September 22, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

Thank you for attending PT Conferences and our Family Engagement informational sessions last night! It was so wonderful to share the space with our community. Please reach out to your student’s teachers with any questions if you were not able to attend.

Next week we’ll be supporting our feeder high school, Smoky Hill, as they celebrate homecoming! On Wednesday, September 27^th, we have a modified schedule as the SHHS Spirit Bus will be visiting for assemblies. And Friday, September 29^th is the Homecoming Football Game at Stutler Bowl. We will be giving away free tickets throughout the week. If your student plans to attend, please know that an adult must be present as well.

Also, next week is our Fall Dance! On Tuesday, September 26^th, we will be hosting a school dance for all grades from 3:45pm to 4:45pm. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to come together and have some fun! Tickets for the dance are priced at $5 and can be purchased during lunchtime. Alternatively, you can purchase tickets online through Revtrak. Snacks will also be available for purchase at the event. For your convenience, late buses will be available after the dance, ensuring that our bus riders will have transportation home. If you have any questions, please contact Shayna Price, 8^th grade administrator at sprice@cherrycreekschools.org. 

Thank you, and have a great weekend!

Brad

Instructional Observation Day – Last Chance!

On Wednesday, September 27^th, we will host an Instructional Observation Day. This is an opportunity for family members to observe instruction inside the walls of HCMS and provide us with feedback. We welcome all families to join for this day. The approximate time is from 8:00am – 12:00pm. Please RSVP to Dr. Brad Weinhold at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org by Sunday, September 24^th.

CogAT Information – 6^th Grade Families

In our efforts to best meet the needs of all learners, we will be administering the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) to all 6th grade students in the beginning of October. The CogAT is an assessment that measures a student’s reasoning abilities and will provide teachers with information about your student’s strengths, so they can craft lessons to nurture those strengths. The assessment is in an online format and will be delivered in 3 sessions on October 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. Please read the attached letter for more detailed information. 

Attendance Reminders: 

• School starts at 8:50am each day. Students are expected to be in their classroom at this time. The first bell rings at 8:40am, inviting students to enter the building, allowing them enough time to get to class. The cafeteria is open at 8:30 for breakfast. 
• Students arriving between 8:50am and 9:00am will go directly to class and teachers will mark them as Unexcused Tardy (T). If a student has a note, they may stop at the Main Office. Any student who arrives to school after 9:00am MUST go to the Main Office to be checked in.  
• If your student needs to leave early for any reason, they MUST sign out at the Security Desk. We do not pre-arrange Early Dismissals which means an adult must check in at the Security Desk, with ID, to have their student called down.  

If your student is absent, please call the Attendance Line at 720-886-6111.  If your child is going to be late, you may also call this number to let us know the reason and estimated time of arrival.  This will eliminate the need to come in with the child to check them in. 

New Family Ambassadors

Are you interested in welcoming our new families and supporting them as they learn about HCMS? We are looking for volunteers! This would entail calling a new family after their student starts at HCMS, saying hello, and answering any questions about our school and community. Please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org if interested.

After School Academic Support

The library is open after school Monday – Thursday from 3:50am – 4:40pm for academic support. Any student can attend, and two teachers will be present to offer assistance as needed.

Additionally, on Wednesdays, Ms. Rocio Barron, our Spanish teacher, will also be present in the library to offer academic support to Spanish-speaking students. Ms. Barron will work with students in any academic area and will speak in Spanish. Two other teachers will also be present who will support students in English.

Open Gym

The Horizon Community gyms will be open on Monday and Thursday mornings from 8:00am – 8:30am. Students can use this time to engage in a variety of physical activities. Horizon Community staff members will be available to monitor and support students during this time. All students who participate will need a parent-signed waiver to participate (see Coach Burroughs in advance for the waiver).

English:
Please contact Erin Taylor at etaylor7@cherrycreekschools.org for support with this resource in your language.

Amharic:
እነዝህን መረጃዎችን በተመለከተ በቋንቋዎ ዕገዛን ለማግኘት ከፈለጉ እባክዎን ተሊሌን በዝህ
እሜይል ያግኙዋት thirpa@cherrycreekschools.org

Arabic:
يرجى الاتصال بـ (جميعة صباحي أوجاودة العلمي) على (jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.orgأو
jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.orgللحصول على الدعم مع هذا الموردباللغة العربية .

Chinese:
如有需要，请经由 ctaylor9@cherrycreekschools.org 与凯瑟琳•泰勒联系，以您的语言获得此资源 的支持。

Hindi:
अपनी भाषा में इस संसाधन के समर् थ न के लिए कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिी को jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org पर संपकथ करें।

Korean:
귀하의 언어로 이 자원에 대한 지원을 원하시면 (리아 리) 에게 (llee6@cherrycreekschools.org) 로문의하십시오.

Nepali:
कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम् पकथ गननथहोिा।

Russian:
Пожалуйста, обращайтесь к Ларисе Бака по адресу: lbaca3@cherrycreekschools.org для получения
поддержки с помощью этого ресурса на своём языке.

Somali:
Fadlan la xiriir Omar Nur cinwaanka emaylka onur2@cherrycreekschools.org si aad u hesho macluumaad ku qoran luqadaada.

Spanish:
Si necesita ayuda con este recurso en su idioma, póngase en contacto con Ilse Chavez Maldonado en ichavezmaldonado@cherrycreekschools.org, Rosa Han en rhan4@cherrycreekschools.org, Helena Gognat en hgognat@cherrycreekschools.org o Monica Pantoja en mpantoja@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:
Vui lòng liên hệ với Thuý Ngọc tại Lchung2@cherrycreekschools.org để được hỗ trợ về tài nguyên nàybằng tiếng Việt.

File attachments:
2023-24 CogAT Letter - 6th Grade.pdf

September 15, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

Tonight is our Multicultural Fair! Please join us from 5:00pm – 7:00pm! Our entertainment will include the Smoky Hill Step Team, the Eaglecrest Mariachi Band, a Zimbabwe musical group, Queen of Peace's Ballet Folklorico, and more! Entry is free, but students need an adult to enter. Interested in bringing food? Click here! Interested in having a display table? Click here! Any questions, please reach out to Erin Taylor at etaylor7@cherrycreekschools.org.

We are excited to announce that on Tuesday, September 26th, we will be hosting a school dance for all grades from 3:45pm to 4:45pm. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to come together and have some fun! Tickets for the dance are priced at $5 and can be purchased during lunchtime. Alternatively, you can purchase tickets online through Revtrak. Snacks will also be available for purchase at the event. For your convenience, late buses will be available after the dance, ensuring that our bus riders will have transportation home. If you have any questions, please contact Shayna Price, 8^th grade administrator at sprice@cherrycreekschools.org.

Thank you, and have a great weekend!

Brad

Brad Weinhold Ed.D.
Principal
Horizon Community Middle School
720.886.6101 (office)
720.886.2352 (cell)

Family Engagement Night & Parent-Teacher Conferences: September 21^st

Join us next Thursday, September 21^st for our first round of parent-teacher conferences. All teachers will be available for drop-in conferences (no appointment necessary) from 4:15pm-7:30pm. We encourage students to attend conferences with their parents.

We will also host our first Family Engagement Night of the school year on September 21^st. Please stop by our informational sessions related to our academic data and plans, the Star Assessment, and restorative practices. We will also have staff members available for questions related to PowerSchool, Schoology, and TalkingPoints. Informational sessions will run concurrently at 5:00pm, 5:30pm, and 6:00pm. Feel free to attend any/all sessions around your student’s conferences. Here is a list of topics, presenters, and locations:

HCMS Academic Plans

• Dr. Brad Weinhold (Principal), Room 168
• Repeated sessions begin at 5:00pm, 5:30pm, and 6:00pm
• This session will speak to our School Performance Framework & our state rating (see email from last week for more information).

Restorative Practices

• Mr. Robert Jefferson (Assistant Principal), Design Studio
• Repeated sessions begin at 5:00pm, 5:30pm, and 6:00pm

Star Assessment

• Mrs. Megan Zitek (Assistant Principal), Room 177
• Repeated sessions begin at 5:00pm, 5:30pm, and 6:00pm

PowerSchool, Schoology, and TalkingPoints

• Mrs. Dee Hallman (Dean of Students), Room 166
• Drop in anytime from 4:15pm – 7:30pm

Instructional Observation Day

On Wednesday, September 27^th, we will host an Instructional Observation Day. This is an opportunity for family members to observe instruction inside the walls of HCMS and provide us with feedback. We welcome all families to join for this day. The approximate time is from 8:00am – 12:00pm. Please RSVP to Dr. Brad Weinhold at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org.

HCMS Book Fair

Please visit our Book Fair and help support the Horizon Community Library. The Book Fair will be available September 15^th during the Multicultural Fair in the Design Studio. It will also be open in the Library during lunch and advisory classes September 18^th – 21^st as well as outside the gym on September 21^st during Parent/Teacher Conferences.

Please also consider helping out to make our Book Fair a success. Sign up for a time to volunteer HERE.

New Family Ambassadors

Are you interested in welcoming our new families and supporting them as they learn about HCMS? We are looking for volunteers! This would entail calling a new family after their student starts at HCMS, saying hello, and answering any questions about our school and community. Please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org if interested.

After School Academic Support

The library is open after school Monday – Thursday from 3:50pm – 4:40pm for academic support. Any student can attend, and two teachers will be present to offer assistance as needed.

