March 2, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

Congrats to students in our band for an amazing concert on Wednesday night at Smoky Hill! And good luck to our wrestlers competing at the district wrestling meet tomorrow (Saturday, Cherokee Trail High School).

As we wrap up the week before the week before Spring Break, I ask that all parents chat with their students about remaining focused on academics (while still having fun with the Color Battle). Spring can bring lots of energy and stress, and we urge our students to persevere, achieve, positively connect, and be kind as we end another grading period.

On the topic of our Color Battle, please consider supporting us during our largest fundraiser of the year. Funds go directly to the classroom to support our students and teachers. Your student has an access code where donations can be made.

Have you heard?! Cell phones are a challenge at school! We recognize that there are many perspectives related to phones in school, and we want to consider all voices as we design a more structured plan for next year. Please come to our Family Engagement Night on Tuesday, March 28^th (more info below) to hear our DRAFT proposal. 

Next, 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.

Finally, as we look to the last quarter of the year, 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.

Thank you for your continued support! Have a great weekend!

Brad

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

CMAS Information

The upcoming 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. 

Planning ahead, please note that we will be collecting computers from ALL HCMS STUDENTS in advance of the CMAS test. This will allow for a more efficient and accessible assessment environment. Need help with a broken computer? Submit a ticket through IncidentIQ with a description of the problem.

March Madness Reading Challenge

March Madness Bracket of Books is coming to Horizon Community! How does it work? To begin, 16 popular books have been selected for the bracket. During Advisory Class from March 6^th – 16^th, students will visit the library to complete a prediction bracket based on who they think will win. In other words, students will vote for their favorite books! Prizes will be awarded for the most accurate prediction brackets. Students may participate even if they haven’t yet read the selected books. Please encourage your students to participate in this fun challenge intended to promote reading at HCMS, and please contact Mrs. Libby Ames, HCMS Librarian, at eames2@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Horizon Community Family Engagement Night – March 28, 2023

The next HCMS Family Engagement Night is on Tuesday, March 28^th. At this meeting, we will be reviewing a proposed Cell Phone Plan for the 2023-2024 school year. This will be a great chance for our community to provide feedback on how we can best support all school stakeholders, particularly students, as we navigate the complexities of cell phone use in school.

Families who attend will be entered into a drawing for a fun prize! Families/parents are encouraged to bring their students to join and ensure that student voice enhances the conversation.

The format for the evening is as follows:

• 5:30pm: Potluck Food & Social (feel free to bring snacks or a dish)
• 6:00pm: Whole-group Conversation (Cell Phone Plan)
• 7:00pm: Breakout Group Conversations (Accountability, PTCO, PASS)

Childcare and a Spanish-speaking interpreter will be provided. Please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold, HCMS Principal, at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

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.

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.

March 2, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

Thank you for attending our final parent-teacher conferences of the year. If you were not able to join this week, please contact your student’s teachers at any time.

IMPORTANT: It is time to begin preparing for the CMAS test! Please see below for very important 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 important test.

Congratulations to our 22-23 Aurora Scholars! These students model our PACK Commitments each day, are natural leaders on campus, and will represent HCMS at the city-level this year. In 6^th Grade we are celebrating Rosie Contreras, in 7^th Grade we have Clyde Surrell, and our 8^th Grade Aurora Scholar is Brianna Panuco. Thank you all for making us so proud! 

Next week is AVID Spirit Week. On Monday, students should wear the color blue (or an AVID shirt). Tuesday is College Day (favorite college shirts or gear). Students should advertise an activity on Wednesday and dress for success on Thursday. Finally, Friday is PJ day. Please encourage your student to participate in this fun week.

Next week also begins our Color Battle! This is our largest fundraising event of the year, and funds raised directly support our teachers and students. Please see below for important information.

Finally, we would like to congratulate Mrs. Maria Thompson, our Bookkeeper, on her upcoming retirement! Maria has served the Cherry Creek School District for 28 years! Thank you, Maria, for all that you have done for HCMS and the CCSD. That said, we are now looking for a new Bookkeeper. Are you or is someone you know interested? Please CLICK HERE to learn more.

