September 15, 2025

Greetings Fellow Scots,

We had a wonderful week at Highland Park High School. We have so much to be proud and thankful for at HPHS. We are especially proud of our amazing students who continually impress us with their hard work and determination. Thank you for supporting us toward reaching our goals at HPHS.

This week we recognized 18 Scots who were named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. What an incredible accomplishment! Congratulations to these students! Less than 1% of junior high school students who take the PSAT across the nation are recognized as semifinalists. The fact that we have 18 students in our senior class is very impressive.

This week we will focus on and encourage students to put forth maximum effort in all of their classes every day. As we approach the halfway point of the first grading period, it is important for students to come to school every day, attend all of their classes, and work hard. Please see the HPHS Guideline for Success for the areas we emphasize to ensure that all Scots are successful.

Parents, please remind your students who drive to school about the importance of driving safely and carefully around the school, in the parking garage, and in our neighborhoods. It is important to slow down and drive carefully. Thank you.

Thanks and Go Scots!

Dr. Kevin Hunt - Principal

Highland Park High School

huntk@hpisd.org

OPEN HOUSE TONIGHT

PRE-OPEN HOUSE VIDEO! - ALL PARENTS INVITED

Student Council is excited to host a video showing of Chris Herren’s The First Day. Please join us on Monday, September 15, at 5:00, in the Learning Theater, EC228. The film is 47 minutes, and then we will release you to follow the night’s schedule for Open House. (We will need to start the film promptly at 5:00, so please allow time to park). This is a great opportunity and definitely opens up an opportunity to speak with your student, as sophomores, juniors, and seniors have had the opportunity to see Chris Herren live last March at an all-school assembly.

Chris Herren and Emmy Award Winning Director, Jonathan Hock, bring you The First Day, a film project and educational curricula presented by the Center on Addiction and Cigna, focusing on the struggles facing youth today. Through the power of storytelling, The First Day addresses issues that school systems, communities, and people across the country are impacted by, directly or indirectly, each day, including substance use, other harmful behaviors, and mental wellness. Chris Herren is able to tackle the most difficult issues with a unique connection that can be felt through the lens of the camera. His words resonate and make an impact with a focus on the beginning: The First Day.

PTA MEETING

SCOTTIE JOE'S

Scottie Joe's is a successful partnership between the 18+ Transition students and the MAPS Business Design and Leadership students. Caroline Beverly, our Scottie Joe’s Barista, and her team are excited to serve up good coffee and good company. In addition to our great lineup of beverages, we now offer corny dogs and breakfast burritos. Scottie Joe’s original location is in MAPS on the 3rd floor. Look for new customer loyalty incentives and pop-up locations to better serve our HP community. Tuesday was our first day, and it was our best opening day yet! Go Scots!

PARENTAL CONSENT REQUIRED FOR CLUB PARTICIPATION

In accordance with Texas Senate Bill 12, Highland Park ISD is now required to collect annual parent consent for participation in school-sponsored clubs and organizations. These clubs, sponsored by HPHS faculty, remain the same as previous years. The only change is the new requirement for yearly consent.

FACILITY SERVICES

Scots appreciate our amazing Facility Services team. Their hard work keeps HPHS running smoothly and shining brightly. We are grateful for all this team does for our students, staff, and community! Please thank this awesome team when you see them!  

Sergio Bustamante, Maria Cabrera, Severa Carrera, Kevin Coleman, Choeuth Ex, Irma Flores, Hector Garcia, Sanjuana Gonzalez, Nancy Huamani, Chris Navarro, Pouan Plai, Ana Rodriguez, Sergio Salazar, Lucila Sanchez, Jakiriah Smith, and Philip Thang

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.

SCOTS REWARDS

Scots Rewards - Put your dollars to work for HPHS!

Scots Rewards opportunities are retail loyalty programs that generate donations to fund HPHS needs. It’s free and easy to enroll in these programs, and you will generate money for HPHS every time you shop with one of our partners. 

This is a great time of year to update your enrollment to benefit HPHS, especially if you no longer have kiddos at other schools.

