August 13, 2023

23/24 BACK TO SCHOOL EDITION

9th Grade Orientation

9th grade orientation is Thursday, August 31st, from 8:30-11:30 a.m. We will kick off the event in the auditorium. After the gathering, students will meet with their Park Connections teacher and receive their schedules, chromebooks, student IDs, and other pertinent information. Students will have a chance to find their classes and common locations in a Scavenger Hunt, as well as attend an Activity Fair. The fair will give students time to mingle, ask questions, and indicate interest in various clubs and activities. 

Bus information for 9th grade orientation is located here. This will include times and bus stop locations for orientation only. Return buses home will be departing the high school at 11:45 p.m.

9th Grade Orientation for Parents/Caregivers

Parents/caregivers are invited to a 9th grade orientation session on Thursday, August 31st, at 6:00 p.m. in the high school auditorium. The orientation will be recorded, and the recording will be posted on the SLPHS website. Attendees will hear from key support staff, and learn about the 9th grade academic program.

10-12th Grade New Student Orientation

See flier for information.

Grades 10-12: Park Connections Meetings

Thursday, August 31st from 8-10am and 12-7pm. Translation services can be provided if needed. Scheduling the meeting will take place through Student Support Time App. An email notification to set-up your meeting will be sent out August 25th. If you don't have transportation, please schedule a virtual meeting with your Park Connections teacher.

Every student will meet for 20 Minutes with a Park Connections teacher.

• Check-In: Review the 2022-23 school year and set goals for 2023-24

• Communication: Confirm student and family contact information and review opportunities for school-to home connections

• Students new to SLPHS pick up your school issued Chromebook! The Device Agreement must be signed by a parent or guardian prior to issuing your device.

Grade 9: students will meet their Park Connections teacher and pick up their device during 9th grade Orientation from 8:30-11:30 am on August 31st. If they are not able to attend they can get their chromebook during the first week of school.

Students will be able to view schedules through Powerschool on Tuesday, August 29th at 3:00 PM (view schedules through Powerschool, not Schoology). Please know that classes will be balanced over the last weeks of August so students should check for their most up-to-date schedule on Tuesday, September 5, 2023. Schedule change requests will be very minimal and must be made prior to Friday, September 15, 2023.

All schedule change requests can be made through the Schedule Change Request link can be found on the login page of Public Portal. Please remember that schedules will only be adjusted for the following reasons: 1) A wrong class appears, 2) A level adjustment needs to occur, 3) A graduation requirement needs to be fulfilled. Unfortunately, schedule changes cannot be made for teacher choice or class time preference. 

Park Connections advisory teachers will be reviewing the Student & Family Handbook during the first week(s) of school. The handbook will be available early September on the Park Connections Schoology page and SLP High School website. Students are encouraged to review the handbook with their Families and are required to sign a student acknowledgement form.

St. Louis Park High School will be holding grade level specific Virtual Family Nights in September for parents/caregivers of students in grade 10-12. During the events, we will discuss pertinent information relevant to each grade level. Watch 6425 NEWS and website for more information on Virtual Family Nights.

Lifetouch will take school pictures for Grades 9-11 on September 8th in the small gym during their English class. You can purchase pictures online at mylifetouch.com and enter code: EVTW34CN7. If you choose not to purchase a photo package, you should still have your picture taken in order to receive your student identification badge and to be included in the yearbook. If you are unable to get your picture taken, there will be make-up pictures on October 12th. 

The Echowan staff is dedicated to ensuring every student’s name is listed in the yearbook in a way that honors and affirms their identity. 

When you order pictures:

• Please use your student’s preferred name
• Fill out this application for a name change if one is needed
• Students with name changes should inform the photographer at the time of their photo – this is to ensure that LifeTouch has their correct name

Seniors:

• Submit your photos to this link
• The Echowan staff will communicate to seniors and families about missing photos

Seniors will be submitting their own photos, from either a senior photo shoot or a recent picture that they select of themselves. If you have your photos now, use the link above. Once school starts, you can go to slpechowan.org and click on the senior pictures link. The picture does not have to be professional.