Open Gym

The Horizon Community gyms will be open on Monday and Thursday mornings from 8:00am – 8:30am. Students can use this time to engage in a variety of physical activities. Horizon Community staff members will be available to monitor and support students during this time. All students who participate will need a parent-signed waiver to participate (see Coach Burroughs in advance for the waiver).

Social-Emotional Screener Update

Please be advised that Horizon Community is NOT participating in the Social-Emotional Learning Screener this year. Please disregard the email that was sent on August 31^st, 2023, from the CCSD Social Emotional Learning Coordinator, Diana Rarich.

Suicide Prevention Curriculum

Please see the attached letter that describes our upcoming plans with our Signs of Suicide curriculum.

English:
Please contact Erin Taylor at etaylor7@cherrycreekschools.org for support with this resource in your language.

Amharic:
እነዝህን መረጃዎችን በተመለከተ በቋንቋዎ ዕገዛን ለማግኘት ከፈለጉ እባክዎን ተሊሌን በዝህ
እሜይል ያግኙዋት thirpa@cherrycreekschools.org

Arabic:
يرجى الاتصال بـ (جميعة صباحي أوجاودة العلمي) على (jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.orgأو
jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.orgللحصول على الدعم مع هذا الموردباللغة العربية .

Chinese:
如有需要，请经由 ctaylor9@cherrycreekschools.org 与凯瑟琳•泰勒联系，以您的语言获得此资源 的支持。

Hindi:
अपनी भाषा में इस संसाधन के समर् थ न के लिए कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिी को jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org पर संपकथ करें।

Korean:
귀하의 언어로 이 자원에 대한 지원을 원하시면 (리아 리) 에게 (llee6@cherrycreekschools.org) 로문의하십시오.

Nepali:
कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम् पकथ गननथहोिा।

Russian:
Пожалуйста, обращайтесь к Ларисе Бака по адресу: lbaca3@cherrycreekschools.org для получения
поддержки с помощью этого ресурса на своём языке.

Somali:
Fadlan la xiriir Omar Nur cinwaanka emaylka onur2@cherrycreekschools.org si aad u hesho macluumaad ku qoran luqadaada.

Spanish:
Si necesita ayuda con este recurso en su idioma, póngase en contacto con Ilse Chavez Maldonado en ichavezmaldonado@cherrycreekschools.org, Rosa Han en rhan4@cherrycreekschools.org, Helena Gognat en hgognat@cherrycreekschools.org o Monica Pantoja en mpantoja@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:
Vui lòng liên hệ với Thuý Ngọc tại Lchung2@cherrycreekschools.org để được hỗ trợ về tài nguyên nàybằng tiếng Việt.

File attachments:
Parent Letter SY23-24.docx.pdf

September 8, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

Looking ahead to next Friday, we are so excited to host our annual Multicultural Fair! Come join us on September 15^th from 5:00pm – 7:00pm! Consider bringing a food item to share, and don't miss our entertainment including the Smoky Hill Step Team, the Eaglecrest Mariachi Band, a Zimbabwe musical group, Queen of Peace's Ballet Folklorico, and more! Entry is free, but students need an adult to enter. Please join us in celebrating our greatest strength: our diversity! Interested in bringing food? Click here! Interested in having a display table? Click here! Any questions, please reach out to Erin Taylor at etaylor7@cherrycreekschools.org.

Also, please see below for an abundance of information related to family engagement, academics, and much more coming up at HCMS.

Thank you, and have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold
Principal
Horizon Community Middle School
720.886.6101 (office)
720.767.2352 (cell)

Family Engagement Night & Parent-Teacher Conferences: September 21^st

Join us on Thursday, September 21^st for our first round of parent-teacher conferences. All teachers will be available for drop-in conferences (no appointment necessary) from 4:15pm-7:30pm. We encourage students to attend conferences with their parents.

We will also host our first Family Engagement Night of the school year on September 21^st. Please stop by our informational sessions related to our academic data and plans, the Star Assessment, and restorative practices. We will also have staff members available for questions related to PowerSchool, Schoology, and TalkingPoints. Informational sessions will run concurrently at 5:00pm, 5:30pm, and 6:00pm. Feel free to attend any/all sessions around your student’s conferences. Here is a list of topics, presenters, and locations:

HCMS Academic Plans

• Dr. Brad Weinhold (Principal), Room 168
• Repeated sessions begin at 5:00pm, 5:30pm, and 6:00pm

Restorative Practices

• Mr. Robert Jefferson (Assistant Principal), Design Studio
• Repeated sessions begin at 5:00pm, 5:30pm, and 6:00pm

Star Assessment

• Mrs. Megan Zitek (Assistant Principal), Room 177
• Repeated sessions begin at 5:00pm, 5:30pm, and 6:00pm

PowerSchool, Schoology, and TalkingPoints

• Mrs. Dee Hallman (Dean of Students), Room 166
• Drop in anytime from 4:15pm – 7:30pm

School Rating & Accountability Meeting

Each school in Colorado is assigned an overall school performance rating every year based on student performance and growth on state assessments (in our case, the CMAS). The rating for a school is reported in the Colorado Department of Education’s School Performance Framework (SPF). Based on the assignment of their performance rating, each school is required to develop a Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) that outlines targets for performance outcomes and strategies that the school will implement to improve academic outcomes for all students.

Based on our school’s performance and growth on the state assessment (CMAS) given last spring, our school earned a Priority Improvement Plan. Attached is the complete School Performance Framework report that describes how our school ratings were determined.

We have developing a focused UIP that will include an analysis of student performance data and detailed steps to implement strategies to support the achievement and growth of all HCMS students.

At our Family Engagement Night on September 21^st, 2023, we will present our academic plans for the year and gather input from families related to our plan. Additionally, the HCMS UIP will be presented to the CCSD School Board on October 4^th, 2023 at 9:00am . Our UIP will be submitted to the Colorado Department of Education on October 16^th, 2023.

If you have any questions about our overall school performance rating or how you can get involved in our improvement efforts, please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org. And please plan to attend the “HCMS Academic Plans” informational session at Family Engagement Night on September 21^st. Want a preview of our academic plans? See below.

HCMS Academic Plans

Here are some of the ways we are deepening our academic work at HCMS this year:

• Increased staffing to support math and Language Arts intervention.
• Academic Core Connections (ACC) during Advisory on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for targeted math and reading support.
• New math curriculum and increased use of online reading program.
• Star Assessment data analysis, goal setting, and progress monitoring.
• Prioritization of academic standards.
• CMAS/Star/academic standards alignment.
• Cross-curricular support for math and Langauge Arts standards.

HCMS Book Fair

Please visit our Book Fair and help support the Horizon Community Library. The Book Fair will be available September 15^th during the Multicultural Fair in the Design Studio. It will also be open in the Library during lunch and advisory classes September 18^th – 21^st as well as outside the gym on September 21^st during Parent/Teacher Conferences.

Please also consider helping out to make our Book Fair a success. Sign up for a time to volunteer HERE.

New Family Ambassadors

Are you interested in welcoming our new families and supporting them as they learn about HCMS? We are looking for volunteers! This would entail calling a new family after their student starts at HCMS, saying hello, and answering any questions about our school and community. Please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org if interested.

Instructional Observation Day

On Wednesday, September 27^th, we will host an Instructional Observation Day. This is an opportunity for family members to observe instruction inside the walls of HCMS and provide us with feedback. We welcome all families to join for this day. The approximate time is from 8:00am – 12:00pm. Please RSVP to Dr. Brad Weinhold at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org.

After School Academic Support

The library is open after school Monday – Thursday from 3:50pm – 4:40pm for academic support. Any student can attend, and two teachers will be present to offer assistance as needed.

Open Gym

The Horizon Community gyms will be open on Monday and Thursday mornings from 8:00am – 8:30am. Students can use this time to engage in a variety of physical activities. Horizon Community staff members will be available to monitor and support students during this time. All students who participate will need a parent-signed waiver to participate (see Coach Burroughs in advance for the waiver).

Suicide Prevention Curriculum

Please see the attached letter that describes our upcoming plans with our Signs of Suicide curriculum.

English:
Please contact Erin Taylor at etaylor7@cherrycreekschools.org for support with this resource in your language.

Amharic:
እነዝህን መረጃዎችን በተመለከተ በቋንቋዎ ዕገዛን ለማግኘት ከፈለጉ እባክዎን ተሊሌን በዝህ
እሜይል ያግኙዋት thirpa@cherrycreekschools.org

Arabic:
يرجى الاتصال بـ (جميعة صباحي أوجاودة العلمي) على (jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.orgأو
jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.orgللحصول على الدعم مع هذا الموردباللغة العربية .

Chinese:
如有需要，请经由 ctaylor9@cherrycreekschools.org 与凯瑟琳•泰勒联系，以您的语言获得此资源 的支持。

Hindi:
अपनी भाषा में इस संसाधन के समर् थ न के लिए कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिी को jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org पर संपकथ करें।

Korean:
귀하의 언어로 이 자원에 대한 지원을 원하시면 (리아 리) 에게 (llee6@cherrycreekschools.org) 로문의하십시오.

Nepali:
कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम् पकथ गननथहोिा।

Russian:
Пожалуйста, обращайтесь к Ларисе Бака по адресу: lbaca3@cherrycreekschools.org для получения
поддержки с помощью этого ресурса на своём языке.

Somali:
Fadlan la xiriir Omar Nur cinwaanka emaylka onur2@cherrycreekschools.org si aad u hesho macluumaad ku qoran luqadaada.