Please enroll in at least ONE program!

BLUE BLAZER DRIVE

Questions? Email ljmillerhome@gmail.com

SCHOLARSHIP & FINANCIAL AID SEMINAR

The HPHS Counseling Office will offer a Scholarship and Financial Aid Seminar on Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at 6:00pm in the HPHS Auditorium.

We are pleased to welcome our presenter, Robert Fishkind--Director of Financial Aid Services, Southern Methodist University.

Parents of sophomores, juniors, and seniors are invited to attend, as Mr. Fishkind will cover the following information:

• Illustrating each step in the process of applying for financial aid
• Explaining the federal grant and federal loan programs
• Translating financial aid jargon into easy-to-understand concepts
• Clarifying how your family's 'need' is measured and how your 'need' is met
• Staying on top of timelines and deadlines
• Providing a framework to efficiently search for scholarships
• Discussing options and alternatives if your entire need is not met

After the event, a copy of the presentation will be posted on the Counseling page of the HPISD website for those who are unable to attend.

WRESTLING TEAM PARENT MEETING

CANIAC SUPPER & AUCTION

BLOOD DRIVE

Highland Park High School Blood Drive

Learning Theater (new location)

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

07:30 am - 02:30 pm

Click HERE to register

Questions? Primary Blood Drive Coordinator, Tyson Peterson

MEET THE LADY SCOTS GOLF

HPHS FALL MUSICAL

Save The Date: HPHS Fall Musical Pippin Oct. 16th - 19th 

Mark your calendars! The Highland Park High School Fall Musical is Pippin and student rehearsals are in full swing!

Pippin is a young prince who longs to live an extraordinary life, as he struggles with the hand he’s been dealt. Come see his extraordinary story unfold! 

Performances:

10/16 @ 7pm

10/17 @ 7pm

10/18 @ 7pm

10/19 @ 2pm

HOMECOMING THEME ANNOUNCED

Student Council is excited to announce this year's homecoming theme!

Scotties Strike Back: A Star Wars Homecoming

More details will follow about the homecoming dance, which is Saturday, October 25. 

LADY SCOTS SOCCER CHAMPIONS CUP

LADY SCOTS SOCCER- GIRLS WITH GOAL PICNIC

LADY SCOTS VOLLEYBALL

Highland Park Varsity Volleyball Dominates with 3-0 Victory against Frisco Lonestar

The Varsity team delivered a commanding 3-0 sweep! From beginning to end in each set, the energy and teamwork were undeniable. Their total control on the court resulted in a big win!

Junior Varsity Volleyball

The JV2 won 2-1 against Wylie East. Willa Lance was named player of the game. On Saturday, we went 1-4 in the Frisco ISD Tournament. Kelsey Nguyen was named player of the tournament. 

Freshman Volleyball Team Finishes 5th Out of 24 in Frisco Tournament



The freshman team came out strong Saturday morning, going 2-0 in pool play and swept all 6 short plays with confidence and energy. Their momentum and teamwork were on full display, which earned them a well-deserved spot in the Gold Bracket. Facing tough competition in the afternoon, the team held their own and continued to fight hard, ultimately securing an impressive 5th place finish out of 24 teams. Go Scots!

Come cheer big for our volleyball teams this Friday at 5:30pm as they face Wakeland at home! It’s also Youth Night where our stands will be packed with our middle and elementary school fans! 

LADY SCOTS CROSS COUNTRY

On Saturday, September 13th, the Lady Scots Cross Country Teams competed at the Lovejoy Fall Festival at Myers Park in McKinney. It was a great day for the Lady Scots! Myers Park is the venue for the District 12-5A Championships on October 9th.  

In the Elite Varsity, the team placed 2nd with 74 points. There were 17 teams and 138 runners in this division. Sophomore Paisley Bassett led the team by placing 6th with a time of 18:24.8 – a new course personal record. Junior Ryan Sontag placed 12th with a time of 18:52.2 and close behind was sophomore Finley Heckler who placed 14th with a time of 19:00.1 – a new personal course record. The other team members were freshman Stella Pruett, senior Presley Pate who set a new course personal record with a time of 19:39.7, junior Claire Deeken, and senior captain Maddie Heckler who ran a season best of 20:21.1.

