will be Thursday, September 26 from 5-6:30 p.m. at North Middle School, Room 506. This is for parents and families from all of Hopkins schools -- and from all grade levels (elementary, middle, and high school, and beyond). Laura Jensen, Hopkins Schools LGBTQ+ Community Liaison will facilitate the meetings. This is not a group to debate the issue, rather for parents looking to support their child.

Dates for Remainder of 24-25 School Year:

September 26, 2024

October 24, 2024

November 21, 2024

December 19, 2024

January 23, 2025

February 27, 2025

March 27, 2025

April 24, 2024

May 22, 2025

June 26, 2025

North Middle School, 5-6:30 p.m. Room 506 (use side parking lot, Door R)

Questions? Email laura.jensen@hopkinsschools.org

Free Lifeguard Certification Age 15-21

https://hopkins.ce.eleyo.com/course/13672/youth-fall-2024/lifeguard-certification%E2%80%941

Under Water Hockey

https://hopkins.ce.eleyo.com/course/13779/youth-fall-2024/under-water-hockey

Open Swim

https://hopkins.ce.eleyo.com/course/13618/youth-fall-2024/open-swim%E2%80%941

Open Gym

https://hopkins.ce.eleyo.com/course/13613/youth-fall-2024/open-gym%E2%80%941

We're excited to announce the addition of the Information Center to the Hopkins High School website! This page provides up-to-date information for both scholars and families without having to dig through your inbox to find older newsletters. Bookmark this page to stay informed and connected with the latest happenings at HHS!

Since 1995, the Hopkins Education Foundation (HEF) has provided $3.8 million in grants to Hopkins educators to fund classroom projects and provide resources to Hopkins students. The hardworking team behind HEF includes, from left, Marketing Coordinator Ellie Siler, Hopkins High School Class of 1997; Executive Director Emily Wallace-Jackson, parent of Hopkins alumni; new Event Coordinator Jacqui Barnard, Hopkins parent; Foundation Manager Jana Hoober, parent of Hopkins alumni; and a 27-member Board of Directors. We can't do it without YOUR generous support. Here are a few fun ways to support HEF grants: Twice a year, you can order Gratitude Gifts for teachers and staff, and we'll deliver cards and a sweet treat in your name. Start brainstorming who you want to celebrate with a Gratitude Gift (orders open in November). On May 1, 2025, we'll celebrate our 30th year supporting Hopkins schools at our annual fundraising gala, the Royal Bash. Please mark your calendar and join us in celebrating and supporting Hopkins schools. Visit HopkinsEducationFoundation.org and join our newsletter to stay up to date.

Thanks to a generous Hopkins Education Foundation grant, we're excited to announce that a Hopkins Schools mascot costume is in the works, developed to match the Hopkins logo and represent our District’s Vision 2031—AND a Hopkins alum is the creator!
The costume will be available for ALL schools in the district to use at events and assemblies. Before we finalize the design, we need your help to make it perfect. Help us choose the crown and cape design elements.

Take just 30 seconds to share your thoughts by completing this quick survey! Your feedback will shape our District mascot costume design!

Email: crystal.ballard@hopkinsschools.org
Website: https://hopkinsschools.org/schools/secondary-schools/hopkins-high-school
Location: 2400 Royals Drive, Minnetonka, Minnesota 55305, USA
Phone: (952) 988-4500
Facebook: facebook.com/hopkinsroyals270/
Twitter: @HopkinsHigh270