IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Hopkins Public Schools ISD 270 1001 Highway 7 Hopkins, MN 55305-4723
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The Community’s Guide to the District
Fall 2023
Hopkins-Public-Schools-270 Hopkins Schools September 11
Today, we welcomed our blended learners to our new VirtualEDU building, offering them the chance to learn both online and in-person with the same peers and teachers.
Residential Postal Patron ECRWSS
Gov. Walz visits Eisenhower
Hopkins Public Schools September 22
Royal spirits were high today as Hopkins High School celebrated the culmination of their Homecoming Spirit Week at a pep fest. The morning began with the annual staff parade featuring music played by the high school pep band — the Lean Mean Performance Machine.
WELCOME FALL!
Young Royals engage with Hopkins orchestra students at a fall concert
Hopkins Public Schools 270 October 10
Hopkins alumni John Raymond visited Hopkins High School in September where he conducted a jazz clinic in the auditorium. The trumpet player was recently featured in Mpls. St.Paul Magazine for releasing his latest album, Shadowlands. Congratulations, John, and thanks for visiting your Royal roots!
HIGH SCHOOL ACCOLADES Hopkins Seniors Awarded National Merit Scholarship Recognition Hopkins High School seniors were named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. Zoe Lipschultz and Landon Hering are among a 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 2024.
24 Students Recognized for Bilingual Excellence Hopkins students earned 1 Gold Multilingual Seal, 2 Gold Bilingual Seals, 14 Platinum Bilingual Seals, and 7 Bilingual Seals in 2023 by demonstrating the required levels of language proficiency. The Seal is awarded for both linguistic and intercultural competence, can earn students free college credit, and enhance students' college applications and career prospects.
Hopkins Public Schools October 13
Earlier this week, the Hopkins High School orchestra performed Disney music and more for young children and families in the district. The annual Young People's Concert had a good crowd snuggled up in blankets and pajamas as they heard familiar tunes from their favorite movies. We hope to see many more of those children performing in the concert and inspiring youth to play music in years to come.
Fall 2023
The Community’s Guide to the District
AP SCHOLAR AWARDS Hopkins High School has one of the largest Advanced Placement (AP) programs in the state, offering nearly 30 AP courses. Last spring 2023, 40% of Hopkins students took at least one AP course. Of those students, 145 students earned AP Scholar Awards from the College Board. The AP program offers students the opportunity to earn college credit for successful performance on AP exams.
70 33
42
Students Earned
AP Scholar Awards
AP Scholars With Honors
Average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more exams.
719
GET CONNECTED, STAY CONNECTED
HopkinsSchools.org/update
West Middle School scholars could be found patting a spoonful of Chinese mooncake dough in their hands on September 29. They pinched the dough to secure a filling consisting of egg yolk or red bean paste and used a cookie press to create a beautiful pattern. Mooncakes are a popular dessert made in China during the Mid-Autumn Festival — a holiday celebrated throughout Asia, and the second largest festival in China. The tradition brings families together to watch the moon, a symbol of harmony and unity.
During their year-long stay, Zhang, Wang, and Guo are living with host families from the Hopkins Chinese immersion program, XinXing.
AP Scholars with Distinction
Average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more exams.
Left and right: Interns from China teach West Middle School students how to make mooncakes.
The in-school cultural experience was organized by three new faces at West Middle School. Likun Zhang, Kexin Wang, and Yu Guo are interns from China working in middle school Chinese immersion classrooms this year through a partnership with St. Cloud State University.
Scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams.
Landon Hering
Hopkins High School students enrolled in an AP or College in the Schools (CIS) course in the 2022-23 school year.
Hopkins Education Foundation (HEF) hires new executive director
Students Earned
Students Earned
Zoe Lipschultz
Gov. Tim Walz visited Eisenhower Elementary on Oct. 13 to talk about the importance of early childhood education and pre-K funding. The governor visited a preschool classroom and led a brief press conference with the media. Afterward, a group of second graders held a second press conference. Students asked the governor questions ranging from how he became governor to how his work contributes to improving the community.
Bringing the World to Hopkins Students
Emily Wallace-Jackson is HEF’s next executive director. Wallace-Jackson's experience with both HEF and Hopkins Public Schools runs deep and has contributed to a seamless transition in her new role. She served on the HEF Board of Directors from 2014-2019 including two years as president. She is also the proud parent of three Hopkins graduates.
