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Hopkins Public Schools ISD 270 1001 Highway 7 Hopkins, MN 55305-4723
The Community’s Guide to the District
Fall 2022
HopkinsSchools The Community’s Guide to the District
Alice Smith Elementary October 11
Your scholar's safety is a primary concern for us. Today, all scholars attended Bus Safety Training where everyone learned how to be safe on the bus.
Residential Postal Patron ECRWSS
Hopkins Schools Shifting to eLearning Days for Inclement Weather Policy
Hopkins Public Schools October 13
Hopkins High School orchestra performed a variey of kid-friendly tunes for little Royals and their families at the Young People's Concert. Children were dressed in their pajamas, and stuffed animals and blankets in tow. The orchestra played several familiar tunes from Disney favorites! More photos: https://bit.ly/3S3frpf
Hopkins Schools October 15
Homecoming Week at Hopkins High School! Scholars celebrated their spirit this week with daily themes. Murad Essak was named Homecoming King and Taylor Woodson was named Homecoming Queen. Other members of the Royal Court include: Eduardo Flores, Rosa Greenwood, Praise Akinyele, and Sametta Hill. More photos: https://bit.ly/3rXEBuQ
Preparing Hopkins Students for Post-Secondary Success
LEARN ABOUT eLEARNING DAYS
WELCOME FALL!
Hopkins students get into the groove of the school year
HIGH SCHOOL ACCOLADES
AP SCHOLAR AWARDS Hopkins High School has one of the largest AP (Advanced Placement) programs in the state, offering 27 AP courses. Last year, 41% of Hopkins High School students took at least one AP course. Of those students, 140 students earned AP Scholar Awards from the college board. The AP program offers students the opportunity to earn college credit for successful performance on the AP exams.
Three Hopkins Students Named National Hispanic Recognition Awardees Alejandro Vega, Maya Holmes, and Hennesis Morocho were named recipients of the National Hispanic Recognition Award. These three students earned recognition because of their academic achievements in school and outstanding performance on the PSAT/NMSQT®, PSAT™ 10, and/or AP® Exams.
Hopkins270 October 20
This week, our junior high schools hosted a mural paint party! North Junior High and West Junior High will be adding a mural installation to one of their school hallways thanks to some help from designers at GoodSpace Murals. More photos: https://bit.ly/3TCovlX
Fall 2022
Hopkins Seniors Awarded National Merit Scholarship Recognition Seniors Grace Weil and Merlin Phillips are among a prestigious group of students named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. They are two of about 16,000 semifinalists in the scholarship program this year. Finalists will be announced in February.
National Merit Commended Students Gavin Lorinser, Beatrice Durham, and Michael Sandler were named National Merit Commended Students for their outstanding academic promise. While Commended Students do not move on in the competition for the National Merit Scholarships, these students often become candidates for special scholarships sponsored by corporations and businesses.
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AP Scholar Awards
Scoring 3 or higher on three or more AP exams.
Starting this school year, when there is a need to close school due to weather, Hopkins Public Schools will shift to an eLearning day for PreK-12 students. Moving to eLearning days makes it possible for students to engage in learning even when the weather makes it unsafe to operate school in-person. In addition, an eLearning format allows the district to plan for weather without having to consider adding additional days to the school year due to unexpected school closures.
Jamaican Educators Visit Hopkins
AP Scholars With Distinction
Average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and score 3 or higher on five or more exams.
AP Scholar with Honors
Average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and have scored 3 or higher on four or more exams.
GET CONNECTED, STAY CONNECTED
HopkinsSchools.org/update
For one week in October, Hopkins Public Schools welcomed four teachers from Jamaica. The educators traveled to Minnesota through a partnership with Thrive Ed and the Jamaican Exchange in Teaching program. They observed classrooms and exchanged teaching strategies with our staff.
Left: Beth Ocar gives a student a high five after reaching an important milestone on her college essay. Right: Michelle Kuhl collaborates with students in the Royals Prep class.
As anyone who has gone to high school knows, the experience goes by quickly. One minute you are struggling to find your classes and the next you are walking across the graduation stage into your exciting future. Hopkins High School is ensuring that post-secondary planning is intentionally embedded into each student’s high school experience so every Hopkins student is prepared for success after graduation. One way Hopkins is accomplishing this is through the newly created Royals College and Career Center (RCCC). The RCCC is funded by the Hopkins Education Foundation (HEF) and run by Dr. Michelle Kuhl, a college and career readiness coordinator. The RCCC works in partnership with the counseling office and the wellness center to streamline and expand on the strong foundation that Hopkins High School already has in place. By adding more integrated classes and opportunities, students will be encouraged to think more intentionally and deeply about what they want to do after high school and explore how they will get there. This year, the RCCC will host college prep workshops and a national speaker series, bringing in companies like Nike to help Hopkins students better understand careers that might be available to them. “The competitive advantage that Hopkins has is that we are not as big as the surrounding schools and the amount of personalized attention you have access to here is incredible,” said Kuhl. In her work with the RCCC, Kuhl does everything from collaborating with school counselors and hosting visiting colleges to providing personalized career exploration for students. This might be
helping a student write a competitive college application essay or reaching out to a professional in the field to make a career connection for a student. Through the RCCC and other college readiness programs, Hopkins High School is empowering students to pave their own path, while also helping them understand what is possible and the systems they need to navigate to get there. “We are not judgemental about what you want to do, we just want you to be prepared for it,” said Kuhl. “If a student wants to take a gap year, it’s my job to make that a structured experience.” Royals Prep college readiness class This year, Hopkins High School is offering a new class called Royals Prep co-taught by Kuhl and English teacher Beth Ocar. Royals Prep blends life skills and the college application process. Students not only earn graduation credit, but they must also apply to at least one college as part of the class. “There is nothing easy or stress-free about applying for college, so if we can make the process make sense and work for each individual student in a way that is fulfilling to them, that is very impactful,” said Ocar. Royals Prep has attracted a diverse representation of Hopkins High School students. The aspirations of the students ranges from those who want to attend Ivy League colleges to technical colleges. Royals Prep aligns well with Hopkins High School’s goal of college readiness as not all students have equal time available to them or even access to resources to apply for college or to prepare for what their life might look like when they get there. Through the See Preparing Hopkins Students, inside