Have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720.886.6101 (office)

720.767.2352 (cell)

CMAS Information

The upcoming 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. 

Planning ahead, please note that we will be collecting computers from ALL HCMS STUDENTS in advance of the CMAS test. This will allow for a more efficient and accessible assessment environment. Need help with a broken computer? Submit a ticket through IncidentIQ with a description of the problem.

Registration Information – 6^th & 7^th Grades

This past Tuesday our 6^th & 7^th grade students completed a Google Elective Registration Form during Advisory based on the planning sheet they received last week. If your student was absent, please make sure they complete the appropriate Google Form by Tuesday, March 7^th. Below are links to the Google Forms and additional information.  

CURRENT 6th GRADERS REGISTERING FOR 7th GRADE: Class of 2029

Future 7^th Grade Horizon Community Elective Registration Form for SY23-24

For additional information, please click here.

CURRENT 7th GRADERS REGISTERING FOR 8th GRADE: Class of 2028

Future 8^th Grade Horizon Community Elective Registration Form for SY23-24

For additional information, please click here.

Registration Information – 8^th Grade

The High School registration process for both Smoky Hill High School and Eaglecrest High School has ended. If your student still needs to turn in their elective requests, they can return their form to Ms. Bustamante in the Horizon Community Counseling Office. If you have any questions about registration at either school or the status of your student's enrollment for either school, please reach out to the appropriate contact person (see below).

SMOKY HILL HIGH SCHOOL

Robert Kennedy, School Counselor

Email: rkennedy3@cherrycreekschools.org

Phone: 720-886-5473

EAGLECREST HIGH SCHOOL

Heidi Guy Hays

Email: hguyhays@cherrycreekschools.org

Phone: 720-886-1068

March Madness Reading Challenge

March Madness Bracket of Books is coming to Horizon Community! How does it work? To begin, 16 popular books have been selected for the bracket. During Advisory Class from March 6^th – 16^th, students will visit the library to complete a prediction bracket based on who they think will win. In other words, students will vote for their favorite books! Prizes will be awarded for the most accurate prediction brackets. Students may participate even if they haven’t yet read the selected books. Please encourage your students to participate in this fun challenge intended to promote reading at HCMS, and please contact Mrs. Libby Ames, HCMS Librarian, at eames2@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Smoky Hill Feeder PASS Meeting

Principals from all schools in the Smoky Hill feeder area are hosting a PASS meeting on Thursday, March 9^th. It will be held at Smoky Hill High School from 6:00pm – 7:30pm. Our goals at Horizon Community (and the entire Smoky Hill Feeder Area) include building and enhancing meaningful relationships with all students, staff, parents, and community members. Through our Partnership for Academically Successful Students (PASS) work, we will intentionally include multiple perspectives and experiences, ensuring that all voices, particularly those of our students of color, are not only heard, but are seen as a source to drive our work. Check out this SH Feeder PASS Meeting flyer to learn more about the meeting and RSVP.

Color Battle (organized by APEX Leadership Co)

From March 6^th – 17^th, HCMS students will have the opportunity to participate in fundraising activities leading up to the “Color Battle” on Friday, March 17^th (the day before Spring Break). Students will participate in an assembly on Tuesday, March 7^th, led by APEX (look for donation information to come home on March 7^th). Students will then gather donations leading up to the main event on March 17^th. Representatives from APEX will be on campus for two weeks engaging with students in fun ways! We are looking for parent volunteers to assist with the culminating event during the day on March 17^th. If you are able to volunteer, please contact Ms. Shayna Price, Coordinator of Student Achievement, at sprice@cherrycreekschools.org.

Horizon Community Family Engagement Night – March 28, 2023

The next HCMS Family Engagement Night is on Tuesday, March 28^th. At this meeting, we will be reviewing a proposed Cell Phone Plan for the 2023-2024 school year. This will be a great chance for our community to provide feedback on how we can best support all school stakeholders, particularly students, as we navigate the complexities of cell phone use in school.

Families who attend will be entered into a drawing for a fun prize! Families/parents are encouraged to bring their students to join and ensure that student voice enhances the conversation.