West Middle School parent Jennifer Valorose, has an eighth grader and a fifth grader in XinXing Chinese Immersion. Her family's decision to host an intern was based on a desire to bring Chinese culture into their home without having to travel across the world. Since the arrival of their guest, she has noticed that her eighth grader especially is speaking more Chinese at home. “As we strive to raise global citizens, exposure to people from other places is a real gift,” Valorose said. “We gain exposure to other ways of living, while also learning more about ourselves.” Building bridges to connect with the world Due to health concerns brought on by the global pandemic, it has been challenging to travel internationally. This impacted the eighth grade trip to China that XinXing students look forward to starting in kindergarten. However, even without restrictions on international travel, for some families, the trip to China is not possible for a variety of reasons. Providing cross-cultural opportunities in the classroom allows for more equitable access to enriching experiences. See Bringing the World to Hopkins Students inside
DATES IN THE COMMUNITY
Kindergarten Information Night
Chinese and Spanish Immersion Information Night
Nov. 16, 6-7:30 p.m.
Nov. 30, 5:30 p.m.
This fun event is for families with class of 2037 incoming kindergartners. Discover Hopkins' exciting vision, meet your child's principal, and explore kindergarten choices. bit.ly/46Hdyqs
Join us for a virtual event focused on answering your questions about Hopkins Chinese and Spanish immersion programs for your incoming kindergartner. bit.ly/46wWfs7
ROYAL SPOTLIGHT QQ Tisdell XinXing Chinese Immersion First Grade Teacher QQ Tisdell has taught Chinese immersion in Hopkins for 15 years. One reason she enjoys teaching in Hopkins is the community and how we value, love, care, and have respect for each other and each student. She believes in leaving a positive mark on every student. Tisdell lives by the motto "Students won't care about what you know until they know how much you care." Her favorite part of teaching is seeing students learn before her eyes. “We have high standards and high expectations for every student,” Tisdell said. “To see those young learners speak in native Chinese accents is the most rewarding part.” Can you share a proud moment that made you feel great about doing your job? One student I taught a couple years ago struggled emotionally and academically before entering first grade. I worked closely with him from day one to encourage him to believe in himself and discover the power of working hard. It was not easy at first. I used the positive class community to let him feel included and and give him a sense of belonging. One day, he said to me “Teacher, I think you love me.” A couple months later, he said to me, “I love you!” Why do you think immersion is beneficial to young students? Young students are better at learning a second language. They are not afraid of making mistakes and are eager to show off their new superpower. That is a key part of learning a language. The best way to learn a language is to live in a language. What is better than an immersion program?
ALUMNI CORNER Maurice Buchanan 2002 Graduate Stats: Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota • Co-owner of Wurk in Hopkins, Minnesota After earning a full scholarship for football to the University of Minnesota, Maurice Buchanan entered the health and fitness industry. He has since become a successful entrepreneur in the Hopkins community. In 2014, he started his own personal fitness training business and in 2019, he and a business partner opened their own fitness facility called Wurk. Buchanan’s gym will be cornering a fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship at the end of this year. He is excited to continue to pursue his dreams! Was there a teacher or staff member who made a difference in your life? Hopkins astronomy teacher, Tom Franke. His approach to teaching and learning was unique along with his personality and delivery. He had creative freedom and that’s what I wanted to have in my career — the freedom to be myself, try my ideas freely, and to make mistakes. How did Hopkins prepare you for the future? My teachers and coaches were unbelievably supportive even when I wasn’t the best version of myself as a teenager. They were patient, which you need an immense amount as an entrepreneur. What is your advice for current Royals? Whether it’s the best time or not the best time, it goes fast and it’s temporary. Enjoy it and don’t take it too seriously. You’re not a finished human yet.
Bringing the World to Hopkins Students, continued from cover
When Ruoxi Song, Hopkins Innovation, Design, and Learning specialist, discovered the partnership with St. Cloud State University, she knew it would benefit the immersion program in Hopkins and enhance classroom learning. “We can bring the world into their classrooms so that every Chinese immersion student will have a similar chance to interact with authentic culture and language,” Song said. During the week of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the interns taught students about the cultural components of the celebration. They provided a first-hand account of what it is like to celebrate in China. Bringing Chinese community to class The Chinese immersion teachers have seen a Chinese community flourish since the interns arrived. Teachers are noticing increased engagement, new ideas, activities, and perspectives. Immersion students are listening to conversations between multiple authentic speakers rather than only hearing a teacher speak to them.