Reminder - your school picture will appear in the yearbook. Please dress accordingly.

If your student doesn’t have a school picture:

• Their name will be listed on the class portrait page as “not pictured”

The creation of our yearbook is a long process that starts before the beginning of the school year. There are several hard deadlines between our staff and Josten’s printer throughout the year. The class portrait pages are typically our first pages with deadlines to the printer. Because of that, we ask that any name changes be made by December 31st to make sure preferred names are listed in the yearbook. 

If a name change is needed after December 31st, please reach out to Kelsey Hanson, Echowan Advisor, at hanson.kelsey@slpschools.org.

Beginning July 1, 2023, state legislation approved the Free School Meal for Kids Program. Each student will receive one free breakfast and lunch daily. Students that bring their own lunch will need to purchase a la carte items such as milk. Ala carte items include any additional items beyond the school provided breakfast/lunch. Purchase of a la carte items will require your student to maintain funds in their meal account.

School Nutrition does not accept cash or checks on the serving line for purchase of a la carte items. We are asking parents/guardians to deposit funds in the Family Meal Account. You will have access through your PowerSchool account to add funds for purchasing a la carte items. 

PowerSchool Public Portal provides a link to each student’s Edutrak meal account where families can view student meal accounts and add funds online. 

The School Nutrition Department cannot accept cash or checks, so online payment is the only way to add money to student meal accounts. 

Even though one daily lunch and breakfast will be offered free to students through this new funding, completing the Application for Educational Benefits may qualify your family for other discounts such as: 

• Reduced district activity Fees
• Reduced Testing Fees
• Reduced Field Trips
• Transportation 
• Reduced Internet Fees 
• School Funding

We encourage families to go to this link https://lobby.wordwareinc.com/ if they think they might qualify.

PowerSchool and Schoology are platforms that allow parents/guardians to view their student’s attendance, grades, class events and assignments online. 

PowerSchool, the St. Louis Park student information system, is the primary source for attendance and grades for accuracy and most updated. You can sign-up for PowerSchool by contacting the High School main office at 952-928-6100.  You are also welcome to stop by the front office during the school day, where you will sign the PowerSchool Guardian Access Policy Agreement. 

Schoology is the St. Louis Park digital classroom environment where course information, resources, information and assignments are posted regularly for students. 

• To access a previously created parent Schoology account, go HERE.
• To create a new Schoology parent account (for new families that do not have a previous SLP Schoology parent account) go HERE.

Technology Device Loan Agreement & Acceptable Use Form (Grades 6-12; within PowerSchool Public Portal)

WHAT: Technology Device Loan Agreement & Acceptable Use Form

WHO: Families with students in Grades 6-12 who receive a new device from the school district for the 2023-24 school year.

WHEN: Before the start of school or at back to school information/orientation events

ACTION: Complete agreement and form to allow student access to a school-issued device for the 2023-24 school year.

Students who received a device in the 2022-23 school year and kept them over the summer of 2023 will not need to re-sign this agreement. Incoming 6th graders at the middle school and incoming 9th graders at the high school will need to sign the agreement.

Through the Powerschool Public Portal, we are now completing the routine back to school forms. Please make sure the following forms are completed through the PowerSchool Public Portal: 

Annual Student Update  (2023-24)

• Student Information
• Parent/Guardian and Emergency Contact Information
• Sibling Information
• Health History and Immunizations
• Student Attendance Agreement
• Consent for Release of Student Information Agreement

Forms

• Device Use Agreement
• Online Services Parent Consent
• Parent-Policy 524 - Internet Acceptable Use Policy

In the PowerSchool Public Portal you’ll also find information related to Educational Benefits, Transportation and the Ride 360 app, and Schoology Access.

In accordance with Minnesota Immunization Law (M.S. 121A.15), student immunization records must be up-to-date and on file with the Health Services Department.

Mail or fax your clinic records to the High School Health Office (fax: 952-928-6113). Immunization requirements can be waived only when a legal exemption is on file with the school. Medical exemptions must be signed by a healthcare provider. Non-medical exemptions must be signed by a parent and notarized. A form is available from Health Services or through Public Portal.