The format for the evening is as follows:

• 5:30pm: Potluck Food & Social (feel free to bring snacks or a dish)
• 6:00pm: Whole-group Conversation (Cell Phone Plan)
• 7:00pm: Breakout Group Conversations (Accountability, PTCO, PASS)

Childcare and a Spanish-speaking interpreter will be provided. Please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold, HCMS Principal, at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

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.

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.

February 24, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

Congratulations to Mrs. Merebeth Scott, the HCMS Office Manager! We recognized her last evening at the Cherry Creek School District All Star Awards Event! She is so deserving of this prestigious award.

We are looking forward to our next round of conferences next week! Please see below for more information. There will not be a late bus on Wednesday, March 1^st due to conferences. Students do not have school next Thursday, March 2^nd and Friday, March 3^rd.

Also, there are A LOT of fun and important things occurring in the next month in our community. Please see below for important reminders related to Course Registration for 23-24, our Donation Drive, our March Madness Reading Challenge, our upcoming SHHS Feeder PASS meeting, the upcoming Color Battle, our next Family Engagement Night, and important end of the year dates for 8^th grade students.

Finally, good luck to our students competing at the TSA (Technology Student Association) State Conference this weekend! We are so proud that you are representing HCMS.

Have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720-886-6101 (office)

720-767-2352 (cell)

Internal Registration

Elective registration for our current 6^th & 7^th graders began this week. Students watched a registration video and received a planning sheet during Advisory on Thursday. Please take some time between now and Tuesday 2/28/23 to discuss this planning sheet with your student and help them decide their elective preferences for next year. On Tuesday, 2/28/23, students will complete a Google Registration Form during Advisory based on their planning sheet. Here are some helpful links:

CURRENT 6th GRADERS REGISTERING FOR 7th GRADE: Class of 2029

1. Watch the Incoming 7^th Registration Video
2. Learn about Elective Classes:
1. Visit the Horizon Community Website to learn more about our elective offerings & other important middle school information.
2. Read the Course Description Guide for more information on any course.
3. Decide your Elective Class Preferences:
1. Complete the Future Huskies: 7th Grade Elective Registration Planning Sheet. This planning sheet will not be collected but will help you complete our Google Registration form on Tuesday 2/28/23 during Advisory.

CURRENT 7th GRADERS REGISTERING FOR 8th GRADE: Class of 2028

1. Watch the Incoming 8^th Registration Video
2. Learn about Elective Classes:
1. Visit the Horizon Community Website to learn more about our elective offerings & other important middle school information.
2. Read the Course Description Guide for more information on any course.
3. Decide your Elective Class Preferences:
1. Complete the Future Huskies: 8th Grade Elective Registration Planning Sheet. This planning sheet will not be collected but will help you complete our Google Registration form on Tuesday 2/28/23 during Advisory.

HCMS & CCSD Donation Drive

To support our students and families, Horizon Community Middle School will be hosting a Donation Drive until Feb. 28 to recognize CCSD’s Medical Advisory Board. We are collecting shelf-stable food, toiletries, and more. Visit CherryCreekSchools.org/DonationDrive for more information. Interested in making a donation? Simply bring your item(s) to the Main Office or Front Security Desk and we’ll show you where we are collecting our donations.

March Madness Reading Challenge

March Madness Bracket of Books is coming to Horizon Community! How does it work? To begin, 16 popular books have been selected for the bracket. During Advisory Class from March 6^th – 16^th, students will visit the library to complete a prediction bracket based on who they think will win. In other words, students will vote for their favorite books! Prizes will be awarded for the most accurate prediction brackets. Students may participate even if they haven’t yet read the selected books. Please encourage your students to participate in this fun challenge intended to promote reading at HCMS, and please contact Mrs. Libby Ames, HCMS Librarian, at eames2@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Smoky Hill Feeder PASS Meeting

Principals from all schools in the Smoky Hill feeder area are hosting a PASS meeting on Thursday, March 9^th. It will be held at Smoky Hill High School from 6:00pm – 7:30pm. Our goals at Horizon Community (and the entire Smoky Hill Feeder Area) include building and enhancing meaningful relationships with all students, staff, parents, and community members. Through our Partnership for Academically Successful Students (PASS) work, we will intentionally include multiple perspectives and experiences, ensuring that all voices, particularly those of our students of color, are not only heard, but are seen as a source to drive our work. Check out this SH Feeder PASS Meeting flyer to learn more about the meeting and RSVP.

