District News

Hopkins Royal Productions presents: Don't Drink the Water

elizabeth_buchner — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:59:05 -0500

The Hopkins High School Theatre program, Royal Productions, will present Woody Allen's "Don't Drink the Water," a comedy that takes place behind the Iron Curtain as American tourists rush into the embassy just ahead of police who suspect them of spying. Hilarity ensues as they frantically plot their escape.

The production is playing Thursday, May 17, 2012 through Saturday, May 19, 2012, at 7 p.m., in the HHS Little Theater.

Tickets are available online at $8 for adults, and $6 for seniors and students.

Commissioner of Health visits Alice Smith Elementary

jolene_goldade — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:15:54 -0500

The Commissioner of Health, Dr. Ed Ehlinger, visited Alice Smith Elementary School this morning. Ehlinger started the day with a six block bike ride with elementary students and Hopkins Police. View photos.

Get your summer on at the May 22 Parent Community Fair

jolene_goldade — Fri, 11 May 2012 08:24:05 -0500

Summer is just around the corner. If you are looking for fun and inexpensive activities to do with your children over summer break, look no further than the SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee) Parent Community Fair. The purpose of the event is to give parents ideas for how to have the best summer ever with children of all ages.

Hopkins senior wins second place in Congressional District Art Competition

jolene_goldade — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:36:23 -0500

Hopkins High School senior Amy Mathews won second place in the 2012 Third Congressional District High School Art Competition. Mathews also received a Silver Key Award in the Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards competition in the category of drawing.

Bennett's photo receives honorable mention in national competition

jolene_goldade — Thu, 03 May 2012 20:37:30 -0500

Hopkins High School Senior Bridget Bennett received an honorable mention in the 2012 Jostens Photo contest for her photo of the girls soccer team titled "One more Win."

Bennet's photo was one of 90 chosen out of a field of 8,000 entries nationwide. Bennet is the photo editor for the Hopkins High School yearbook. This is her second year winning the Jostens Photo Contest. In 2011, her photo "All as One" won the Grand Prize.

Hopkins Senior Receives New York Life Award

jolene_goldade — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:21:38 -0500

Hopkins High School senior, Paris Ebersviller, has received the New York Life Award for her painting titled "What we forget," depicting her and her grandpa. The award is special segment of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition that recognizes students who submit work that deals with bereavement or loss. Ebersviller will be nationally recognized at Carnegie Hall in New York City this month.

Partnership between Alice Smith and Hopkins Police featured on Fox 9

jolene_goldade — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:17:05 -0500

Operation Recess, a unique partnership between the Hopkins Police Department and Alice Smith and Eisenhower Elementary, was featured on Fox 9 yesterday. As part of the program, police officers participate in recess at both elementary schools once a week. Building relationships between police and youth is the ultimate goal of the program.

ACE wins state competition

terri_osland — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:45:31 -0500

The Hopkins High School ACE team (Architecture, Construction, Engineering) took first place in the state competition at Dunwoody College. The competition challenged the team to design a parking ramp that was "outside of the box." In addition to bragging rights, the team brought home scholarships, a trophy and a sizable jar of gummy worms.

The team consists of:

XinXing kindergarten class performs at MOA

jolene_goldade — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:12:39 -0500

Last weekend XinXing kindergarteners, led by their teachers, Yiran Li and Donghong Wang, performed for hundreds of shoppers at the Mall of America during Passage to China, an annual outreach event sponsored by The Chinese Heritage Foundation and China Insight. This event is a wonderful opportunity to journey through Chinese culture, history, and geography and includes numerous interactive activities and cultural performances. XinXing students sang two Chinese songs, performed a Chinese Rhyme and did a Chinese dance.

Destination ImagiNation team headed to nationals

jolene_goldade — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:42:31 -0500

Congratulations to E.D.U.C.A.T.E.D., Hopkins High School's Destination ImagiNation team, on winning first place in the state competition. The team, juniors Ian Anderson, Graham Giesting, Rachel Gorlin, Rebecca Gorlin and Natalie Polinsky, also won a Renaissance Award for demonstrating outstanding skill in the areas of engineering, design or performance. They will be competing in the Destination ImagiNation Global Finals in Tennessee next month.