Students are expected to be in class on time, every hour, every school day. School is in session from 8:25 am to 3:15 pm. Students with a first period class will be expected to report on time and be in class by 8:25am. Any student that reports to school after 8:25am will be marked as Tardy Unexcused (TU - less than 10 minutes late to their first class) or Partial Unexcused (PU - more than 10 minutes late to their first class). Any student that reports to school after 8:30 am must enter the building through Door 1 and check-in at the Main Office in order to receive a late pass to class.  

*Students that have a Study Hall Release or PSEO Release at the start of their school day will need to check-in at the Main Office (enter through Door 1) and have their permanent pass and Student ID available before reporting to their assigned space at the appropriate bell.

Reporting Absences

For the 2023-24 school year, if your student will be absent from school for any reason, please submit the Attendance Reporting Form, as soon as the absence is known (or at least within 24 hours). Please be prepared to report the student’s information (name, grade, student ID) and any relevant information about the absence. All absences are marked as Absent Unexcused (AU) until the form is completed. Students cannot excuse themselves. 

Parking passes will go on sale on Wednesday, August 16, at 8am. The process for securing a parking pass includes the following:

Complete the Google Form to register for a Parking Pass (linked below). SLPHS Parking Passes are on a first come first serve basis due to limited spaces. On August 24 by noon, students will be notified that they have been assigned a parking pass for the entire 2023-24 school year. At that time, payments can be made online with the link that will be provided in a confirmation email. NEW THIS YEAR - Price of Parking Pass is $100 for the entire school year. Once payment has been submitted, please print a receipt and have your student bring it to the Main Office to pick up their parking pass. Students will need to have all obligations cleared up and present a valid driver’s license when picking up their pass. If payment is not submitted and pass is not picked up by Friday, September 8th the spot will be forfeited to the next student on the list. Cars without passes are subject to being towed.

Please note a parking permit can be revoked anytime by an Administrator if student conduct does not follow the SLPHS Student Handbook.

*Due to limited spaces we will hold a number of permits aside for sale throughout the year. However, once permits are sold out-we will have a wait list.

Click here for Parking Pass Form 

2023-24 Locker Opt-in for 9th Grade and Students New to SLPHS

Incoming 9th graders and new students (10th,11th and 12th graders). If you would like a locker please fill out this 2023-2024 Locker Opt-in Form by going to the link below, or by scanning the QR code. This locker will stay with you as you transition throughout your high school career. 

23-24 Locker OPT-IN FORM

There is no specific ‘school supply’ list for high school students. Students should come prepared on the first day of class with a notebook, pen, and pencil. If teachers have specific requests, they will let students know within the first week of school what supplies will best support their course.

Parents/Guardians are welcome and encouraged to visit and/or volunteer at SLPHS. If you would like to meet with a teacher during the school day or outside of the school day, please contact the teacher directly to make arrangements. Please note that visitors will be escorted while in the building and must adhere to all school rules and policies. If you need to pick up your child early, please come to the Main Office (Door 1), and we will contact your student.

Your student identification card will be used in multiple ways this year. Students will need to present this ID to check in and out of the building, obtain library and technology materials, to get lunch and breakfast or purchase a la carte items, and take attendance in designated areas. Students should carry it with them at all times.

The St. Louis Park Public Schools Transportation Bus Schedules will be available in the Traversa Ride 360 app (click here for directions) starting on or after August 24th. This information will include bus number, stop location, and stop times. If you have any questions or concerns please call the SLP Transportation Department at 952-928-6052 on or after August 24th.

The ACT and SAT college entrance exams should be taken by spring of the junior year. On March 6th, 2024 all juniors will take the ACT at SLP High School. We encourage students to take the exam earlier to allow time to retake the exam for a chance to improve their score. Check with individual schools regarding ACT/SAT admission updates, many schools have moved to a ‘test optional’ status. 

The best way to prepare is to take practice tests. 