In the Varsity Division, the team placed 7th with 210 points. There were 19 teams and 193 runners. Senior Addie Perritt was the lead runner for the team by placing 24th with a time of 21:13.7. Junior Campbell Ragan placed 34th with a time of 21:31.5 – a new course personal record. The other runners were senior captain Julia Berlin, senior Campbell Dean, sophomore Kate Furgeson who set a new personal record (22:26.3), senior Ava Thropp who set a new course personal record (22:55.6), and sophomore Katelyn Baumgartner.

In the Elite JV Division, the team placed 5th with 137 points. There were 11 teams and 124 runners. The top runner for the team was junior Ellie Chong who placed 29th with a time of 23:39.3. The other runners were junior Emery Paulsen who set a new course personal record (23:51.2), junior Jenna McCombs, sophomore Anna Odom, sophomore Kate Swaldi who set a new course personal record, junior Avi Levy, and senior captain Gracie Golden.

In the JV Division, the team placed 4th with 105 points. There were 12 teams and 128 runners. Freshman Alexandra Deuillet was the top runner for the team. She placed 13th with a time of 24:32.0. The other top six runners were freshman Natalia Garcia Villalon, sophomore Hattie Rhodes who set a new course personal record (25:37.7), senior Morgan Howarth, sophomore Hannah Orvananos Cardenas who set a new course personal record (26:17.4), sophomore Haven Hyatt, and junior Alejandra Villasana.

Results

The next meet for the Lady Scots is the McNeil Invitational in Round Rock. The meet is held at Old Settlers Park which is the site of the UIL State Cross Country Meet on October 31st. The first race starts at 7:30 a.m.

Go Scots!

Lady Scots Cross Country – Runners of the Week



Congratulations to the Lady Scots Cross Country Team’s Runners of the Week for the McKinney Boyd Bronco Stampede – junior Annie Cooper, senior Addie Perritt, freshman Stella Pruett, junior Ryan Sontag, senior captain Maddie Heckler, sophomores Finley Heckler and Paisley Bassett, and senior Presley Pate.

CROSS COUNTRY

The Running Scots competed well at the Lovejoy XC Fall Festival on Saturday at Myers Park in McKinney.

In the Varsity Elite division the team finished 11th overall with a team time of 17:09 and were led by Senior Captain Spencer Haag (16:41) The Running Scots finished ahead of Regional competitors Frisco Reedy and Prosper Walnut Grove.

In the Varsity Open division the team finished 18th and were led by Freshman Ranger Walsh.  

In the JV Elite Division the team finished 19th and were led by Sophomore Deven Doolabh.

Runners of the week are Luke Johnson (Varsity Elite), Ranger Walsh (Varsity Open), Deven Doolabh and Ben Pullen (JV Elite).

The team will compete next Saturday at the Hoka McNeil Invitational in Round Rock. Race time is 9:00 am.

Go Scots!!

TENNIS

#3 ranked Scots took down #4 Frisco Wakeland at home on Tuesday. HP boys swept and senior Captain Lauren Chandler and freshman Grace Bland stole a doubles win with junior Elise Parra upsetting their line 4 girl to seal the win!

Scots play district opponent The Colony away Tuesday at 4:30. This weekend two El Paso schools come to town to take on the Scots - Coronado on Friday 4:30 at Seay and Franklin at 1:00 on Saturday at Seay.

FOOTBALL

Friday marked another victory for the Scots at the Battle of the Tollway! HP football showcased both offensive firepower and defensive resilience in the 42–14 win over Jesuit – the Scots’ sixth straight victory over the Rangers. With solid protection from the big boys in the trenches, QB Buck Randall rushed for a 45-yard touchdown and launched a 337-yard air raid attack with key touchdown strikes to Case Messer (26-yard TD Reception), Cannon Bozman (77-yard TD reception), and Charlie Olmstead (14-yard TD reception). Matthew White returned from injury to contribute 233 all-purpose yards (150 yards receiving /83 yards rushing) and Isaiah Lee provided additional ground support with a 12-yard rushing touchdown.

