Information Center

Per our District Student Cell Phone Use Policy that was implemented in March 2025, cellphones, headphones, earbuds, and smart watches are not to be used during class time. They may be used during lunch and passing time. Parents are encouraged to communicate with the main office if there is an emergency and needs to be communicated to the student. Students receiving special services including IEPs and 504 should contact their teachers regarding information that may allow for electronic devices.

Below are the phone policy consequences for the classroom:

• 1st offense: Verbal Warning

• 2nd offense: Taken from student- Return device after class

• 3rd offense: Taken from student- Phone taken to main office: Family pick up

• 4th offense: Taken from student- Device plan put into place with admin and student

Social Media Use

We would like to remind families that social media use is not regulated by the school, but rather by the individual student. However, when online behavior crosses into the school environment and impacts our students or staff, administration will take appropriate action. The Hopkins School District has clear policies in place that prohibit cyberbullying, harassment, and other inappropriate online behaviors. If a student's online activity negatively affects anyone in our school community, the student will be held accountable in accordance with our disciplinary procedures. Potential consequences may include: placement on a restricted cell phone usage plan during school hours, phone not being allowed at school, or suspension, depending on the severity of the incident. We strongly encourage caregivers to partner with us in monitoring and guiding students' use of social media and cell phones. Together, we can help ensure a safe, respectful environment for all.

These will start on September 8th and students will receive plenty of communication around these practices.

1. Students who are late to school after 8:40 will be directed into the auditorium. Unless they have a planned, excused absence, they will remain there until the last 15 minutes of Block 1. This is to encourage students to get here on time. If this occurs 3 times or more, additional interventions will be put into place. A student will have a ‘AUD’ comment in their infinite campus if this occurs.

2. Hot breakfast will end at 8:40. Students arriving after the start of the school day that would like a breakfast will be offered a “Breakfast Grab and Go” starting at 8:45 am.

3. During the rest of the day, we will continue to enforce tardy sweeps. If a student is tardy to class, they will be swept to the Royals Reset Room (RRR space). The first time in a day will be a warning. Their second time will result in remaining in the RRR space for the day working with a staff member on their work for classes. Additional interventions may be assigned for continued tardies. We want to ensure our students are getting to class on time and are ready to learn.

Attendance Reporting

A parent/guardian/caregiver must report all absences and attendance information to the attendance office at 952-988-4530 or submit using your Infinite Campus Parent Portal before 10:00 a.m. Be sure to include your student's name, grade, and the reason for absence. Failure to report absences may require the parent/guardian/caregiver to call or provide documentation for the reason for the absence within 48 hours.

Students Leaving Early

Students with missing courses or seeing, "CONTACT YOUR COUNSELOR" listed on the schedule can see their counselor one week prior to the Term where they need to find a course to fill in on their schedule. For example, a student has "CONTACT YOUR COUNSELOR" Term 2 Block 1. This student would see their Counselor the week of October 27 (or some time in this general vicinity prior to Term 2 starting). We will have a better idea of what is available and what students can take after school gets going and our numbers are more accurate for later Term courses. Our focus as school begins is Term 1. If any students have a schedule need for Term 1 due to an empty block then this student should see the counselor. Included below is a link to our schedule change practice. Thank you, Counseling

Schedule change practice at HHS: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13zKWb2eeCN9sakO0csyBph62rb_UkNdoa0ryL0WWq9c/edit?usp=sharing

We want to provide a few important reminders to help ensure a smooth and safe traffic flow around our campus.

Before and After School Drop-off and Pick-up: Students can be dropped off in the morning before 8:40 am or picked up after 3:25 pm using the Royals Athletic Center (RAC) Parking Lot. The RAC parking lot is designated for student drop-off and pick-up before and after school. If you are using this area during those times, please park in an open spot rather than lining up. This allows our buses to move in and out safely and efficiently.

Front Entrance Access: If your student arrives after the start of the school day or is leaving early for an excused release, they must enter and exit through the front doors only (Door A).

Student Parking Lot Access: After 3:00 pm, the entrance to the student parking lot in front of the school will become exit-only. Both sides of the lot will be used by students exiting the parking lot to help improve overall traffic flow.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued support in keeping our campus safe and accessible.

We love connecting with families and welcome the opportunity to meet with you about your student. To make sure we can give you our full attention, please schedule a time in advance by either emailing your student’s administrator directly or calling the main office. For everyone’s safety, we aren’t able to accommodate walk-in meetings.

Interim Co- Principal Lisa Thao: Lisa.Thao@HopkinsSchools.org or 952-988-4508

Interim Co- Principal Gene Ward: Gene.Ward@HopkinsSchools.org or 952-988-4581

Interim Co- Principal Lorenzo Farley: Lorenzo.Farley@HopkinsSchools.org or 952-988-4509

Dean of Students Dr. Mitchell Schank: Mitchell.Schank@HopkinsSchools.org or 952-988-4648

If your student would like to use our prayer time during the day, they will need to fill out the paper copy of this form. Passes will begin to be checked starting on September 8th. During the first week of school, the form must be completed by their parent/guardian. Families will be contacted to confirm information and expectations. Students will not be permitted to participate in prayer time without the completed and confirmed form.