Spanish:
Si necesita ayuda con este recurso en su idioma, póngase en contacto con Ilse Chavez Maldonado en ichavezmaldonado@cherrycreekschools.org, Rosa Han en rhan4@cherrycreekschools.org, Helena Gognat en hgognat@cherrycreekschools.org o Monica Pantoja en mpantoja@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:
Vui lòng liên hệ với Thuý Ngọc tại Lchung2@cherrycreekschools.org để được hỗ trợ về tài nguyên nàybằng tiếng Việt.

File attachments:
2023 SPF.pdf
Parent Letter SY23-24.docx.pdf

September 1, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

As we enter our first three-day weekend, I hope you and your family are able to rest, relax, and reconnect. Our students and staff have worked hard these first three weeks, and a short break is well deserved.

In addition to the important information and engagement opportunities below, I am asking for your help related to our PTCO (parent-teacher-community organization). We are seeking parent volunteers for leadership roles. Wait, keep reading! Please do not be intimidated by titles or positions, as our PTCO is a collaborative group that works as a committee. Together we plan how we can best support our students and staff, often through fundraising opportunities. That said, we are not allowed to raise money as a PTCO (to support students and staff) if we do not fill certain roles within the PTCO. This is currently our status due to a recent vacancy. An additional benefit of being involved is related to your child! We know that student engagement and success increase with additional parent involvement in school. This all said, I am asking for your help with our PTCO. It is not a huge commitment, and we REALLY need assistance from our community at this time. Please contact me directly (bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org) to learn more.

Thank you, and have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold
Principal
Horizon Community Middle School
720.886.6101 (office)
720.767.2352 (cell)
 

New Family Ambassadors

Are you interested in welcoming our new families and supporting them as they learn about HCMS? We are looking for volunteers! This would entail calling a new family after their student starts at HCMS, saying hello, and answering any questions about our school and community. Please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org if interested.

Instructional Observation Day

On Wednesday, September 27^th, we will host an Instructional Observation Day. This is an opportunity for family members to observe instruction inside the walls of HCMS and provide us with feedback. We welcome all families to join for this day. The approximate time is from 8:00am – 12:00pm. Please RSVP to Dr. Brad Weinhold at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org.

After School Academic Support

The library is open after school Monday – Thursday from 3:50pm – 4:40pm for academic support. Any student can attend, and two teachers will be present to offer assistance as needed.

Open Gym

Starting on Thursday September 7^th, the Horizon Community gyms will be open on Monday and Thursday mornings from 8:00am – 8:30am. Students can use this time to engage in a variety of physical activities. Horizon Community staff members will be available to monitor and support students during this time. All students who participate will need a parent-signed waiver to participate (see Coach Burroughs in advance for the waiver).

Husky Bucks, Husky Buck Market, and Leader of the PACK

Has your student received any Husky Bucks yet? HCMS students receive these when a staff member notices them modeling Perseverance, Achievement, Connectedness, and/or Kindness. Students can use Husky Bucks at the Husky Buck Market (on Fridays during lunch) to purchase prizes. And students can recognize other students who model PACK by nominating them for Leader of the PACK (QR codes for nominations are around campus).

After School Clubs

Below is a chart for some of the clubs that we sponsor at HCMS. Some have already started, others will begin soon. We will advertise additional clubs as they are added. Please contact the sponsor directly with specific questions about each club. As a reminder, our Activities Bus departs at 4:45pm each day (M – TH). Clubs finish meeting with enough time for students to ride the bus if needed. Please also contact our Activities Director, Mrs. Kerri Benzel, at kbenzel@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Upcoming Events

• Track Meet (9/6)
• Multicultural Night (9/15)
• Family Engagement Night & Parent Conferences (9/21)
• School Dance (9/26)

Bus Riders

If your student’s bus ID is not working or they have lost it, please let their bus driver know and they will get a replacement. 

Attendance Reminders

• School starts at 8:50am each day. Students are expected to be in their classroom at this time. The first bell rings at 8:40am, inviting students to enter the building and allowing them enough time to get to class.  
• Students arriving between 8:50am and 9:00am will go directly to class and teachers will mark them as Unexcused Tardy (T). If a student has a note, they may stop at the Main Office. Any student who arrives to school after 9:00am MUST go to the Main Office to be checked in.  
• If your student needs to leave early for any reason, they MUST sign out at the Security Desk. We do not pre-arrange Early Dismissals which means an adult must check in at the Security Desk, with ID, to have their student called down.  

If your student is absent, please call the Attendance Line at 720-886-6111. If your child is going to be late, you may also call this number to let us know the reason and estimated time of arrival. This will eliminate the need to come in with your child to check them in.

English:
Please contact Erin Taylor at etaylor7@cherrycreekschools.org for support with this resource in your language.

Amharic:
እነዝህን መረጃዎችን በተመለከተ በቋንቋዎ ዕገዛን ለማግኘት ከፈለጉ እባክዎን ተሊሌን በዝህ
እሜይል ያግኙዋት thirpa@cherrycreekschools.org

Arabic:
يرجى الاتصال بـ (جميعة صباحي أوجاودة العلمي) على (jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.orgأو
jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.orgللحصول على الدعم مع هذا الموردباللغة العربية .

Chinese:
如有需要，请经由 ctaylor9@cherrycreekschools.org 与凯瑟琳•泰勒联系，以您的语言获得此资源 的支持。

Hindi:
अपनी भाषा में इस संसाधन के समर् थ न के लिए कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिी को jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org पर संपकथ करें।

Korean:
귀하의 언어로 이 자원에 대한 지원을 원하시면 (리아 리) 에게 (llee6@cherrycreekschools.org) 로문의하십시오.

Nepali:
कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम् पकथ गननथहोिा।

Russian:
Пожалуйста, обращайтесь к Ларисе Бака по адресу: lbaca3@cherrycreekschools.org для получения
поддержки с помощью этого ресурса на своём языке.

Somali:
Fadlan la xiriir Omar Nur cinwaanka emaylka onur2@cherrycreekschools.org si aad u hesho macluumaad ku qoran luqadaada.

Spanish:
Si necesita ayuda con este recurso en su idioma, póngase en contacto con Ilse Chavez Maldonado en ichavezmaldonado@cherrycreekschools.org, Rosa Han en rhan4@cherrycreekschools.org, Helena Gognat en hgognat@cherrycreekschools.org o Monica Pantoja en mpantoja@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:
Vui lòng liên hệ với Thuý Ngọc tại Lchung2@cherrycreekschools.org để được hỗ trợ về tài nguyên nàybằng tiếng Việt.

July 27, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

I am so excited to send this community message, officially welcoming everyone to the 2023-2024 school year! We cannot wait for students to return in a few short weeks. Learning: Every Day for Every One! is our vision. We are an authentic, empowered community that believes in opportunity for all. This is our mission statement. And we live by our PACK Commitments of Perseverance, Achievement, Connectedness and Kindness.

Below are several important pieces of information related to the beginning of the school year. We will continue to communicate updates, and I encourage you to visit the HCMS WEBSITE where we will post new information as it becomes available.

And if you happen to be free tonight (7/27), our first virtual PTCO meeting starts at 5:30pm on Teams. Click here to join the meeting.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. We look forward to your partnership as family members of the Horizon Community!

Sincerely,

Important Dates

• Thursday, August 10^th – Back to School Night (5:00pm – 7:00pm)
• Monday, August 14^th – First day of school for 6^th Grade students and 6^th Grade WEB Orientation Day (7^th & 8^th at home)
• Tuesday, August 15^th – First day of school for 7^th & 8^th Grade students (6^th at home)
• Wednesday, August 16^th – All students attend HCMS

Check-in Procedures & Back to School Hub

Each year, all HCMS families are required to complete Parent Forms by visiting my.cherrycreekschools.org and accessing the PowerSchool tile. For students returning to Horizon Community Middle School, or for incoming 6^th grade students who attended a Cherry Creek elementary school, completing Parent Forms is the only registration requirement before school begins. Parent Forms are now available, and we encourage you to complete this step as soon as possible. This step is required in order for students to be able to attend classes in August. All families should also visit the CCSD Back to School Hub, which includes information pertaining to Food & Nutrition, Technology, and Transportation. Please contact our Registrar, Mrs. Terry Altman, at taltman3@cherrycreekschools.org or call 720-886-6240 with questions.

6^th Grade WEB Orientation Day

Our WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) Orientation Day is designed to assist incoming 6^th graders with their transition to middle school. This will occur on Monday, August 14^th during the first day of school. The day begins at 8:50am. This will be a great opportunity for students to engage in fun activities, meet new friends, and learn from 8^th Grade WEB Leaders. Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle and dress comfortably as the day will be active. WEB Orientation Day is for students to independently experience getting to know their new school. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Hailey Wilkinson at  hwilkinson@cherrycreekschools.org or Ms. Shyla Strickler at sstrickler@cherrycreekschools.org.

Back to School Night

All students and their families are invited to our Back to School Night on Thursday, August 10^th from 5:00pm – 7:00pm. Activities will be organized in an open house format and will include: 

• Student schedule pick-up
• Visit teachers in classrooms (open house format)
• Tour the building & scavenger hunt
• Food trucks
• Games
• Family Engagement Information
• Athletics/Activities Fair
• HCMS Spirit Gear Sales
• STRIDE Health Center Information

School Supplies

Please click HERE to view our school supply list. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Clare Dardis, Campus Administrator, at cdardis@cherrycreekschools.org.

Grading at HCMS

At HCMS, we believe that grades should represent a demonstration of learning and growth. Grades should not be a reflection of student behaviors. Gradebooks are used as a tool to communicate student progress towards understanding of subject-specific skills. Please check out this HCMS Grading Video to learn more, and please ask your student’s teachers specific questions about grading and their gradebooks.