Three Hopkins Schools conduct emergency lockdown drills

jolene_goldade — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:35:37 -0500

Last week, Tanglen Elementary, Glen Lake Elementary and North Junior High School enhanced their lockdown drills by running them at challenging times. All Hopkins schools conduct routine drills to enhance emergency response capability and allow buildings to practice using the Incident Command System. All three buildings met their training objectives.

Alice Smith students perform at Twins game

jolene_goldade — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:17:44 -0500

Alice Smith Elementary School students sang The National Anthem at the Minnesota Twins game on Sunday, April 15. Under the direction of vocal music teacher Rob Estrine, approximately 100 Alice Smith Choir students performed at Target Field. Alice Smith students have sung "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Twins games for the past seven years.

Hopkins alumna named Pulitzer Prize finalist

jolene_goldade — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:42:08 -0500

Mara Hvistendahl, a 1998 graduate of Hopkins High School was named one of two Pulitzer Prize finalists in the category of nonfiction for her book "Unnatural Selection: Choosing Boys Over Girls, and the Consequences of a World Full of Men." This was Hvistendahl's first published book. It outlines the unintended consequences of Asian countries choosing boys over girls. Hvistendahl, who has spent nearly the last decade living in China, speaks Mandarin Chinese. She started studying the difficult language at Hopkins High School. She was one of four students in the class.

‘Operation Recess’ fosters strong relationships between police and youth

jolene_goldade — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:51:33 -0500

April 11 was the first day of "Operation Recess," a unique partnership between Hopkins Public Schools and the Hopkins Police Department. The program increases positive police interactions with the youth in our community during recess time. From now until the end of the school year Hopkins police officers will be working hard at play during recess every Wednesday and Thursday at Eisenhower and Alice Smith, respectively. View photos here.

'Excellence in action at all levels' -- Hopkins overview video

jolene_goldade — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:25:40 -0500

Hopkins Public Schools has completed a five-part video series called "Excellence in action at all levels,"which highlights each program level. The Overview video is the final installment of this work and ties all the videos together. More importantly, it shows the excellence of Hopkins Public Schools, which is defined by an exceptional teaching staff, a rigorous program and focus on the future that never waivers. This is what we mean by our motto -- Excellence: every student, every school, every day.

Digital content comes alive in junior high science -- April/May edition of 'The Update'

jolene_goldade — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:51:28 -0500

The junior high science department made the decision to swap textbooks for iPads at the beginning of this school year. Due to this change, teachers have been able to provide transformed, customized learning experiences for students and enhanced instruction.

XinXing students connect with elders from China and Vietnam

jolene_goldade — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:04:19 -0500

Twenty-three third and fourth-grade Chinese immersion students from XinXing Academy visited the Legacy Adult Day Care Center in Golden Valley on March 20 to connect with elders from China and Vietnam through smiles, songs and conversation. Legacy provides a welcoming experience for seniors from China and Vietnam where they can share favorite Asian foods, play Mah Jong, learn and refine their English language skills and enjoy the company and conversation of others from their native home lands.

Hopkins senior named 'Mr. Basketball'

jolene_goldade — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:59:59 -0500

Hopkins High School senior Siyani Chambers was named the 2012 Minnesota "Mr. Basketball" by ESPN. The honor is given to best high school boys basketball senior in the state. Chambers was also named a member of the Star Tribune's All Metro first team and the AP All-State team. He maintains a 3.8 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society. He is committed to Harvard after he graduates.

15 Hopkins students recognized at Caring Youth event

jolene_goldade — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 20:30:40 -0500

Fifteen Hopkins students were among the 28 students recognized for outstanding service at the Caring Youth Recognition event on Thursday, March 15, 2012 at the Minnetonka Community Center.

This year's featured speaker was Joan Summerside and service dog Nala of Helping Paws. Headquartered in Hopkins, Helping Paws is a volunteer-based non-profit organization whose mission is to further the independence of people with physical disabilities (other than blindness or deafness) through the use of service dogs.