The Scots’ Iron Dome defense came up huge with four interceptions, including one from Martin True, two from Ronan Moreland, and one more from Dean Williams. The front seven held the line with two sacks from Thomas Cook, seven tackles for loss (3 by Lee Wagner and 1 each by Beau Jones, Henry Hobbs, Charles Chiarello, and Dean Williams), nine QB pressures, and a team-leading 5 solo tackles from Davis Sacher. HP has allowed just 14 points in its last six quarters of play. With the win, the Scots improve to 2–1 and will host Arkansas powerhouse Pulaski Academy on September 19th. Go Scots! 

Built on Brotherhood

Players of the Week – Jesuit include:

Off Back- Matthew White

Off Line – George Hunt

Def Back – Ronan Moreland

Def Line – Dean Williams/Hatcher Phillips

Sp Teams – Bauer Gale/Jack Swaldi

Off Scout – Stephen Spence/Ford Jackson

Def Scout- Camden Cramer

Tr/Video – Connor Whitcomb

12th Man – Price Harper/William Chavoya

Players of the Week – Lovejoy include:

Off Back - Matthew White 

Off Line - Stuart Allday 

Def Back - Martin True 

Def Line - Beau Jones / Thomas Cook 

Sp Teams - Lee Wagner 

Off Scout - Benton Weathersby / Beau Burke 

Def Scout - Corbin Gray 

Video - James O'Brien 

12th Man - Thomas Coffman / Colton Williams

FOOTBALL - JV GOLD

Highland Park JV Gold won over Midlothian Heritage last Thursday for their first home game. 

HP 41 – Midlothian 6

JV Gold Players of the Week against Midlothian Heritage - September 4th

• Offense - Carson Knake & James Grimste
• Defense - Dominic Hamill
• Special Teams - Colt Stabler

Highland Park JV Gold defeated Wakeland on September 10th.

HP 33 - Wakeland 7

JV Gold Players of the Week vs. Wakeland on September 10th

• Offense - Tate Wilson & Leyton Gilliam
• Defense - Peter Sealy
• Special Teams - Ault Zelazny

FOOTBALL - JV BLUE

Highland Park JV Blue Win 41-7 over the Jesuit Rangers this past Thursday!

Players of the game:

OFFENSE- Evan Snelleman

DEFENSE- Graham Rodgers

SPECIAL TEAMS- Matt Friedman

WATER POLO

The Girls Scots Water Polo Team played their second district game on Saturday, September 6th. The team battled hard in an intense matchup, showing resilience and teamwork from start to finish. Goalkeeper Izzy Arnold made several impressive saves, while Captain Kaylee Schmidt sparked the offense with key plays. Freshmen Rita Martins, Aleksa Zivaljevic, and Taylor Ramo continued to shine, contributing on both ends of the pool. Despite a 12–20 loss, the Scots gained valuable experience and are building momentum for the rest of the season.

The Boys Scots Water Polo Team also faced off against Southlake on Saturday, September 6th, in a tough match. Both teams traded goals early, but Southlake pulled ahead and secured an 18–13 victory. Goalkeeper Chris Mader had an outstanding performance, making key defensive stops that kept the Scots competitive. David Hu, Aidan Zahodnik, and Harrison Howerth all scored strong goals to keep the offense alive. On Tuesday, September 9th, the boys faced Jesuit, jumping out to a 4–1 lead before Jesuit rallied to take control. Janberk San stood out defensively with several clutch shot blocks.

Looking ahead, the Scots will host their Senior Recognition Night this Saturday, going head-to-head with Forney at the HP Natatorium. Come out and cheer on the Scots! Go Scots!

