September 1, 2025

Greetings Fellow Scots,

We had another successful week at Highland Park High School. I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day Weekend.

This week our skill focus during announcements will be about student IDs. It is very important for all Scots (students and staff) to have their IDs at school. We check students’ IDs in the morning during arrival. If students lose or forget their ID, they will be asked to buy a new one. Students can get new IDs in the library during an off period or their lunch period. If students persistently do not have their ID, they may be referred to their assistant principal and may receive discipline consequences. Thank you for helping us with IDs.

Fall is an exciting season at HPHS. We have so many activities occurring right now with football, volleyball, tennis, girls and boys cross country, water polo, the fall musical, marching band, and so much more. Thank you for supporting all of our extracurricular programs!

Thanks and Go Scots!

Dr. Kevin Hunt - Principal

Highland Park High School

huntk@hpisd.org

OPEN HOUSE

CAFETERIA VOLUNTEERS

CAFETERIA MENU

SCHOOL PORTRAITS

YEARBOOK MAKE-UP PORTRAITS

Students in grades 9–11 who missed their yearbook photo during summer registration can have make-up portraits taken on Tuesday, September 16, from 8:00 am–3:45 pm on the cafeteria stage.

Dress Tradition

• Boys: sport coat or suit jacket, dress shirt, and tie
• Girls: no halter tops or spaghetti strap tops

For questions, please contact Yearbook Lead Susanne Malins.

Seniors: If your 12th grader has not yet taken their senior portrait, please reach out to the PTA Senior Activities Chairs. Details have also been shared in the Senior Parents monthly e-newsletters.

NEW SECURITY PROCEDURES

HPISD VISITOR/VOLUNTEER SECURITY PROCEDURES

HPISD is now using a new security system platform, Verkada, at all HPISD campuses.

Please review the sign-in and sign-out procedures before your first and future visits. We look forward to welcoming you to HPHS!

PARKING REMINDERS

Now that the school year has started, we want to review and impress the importance of our parking rules and expectations. 

Unfortunately, when students who park on HPISD property without administrative permission, they cause frustration and tardiness for those whose spaces they have taken. This, in turn, makes our students who are following the rules late for class thereby missing instructional time. 

It also creates a problem for visitors, guests and volunteers who are unable to find parking when they arrive.  

We are asking for parents and students to remember that if they have not been assigned a space by HP administration, they should not be parking at HPHS or HPISD; and for those who have been assigned a space, they should only be parking in their assigned spot if they arrive anytime between 6:00 am- 3:35 pm. 

Parking Reminders: 

• Sophomores and freshmen are not issued spaces, and they are not allowed to park in HPHS/ HPISD parking spaces and designated areas. 
• Seniors and juniors who have been issued a space by HP Admin, may only park in the space assigned to them by HP administration. 
• Students (of any grade level) who have not been assigned a space by HPHS administration, may not park on any HPHS/ HPISD property during the school day. 
• School Parking is enforced 6:00 am- 3:30 pm. 

Violations: 

• Any student parking in any space or area that has not been assigned to them by HPHS administration will be towed at owner’s expense on the second violation. 
• Continuous parking violations could result in disciplinary action taken by the student’s assistant principal. 
• Students with driving violations (speeding, wrong way, etc.) will be subject to disciplinary consequences taken by the student’s assistant principal. 
• Visitor/ volunteer parking is reserved and designated for visitors and volunteers only; it is not for student use. 
• Handicapped spaces (garage and street) are reserved for those issued a state handicapped sticker/ placard/ license plate. These parking violations are subject for immediate tow at owner’s expense. 

*HPHS/ HPISD parking spaces and designated areas includes: Parking Garage, Visitor/Volunteer, H-Lots, and all street parking along the high school, sports fields, along with all street parking on Douglas, Druid, Emerson Glenwick, Grassmere, Lovers Lane, Westchester; this also includes spaces and areas designated for specific groups and locations, including, but not limited to the Administration Building, Annex, Athletics, Clements, Education Foundation, Facilities, Highlander Stadium, Indoor facility, Scot Shoop, and Seay Tennis Center. 

Please visit our Parking Information page for more information, including how to request a parking space.

PTA MEETING

BROTHER BILL'S HELPING HAND SERVICE OPPORTUNITY

DIRECTORY SPOT

DirectorySpot has been updated for the 2025-2026 school year.

Follow the instructions HERE for renewing or new users. If you have any questions contact the District Directory Chair at directory@hphspta.org.