KARE11 interviews Hopkins nutrition director about upcoming Farm to School documentary

jolene_goldade — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:34:48 -0500

Hopkins is a strong participant in the Farm to School program, which brings fresh produce and meat to school lunches. In September, we participated in a Farm to School documentary to encourage others to get on board with this mission. The documentary airs this Sunday at 8 p.m. on TPT (channel 2 for most people). This morning, Kare11 sat down with Barb Mechura, Hopkins' director of food and nutrition, to talk about the documentary and Hopkins' school lunch program.

Over 100 colleges and universities to visit Hopkins High School

jolene_goldade — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:45:52 -0500

Hopkins High School is hosting its annual College Fair on Friday, March 23. Students will have the opportunity to speak with college representatives from over 100 colleges from around the region and beyond. Junior high students in ninth grade will also attend the fair as part of their College Fair field trip.

Two state championship titles in a row!

jolene_goldade — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:11:55 -0500

Congratulations to the Girls Basketball team for winning their second consecutive state championship title. The team only lost one game this season and secured the state title on Saturday night when they beat Osseo 77-55. The team's coach, Brian Cosgriff, earned his fourth title. The following players were named to the all-tournament team: TT Starks (ninth-grade) Sydney Cofffey (senior) Nia Coffey (junior) and Taylor Anderson (junior).

Hopkins School Board preliminarily approves the 2012-2013 operating budget

jolene_goldade — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:39:52 -0500

The Hopkins School Board preliminarily approved the base budget including community education and capital projects levy at the March 15 Board meeting. In separate motions, the Board also approved three ongoing expenditures and seven one-time expenditures for the 2012-2013 school year. The final budget must be approved no later than June 30, per Minnesota Statute.

Hopkins School Board approves plan to bring more digital devices into classrooms

jolene_goldade — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 21:46:57 -0500

Digital Content Video -- See it in action

The Hopkins School Board preliminarily approved a Digital Content and Access plan at the March 15 School Board meeting. Starting in the 2012-2013 school year, every seventh-grade student will be provided with an iPad that they will use to access digital content throughout their junior high experience.

Hopkins Education Foundation raises $120,000 for Hopkins Public Schools

jolene_goldade — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:23:15 -0500

Hopkins Education Foundation organized two fundraising efforts in the month of February -- an online auction and the annual Royal Bash event -- and raised $120,000 for Hopkins Public Schools. This money makes grants possible that bring innovations into the classroom and enrich existing programs and curriculum.

Hopkins Junior High video

jolene_goldade — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:44:27 -0600

Hopkins Junior High is a supportive environment where students can explore who they are and pursue their talents. The academic program is designed to encourage students to move deeper into their learning. Students have the option to take pre-AP and honors courses, setting themselves up for a variety of pre-college opportunities offered at the high school. Learning is infused with technology, digital curriculum and a variety of electives.

Hopkins High School celebrates 'March Madness'

jolene_goldade — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:24:12 -0600

Hopkins High School celebrated 'March Madness' with a spirited pep fest on Friday morning. The celebration included dance and music performances by students and student groups. There was even some upside down drumming, and one opportunistic young man used the pep fest as a way to ask his girlfriend to prom. Photos are available here.

College in the Schools -- March edition of 'The Update'

jolene_goldade — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 16:20:33 -0600

Did you know that Hopkins High School students can attend college classes without leaving the high school campus? College in the Schools is a University of Minnesota program that allows students to earn credits through the U while still in high school. Hopkins has six College in the Schools classes available to students. Learn more in the March edition of "The Update."

Hopkins music department receives $2,000 from GRAMMY Foundation and Best Buy

jolene_goldade — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:54:10 -0600

The GRAMMY Foundation and Best Buy awarded the Hopkins High School music department $2,000 on Wednesday, Feb. 29. The check was presented to Hopkins High School music and technology teacher Mark Czech during the grand opening of Best Buy's Mobile Store at the Ridgedale Mall in Minnetonka, MN.