“It always makes students feel more excited when they see some change,” said Qian Xu, Chinese immersion teacher. The addition of new Chinese speakers in the classroom also brings more energy and engagement to learning. Students are truly immersed in a multilingual experience and are surrounded with heritage speakers. Just as language and pronunciation vary heavily throughout the U.S between different regions, China also contains a multitude of cultures with unique perspectives, accents and pronunciations. Lixia Shi, another Chinese immersion teacher, said she has lots of ideas to increase student engagement with the intern program, especially when it comes to sharing culture. Shi believes language and culture are intertwined and that it is just as important to understand Chinese culture as it is to understand the language. “I think it will be a great year, there are a lot of things we can do this year with their help,” Shi said.
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE Tanglen fifth graders shared a view from the top of the high school ropes course on Oct. 11. In collaboration with the Outdoor Adventure class at Hopkins High School, Tanglen students experienced an in-school adventure developing safety skills, while stepping outside of their comfort zone and practicing risk-taking in a safe environment. Outdoor Adventure students acted as guides and leaders for a variety of obstacles. The Hopkins High School students ensured safety protocols were being followed and encouraged Tanglen students to challenge themselves. It was an excellent display of encouragement, teamwork, and support!
Know a Hopkins student, teacher, or alum we should feature? Email Michelle.Wirth@HopkinsSchools.org.
MEET OUR NEW PRINCIPALS
HOPKINS PODCAST Serita Mattei has been named principal of West Middle School. Mattei joined West Middle School in 2022, serving as the associate principal. While in that role, she helped transform school culture after the pandemic by creating a family engagement model that focused on community building and restorative practices. “Serita demonstrated that she has the capacity, commitment, and determination to lead West Middle School into its bright future,” said Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed, superintendent of Hopkins Public Schools.
Demond Johnson is the new associate principal of VirtualEDU, the first fully-accredited public school in the state of Minnesota to offer blended learning — a combination of in-person and online learning. “Demond’s expertise and dedication will help us further advance our mission and empower our students, families, staff, and community to thrive in our virtual learning environment,” said Tiffany Nielsen-Winkelman, VirtualEDU school leader.
Inside Hopkins is the district’s new biweekly podcast. Hosted by superintendent Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed, Inside Hopkins features conversations with staff, students, and experts that provide listeners with a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a school district. Inside Hopkins is available now wherever you listen to podcasts. HopkinsSchools.org/district/inside-hopkins
FROM SUPERINTENDENT
DR. MHIRIPIRI-REED The Future of Education This summer I took my sophomore-aged son on four college visits in Washington, D.C. All of the tours were led by students. I am still thinking about the tour at Georgetown University, where the student guide talked not only about their strong academics, but also the power of student voice. He said that students get involved in all kinds of advocacy and campus politics because they care about what happens in their local and global environments. He shared that when students don’t like any aspect of their college experience, they mobilize to send a collective message to their administration. The power of voice is not just resonant throughout college and adult societies, it’s a force we contend with in elementary and secondary school. Student voice is not threatening, rather it’s invigorating and the producer of fresh ideas and new perspectives. In Hopkins, we are moving all early learning through secondary classrooms toward personalized learning built on inquiry and concept-based instruction. Inquiry is all about asking powerful questions — both teachers and students. Often the most provocative questions have no fast or single answer, but rather generate multiple truths. Concept-based instruction involves learning about transdisciplinary themes such as ecosystems, causation, change, and patterns (rather than narrowly focused topics such as rocks or the Civil War). When concept-based inquiry drives teaching and learning, there is more space for students to have voice and choice in what they learn and how they will demonstrate their mastery. This is true in pre-K and also grade 11. The future of education not only calls for students to exercise more voice in their learning but also requires us to think differently about learning space. Hopkins has partnered with Fielding International — Listen to an architectural firm that employs designers episode three who also operate as education thought leaders around the world. Think about of Inside how our schools have remained physically Hopkins for unchanged for more than a century. Most more on space schools in the U.S. are still organized by and designing long hallways, single and boxy classrooms, schools for and bells or other signals to move to the the future! next subject. In Hopkins, our students deserve spaces that are open, flexible, and designed to facilitate multiple modes of learning — lecture-style, independent work, ideation and collaborative problem-solving, quiet reflection, and more. After 13 years of a future-forward education in Hopkins, our students will be cultivated into deep-thinking scholars. They will demonstrate the traits of a Hopkins scholar including critical and holistic thinking, empathy, collaboration and problem-solving, and personal confidence balanced with global-mindedness. They will master time management and self-regulation. Hopkins students have been and will continue to be ready for a dynamic world. We are grateful to our Hopkins educators for shaping these students’ curious minds into those of disciplined scholars. Hopkins scholars are the change-makers the world needs!
Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed Superintendent