SENIOR PARENT NIGHT

COLLEGE REP VISIT FOR JUNIORS AND SENIORS

PSAT WORKSHOP

Fall 2025 PSAT Workshop 

The PSAT/NMSQT is the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. It is designed to help you practice for the SAT, qualify for scholarships, and stand out to colleges. 

All juniors will take the PSAT/NMSQT on Tuesday, October 7th, 2025 and we want to help you prepare! Our in-house PSAT Prep Workshop will teach you tips, tricks and strategies to help you reach your PSAT Goals. 

Our outstanding instructors, Scott Fortier (Mathematics) and 

Becky Adams (English) will teach students the structure and content of the test so they can develop a system for attacking each question and boost their scores. We will practice all question types in timed settings and offer individualized feedback so students feel confident and relaxed on test day. 

Prepping for the PSAT helps get you ready for the SAT, but did you know that a high score can qualify you for National Merit Scholarships and other awards? Gain an even greater advantage toward your Top-choice school. 

Click here for registration: Fall 2025 PSAT Workshop

COLLEGE NIGHT

CLUB FAIR THIS WEEK

Club Fair is Wednesday, September 3 and Thursday, September 4. Come check out a wide array of options with over 130 clubs to choose from. Clubs will be set up in the student entrance both days during all lunches. Clubs are a great way to get involved for everyone.

CANIAC SUPPER & AUCTION

MEN'S SOCCER PARENT MEETING

2025-2026 HP Men's Soccer Parent Meeting:

• Thursday, September 11th
• 6:00 - 7:00 pm
• HPHS Learning Theater EC228

Meeting is for the parents of current players, as well as anyone who is interested and wants additional information about becoming part of the program. 

HP CULTUREFEST

MENTAL HEALTH DISCUSSION

BLUE OUT SHIRTS

BLUE OUT GAME Oct 3rd – Get your Shirts Now!

The Blue Out Game is Friday, October 3rd, and it has been a long tradition of the Highlander Band to Blue Out the Stadium. We are playing against Red Oak, a big district rival! Show your support for the Scots and help the Highlander Band raise some funds!

Blue Out shirts are available for purchase HERE until Sept 5th!    

Grab your shirt before we sell out!

LADY SCOTS VOLLEYBALL

Highland Park Volleyball Shines at Volleypalooza – Finishes 3rd Out of 68 Teams!

This past weekend, Highland Park Volleyball made a powerful statement at the prestigious Volleypalooza Tournament in Austin. Competing against 68 elite teams from across the state and beyond, HPVB battled their way to an impressive 3rd place finish—earning the distinction of being the highest-ranked Texas team in the tournament!

The team showcased grit, skill, and determination throughout the weekend, turning heads with standout performances and a unified team effort.

We’re especially proud to recognize our All-Tournament selections:

• Brooklyn Bailey
• Gigi Whann
• Sarah Floyd

These athletes demonstrated exceptional leadership and playmaking that helped drive the team’s success on the court.

Congratulations to the entire program, players, coaches, and supporters for this incredible accomplishment. Go Scots!

We also want to highlight the JV2 team that had a hard fight against Rockwall last Tuesday. Cameron Brown was named Player of the Game by her teammates after coming in and providing a spark for the team. 

Come cheer for these amazing volleyball athletes this week here at home: Tuesday, 9/2, against Lake Highlands and again on Friday, 9/5, against Aledo. Go Scots!

LADY SCOTS CROSS COUNTRY

Congratulations to the Lady Scots Cross Country Team as they competed well at the Coach T Marcus Invitational on Saturday, August 30th. This was the top meet in the State this weekend. 

The Elite Varsity Team placed 4th behind 6A Flower Mound, 6A Katy, and 5A Lovejoy. In the Elite Division, there were 31 teams and 218 runners. The top runner for the Lady Scots was junior Ryan Sontag. She placed 23rd with a time of 18:41. Sophomore Paisley Bassett was right on Sontag's heels as she placed 24th with a time of 18:42. Close behind was sophomore Finley Heckler as she placed 35th with a time of 18:58. Senior Presley Pate also had a great race as she placed 56th with a time of 19:23. Juniors Claire Deeken and Annie Cooper raced well as they placed 89th (20:05) and 93rd (20:07), respectively. Freshman Stella Pruett had a great first Marcus Invitational. She was the seventh runner for the team with a time of 21:09.