Artwork by Hopkins students of all ages to be displayed at Youth Art Exhibit

jolene_goldade — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:06:15 -0600

The Hopkins Youth Art Exhibit runs from March 1 to April 8 at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. The annual exhibit features student art work from all schools in the Hopkins district in grades K-12. A reception hosted by Hopkins visual arts staff will be held for students and families on Tuesday, March 6, from 4 - 6 p.m. in the Charles Redepenning Gallery of the Hopkins Center for the Arts.

XinXing Celebrates Year of the Dragon

jolene_goldade — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:45:31 -0600

XinXing Academy, Hopkins' Chinese immersion program, celebrated the Year of the Dragon with two performances. The first performance was performed by kindergarten through second-grade students on Feb. 16. The second was performed on Feb. 21 by third and fourth-grade students. A short video clip of the former performance is available here.

Olympian speaks to Alice Smith students about being active and eating healthy

jolene_goldade — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:47:51 -0600

Olympic athlete, Carrie Tollefson, spoke to Alice Smith Elementary students today about the importance of being active and eating healthy.

A native of Dawson, MN, Tollefson is a middle-distance runner who was a member of the 2004 Olympic Team competing in Athens, Greece. She is also the spokesperson for Minnesota Grown, a statewide partnership between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Minnesota producers of specialty crops and livestock.

Eisenhower teacher nominated for Minnesota Teacher of the Year

jolene_goldade — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:15:39 -0600

Hopkins teacher Anna Wosika has been nominated for the Minnesota Teacher of the Year. She is one of 111 candidates who were nominated statewide. This is Wosika's first year teaching first-grade at Eisenhower Elementary, but she is a familiar face in Hopkins' early childhood program, where she taught preschool from 2004 to 2011.

Inspired by the minds of young children, Wosika always knew teaching was her calling.

Tanglen Elementary awarded $4,000 Fuel up to Play grant

jolene_goldade — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:01:52 -0600

Tanglen Elementary has been chosen to receive a $4000 Fuel Up to Play 60 grant from among hundreds of schools across the country that applied for funding to help them jumpstart and sustain nutrition and physical activity improvements. This nationwide funding program offers schools up to $4,000 to help them increase awareness of and access to nutrient-rich foods and physical activity opportunities for students.

2011 Hopkins grad meets president

jolene_goldade — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:11:00 -0600

In December, Hopkins High School 2011 graduate Forrest Yesnes attended the URJ (Union for Reform Judaism) in Washington DC. President Obama was the keynote speaker. Yesnes is the president of NFTY (North American Federation For Temple Youth) representing 19 regions in North America and Canada, and was also there to speak before the group. Because of his leadership role, he was given the opportunity to meet President Obama.

‘Yes You Can’ – Hopkins program aspires to make college an option for all students

jolene_goldade — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:03:43 -0600

Hopkins Public Schools is reaching out to Hmong, Latino, and Somali families and students to make sure all students have access to a college-bound track. "Yes You Can" is a District-driven, grades 7-12 initiative that helps minority families understand the college registration process, courses available, and the planning needed to prepare for a future education beyond high school.

Hopkins Ski Team headed to state

jolene_goldade — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:30:36 -0600

Congratulations to the Hopkins High School Boys' and Girls' Nordic Ski teams, who won both of their section meets on Wednesday. Both teams will now be competing at the state tournament on February 16th at Giants Ridge in Biwabik. Check out the photos here.

XinXing students perform in Chinese New Year Celebration

jolene_goldade — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:15:57 -0600

Students from Hopkins' Chinese immersion program, XinXing Academy, were invited to MC the CAAM Chinese Dance Theatre's 12th Annual Chinese Culture School Show on Jan. 24, 2021. The show celebrated the Chinese New Year.

The performance, called "China the Beautiful: from the Mountains to the Prairies," took place in the O'Shaughnessy auditorium at St. Catherine University. About 1400 students from around the metro attended, including all XinXing students.

Local event, global reach – Smile Fest has children grinning

jolene_goldade — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:37:38 -0600

A group of Hopkins students are organizing a local event that will have international impact. Smile Fest, a battle of the bands fundraiser, is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 10, at the Hopkins Depot (9451 Excelsior Blvd., Hopkins, MN 55343). All proceeds will benefit Operation Smile, an international children's medical charity that provides free reconstructive surgeries for children born with cleft palates, forever changing their lives.