Cell Phone Plan

In response to the continuous distractions to the learning environment that cell phones can cause, we will be implementing a new cell phone plan this year. Please check out this Cell Phone Video to learn more.

Athletics Information

We are excited for all students to participate in our sport offerings of track, basketball, wrestling, and volleyball. Please visit our ATHLETICS PAGE for registration information and season schedules, and please direct any questions to Mr. Jason Harper, Athletics/Activities Director, at jharper7@cherrycreekschools.org. Our first season, track, starts on Thursday, August 17^th!

Family Engagement

Please visit our FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PAGE to learn about ways to engage at HCMS. We welcome and encourage all families to participate in all aspects of the schooling experience of their children. Interested in volunteering at HCMS? Check out this VOLUNTEER FORM. Be sure to save the dates for our Family Engagement nights!

TalkingPoints

We are excited to continue to use TalkingPoints as one of the ways we communicate with families. More information can be found HERE. Families are able to receive and send text messages to their student’s teachers using TalkingPoints. The messages can be translated into a preferred language. Families can download the optional TalkingPoints App.

Instructional Observation Day

On Wednesday, September 27^th, we will again host an Instructional Observation Day. This is an opportunity for family members to observe instruction inside the walls of HCMS and provide us with feedback. We welcome all families to join for this day. The approximate time is from 8:00am – 12:00pm. Please save the date if you are able to attend.

Facebook Page

In addition to sharing information on our website and through email, we also post important school information on our Facebook Page. Join our FACEBOOK GROUP here.

Building Enhancements

Students will return to school this year using new water fountains! Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to school each day. Also, last year some of our male students requested more privacy in the boys’ bathrooms. Specifically, they asked for partition dividers between the urinals. Our district listened and responded, and over the summer these have been installed!

Enhanced School Safety

Construction is nearly complete on our new Main Office Security Vestibule. Guests will be able to check-in at our security desk closer to the main entrance, and a double-door buzzer system will provide a safer school environment.

Lockers

While the vast majority of HCMS students do not use lockers, students are able to use lockers if they choose. If a student is interested in using a locker, their parent/guardian should complete this Locker Request Form.

Building Hours & Activity Bus

Our school building will open at 8:40am each morning. Breakfast will be available at 8:30am (students enter through the cafeteria). School hours are from 8:50am – 3:45pm each day. Our Activity Bus, which departs HCMS at 4:45pm, will begin on Thursday, August 17^th, and will be available Monday – Thursday throughout the school year.

Morning Line-Up Locations

Students should gather at the following entrances as they prepare to enter the building each morning:

• 6^th Grade: East Entrance (near bus loop & STRIDE Clinic)
• 7^th & 8^th Grade: Main Entrance

All students who arrive after 9:00am should enter the building through the Main Entrance and check-in at the Main Office.

Husky Community Market

The Husky Community Market is here to assist families by providing non-perishable food, some household items, and school supplies. If you are interested, contact Horizon Community at 720-886-6108 to schedule a time to pick up some items.

English:
Please contact Erin Taylor at etaylor7@cherrycreekschools.org for support with this resource in your language.

Amharic:
እነዝህን መረጃዎችን በተመለከተ በቋንቋዎ ዕገዛን ለማግኘት ከፈለጉ እባክዎን ተሊሌን በዝህ
እሜይል ያግኙዋት thirpa@cherrycreekschools.org

Arabic:
يرجى الاتصال بـ (جميعة صباحي أوجاودة العلمي) على (jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.orgأو
jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.orgللحصول على الدعم مع هذا الموردباللغة العربية .

Chinese:
如有需要，请经由 ctaylor9@cherrycreekschools.org 与凯瑟琳•泰勒联系，以您的语言获得此资源 的支持。

Hindi:
अपनी भाषा में इस संसाधन के समर् थ न के लिए कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिी को jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org पर संपकथ करें।

Korean:
귀하의 언어로 이 자원에 대한 지원을 원하시면 (리아 리) 에게 (llee6@cherrycreekschools.org) 로문의하십시오.

Nepali:
कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम् पकथ गननथहोिा।

Russian:
Пожалуйста, обращайтесь к Ларисе Бака по адресу: lbaca3@cherrycreekschools.org для получения
поддержки с помощью этого ресурса на своём языке.

Somali:
Fadlan la xiriir Omar Nur cinwaanka emaylka onur2@cherrycreekschools.org si aad u hesho macluumaad ku qoran luqadaada.

Spanish:
Si necesita ayuda con este recurso en su idioma, póngase en contacto con Ilse Chavez Maldonado en ichavezmaldonado@cherrycreekschools.org, Rosa Han en rhan4@cherrycreekschools.org, Helena Gognat en hgognat@cherrycreekschools.org o Monica Pantoja en mpantoja@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:
Vui lòng liên hệ với Thuý Ngọc tại Lchung2@cherrycreekschools.org để được hỗ trợ về tài nguyên nàybằng tiếng Việt.

May 19, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

Wow, what an amazing night we had at our 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony last night! Congratulations to all of our 8^th grade students for your accomplishments at Horizon Community. We’re so proud of you!

Can you believe that next week is the last week of school?! We have been celebrating all of our accomplishments and recognizing the amazing work of our students. While we always acknowledge there are areas where we can continue to improve, we are very excited about where we are and where we are going. Thank you for supporting us as a community.

Some reminders:

• LAST reminder…. If you haven’t yet, please complete our Community Feedback Survey. We need your input!!!!!
• Library Books: Families – can you please check your student’s bedrooms and other relevant places to see if they happen to have a HCMS library book? We are missing quite a few right now, and we could use your help getting them back as soon as possible.
• Next Week: The last week of school will be filled with many fun events. This includes field days for 7^th Grade on May 23^rd and 6^th Grade on May 24^th, PACK Assemblies for all students on May 24^th, the 8^th Grade Dance on May 24^th, and a fun last day for 8^th Grade on May 25^th. While the week will be all about fun, please be mindful that any student behaviors that warrant consequences could prevent students from participating on these days. Also, the last day for 6^th and 7^th grades will be on Friday, May 26^th. We will release at 12:00pm this day, and lunch will not be served. Also, we will not have late buses the last week of school.
• 8^th Grade Dance: The 8^th Grade Dance is next Wednesday after school! Students can purchase tickets during lunch, or CLICK HERE to purchase online!
• Yearbooks: Students picked up their yearbooks today! They are still on sale (while supplies last) at this THIS WEBSITE. Prices are $20 for soft covers and $35 for hard covers. Please contact Mrs. Kerri Benzel (kbenzel@cherrycreekschools.org) with questions or to pay with cash.
• 23-24 Beginning of School Dates & WEB Day: Our first day of school in the 23-24 school year is on Monday, August 14^th. This day will be for 6^th Grade students only and will also be our WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) Orientation Day. On Tuesday, August 15^th, only 7^th and 8^th Grade students will attend. All students (6^th – 8^th) will attend on Wednesday, August 16^th.

Have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold
Principal
Horizon Community Middle School
720.886.6101 (office)
720.767.2352 (cell)

23-24 Meal Applications

Effective August 2023, Colorado voters approved legislation that will provide free breakfast and lunch meals to all students. Although meals will be free, it is still important to complete a new meal application to maximize family and district benefits. One completed application per household is needed (all students in the household can be included on the application) and a new application must be completed each school year after July 1. Every student may apply, and the application can be accessed in one of the following ways:

Online Application: Go to THIS WEBSITE to apply. The application is available in 8 languages. If you need assistance, please call our meal program manager at 720-886-7172 or visit us in person at the Student Nutrition Center (14270 E. Briarwood Ave, Centennial, CO 80112). Additional program information available at www.cherrycreekschools.org under the Food and Nutrition Department.

Paper Application: Paper applications are available at our school or at the Student Nutrition Center. This application can be mailed to the Student Nutrition Center, brought to your student's school, or brought directly to the Student Nutrition Center.

23-24 School Registration Information

Are you new to Cherry Creek Schools? Have you moved in the last 6 months? Take action now to make sure you’re ready for the 2023-24 school year!

New families: NOW is the time to enroll your child for the 2023-24 school year. We recommend new parents enroll as soon as possible to make sure you’re all set for next school year. CLICK HERE to enroll your student(s) today.

Have you moved? If so, CLICK HERE to ensure an updated address is on file for your student(s).

If you’ve been contacted by our registrar, Mr. Steve McCandless, please follow up with him as it could be about important enrollment information for next year.

If you have not recently moved and are currently enrolled and returning to CCSD in the fall, no action is required at this time.

English:
Please contact Erin Taylor at etaylor7@cherrycreekschools.org for support with this resource in your language.

Amharic:
እነዝህን መረጃዎችን በተመለከተ በቋንቋዎ ዕገዛን ለማግኘት ከፈለጉ እባክዎን ተሊሌን በዝህ
እሜይል ያግኙዋት thirpa@cherrycreekschools.org

Arabic:
يرجى الاتصال بـ (جميعة صباحي أوجاودة العلمي) على (jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.orgأو
jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.orgللحصول على الدعم مع هذا الموردباللغة العربية .

Chinese:
如有需要，请经由 ctaylor9@cherrycreekschools.org 与凯瑟琳•泰勒联系，以您的语言获得此资源 的支持。

Hindi:
अपनी भाषा में इस संसाधन के समर् थ न के लिए कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिी को jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org पर संपकथ करें।

Korean:
귀하의 언어로 이 자원에 대한 지원을 원하시면 (리아 리) 에게 (llee6@cherrycreekschools.org) 로문의하십시오.