The Open Varsity Team placed 12th. They were the third best 5A team. There were 36 teams and 303 runners in this division. Senior captain Maddie Heckler led the team as she placed 41st with a time of 20:28.  Senior Addie Perritt placed 71st with a time of 21:02, and senior captain Julia Berlin placed 93rd with a time of 21:20. Junior Campbell Ragan raced with Berlin and placed 95th with a time of 21:20. Senior Ava Thropp was the fifth runner for the team with a time of 22:00. Senior Campbell Dean and junior Jenna McCombs completed the Lady Scots Team.

Both JV races were cancelled due to lightning.

Results

The next race for the Lady Scots will be the McKinney Boyd Bronco Stampede Invitational on Saturday, September 6th, at Myers Park. The first race begins at 7:20 a.m.

Go Scots!

Lady Scots Cross Country - Runners of the Week

Congratulations to the Lady Scots Cross Country Runners of the Week for the Greenhill 6-Mile Relay: freshman Stella Pruett, sophomore Paisley Bassett, senior Presley Pate, and sophomore Finley Heckler.

We welcomed many new families to HPHS and HPISD this week! 

Thank you to our Freshman Scots Scoop Chairs, Cassie Carnahan and Lindsey Hutchinson, for hosting such an informative meeting for freshman parents. We’re also grateful to our Newcomers Chairs, Brooke Armbrister and Ali Watkins, for warmly welcoming new families to the district at the Armbristers’ lovely home. A special thank-you to Dr. Hunt and counselors Mindy McMinn, Michelle Altom, Shawna Jandrew, and Charlie Trahan for sharing their time and insights with our families!

The Scots had their first pep rally!

The Scots kicked off their first pep rally of the year with spirit and pride! A huge thank-you to Assistant Principal Katie Navickas, Cheerleading Director Emily Barnes, and the Scotsmen—Jacob Blumenthal, Graham Fuller, Jesse Luna, and JD Scripps—for leading the charge. GO SCOTS!

Thank you to our PTA Board of Directors and Volunteers!

A big thank-you to our PTA Board of Directors for powering through the first (marathon-long!) meeting of the school year. We’re grateful for your time, energy, and dedication! Nicole Brewer, Kyle Huckaby, Allyn Waid, Kelley Curtin, Gina Grove, Ashley Blanchette, Carrie Cothrum, Gretel Shipley, Katherine Lewis, Julie Melihercik, Jennifer Lancashire, Lindsey Brown, Jennifer Barfoot, Mandy Hemphill, Erika Yeaman, Destin Shore, and Kristina Whitcomb.

We’re so grateful to our monthly volunteers who took time out of their busy week to serve and support our Scots! CAFETERIA - Kelley Green, Laura Hornbach, Amy Barker, HJoo Seo, Margaret Morris, Katie Dulin, Lillian Richey, Ranjit Gill, Surabi Shetty, Kelsey O’Brien, Lee Cordon, Lindsey Brown, Carmen Pou, Darla Haglund, Tracy Matthews, Carla Cree, Whitney Moss, Jill Davenport, Margo Abbott, Elizabeth Miller, Jessica Klein, Maryjane Bonfield, Carrie Woodward, Elizabeth Stewart, Peyton Bohnsack, Jennifer Longhofer, William Bland, Meg Boyd, Tracy Flint, Katrina Bradford, Katie Dering, Ali Cullum, Liz Dulberger, Gabriela Gray, Traci Wallingford, Lisa Bedford, Amy Nerenberg, Chelsea Duvall, Meredith Lockridge, Lucy Wei, Carrie Cothrum, Janet Rice, Loh-Sze Leung, Amanda Drysdale, Kristina Whitcomb, Dallas Cothrum, Jackie Holmsen, and Amanda Hamilton SUPPLY SHOP - Allison Murphy, Kate LeGere, Katy Miller, Stephanie Wilson, Allison Lockard, Haylie Crouch, Kelsie Sumner, Elizabeth Hunt, Ashley Allen, Marlen Key, Hillary Reeder, Kimberley Meade, Jennifer Lander, Heather Davey, and Carla Cree.

Archived Editions of the Scots Weekly

Helpful Links

News to Share?

Didn't see a school-related shout-out, blurb or mention this week? We want to hear about it so please email ScotsWeekly@hphspta.org the details and up to four (4) pictures! Deadline for submissions is each Wednesday by 5 pm - FIRM DEADLINE to make it into the Monday newsletter. If submitted late, it will go in the next week's newsletter.