Hopkins High School choral director named a Choral Director of Note

jolene_goldade — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:53:14 -0600

Philip Brown, Hopkins High School music and choral teacher was named a 2012 Choral Director of Note by the "Choral Director Magazine." He is one of 11 choral directors nationwide to receive the honor.

The 2012 Choral Directors of Note shines the spotlight on outstanding choral directors who have been nominated by fellow teachers, students, administrators, and colleagues. As a result of the award, Brown was featured in the Annual Report edition of the Choral Director Magazine.

Leading the way in school nutrition – Hopkins featured on WCCO

jolene_goldade — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:45:06 -0600

Hopkins Public Schools is a leader in school nutrition. On our lunch trays you will find meals cooked from scratch, fresh fruits and vegetables, and meats and produce from local farmers whenever possible. What you will not find is food dyes. Barb Mechura, director of school nutrition services, was interviewed by WCCO about the District's decision not to serve any foods with artificial food dyes. Watch the video here.

Hopkins 2012-13 and 2013-14 calendars available

jolene_goldade — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:30:04 -0600

The Hopkins School Board approved the calendars for 2012-2013 and the 2013-2014 school years at the Feb. 2 School Board Meeting. A basic version of these calendars is now available. A more polished version will be posted within the week.

2012-2013

First Day of School
Sept. 4
read more

STEM for all — February edition of the Update

jolene_goldade — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:50:47 -0600

Hopkins Public Schools is making sure its students are well versed in the hard sciences. The February edition of "The Update" is dedicated to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Hopkins has a robust STEM program that begins in grade three for all students. In junior high, Project Lead the Way classes challenge students and allow them to experiment with hands-on learning. The High School offers several STEM options, including three Project Lead the Way courses.

Two Hopkins skiers named to national ski team

jolene_goldade — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:57:24 -0600

Two Hopkins High School Nordic Ski team members have been named to the 2012 Midwest Junior National Ski Team. Sarah Benton and Harris Dirnberger, both juniors, will compete at Soldier Hollow in Utah March 4-10, 2012. The Junior National event features the strongest and fastest young Nordic skiers in the nation, ages 16-20. The Midwest team is composed of the best 21 men and 21 women from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois who qualify through a series of ski races. Both Benton and Dirnberger have raced for the Midwest squad in the past and are proud to represent Hopkins.

High tech Hopkins students compete at state robotics tournament

jolene_goldade — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:02:06 -0600

Two Hopkins robotics teams performed well at the First Lego League State Tournament. The Alice Smith Elementary team, G.O. Nutz, nearly qualified for the national tournament, and finished the day in second place in Division 1. They also received the Judge's Award at the tournament. The West Junior High team, Lego Maniacs, was also a formidable force. The team's research project was ranked among the top three in the state.

High School Course Registration

terri_osland — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:16:52 -0600

Students attending Hopkins High School during the 2012-2013 school year will register for their classes during the month of February. There are a variety of materials on the school webpages and a several supportive activities scheduled on site to guide them in this process. Click on Registration Procedures below to learn more.

Image: nuttakit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Hopkins High School receives 16 Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards

jolene_goldade — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:18:31 -0600

Hopkins High School art and photography students won 16 Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards (four Gold Key, five Silver Key, 10 Honorable Mentions).

Students who received Gold Key and Silver Key awards will have their winning pieces exhibited at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design Gallery from Jan. 30 to Feb. 26. An awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 26. The Gold Key winners will move on to the national competition in the spring with a reception at Carnegie Hall, NY. National winners will be announced in May.

Billy McLaughlin to perform with Hopkins High School Orchestra

jolene_goldade — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:41:44 -0600

The Hopkins High School Orchestra is gearing up for its Feb. 18th Orchestra Spotlight Concert. Once again, the concert will feature a special musical guest. Students are currently collaborating with singer/songwriter Billy McLaughlin through an artist-in-residency project. McLaughlin will perform with the students on select songs during the February concert.