Nepali:
कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम् पकथ गननथहोिा।

Russian:
Пожалуйста, обращайтесь к Ларисе Бака по адресу: lbaca3@cherrycreekschools.org для получения
поддержки с помощью этого ресурса на своём языке.

Somali:
Fadlan la xiriir Omar Nur cinwaanka emaylka onur2@cherrycreekschools.org si aad u hesho macluumaad ku qoran luqadaada.

Spanish:
Si necesita ayuda con este recurso en su idioma, póngase en contacto con Ilse Chavez Maldonado en ichavezmaldonado@cherrycreekschools.org, Rosa Han en rhan4@cherrycreekschools.org, Helena Gognat en hgognat@cherrycreekschools.org o Monica Pantoja en mpantoja@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:
Vui lòng liên hệ với Thuý Ngọc tại Lchung2@cherrycreekschools.org để được hỗ trợ về tài nguyên nàybằng tiếng Việt.

May 12, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

THANK YOU to our PTCO for supporting our Teacher Appreciation Week! We appreciate the special recognition, gifts, and food for our hard-working and talented staff. If you haven’t yet, please consider sending a thank you email to your student’s teachers.

And thank you to everyone for attending our Community BBQ on Tuesday night! It was such a fun event, and students from our Performing Arts were amazing!

One more reminder…. If you haven’t yet, please complete our Community Feedback Survey.

Library Books: Families – can you please check your student’s bedrooms and other relevant places to see if they happen to have a HCMS library book? We are missing quite a few right now, and we could use your help getting them back as soon as possible.

Also, congratulations to Mr. Steve McCandless, our registrar, and Mrs. Maria Thompson, our former bookkeeper! We celebrated both of these fantastic employees last night at our CCSD Retirement Ceremony. Thank you for all you have done for HCMS.

Looking ahead, the last week of school will be filled with many fun events. This includes field days for 7^th Grade on May 23^rd, 6^th Grade on May 24^th, and a fun last day for 8^th Grade on May 25^th. While the week will be all about fun, please be mindful that any student behaviors that warrant consequences could prevent students from participating on these days.

As a reminder, the last day for 6^th and 7^th grades will be on Friday, May 26^th. We will release at 12:00pm this day, and lunch will not be served. Also, we will not have late buses the last week of school.

Lastly, please see the attached documents related to Cheerleading and Football camps at Smoky Hill and a Save the Date for the CCSD Veterans Day Football Game next fall.

Thank you, as always, for your support. Have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold
Principal
Horizon Community Middle School
720.886.6101 (office)
720.767.2352 (cell)

8^th Grade Awards Ceremony

We are excited to celebrate our 8^th Grade students at Smoky Hill High School on May 18, 2023 at 6:00pm. As a reminder, the 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony is not a graduation/continuation event. Cherry Creek Middle Schools do not hold graduation ceremonies for 8^th grade students.

Families of students who will receive an award have at this point received an individual invitation via email. Students who will be recognized with an award have received an individual paper invitation as well.

Please contact Ms. Shayna Price at sprice@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Yearbook Sales

Have you purchased your yearbook yet? They are still on sale at this THIS WEBSITE. Prices are $20 for soft covers and $35 for hard covers. Please contact Mrs. Kerri Benzel (kbenzel@cherrycreekschools.org) with questions or to pay with cash.

8^th Grade Computer Collection

Congratulations (in advance) to our 8^th grade students that are moving on to 9^th grade next school year! As part of the Cherry Creek School District’s Student Device Plan, new computers are issued when students enter 9^th grade. Thus, we will be collecting district-provided laptops and chargers from each 8^th grade student. On May 15^th (revised date), 1^st period teachers will be collecting laptops and chargers from their students. Please be sure that these laptops and chargers are returned to avoid fines. For more information, CLICK HERE, or contact Ms. Shayna Price, Coordinator of Student Achievement, at sprice@cherrycreekschools.org.

Family & Community Survey

At Horizon Community, we believe that we all are continuously growing and improving. One way that we as a school can continue to improve is based on your feedback. Please complete this Feedback Survey to provide us with your perspective and input. And if your student turns in the “survey signature paper” that they have received in Advisory, they will be entered in a drawing for a prize!

23-24 Meal Applications

Effective August 2023, Colorado voters approved legislation that will provide free breakfast and lunch meals to all students. Although meals will be free, it is still important to complete a new meal application to maximize family and district benefits. One completed application per household is needed (all students in the household can be included on the application) and a new application must be completed each school year after July 1. Every student may apply, and the application can be accessed in one of the following ways:

Online Application: Go to THIS WEBSITE to apply. The application is available in 8 languages. If you need assistance, please call our meal program manager at 720-886-7172 or visit us in person at the Student Nutrition Center (14270 E. Briarwood Ave, Centennial, CO 80112). Additional program information available at www.cherrycreekschools.org under the Food and Nutrition Department.

Paper Application: Paper applications are available at our school or at the Student Nutrition Center. This application can be mailed to the Student Nutrition Center, brought to your student's school, or brought directly to the Student Nutrition Center.

23-24 School Registration Information

Are you new to Cherry Creek Schools? Have you moved in the last 6 months? Take action now to make sure you’re ready for the 2023-24 school year!

New families: NOW is the time to enroll your child for the 2023-24 school year. We recommend new parents enroll as soon as possible to make sure you’re all set for next school year. CLICK HERE to enroll your student(s) today.

Have you moved? If so, CLICK HERE to ensure an updated address is on file for your student(s).

If you’ve been contacted by our registrar, Mr. Steve McCandless, please follow up with him as it could be about important enrollment information for next year.

If you have not recently moved and are currently enrolled and returning to CCSD in the fall, no action is required at this time.

23-24 Beginning of School Dates & WEB Day

Our first day of school in the 23-24 school year is on Monday, August 14^th. This day will be for 6^th Grade students only and will also be our WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) Orientation Day. On Tuesday, August 15^th, only 7^th and 8^th Grade students will attend. All students (6^th – 8^th) will attend on Wednesday, August 16^th.

English:
Please contact Erin Taylor at etaylor7@cherrycreekschools.org for support with this resource in your language.

Amharic:
እነዝህን መረጃዎችን በተመለከተ በቋንቋዎ ዕገዛን ለማግኘት ከፈለጉ እባክዎን ተሊሌን በዝህ
እሜይል ያግኙዋት thirpa@cherrycreekschools.org

Arabic:
يرجى الاتصال بـ (جميعة صباحي أوجاودة العلمي) على (jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.orgأو
jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.orgللحصول على الدعم مع هذا الموردباللغة العربية .

Chinese:
如有需要，请经由 ctaylor9@cherrycreekschools.org 与凯瑟琳•泰勒联系，以您的语言获得此资源 的支持。

Hindi:
अपनी भाषा में इस संसाधन के समर् थ न के लिए कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिी को jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org पर संपकथ करें।

Korean:
귀하의 언어로 이 자원에 대한 지원을 원하시면 (리아 리) 에게 (llee6@cherrycreekschools.org) 로문의하십시오.

Nepali:
कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम् पकथ गननथहोिा।

Russian:
Пожалуйста, обращайтесь к Ларисе Бака по адресу: lbaca3@cherrycreekschools.org для получения
поддержки с помощью этого ресурса на своём языке.

Somali:
Fadlan la xiriir Omar Nur cinwaanka emaylka onur2@cherrycreekschools.org si aad u hesho macluumaad ku qoran luqadaada.

Spanish:
Si necesita ayuda con este recurso en su idioma, póngase en contacto con Ilse Chavez Maldonado en ichavezmaldonado@cherrycreekschools.org, Rosa Han en rhan4@cherrycreekschools.org, Helena Gognat en hgognat@cherrycreekschools.org o Monica Pantoja en mpantoja@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:
Vui lòng liên hệ với Thuý Ngọc tại Lchung2@cherrycreekschools.org để được hỗ trợ về tài nguyên nàybằng tiếng Việt.

File attachments:
Smoky Hill Mini_Jr Buffs Flyer.pdf
BISON FOOTBALL FLYER_.pdf
Veterans Day Football Game 2023.pdf

May 4, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

Happy May! It is so hard to believe that we are in the last month of the year!

As a reminder, there is no school tomorrow (Friday, May 5^th) as we have a staff professional development day.

Also, we can’t wait to see everyone at our Community BBQ on Tuesday (May 9^th)! Here are some details to know:

• We’ll start at 4:00pm on the blacktop (recess) area.
• A hot dog, chips, and a water can be purchased for $2.
• Spirit wear will be for sale, with prices ranging from $5 to $45.
• Overflow parking will be available at Summit Elementary School.
• Our Concert in the Park will begin at 6:00pm.

Next, please remember to complete our Community Survey by next Friday. More information is below.

Finally, next week is Teacher Appreciation Week. Thank you to our PTCO for sponsoring many fun and appreciative events! We are also asking our community to “FLOOD THE INBOX.” Please consider taking a moment to send a thank you email to your student’s teachers. Our staff works extremely hard each day, and they definitely deserve lots of public recognition.

Have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720.886.6101 (office)

720.767.2352 (cell)

8^th Grade Awards Ceremony

We are excited to celebrate our 8^th Grade students at Smoky Hill High School on May 18, 2023 at 6:00pm. As a reminder, the 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony is not a graduation/continuation event. Cherry Creek Middle Schools do not hold graduation ceremonies for 8^th grade students.