You can find FREE exam prep here:

ACT: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act.html

SAT: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat, https://www.khanacademy.org/sat

In addition, there are test prep books that can be purchased from most major book sellers. 

Visit the SLP College and Career Readiness site for more information on testing and test prep. 

https://slpschools.org/ccr

If you need to take or retake the SAT and/or ACT, check out their web sites for dates and registration information. Registration should be completed online at: 

 ACT www.act.org 

 SAT www.collegeboard.org

All students in the junior class will take the ACT at SLPHS on March 6, 2024. Look for more information in the 6425 Newsletter. 

The PSAT will be offered on multiple dates during the month of October at St. Louis Park High School to Juniors or Sophomores who register for the exam. Registration and fee information will be available soon. The PSAT is to qualify students for National Merit Scholarships when taken during 11th grade. Juniors who are in the top third of their class and/or have over a 3.0 GPA are encouraged to take the test. Students in 10th grade who are in the top 25% of their class should consider taking the test as well as a practice for 11th grade. The PSAT can also be used as a practice test for the SAT. More information regarding college preparatory tests will be available in the 6425 electronic newsletter as it is made available.

Incoming seniors that are on-track to graduate spring of 2024 will be eligible for guaranteed admissions to fifty-five MN postsecondary institutions. OHE direct admissions provides waived application fees to participating MN colleges and universities with guaranteed admission. In early October, students will receive notification of their qualifying tier with the list of institutions they can apply for at no cost. More information will be provided as we head into the 2023-24 school year. For questions please contact Kara Mueller mueller.kara@slpschools.org.

All parents/caregivers of students in grades 9 - 12 are invited to participate in the Parent Engagement Advisory Committee (PEAC). There are three meetings scheduled throughout the year, and you may choose to participate in one or more of the meetings. PEAC members meet virtually with the principal and assistant principals to learn the latest updates about what is going on at the high school, share insights and connect with other parents/caregivers to help support students. This group supports teacher appreciation and conference meals. For more information contact PEAC co-chairs Julie Yakes and Roni Falck at slphsPEAC@gmail.com or Principal Paddock at paddock.lanisha@slpschools.org  

PEAC WELCOME VIDEO



Meetings are from 7-8 p.m.: 

• November 8, 2023 (In person-subject to change due to construction)
• January 8, 2024 (Virtual)
• April 16, 2024 (In person-subject to change due to construction)

Please visit gopark.org or click here for Fall, Winter and Spring offerings.

A great way to get involved at St. Louis Park High School is by joining one of our many clubs! If one does not exist that addresses your particular interests, please do not hesitate to start a new one! Current Clubs at SLPHS If you would like to join a current club please reach out to the advisor listed on the webpage.

Gather a group of friends to answer the following questions:

1. How will your club be different from any of the existing clubs that we currently have at SLPHS? Each of our clubs should serve a unique purpose.
2. What is the goal of your proposed club? Why should SLPHS support your club?
3. Do you have a teacher who will act as a moderator? All clubs at SLPHS require a teacher, counselor, or administrator who is willing to act as an advisor to your club. They may or may not get paid to advise.
4. How will this club support the mission and vision of the SLP school District SLP Strategic Plan

All clubs are subject to approval by the SLP School Board and/or SLPHS Administrative Leadership team.. To help ensure that your club meets the basic requirements, please read the following information and complete all appropriate forms. *Clubs will be considered extinct and deleted if there is no club activity for one (1) calendar year. Clubs need to hold a minimum of three (3) meetings/events per semester to remain an active club. If clubs are removed due to inactivity, they must resubmit an application and go through the approval process to be reinstated.  

CLUB APPLICATION

The high school has been under construction all summer, with many exciting updates to the building. Please look for more information about construction closer to the start of the new school year.

MOST UP TO DATE BACK TO SCHOOL INFORMATION CLICK HERE!

6425 West 33rd St. | St. Louis Park, MN 55426

Phone: 952-928-6100 | Fax: 952-928-6113



Click here for St. Louis Park District Website.

Click here for Go Park, SLP's Athletics Website.

Click here for submitting HS Attendance.