Hopkins grad assigned to cover 2012 presidential election

jolene_goldade — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:32:00 -0600

Hopkins grad Jo Ling Kent is one of eight young journalists chosen to be an embed political reporter for NBC. In this role, Kent will cover the 2012 presidential election. Kent most recently worked an associate producer for CNN in the Beijing bureau. She graduated from Hopkins High School in 2002 and studied history, policy studies and Asian studies at Rice University. She also has a Master's degrees from London School of Economics and Beijing University respectively.

Lego Maniacs headed to robotics state tournament

jolene_goldade — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:58:07 -0600

On Saturday, Jan. 28th, the West Junior High robotics team - the Lego Maniacs -will be competing in the FIRST Lego League State Tournament at Washington Technology School (1495 Rice Street, St. Paul, MN 55117). The main portion of the competition is from 8 to 4 p.m. The awards ceremony is 4 to 6 p.m.

Hopkins Junior High Course Catalog

jolene_goldade — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:18:28 -0600

The 2012-2013 Junior High Course Catalog is hot off the press. Both Hopkins North Junior High and West Junior High are nationally recognized as schools of academic excellence. At either school you'll find a highly personalized program enriched with world language, STEM, pre-advanced placement, music opportunities and a plethora of innovative electives. Flip through the catalog and start planning your best year ever.

Hopkins High School Video

jolene_goldade — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:59:31 -0600

You can do it all at Hopkins High School. Whether you want to study engineering, experiment with culinary arts, or explore your musical side, it's all here. We bottled up the energy of the high school into a three minute 23 second video. The video portrays an ordinary day at the high school, which is anything but ordinary. Watch it and see what we do.

Hopkins’ student paper receives highest state rating

jolene_goldade — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:08:32 -0600

The Hopkins High School student newspaper, The Royal Page, has been recognized as among Minnesota's top student newspapers. The paper has again earned an All-State Gold ranking from the Journalism Educators of Minnesota. Organizers of the award gave The Royal Page a ranking of excellence in the following areas:

Lovas named Girls’ Track and Field AA Coach of the Year

jolene_goldade — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:14:54 -0600

The Minnesota State Track and Field Coaches Association has named Nick Lovas the 2011 Girls Class AA Coach of the Year. Lovas coaches Girls' Track and Field at Hopkins High School and teaches social studies at West Junior High.

College bound, but not college ready?

jolene_goldade — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:34:57 -0600

Hopkins students who are college-bound, but who may not be college-ready, can apply to be in the 2012-13 Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program.

What is AVID?

Survey reveals community support for Hopkins Public Schools

jolene_goldade — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:51:34 -0600

Recently, Hopkins Public Schools commissioned a survey by Decision Resources to measure the perceptions of parents. Overall, the community gave the District a strong rating.

Highlights include:

Caring Youth Award nominations due Feb. 3

eileen_harvala — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:56:25 -0600

Nominations are being sought for the 2012 Caring Youth Award, which is given to young people who show an ongoing awareness of other through volunteering or other activities.

Nominees must meet at least one of the following criteria:

Williams new theatre director at Hopkins High School

jolene_goldade — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:23:10 -0600

The Hopkins theatre program is pleased to announce that David Williams, a language arts teacher at Hopkins High School, accepted the position of theatre director. A short meeting to introduce Williams is planned for 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22 in the Fireside Room at Hopkins High School.

Williams began teaching at Hopkins High School in 1983. His passion for teaching and education are well known throughout the District. He is a veteran of high school theatre, having served as the artistic director for the Hopkins theatre program from 1984 to 1996.

XinXing students perform at One World International Festival

jolene_goldade — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:40:10 -0600

XinXing students performed at the One World International Festival in St. Louis Park on Sunday, Dec. 11. Led by music teacher Linda Schwitzer, the students sang a Chinese song and performed GongFu with coach Huang Ningsheng.

The purpose of the festival was to help celebrate ethnic diversity and build camaraderie among different races and religions. The students braved the cold weather and winter winds and put on a strong performance. This was just one of many opportunities for students to practice their Chinese language and entertain a crowd.