Families of students who will receive an award have at this point received an individual invitation via email. Students who will be recognized with an award will receive an individual paper invitation next week.

Please contact Ms. Shayna Price at sprice@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Yearbook Sales

Have you purchased your yearbook yet? They are still on sale at this THIS WEBSITE. Prices are $20 for soft covers and $35 for hard covers. Please contact Mrs. Kerri Benzel (kbenzel@cherrycreekschools.org) with questions or to pay with cash.

8^th Grade Computer Collection

Congratulations (in advance) to our 8^th grade students that are moving on to 9^th grade next school year! As part of the Cherry Creek School District’s Student Device Plan, new computers are issued when students enter 9^th grade. Thus, we will be collecting district-provided laptops and chargers from each 8^th grade student. On May 15^th (revised date), 1^st period teachers will be collecting laptops and chargers from their students. Please be sure that these laptops and chargers are returned to avoid fines. For more information, CLICK HERE, or contact Ms. Shayna Price, Coordinator of Student Achievement, at sprice@cherrycreekschools.org.

Family & Community Survey

At Horizon Community, we believe that we all are continuously growing and improving. One way that we as a school can continue to improve is based on your feedback. Please complete this Feedback Survey to provide us with your perspective and input. And if your student turns in the “survey signature paper” that they have received in Advisory, they will be entered in a drawing for a prize!

Student Equity Workshops

This year, students from all grade levels have participated in our Student Equity Workshop. Students representing multiple racial identities have come together to discuss important topics such as equity, race, and racism. Our young leaders have done an amazing job, and they are interested in inviting more students into the conversation. Current 6th and 7th grade students will have the opportunity to voluntarily join a conversation about race during their Advisory Class on either May 4th (6th grade) or May 10th (7th grade). All students are welcome to join for this voluntary experience, though no one is required. Our hope is to provide a space for students to navigate potentially complex conversations about race in a safe setting. Students interested in joining should inform Ms. Wilkinson (6th grade) or Ms. Hooks (7th grade) in advance to learn the classroom location for the conversation. Students who do not wish to attend will simply remain in their own Advisory class. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold, HCMS Principal, at 720-886-6101.

Spanish Speaking Family Liaison

We would like to introduce Mrs. Margelly Beltran, one of our current teachers, who will serve as a Family Liaison for our Spanish-speaking families next year. She will be at our Community BBQ on May 9th if you would like to say hello. Please contact her at mbeltran4@cherrycreekschools.org or 720-886-6208 with questions.

Her intentions include:

• Listen to the perspectives and lived experiences of our Spanish-speaking families.
• Increase access to school information, supports, and available resources.
• By listening and increasing access, we aim to empower all Spanish-speaking families to partner with HCMS as we collectively support the educational needs of our students.

23-24 Meal Applications

Effective August 2023, Colorado voters approved legislation that will provide free breakfast and lunch meals to all students. Although meals will be free, it is still important to complete a new meal application to maximize family and district benefits. One completed application per household is needed (all students in the household can be included on the application) and a new application must be completed each school year after July 1. Every student may apply, and the application can be accessed in one of the following ways:

Online Application: Go to THIS WEBSITE to apply. The application is available in 8 languages. If you need assistance, please call our meal program manager at 720-886-7172 or visit us in person at the Student Nutrition Center (14270 E. Briarwood Ave, Centennial, CO 80112). Additional program information available at www.cherrycreekschools.org under the Food and Nutrition Department.

Paper Application: Paper applications are available at our school or at the Student Nutrition Center. This application can be mailed to the Student Nutrition Center, brought to your student's school, or brought directly to the Student Nutrition Center.

23-24 School Registration Information

Are you new to Cherry Creek Schools? Have you moved in the last 6 months? Take action now to make sure you’re ready for the 2023-24 school year!

New families: NOW is the time to enroll your child for the 2023-24 school year. We recommend new parents enroll as soon as possible to make sure you’re all set for next school year. CLICK HERE to enroll your student(s) today.

Have you moved? If so, CLICK HERE to ensure an updated address is on file for your student(s).

If you’ve been contacted by our registrar, Mr. Steve McCandless, please follow up with him as it could be about important enrollment information for next year.

If you have not recently moved and are currently enrolled and returning to CCSD in the fall, no action is required at this time.

Volunteer at HCMS

Please consider volunteering at HCMS if you are available. While many opportunities can be found on our Volunteer Webpage, some areas where we are always looking for assistance is in our hallways and cafeteria (and at recess). As middle school energy increases in May, we can certainly use some extra adults supporting our students. Interested? Just fill out our Volunteer Form and we’ll show you what you need to know.

23-24 Beginning of School Dates & WEB Day

Our first day of school in the 23-24 school year is on Monday, August 14^th. This day will be for 6^th Grade students only and will also be our WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) Orientation Day. On Tuesday, August 15^th, only 7^th and 8^th Grade students will attend. All students (6^th – 8^th) will attend on Wednesday, August 16^th.

English:
Please contact Erin Taylor at etaylor7@cherrycreekschools.org for support with this resource in your language.

Amharic:
እነዝህን መረጃዎችን በተመለከተ በቋንቋዎ ዕገዛን ለማግኘት ከፈለጉ እባክዎን ተሊሌን በዝህ
እሜይል ያግኙዋት thirpa@cherrycreekschools.org

Arabic:
يرجى الاتصال بـ (جميعة صباحي أوجاودة العلمي) على (jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.orgأو
jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.orgللحصول على الدعم مع هذا الموردباللغة العربية .

Chinese:
如有需要，请经由 ctaylor9@cherrycreekschools.org 与凯瑟琳•泰勒联系，以您的语言获得此资源 的支持。

Hindi:
अपनी भाषा में इस संसाधन के समर् थ न के लिए कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिी को jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org पर संपकथ करें।

Korean:
귀하의 언어로 이 자원에 대한 지원을 원하시면 (리아 리) 에게 (llee6@cherrycreekschools.org) 로문의하십시오.

Nepali:
कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम् पकथ गननथहोिा।

Russian:
Пожалуйста, обращайтесь к Ларисе Бака по адресу: lbaca3@cherrycreekschools.org для получения
поддержки с помощью этого ресурса на своём языке.

Somali:
Fadlan la xiriir Omar Nur cinwaanka emaylka onur2@cherrycreekschools.org si aad u hesho macluumaad ku qoran luqadaada.

Spanish:
Si necesita ayuda con este recurso en su idioma, póngase en contacto con Ilse Chavez Maldonado en ichavezmaldonado@cherrycreekschools.org, Rosa Han en rhan4@cherrycreekschools.org, Helena Gognat en hgognat@cherrycreekschools.org o Monica Pantoja en mpantoja@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:
Vui lòng liên hệ với Thuý Ngọc tại Lchung2@cherrycreekschools.org để được hỗ trợ về tài nguyên nàybằng tiếng Việt.

April 28, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

We hope you are able to join for the musical tonight or tomorrow! Please see below for more information, as well as several additional reminders that pertain to the last month of school. Wow, it’s hard to believe that next week is May! The year has flown by, and we will be cherishing these last four weeks with our amazing students.

Have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold
Principal
Horizon Community Middle School
720.886.6101 (office)
720.767.2352 (cell)

Shrek Jr. The Musical

We hope you are able to join for our spring musical! Fairytale creatures, Duloc, and Ogres – oh my! Based on the Oscar-winning Dreamworks movie, Shrek Jr. the Musical uses fun elements to tell the journey of a Princess, an Ogre, and a Donkey as they discover what it means to celebrate being who you are. The shows are on Friday, April 28^th and Saturday, April 29^th at 6:30pm (doors open at 6:15pm).

8^th Grade End of Year Dates

May 18^th – 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony at SHHS*

May 24^th – 8^th Grade Dance

May 25^th – Last Day for 8^th Grade

May 26^th – Last Day for 6^th and 7^th Grades (1/2 day)

*The 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony is not a graduation/continuation event. Cherry Creek Middle Schools do not hold graduation ceremonies for 8^th grade students. Students (and families) who will be recognized with an award at the 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony will receive an individual invitation in early May.

8^th Grade Computer Collection

Congratulations (in advance) to our 8^th grade students that are moving on to 9^th grade next school year! As part of the Cherry Creek School District’s Student Device Plan, new computers are issued when students enter 9^th grade. Thus, we will be collecting district-provided laptops and chargers from each 8^th grade student. Starting on May 8^th, 1^st period teachers will be collecting laptops and chargers from their students. Please be sure that these laptops and chargers are returned to avoid fines. For more information, CLICK HERE, or contact Ms. Shayna Price, Coordinator of Student Achievement, at sprice@cherrycreekschools.org.

23-24 Meal Applications

Effective August 2023, Colorado voters approved legislation that will provide free breakfast and lunch meals to all students. Although meals will be free, it is still important to complete a new meal application to maximize family and district benefits. One completed application per household is needed (all students in the household can be included on the application) and a new application must be completed each school year after July 1. Every student may apply, and the application can be accessed in one of the following ways:

Online Application: Go to THIS WEBSITE to apply. The application is available in 8 languages. If you need assistance, please call our meal program manager at 720-886-7172 or visit us in person at the Student Nutrition Center (14270 E. Briarwood Ave, Centennial, CO 80112). Additional program information available at www.cherrycreekschools.org under the Food and Nutrition Department.

Paper Application: Paper applications are available at our school or at the Student Nutrition Center. This application can be mailed to the Student Nutrition Center, brought to your student's school, or brought directly to the Student Nutrition Center.

23-24 School Registration Information

Are you new to Cherry Creek Schools? Have you moved in the last 6 months? Take action now to make sure you’re ready for the 2023-24 school year!