Color Battle (organized by APEX Leadership Co)

From March 6^th – 17^th, HCMS students will have the opportunity to participate in fundraising activities leading up to the “Color Battle” on Friday, March 17^th (the day before Spring Break). Students will participate in an assembly on Tuesday, March 7^th, led by APEX. Students will then gather donations leading up to the main event on March 17^th. Representatives from APEX will be on campus for two weeks engaging with students in fun ways! We are looking for parent volunteers to assist with the culminating event during the day on March 17^th. If you are able to volunteer, please contact Ms. Shayna Price, Coordinator of Student Achievement, at sprice@cherrycreekschools.org.

Horizon Community Family Engagement Night – March 28, 2023

The next HCMS Family Engagement Night is on Tuesday, March 28^th. At this meeting, we will be reviewing a proposed Cell Phone Plan for the 2023-2024 school year. This will be a great chance for our community to provide feedback on how we can best support all school stakeholders, particularly students, as we navigate the complexities of cell phone use in school.

Families who attend will be entered into a drawing for a fun prize! Families/parents are encouraged to bring their students to join and ensure that student voice enhances the conversation.

The format for the evening is as follows:

• 5:30pm: Potluck Food & Social (feel free to bring snacks or a dish)
• 6:00pm: Whole-group Conversation (Cell Phone Plan)
• 7:00pm: Breakout Group Conversations (Accountability, PTCO, PASS)

Childcare and a Spanish-speaking interpreter will be provided. Please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold, HCMS Principal, at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

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.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Our final round of conferences for the 2022-2023 school year is coming up on Wednesday, March 1^st, and Thursday, March 2^nd. Based on community feedback, we will offer a combination of in-person and virtual conferences. Some conferences will be teacher-led, and some will be led by students. Please see the schedule below. Please select one date to attend conferences so that all families have a chance to meet with teachers. Teachers are also available outside of these time frames for individual conferences with families via phone, Microsoft Teams, or in-person; please reach out to your student’s teacher if you need to schedule a conference at a different time.

• March 1^st, 4:15pm – 5:30pm: Student-led, in-person conferences. Teachers will be available to meet with families as well, but these conferences are led by your student. This unique format encourages students to take ownership of their learning, and we have found them to be very beneficial.
• March 1^st, 5:30pm – 7:00pm: Teacher-led, virtual conferences. Families will sign up for time slots to meet virtually via Microsoft Teams with teachers (link to sign up – please be sure to select your student’s teacher from the drop-down menu).
• March 2^nd, 8:00am – 11:30am: Student-led, in-person conferences. Teachers will be available to meet with families as well, but these conferences are led by your student. This unique format encourages students to take ownership of their learning, and we have found them to be very beneficial.
• March 2^nd, 1:00pm – 4:00pm: Teacher-led, virtual conferences. Families will sign up for time slots to meet virtually via Microsoft Teams with teachers (link to sign up – please be sure to select your student’s teacher from the drop-down menu).

Period Partner Project information

As you may know, Cherry Creek School District middle & high schools were recently equipped with menstrual pads and dispensers in all female and gender-neutral restrooms. This free resource aligns directly with our 5 Core Values. If you have a student who uses the female or gender-neutral restrooms, we ask that you please talk to them about this resource. Want to learn more about this project? Visit the Period Partner Project webpage.

Bison Athletic Club – Smoky Hill High School Football

Bison athletic club is the official feeder team for Smoky Hill Football. We want to create an opportunity within our community for young student athletes to develop the skill set required to work on a team and the discipline to maintain a strong mindset necessary for high school athletics. We are passionate coaches that want to motivate and develop our student athletes athletically, academically, and socially. We want to equip them with life skills that will make them successful in the future while also having fun. Please CLICK HERE for more information.

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.