Hopkins senior an Academic All-Star

jolene_goldade — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:15:56 -0600

Congratulations to Hopkins senior Amy Mathews for being chosen as a KARE11 Academic All-Star. Mathews is active in three choirs at Hopkins, a theatre captain, and part of the National Honor Society. Despite her busy schedule, she maintains a GPA of 3.8. Mathews was thoroughly surprised when morning reporter Tim McNiff came into her choir class, snuck up behind her and presented her with a check for $111.

Human rights activist speaks to Hopkins students

jolene_goldade — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:06:33 -0600

Over 350 Hopkins High School students attended a presentation by human rights activist Carl Wilkens on Monday, Dec. 5. Wilkens and his family moved to Rwanda in 1990, and stayed there when the genocide started in 1994. He was the only American to remain in Rwanda during the genocide.

Hopkins financial literacy spotlighted on KARE11

jolene_goldade — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:50:24 -0600

Hopkins was featured on KARE11's ‘Cool in School' for its forward-thinking financial literacy curriculum. Hopkins is the first District in Minnesota to make financial literacy a graduation requirement. Students must take a course in ninth-grade and again in their junior or senior year.

Parent Education Opportunity:
For parents of students grades 9-12
Money Smart Kids

XinXing -- five years later

jolene_goldade — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:41:25 -0600

In the December/January edition of "The Update" we take a look back at the bold moves that built Hopkins' Chinese immersion program, XinXing. Currently in its fifth year, XinXing's pioneer class is now in fourth-grade. The program will run through sixth-grade and will extend to the junior high in 2014-2015. You can read archived issues of the Update here.

Alice Smith students ‘Go Nutz’ at Lego League Regional Tournament

jolene_goldade — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:05:10 -0600

Over the weekend, six Hopkins Alice Smith Elementary students competed as team "Go Nutz" in the First Lego League Regional Tournament. The team, which is coached by Ron Dummer, swept a variety of categories including robot performance, robot head-to-head competition, research presentation, robot design and teamwork. Go Nutz will head to St. Paul for the state tournament on Jan. 28.

ProPEL students collect $1,200 worth of supplies for Simpson Housing Services

jolene_goldade — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:39:28 -0600

ProPEL students have spent the last few weeks fundraising and securing donations from local businesses for a donation drive that benefits Simpson Housing Services, a non-profit organization that transitions the homeless into homes. The students collected boxes of essentials and assembled 21 "welcome baskets" for people who will soon be entering their first home since homelessness. The baskets contain basic household items like laundry detergent, toothpaste, coffee mugs, and more.

McDonald Finds his Place at Hopkins High School

elizabeth_buchner — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:42:25 -0600

Adam McDonald was looking for an administration position with a west-metro school district. When an opportunity presented itself at Hopkins, he jumped at it. He is now the newest assistant principal at Hopkins High School, a role he began this school year.

"I was looking for a district with a strong mission, vision, and a reputation of excellence," said McDonald. "I really loved the ‘every school, every student, every day' mission statement."

Hopkins activities director to receive top national honor

jolene_goldade — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:18:48 -0600

Dan Johnson, activities director for Hopkins High School, will receive the Distinguished Service Award from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) on December 13, 2011. The award will be presented at the National Athletic Directors Conference in Indianapolis.

Hopkins’ accelerated Spanish track begins with Juntos

elizabeth_buchner — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:10:26 -0600

Juntos 1 is an accelerated Spanish class designed for heritage Spanish speakers and students who have completed an elementary immersion program. Juntos will grow at the junior-high level each year. In its third year, grade 9 students will be able to take Juntos 3, an AP (Advanced Placement) class capable of earning college credit.

Chinese and Spanish immersion programs to be offered at the secondary level

jolene_goldade — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:24:12 -0600

Hopkins will soon be offering two immersion programs at the secondary level. Starting in the 2013-14 school year, Spanish immersion will be offered at North Junior High. Additionally, in 2014-2015 Chinese immersion will be offered at West Junior High. Both programs are designed for students who have completed an elementary immersion experience.

Harley Hopkins practices its emergency drill

jolene_goldade — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:53:37 -0600

Harley Hopkins, as with all Hopkins schools, is committed to the safety of its students and staff. A big part of this effort is being prepared for the unexpected. This past month, Harley conducted a fire drill with the added challenge of having an exit blocked.