New families: NOW is the time to enroll your child for the 2023-24 school year. We recommend new parents enroll as soon as possible to make sure you’re all set for next school year. CLICK HERE to enroll your student(s) today.

Have you moved? If so, CLICK HERE to ensure an updated address is on file for your student(s).

If you’ve been contacted by our registrar, Mr. Steve McCandless, please follow up with him as it could be about important enrollment information for next year.

If you have not recently moved and are currently enrolled and returning to CCSD in the fall, no action is required at this time.

Yearbook Sales

Have you purchased your yearbook yet? They are on sale now at this THIS WEBSITE. Prices are $15 for soft covers and $30 for hard covers, with prices increasing by $5 on May 1^st. Please contact Mrs. Kerri Benzel (kbenzel@cherrycreekschools.org) with questions or to pay with cash.

Cell Phone Plan: 23-24 School Year

Due to an increase in distractions to the learning environment resulting from cell phone use, Horizon Community has created this DRAFT Cell Phone Plan for the 23-24 school year. Parents/Family Members – Please review the details of the plan, and please contact Mrs. Kelly Muhr, Dean of Students, with any questions or feedback. We will be finalizing the plan by the end of April (this month) and will begin sharing details with current 6^th and 7^th grade students this May.

Family & Community Survey

At Horizon Community, we believe that we all are continuously growing and improving. One way that we as a school can continue to improve is based on your feedback. Please complete this Feedback Survey to provide us with your perspective and input. And if your student turns in the “survey signature paper” that they have received in Advisory, they will be entered in a drawing for a prize!

Community BBQ & Concert in the Park

Please mark your calendars! On Tuesday, May 9^th we will again be hosting our Community BBQ after school. Hot dogs, a snack, and a drink will be available for purchase, and yard games will be set up as we engage and connect as a community. And new this year our BBQ will be followed by our Concert in the Park! Families will be entertained with some music, as students in our performing arts will sing and play starting at 6:00pm. Please plan to join for this fun event.

Student Equity Workshops

This year, students from all grade levels have participated in our Student Equity Workshop. Students representing multiple racial identities have come together to discuss important topics such as equity, race, and racism. Our young leaders have done an amazing job, and they are interested in inviting more students into the conversation. Current 6th and 7th grade students will have the opportunity to voluntarily join a conversation about race during their Advisory Class on either May 4th (6th grade) or May 10th (7th grade). All students are welcome to join for this voluntary experience, though no one is required. Our hope is to provide a space for students to navigate potentially complex conversations about race in a safe setting. Students interested in joining should inform Ms. Wilkinson (6th grade) or Ms. Hooks (7th grade) in advance to learn the classroom location for the conversation. Students who do not wish to attend will simply remain in their own Advisory class. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold, HCMS Principal, at 720-886-6101.

Spanish Speaking Family Liaison

We would like to introduce Mrs. Margelly Beltran, one of our current teachers, who will serve as a Family Liaison for our Spanish-speaking families next year. She will be at our Community BBQ on May 9th if you would like to say hello. Please contact her at mbeltran4@cherrycreekschools.org or 720-886-6208 with questions.

Her intentions include:

• Listen to the perspectives and lived experiences of our Spanish-speaking families.
• Increase access to school information, supports, and available resources.
• By listening and increasing access, we aim to empower all Spanish-speaking families to partner with HCMS as we collectively support the educational needs of our students. 

Volunteer at HCMS

Please consider volunteering at HCMS if you are available. While many opportunities can be found on our Volunteer Webpage, some areas where we are always looking for assistance is in our hallways and cafeteria (and at recess). As middle school energy increases in April and May, we can certainly use some extra adults supporting our students. Interested? Just fill out our Volunteer Form and we’ll show you what you need to know.

English:
Please contact Erin Taylor at etaylor7@cherrycreekschools.org for support with this resource in your language.

Amharic:
እነዝህን መረጃዎችን በተመለከተ በቋንቋዎ ዕገዛን ለማግኘት ከፈለጉ እባክዎን ተሊሌን በዝህ
እሜይል ያግኙዋት thirpa@cherrycreekschools.org

Arabic:
يرجى الاتصال بـ (جميعة صباحي أوجاودة العلمي) على (jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.orgأو
jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.orgللحصول على الدعم مع هذا الموردباللغة العربية .

Chinese:
如有需要，请经由 ctaylor9@cherrycreekschools.org 与凯瑟琳•泰勒联系，以您的语言获得此资源 的支持。

Hindi:
अपनी भाषा में इस संसाधन के समर् थ न के लिए कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिी को jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org पर संपकथ करें।

Korean:
귀하의 언어로 이 자원에 대한 지원을 원하시면 (리아 리) 에게 (llee6@cherrycreekschools.org) 로문의하십시오.

Nepali:
कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम् पकथ गननथहोिा।

Russian:
Пожалуйста, обращайтесь к Ларисе Бака по адресу: lbaca3@cherrycreekschools.org для получения
поддержки с помощью этого ресурса на своём языке.

Somali:
Fadlan la xiriir Omar Nur cinwaanka emaylka onur2@cherrycreekschools.org si aad u hesho macluumaad ku qoran luqadaada.

Spanish:
Si necesita ayuda con este recurso en su idioma, póngase en contacto con Ilse Chavez Maldonado en ichavezmaldonado@cherrycreekschools.org, Rosa Han en rhan4@cherrycreekschools.org, Helena Gognat en hgognat@cherrycreekschools.org o Monica Pantoja en mpantoja@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:
Vui lòng liên hệ với Thuý Ngọc tại Lchung2@cherrycreekschools.org để được hỗ trợ về tài nguyên nàybằng tiếng Việt.

April 21, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

Happy Friday! Looking ahead, our final Family Engagement Night of the year is on Tuesday – we hope to see you there! Please see below for an abundance of important info. As always, please contact us if you have any questions.

Have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold
Principal
Horizon Community Middle School
720.886.6101 (office)
720.767.2352 (cell)

Yearbook Sales

Have you purchased your yearbook yet? They are on sale now at this THIS WEBSITE. Prices are $15 for soft covers and $30 for hard covers, with prices increasing by $5 on May 1^st. Please contact Mrs. Kerri Benzel (kbenzel@cherrycreekschools.org) with questions or to pay with cash.

Shrek Jr. The Musical

We hope you are able to join us for our spring musical! Fairytale creatures, Duloc, and Ogres – oh my! Based on the Oscar-winning Dreamworks movie, Shrek Jr. the Musical uses fun elements to tell the journey of a Princess, an Ogre, and a Donkey as they discover what it means to celebrate being who you are. The shows are on Friday, April 28^th and Saturday, April 29^th at 6:30pm (doors open at 6:15pm).

Cell Phone Plan: 23-24 School Year

Due to an increase in distractions to the learning environment resulting from cell phone use, Horizon Community has created this DRAFT Cell Phone Plan for the 23-24 school year. Parents/Family Members – Please review the details of the plan, and please contact Mrs. Kelly Muhr, Dean of Students, with any questions or feedback. We will be finalizing the plan by the end of April (this month) and will begin sharing details with current 6^th and 7^th grade students this May.

Family & Community Survey

At Horizon Community, we believe that we all are continuously growing and improving. One way that we as a school can continue to improve is based on your feedback. Please complete this Feedback Survey to provide us with your perspective and input. And if your student turns in the “survey signature paper” that they have received in Advisory, they will be entered in a drawing for a prize!

Family Engagement Night – April 25^th

Our final Family Engagement Night of the year is on Tuesday, April 25^th. Pot-luck style food and social time begins at 5:30pm, and our general session (group conversation) begins at 6:00pm. We will be sharing plans for next year, and we invite families to offer feedback on ways that we can continue to improve as a school. A Spanish-speaking interpreter will be available.

Community BBQ & Concert in the Park

Please mark your calendars! On Tuesday, May 9^th we will again be hosting our Community BBQ after school. Hot dogs, a snack, and a drink will be available for purchase, and yard games will be set up as we engage and connect as a community. And new this year our BBQ will be followed by our Concert in the Park! Families will be entertained with some music, as students in our performing arts will sing and play starting at 6:00pm. Please plan to join for this fun event.

Student Equity Workshops

This year, students from all grade levels have participated in our Student Equity Workshop. Students representing multiple racial identities have come together to discuss important topics such as equity, race, and racism. Our young leaders have done an amazing job, and they are interested in inviting more students into the conversation. Current 6th and 7th grade students will have the opportunity to voluntarily join a conversation about race during their Advisory Class on either May 4th (6th grade) or May 10th (7th grade). All students are welcome to join for this voluntary experience, though no one is required. Our hope is to provide a space for students to navigate potentially complex conversations about race in a safe setting. Students interested in joining should inform Ms. Wilkinson (6th grade) or Ms. Hooks (7th grade) in advance to learn the classroom location for the conversation. Students who do not wish to attend will simply remain in their own Advisory class. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold, HCMS Principal, at 720-886-6101.

Spanish Speaking Family Liaison

We would like to introduce Mrs. Margelly Beltran, one of our current teachers, who will serve as a Family Liaison for our Spanish-speaking families next year. She will be at our Community BBQ on May 9th if you would like to say hello. Please contact her at mbeltran4@cherrycreekschools.org or 720-886-6208 with questions.

Her intentions include:

• Listen to the perspectives and lived experiences of our Spanish-speaking families.
• Increase access to school information, supports, and available resources.
• By listening and increasing access, we aim to empower all Spanish-speaking families to partner with HCMS as we collectively support the educational needs of our students. 