February 17, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

I am excited to share that principals from all schools in the Smoky Hill feeder area are hosting a PASS meeting on Thursday, March 9^th. It will be held at Smoky Hill High School from 6:00pm – 7:30pm. Our goals at Horizon Community (and the entire Smoky Hill Feeder Area) include building and enhancing meaningful relationships with all students, staff, parents, and community members. Through our Partnership for Academically Successful Students (PASS) work, we will intentionally include multiple perspectives and experiences, ensuring that all voices, particularly those of our students of color, are not only heard, but are seen as a source to drive our work. Check out this SH Feeder PASS Meeting flyer to learn more about the meeting and RSVP.

Next, please see below for sign-up links for our next round of parent-teacher conferences.

Also, as a reminder, students do not have school on Monday, February 20^th and Tuesday, February 21^st.

Finally, please ask your student how they enjoyed At the Table with Dr. King today. It was a powerful experience for our entire campus.

Have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720-886-6101 (office)

720-767-2352 (cell)

HCMS & CCSD Donation Drive

To support our students and families, Horizon Community Middle School will be hosting a Donation Drive until Feb. 28 to recognize CCSD’s Medical Advisory Board. We are collecting shelf-stable food, toiletries, and more. Visit CherryCreekSchools.org/DonationDrive for more information. Interested in making a donation? Simply bring your item(s) to the Main Office or Front Security Desk and we’ll show you where we are collecting our donations.

Horizon Community Family Engagement Night – March 28, 2023

The next HCMS Family Engagement Night is on Tuesday, March 28^th. At this meeting, we will be reviewing a proposed Cell Phone Plan for the 2023-2024 school year. This will be a great chance for our community to provide feedback on how we can best support all school stakeholders, particularly students, as we navigate the complexities of cell phone use in school.

Families who attend will be entered into a drawing for a fun prize! Families/parents are encouraged to bring their students to join and ensure that student voice enhances the conversation.

The format for the evening is as follows:

• 5:30pm: Potluck Food & Social (feel free to bring snacks or a dish)
• 6:00pm: Whole-group Conversation (Cell Phone Plan)
• 7:00pm: Breakout Group Conversations (Accountability, PTCO, PASS)

Childcare and a Spanish-speaking interpreter will be provided. Please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold, HCMS Principal, at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

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.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Our final round of conferences for the 2022-2023 school year is coming up on Wednesday, March 1^st, and Thursday, March 2^nd. Based on community feedback, we will offer a combination of in-person and virtual conferences. Some conferences will be teacher-led, and some will be led by students. Please see the schedule below. Please select one date to attend conferences so that all families have a chance to meet with teachers. Teachers are also available outside of these time frames for individual conferences with families via phone, Microsoft Teams, or in-person; please reach out to your student’s teacher if you need to schedule a conference at a different time.

• March 1^st, 4:15pm – 5:30pm: Student-led, in-person conferences. Teachers will be available to meet with families as well, but these conferences are led by your student. This unique format encourages students to take ownership of their learning, and we have found them to be very beneficial.
• March 1^st, 5:30pm – 7:00pm: Teacher-led, virtual conferences. Families will sign up for time slots to meet virtually via Microsoft Teams with teachers (link to sign up – please be sure to select your student’s teacher from the drop-down menu).
• March 2^nd, 8:00am – 11:30am: Student-led, in-person conferences. Teachers will be available to meet with families as well, but these conferences are led by your student. This unique format encourages students to take ownership of their learning, and we have found them to be very beneficial.
• March 2^nd, 1:00pm – 4:00pm: Teacher-led, virtual conferences. Families will sign up for time slots to meet virtually via Microsoft Teams with teachers (link to sign up – please be sure to select your student’s teacher from the drop-down menu).

Period Partner Project information

As you may know, Cherry Creek School District middle & high schools were recently equipped with menstrual pads and dispensers in all female and gender-neutral restrooms. This free resource aligns directly with our 5 Core Values. If you have a student who uses the female or gender-neutral restrooms, we ask that you please talk to them about this resource. Want to learn more about this project? Visit the Period Partner Project webpage.