HPHS College Night welcomed over 150 colleges (wow!) and parents and students from all-grades to visit with college representatives and hear their presentations.  Huge shout-out to our Counseling Department, especially Wendy Harmon, for organizing this amazing event.  Thank you to our PTA College Night Chairs, Katie Dulin and Carrie Rosamond, for helping oversee the event with all the many details to manage – this was the dream team!  Thank you to our student ambassadors for greeting and helping all the college reps and families as they found their way around the school!  You all are the best!

Thank you to our College Night parent volunteers:  BA Bollinger, Lauralyn Bottom, Lynette Bubrig, Jae Carpenter, Jenny Chen, Jenny Chen, Mary Ellen Coggin, Courtney Crawford, Jodi Doughty, Kari Galanos, Christine Gordon, Julie Gonzalez, Gabriela Gray, Sarah Guthery, Amanda Hamilton, Laurie Lamb, Ann Matthews, Jill Morrison, Rex Moxley, Lesley Ooley, Sarah Pollan, Marnie Rulfs, Blayn Smith, Anastasia Strattan, Sheridan Thompson, Sally Tucker, and Ida Vandermosten.

A huge thank you to our amazing Teacher Appreciation Chairs — Sara Friedman, Lara Gaither, Lindsey Miller, Jen Munoz, Michelle Pletcher, Nancy Scripps, and Shannon Williams — for hosting the first of many appreciation lunches this year! They kicked things off in true 90’s style with a “slice, slice baby” pizza party on the front lawn, and our teachers loved every bite. 

Thanks to Jennifer Barfoot and Mandy Hemphill, our Supply Shop Chairs, and our awesome student volunteers for getting HP cups and napkins delivered this weekend!  Cheers!

Thank you to Gretel Shipley, our Communications Chair, for working around-the-clock to keep families informed about upcoming events and news.  Thank you for your continuous work!

We greatly appreciate our school’s Facility Services team – we could not put on any events without them – they are an integral part of our team.  Thank you: Sergio Bustamante, Maria Cabrera, Severa Carrera, Kevin Coleman, Choeuth Ex, Irma Flores, Hector Garcia, Sanjuana Gonzalez, Nancy Huamani, Chris Navarro, Pouan Plai, Ana Rodriguez, Sergio Salazar, Lucila Sanchez, Jakiriah Smith and Philip Thang.  Thank you, Missy Finger and Libby Johnson, our PTA Appreciation Chairs, for preparing well-deserved gifts for this stellar team!

Thank you to our wonderful Cafeteria volunteers this week!  Reagan Pace, Susan Madsen, Martha Farrell, Sherri Harris, Aimee Cali, Carrie Martinez, Young-Sun Roth, Lisa Johnson, Surabi Shetty, Sally Chegoonian, Angie Brown, Heather Stanton, Alison Malone, Hallie Lawrence, Maureen Clark, Alcie Massman, Marta Kopach, Ken Czarnecki, Rex Moxley, Jessica Klein, Genevieve Gurchak, Yoshi Tyler, Cassandra Wright, Lisa Bedford, Anna Young, Celeste Koh, Sumni Wu, Maggie Kipp, Apipa Cox, Ali Cullum, Bavita Doolabh, Heidi Fristoe, Jane Butler, Martha Jackson, Sarah Pollan, Viviana Ortiz, Diana Swope, Leah Ewing, Anne Cochran, Ryan Scripps, Julie Gonzalez, Allyn Waid, Margarita Coale, Becky Ethridge, Patricia McCord, Huimin Zhou, and Janet Rice

We appreciate our Supply Shop volunteers this week too!  Ashlie Schooler, Ashley Shull, Katherine Lang, Adriane Crosland, Megan Filgo, Allison Parks, Elizabeth Hunt, Kristen Hillman, Meredith Bebee, Amy Camillo, Caroline Settle, Margaret Morris, Michaela Mullen, Natalie Sharpe, Kerri Gale, Jennifer Barfoot, Mandy Hemphill, Katie Schumacher, Surabi Shetty, Leila McCarty, and Melissa Leake.

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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.