​​All requests for guest/friend bus passes must be pre-approved by the Transportation Department. With increasingly full vehicles, transportation must first ensure there is appropriate room for an extra scholar.

Parents should request a bus pass from the school front office at least one full day before the desired ride. The front office can be reached at 952-988-4500. It is NOT guaranteed there will be space on the bus. If it is approved, the Transportation Department will send a bus pass to the school for your child.

Bus passes will not be processed on a recurring basis. They are intended for infrequent use, or emergency situations only.

Are you interested in pursuing a career in safety and security? Do you want to make an impact on the safety and security program at Hopkins Public Schools? Our Emergency Management and School Safety Coordinator, Cheenou Moua, wants to hear from you! Two student volunteers from each grade will be on the committee.

Here is a link to the application form which includes a description of the S3AC position.

Hopkins High School has vape detectors installed in every restroom as part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and secure environment for all students, staff, and visitors. Safety is a top priority at HHS, and we expect everyone in our building to follow all school expectations. While we have seen a significant reduction in vape usage due to our monitoring efforts, our goal is to make our school 100% drug-free. As part of this ongoing effort, we will continue to respond to vape detections by identifying and searching students who are present in the restroom at the time of the alert. Any guests found in violation of our policies will be removed from the building and may face a no-trespass order. We ask parents and guardians to speak with their students about the dangers of drug and tobacco use, and the importance of not bringing these products into school. While we do not aim to dictate behavior outside of school, we require that once individuals enter the building, all school rules and expectations are respected. This message applies to both HHS students and the guests who care about and support them.

There has been an update to HHS's exchange student program for the 2026–2027 school year. Beginning next year, we will exclusively partner with CIEE and AFS for all incoming exchange student placements. After reviewing our current processes and experiences, we selected these two organizations because of their strong involvement in school communities and their commitment to offering meaningful global learning opportunities, both for visiting students and for HHS students through scholarship and cultural exchange programs. This streamlined partnership will help ensure consistent communication, strong support for host families, and a high-quality experience for our school community.

If your family is interested in hosting an exchange student or learning more about these organizations, please contact the agency directly, or HHS School Counselor Ms. Samantha Bratrud at samantha.bratrud@hopkinsschools.org.

Hopkins Creates is accepting applications for our first senior capstone cohort. We’re looking for 12-18 rising seniors to take on this exciting new challenge and opportunity.

Take on an authentic learning experience and make yourself stand out from the crowd. Capstone projects are a great chance to build new skills needed for every post secondary option. Earn credit by exploring a personal passion, engaging with an outside interest, or trying something new.

Information sessions and applications will be available beginning in December. Sign up for Eric Turner’s Wednesday Royals Connect session.

Purpose: If you are a caregiver of a student with a disability, you are invited to join us for our SEAC (pronounced seek) meetings. We will share Hopkin's Special Education Department updates with you and create space for you to advise us on how to best serve you and the community.

West Suburban Summer School offers summer classes to students entering grades 2-12 in the fall of the upcoming school year. WSSS serves students who demonstrate an intense interest/passion about a topic, and are comfortable moving at a faster pace or pursuing a topic in depth. We also invite students from non member school districts (at a slightly higher fee). Instructors design enrichment classes in their area of expertise to provide students with unique experiences to challenge their abilities. Learn more.

Are you a student of character? If so, HHS - NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY is looking for you!!! Don’t miss out on a great opportunity to not only add to your college application materials, but to also do good in your community!

BECOMING AN NHS MEMBER INVOLVES THE FOLLOWING:

-> 30 or more documented community service hours (Verification Form)

*At least 15 Community Service/Volunteer hours completed prior to Spring 2026 Initiation

(The other half can be completed during the summer)

-> 3.67 or better GPA

-> A one-page essay addressing each of the FOUR PILLARS of the National Honor Society and how they have impact & significance to your life.

-> …and TWO STAFF recommendations (at least one must be a teacher) from two high school staff members.

There is a $75 yearly fee per member to help fund our chapter activities.

(PAYABLE EVENING of INITIATION - THURSDAY, MAY 14TH, 2026)

(Financial assistance provided to those on free/reduced lunch)

OH! Let’s not forget that you also need to fill out the application!

NHS-Royal Chapter Application

Applications are NOW being accepted and will close Friday, May 1st…so start accruing those volunteer hours (at least 15 by Spring 2026 Initiation = MAY 14TH!!!). Invitations to initiate into the Royal Chapter of the National Honor Society will go out the week of May 7th.

Please see or email Mr. Rekstad in W128 (brent_rekstad@hopkinsschools.org) for any other details; or for ideas for completing those 30 service credit hours.