Bison Athletic Club – Smoky Hill High School Football

Bison athletic club is the official feeder team for Smoky Hill Football. We want to create an opportunity within our community for young student athletes to develop the skill set required to work on a team and the discipline to maintain a strong mindset necessary for high school athletics. We are passionate coaches that want to motivate and develop our student athletes athletically, academically, and socially. We want to equip them with life skills that will make them successful in the future while also having fun. Please CLICK HERE for more information.

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.

February 10, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

Thank you for attending conferences last night! It was great to see everyone in the building interacting with our talented teaching staff. If you were not able to attend, please contact your student’s teachers at any time. Please also see below for the schedule of our remaining conferences this year (March 1^st and 2^nd).

HCMS is excited to host the Cherry Creek School District Board of Education Meeting this month! The Board meeting is on Monday, February 13^th at 7:00pm.

Also, we are excited for our students and staff to participate in an assembly next Friday titled At the Table with Dr. King. This assembly will incorporate music and storytelling to document historical events that occurred during the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Please contact Mr. Robert Jefferson, Assistant Principal, at rjefferson2@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Finally, looking ahead, please remember that students do not have school on Monday, February 20^th and Tuesday, February 21^st.

Have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720-886-6101 (office)

720-767-2352 (cell)

HCMS & CCSD Donation Drive

To support our students and families, Horizon Community Middle School will be hosting a Donation Drive until Feb. 28 to recognize CCSD’s Medical Advisory Board. We are collecting shelf-stable food, toiletries, and more. Visit CherryCreekSchools.org/DonationDrive for more information. Interested in making a donation? Simply bring your item(s) to the Main Office or Front Security Desk and we’ll show you where we are collecting our donations.

Bison Athletic Club – Smoky Hill High School Football

Bison athletic club is the official feeder team for Smoky Hill Football. We want to create an opportunity within our community for young student athletes to develop the skill set required to work on a team and the discipline to maintain a strong mindset necessary for high school athletics. We are passionate coaches that want to motivate and develop our student athletes athletically, academically, and socially. We want to equip them with life skills that will make them successful in the future while also having fun. Please CLICK HERE for more information.

Course Registration

As a reminder, we are in the middle of course registration processes for next year. Please visit our Registration page for important dates & events.

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.

Semester 2 Parent-Teacher Conferences

Our next round of semester 2 conferences is on Thursday, March 1^st. Based on community feedback, we will offer a combination of in-person and virtual conferences. Some conferences will be teacher-led, and some will be led by students. Please see the schedule below. Please select one date to attend conferences so that all families have a chance to meet with teachers. Teachers are also available outside of these time frames for individual conferences with families via phone, Microsoft Teams, or in-person; please reach out to your student’s teacher if you need to schedule a conference at a different time.

• March 1^st, 4:15pm – 5:30pm: Student-led, in-person conferences. Teachers will be available to meet with families as well, but these conferences are led by your student. This unique format encourages students to take ownership of their learning, and we have found them to be very beneficial.
• March 1^st, 5:30pm – 7:00pm: Teacher-led, virtual conferences. Families will sign up for time slots to meet virtually via Microsoft Teams with teachers (link to sign up coming in February).
• March 2^nd, 8:00am – 11:30am: Student-led, in-person conferences. Teachers will be available to meet with families as well, but these conferences are led by your student. This unique format encourages students to take ownership of their learning, and we have found them to be very beneficial.
• March 2^nd, 1:00pm – 4:00pm: Teacher-led, virtual conferences. Families will sign up for time slots to meet virtually via Microsoft Teams with teachers (link to sign up coming in February).

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.

February 3, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

On Monday evening we welcomed students and families who will be in 6^th grade next year at our Husky Highlight Night! It was great to have this event in person again, and it was so fun to meet our future Huskies. And this Thursday (yesterday) and Friday (today) 5^th grade students from our four feeder elementary schools visited HCMS to learn more about our school.

Last night we engaged in some very important conversations at our Family Engagement Night. Thank you so much to those that were able to join. Looking ahead, our next meeting is on Tuesday, March 28^th. At this meeting, members of our Cell Phone Committee will present to our community a proposed Cell Phone Plan for the 23-24 school year. Please join and offer your feedback.

Congratulations to 8^th grade student Jacobi Holck, who WON the Cherry Creek School District Spelling Bee last weekend. We are so proud of Jacobi and her accomplishment.