Volunteer at HCMS

Please consider volunteering at HCMS if you are available. While many opportunities can be found on our Volunteer Webpage, some areas where we are always looking for assistance is in our hallways and cafeteria (and at recess). As middle school energy increases in April and May, we can certainly use some extra adults supporting our students. Interested? Just fill out our Volunteer Form and we’ll show you what you need to know.

8^th Grade End of Year Dates

May 18^th – 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony at SHHS*

May 24^th – 8^th Grade Dance

May 25^th – Last Day for 8^th Grade

May 26^th – Last Day for 6^th and 7^th Grades (1/2 day)

*The 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony is not a graduation/continuation event. Cherry Creek Middle Schools do not hold graduation ceremonies for 8^th grade students. Students (and families) who will be recognized with an award at the 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony will receive an individual invitation in early May.

English:
Please contact Erin Taylor at etaylor7@cherrycreekschools.org for support with this resource in your language.

Amharic:
እነዝህን መረጃዎችን በተመለከተ በቋንቋዎ ዕገዛን ለማግኘት ከፈለጉ እባክዎን ተሊሌን በዝህ
እሜይል ያግኙዋት thirpa@cherrycreekschools.org

Arabic:
يرجى الاتصال بـ (جميعة صباحي أوجاودة العلمي) على (jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.orgأو
jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.orgللحصول على الدعم مع هذا الموردباللغة العربية .

Chinese:
如有需要，请经由 ctaylor9@cherrycreekschools.org 与凯瑟琳•泰勒联系，以您的语言获得此资源 的支持。

Hindi:
अपनी भाषा में इस संसाधन के समर् थ न के लिए कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिी को jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org पर संपकथ करें।

Korean:
귀하의 언어로 이 자원에 대한 지원을 원하시면 (리아 리) 에게 (llee6@cherrycreekschools.org) 로문의하십시오.

Nepali:
कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम् पकथ गननथहोिा।

Russian:
Пожалуйста, обращайтесь к Ларисе Бака по адресу: lbaca3@cherrycreekschools.org для получения
поддержки с помощью этого ресурса на своём языке.

Somali:
Fadlan la xiriir Omar Nur cinwaanka emaylka onur2@cherrycreekschools.org si aad u hesho macluumaad ku qoran luqadaada.

Spanish:
Si necesita ayuda con este recurso en su idioma, póngase en contacto con Ilse Chavez Maldonado en ichavezmaldonado@cherrycreekschools.org, Rosa Han en rhan4@cherrycreekschools.org, Helena Gognat en hgognat@cherrycreekschools.org o Monica Pantoja en mpantoja@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:
Vui lòng liên hệ với Thuý Ngọc tại Lchung2@cherrycreekschools.org để được hỗ trợ về tài nguyên nàybằng tiếng Việt.

April 14, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families

Thank you for your support with our CMAS test this week! Preliminary numbers suggest that our participation rate has increased from last year, which we know will have a very positive impact on the future of our school. If your student was absent, we will be facilitating make-up testing next week.

Please see below for information related to our Cell Phone Plan for the 23-24 school year, a link for our Family and Community Feedback Survey, a reminder for our final Family Engagement Night, and more!

Finally, we hope you are able to join for our spring musical! Fairytale creatures, Duloc, and Ogres – oh my! Based on the Oscar-winning Dreamworks movie, Shrek Jr. the Musical uses fun elements to tell the journey of a Princess, an Ogre, and a Donkey as they discover what it means to celebrate being who you are. The shows are on Friday, April 28^th and Saturday, April 29^th at 6:30pm (doors open at 6:15pm).

Thank you, as always. Have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720-886-6101 (office)

720-767-2352 (cell)

Cell Phone Plan: 23-24 School Year

Due to an increase in distractions to the learning environment resulting from cell phone use, Horizon Community has created this DRAFT Cell Phone Plan for the 23-24 school year. Parents/Family Members – Please review the details of the plan, and please contact Mrs. Kelly Muhr, Dean of Students, with any questions or feedback. We will be finalizing the plan by the end of April (this month) and will begin sharing details with current 6^th and 7^th grade students this May.

Family & Community Survey

At Horizon Community, we believe that we all are continuously growing and improving. One way that we as a school can continue to improve is based on your feedback. Please complete this Feedback Survey to provide us with your perspective and input.

Family Engagement Night – April 25^th

Our final Family Engagement Night of the year is on Tuesday, April 25^th. Pot-luck style food and social time begins at 5:30pm, and our general session (group conversation) begins at 6:00pm. We will be sharing plans for next year, and we invite families to offer feedback on ways that we can continue to improve as a school.

Community BBQ & Concert in the Park

Please mark your calendars! On Tuesday, May 9^th we will again be hosting our Community BBQ after school. Hot dogs, a snack, and a drink will be available for purchase, and yard games will be set up as we engage and connect as a community. And new this year our BBQ will be followed by our Concert in the Park! Families will be entertained with some music, as students in our performing arts will sing and play starting at 6:00pm. Please plan to join for this fun event.

Volunteer at HCMS

Please consider volunteering at HCMS if you are available. While many opportunities can be found on our Volunteer Webpage, some areas where we are always looking for assistance is in our hallways and cafeteria (and at recess). As middle school energy increases in April and May, we can certainly use some extra adults supporting our students. Interested? Just fill out our Volunteer Form and we’ll show you what you need to know.

8^th Grade End of Year Dates

May 18^th – 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony at SHHS*

May 24^th – 8^th Grade Dance

May 25^th – Last Day for 8^th Grade

May 26^th – Last Day for 6^th and 7^th Grades

*The 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony is not a graduation/continuation event. Cherry Creek Middle Schools do not hold graduation ceremonies for 8^th grade students. Students (and families) who will be recognized with an award at the 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony will receive an individual invitation.

April 7, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

The CMAS is next week, and we are so thankful for the conversations that have occurred within our school leading up to this test. Our students are prepared, and we have stressed the importance of their active participation. Please see below for additional information and thank you for your support!

Please also see below for some very exciting celebrations related to student voice and an upcoming school safety upgrade.

Finally, please mark your calendars! On Tuesday, May 9^th we will again be hosting our Community BBQ after school. Hot dogs, a snack, and a drink will be available for purchase, and yard games will be set up as we engage and connect as a community. And new this year our BBQ will be followed by our Concert in the Park! Families will be entertained with some music, as students in our performing arts will sing and play starting at 6:00pm. Please plan to join for this fun event.

Thank you, as always. Have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720-886-6101 (office)

720-767-2352 (cell)

Student Voice Celebrations

Student voice matters at HCMS. There are numerous ways that we include the perspectives and experiences of our students in our decision making. For example, students from our 6^th Grade Principal’s Advisory Committee recently presented to their own classmates about some consistent expectations they would like to see regarding behavior in the hallways and bathrooms. This will occur soon in 7^th grade as well. Just this week, students from our 8^th Grade Principal’s Advisory Committee led conversations with their peers about name calling, slurs, and conflict. It is so powerful to see students addressing these behaviors. AND, a very exciting structural upgrade is coming to HCMS, completely initiated by our students. Boys have recently shared that they would like more privacy when using the restroom, particularly the urinals. We contacted our district office, explained that students had requested dividers between all urinals, and we were excited to learn that our district will be assuming the cost and installing these dividers in all boys’ bathrooms this summer.

School Safety Upgrade

This summer our Main Entrance will undergo a significant physical upgrade. Our security check-in kiosk will be relocated to the area between the sets of double doors, with a new Security Office being constructed within the Main Office. Both sets of doors will also be accessed with a buzzer/card system in the future.

CMAS Information

The CMAS test is coming soon! PARENTS & FAMILIES – THIS TEST IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US! Please see below for information related to the state assessment next month. We are excited for ALL of our students to show how well they are performing academically on this VERY IMPORTANT test.

The CMAS test (April 12-14, 2023) will provide an opportunity for our staff to measure our academic achievement and growth. Results from the CMAS will be used to design and improve instruction as well as focus intervention (for students who need additional assistance understanding the material) and extension (for students who already understand the material) efforts. 

Score reports that students and families receive may allow for individual academic goal setting, monitoring of growth, and may be used to inform future course selection. The CMAS will be administered following similar test taking procedures as those used for high school ACT and SAT tests. Performance on the CMAS is not connected to grades in classes at HCMS.

Interested in learning more? Check out this CDE CMAS Information to read more about topics such as score reporting and how school accreditation is impacted by participation rates. You can also view this Family Guide to Assessment.

Also check out this CCSD Assessment Information, which includes content related to student exemption.

If you have any questions about the CMAS test, please contact Ms. Clare Dardis, Campus Administrator, at cdardis@cherrycreekschools.org.  

Volunteer at HCMS

Please consider volunteering at HCMS if you are available. While many opportunities can be found on our Volunteer Webpage, some areas where we are always looking for assistance is in our hallways and cafeteria (and at recess). As middle school energy increases in April and May, we can certainly use some extra adults supporting our students. Interested? Just fill out our Volunteer Form and we’ll show you what you need to know.

8^th Grade End of Year Dates

May 18^th – 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony at SHHS*

May 24^th – 8^th Grade Dance

May 25^th – Last Day for 8^th Grade

May 26^th – Last Day for 6^th and 7^th Grades

*The 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony is not a graduation/continuation event. Cherry Creek Middle Schools do not hold graduation ceremonies for 8^th grade students. Students (and families) who will be recognized with an award at the 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony will receive an individual invitation.