As a reminder, our next round of parent-teacher conferences will be next Thursday, February 9^th. The format is teacher-led, drop in conferences in the gymnasiums from 4:15pm – 7:00pm. If you are unable to attend, please contact your student’s teachers directly at any time for an update on their progress. Please also remember to regularly track academic progress in PowerSchool and Schoology.

Finally, good luck to our band students participating in the CCSD Middle School District Honor Band performance this weekend at Cherry Creek High School. We are so proud for HC to be represented at the district level.

Have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhol

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720.886.6101 (office)

720.767.2352 (cell)

Course Registration

As a reminder, we are in the middle of course registration processes for next year. Please visit our Registration page for important dates & events.

8^th Grade End of Year Dates

May 18^th – 8^th Grade Awards Ceremony at SHHS (this is not a graduation/continuation event)

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

Volunteer at HCMS

Are you or a family member interested in volunteering at HCMS? We are always looking for ways to increase adult engagement, support, and presence during the school day. HERE are some of the many ways that families can support our school and community.

Vision & Hearing Screenings

Vision and hearing screenings will occur on February 9, 2023, for all 7^th graders and any students who are new to the district. Parents/families, if your student wears contacts or glasses, they should bring them on this date. If you have any questions, please contact our school nurse, Nicole Doornik, at 720-886-6210.

Grief and Loss Support for Students

Horizon Community Middle School has partnered with Judi’s House to provide a 10-week series of small group meetings for students who have experienced a significant loss. The Judi’s House staff are experts in childhood grief and bereavement, and you can learn more about their services on their website, judishouse.org.

If your student has lost an important person in their life and you feel that they may benefit from support, please accept this invitation for your student to participate in a group facilitated by Judi’s House staff. This group will meet at school once per week for 1 hour. The small group meetings will focus on normalizing grief responses, developing coping skills, connecting with adult and peer support and creating a safe space to process and share grief.

Our Mental Health & Counseling Teams collaborate closely with teachers to highlight the value of this group and to help ensure student attendance on a weekly basis. Students who participate have reported positive experiences and feelings of support by the facilitators from Judi’s House as well as the other student participants.

If you are interested in having your student participate in the next session, please contact HCMS Social Worker Shelby Thomas (sthomas48@cherrycreekschools.org), 720-886-6222) at your earliest convenience.

Conversation Starter

Here is a question to ask your student(s) about school this week:

1. If I were to volunteer at HCMS, what/where is an area you think I could be helpful?

Semester 2 Parent-Teacher Conferences

Our first round of semester 2 conferences is coming up on Thursday, February 9^th. Based on community feedback, we will offer a combination of in-person and virtual conferences. Some conferences will be teacher-led, and some will be led by students. Please see the schedule below. Please select one date to attend conferences so that all families have a chance to meet with teachers. Teachers are also available outside of these time frames for individual conferences with families via phone, Microsoft Teams, or in-person; please reach out to your student’s teacher if you need to schedule a conference at a different time.

• February 9^th, 4:15pm – 7:00pm: Teacher-led, in-person conferences. All teachers will be in the gyms for these conferences. Come by anytime to meet with teachers individually.
• March 1^st, 4:15pm – 5:30pm: Student-led, in-person conferences. Teachers will be available to meet with families as well, but these conferences are led by your student. This unique format encourages students to take ownership of their learning, and we have found them to be very beneficial.
• March 1^st, 5:30pm – 7:00pm: Teacher-led, virtual conferences. Families will sign up for time slots to meet virtually via Microsoft Teams with teachers (link to sign up coming in February).
• March 2^nd, 8:00am – 11:30am: Student-led, in-person conferences. Teachers will be available to meet with families as well, but these conferences are led by your student. This unique format encourages students to take ownership of their learning, and we have found them to be very beneficial.
• March 2^nd, 1:00pm – 4:00pm: Teacher-led, virtual conferences. Families will sign up for time slots to meet virtually via Microsoft Teams with teachers (link to sign up coming in February).

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.

January 27, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

Congratulations to 8^th Grade Language Arts Teacher Mrs. Erica Killham, our Educator of the Year! Mrs. Killham is an excellent instructor who models our mission statement on a daily basis. Authentic, empowering, community, opportunity, all. These words define what can be seen in her class. We are so proud of you, Mrs. Killham. Congrats!

And congratulations to Mrs. Shannon Holck, our Exceptional Volunteer for 22-23! Shannon is a parent in our community who devotes countless hours to Family Engagement at both the school and district levels. Thank you, Shannon, for the time and energy you give to our school and community. We appreciate you!

Looking ahead, our next sport, wrestling, begins on Wednesday. Interested in participating in wrestling or other athletics/activities? Please see our Athletics and our Activities websites. We also look forward to our next Family Engagement Night on Thursday (more info below). See you there!

Have a great weekend!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720.886.6101 (office)

720.767.2352 (cell)

Husky Highlight Night – January 30^th, 2023

On Monday, January 30^th, we will welcome students and families who will be in 6^th grade next year. This will be a great opportunity for our incoming class to learn about Horizon Community and all the great offerings and experiences for our students. Please CLICK HERE for more information, please pass this on to any 5^th grade family you know in the area, and please contact Megan Zitek, Assistant Principal, at mzitek@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Family Engagement Night – February 2^nd, 2023

Our next Family Engagement Night is on Thursday, February 2^nd. In our whole group conversation (6:00pm) we will be discussing two topics, Mental Health and Vaping. This should be a great opportunity to engage in conversations and share resources related to two important topics. Families who attend will be entered into a drawing for a fun prize! Families/parents are encouraged to bring their students to join and ensure that student voice enhances the conversations.

The format for the evening is as follows:

• 5:30pm: Potluck Food & Social (feel free to bring snacks or a dish)
• 6:00pm: Whole-group Conversation
• 7:00pm: Breakout Group Conversations (Accountability, PTCO, PASS)

Childcare and a Spanish-speaking interpreter will be provided. Please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Volunteer at HCMS

Are you or a family member interested in volunteering at HCMS? HERE are some of the many ways that families can support our school and community throughout the school day.

Vision & Hearing Screenings

Vision and hearing screenings will occur on February 9, 2023, for all 7^th graders and any students who are new to the district. Parents/families, if your student wears contacts or glasses, they should bring them on this date. If you have any questions, please contact our school nurse, Nicole Doornik, at 720-886-6210.

Smoky Hill High School IB Program

SHHS is now accepting applications to join the Smoky Hill's IB Middle Years Program! Interested students should apply HERE. The first application window closes on Jan. 31st. A second application window will open on Feb. 1st, immediately following the first's closure. For up-to-date information about the SHHS IB Program, MYP application, and how to contact us, please visit the SHHS Website. 

Grief and Loss Support for Students

Horizon Community Middle School has partnered with Judi’s House to provide a 10-week series of small group meetings for students who have experienced a significant loss. The Judi’s House staff are experts in childhood grief and bereavement, and you can learn more about their services on their website, judishouse.org.

If your student has lost an important person in their life and you feel that they may benefit from support, please accept this invitation for your student to participate in a group facilitated by Judi’s House staff. This group will meet at school once per week for 1 hour. The small group meetings will focus on normalizing grief responses, developing coping skills, connecting with adult and peer support and creating a safe space to process and share grief.

Our Mental Health & Counseling Teams collaborate closely with teachers to highlight the value of this group and to help ensure student attendance on a weekly basis. Students who participate have reported positive experiences and feelings of support by the facilitators from Judi’s House as well as the other student participants.

If you are interested in having your student participate in the next session, please contact HCMS Social Worker Shelby Thomas sthomas48@cherrycreekschools.org, 720-886-6222 at your earliest convenience.

Conversation Starter

Here are some questions to ask your student(s) about school this week:

1. What is one thing that you would like to see improve about HCMS? Have you brought it up in your Advisory class? Perhaps your Advisory class representative to the Principal’s Advisory Committee can discuss this with Dr. Weinhold.

Semester 2 Parent-Teacher Conferences

Our first round of semester 2 conferences is coming up on Thursday, February 9^th. Based on community feedback, we will offer a combination of in-person and virtual conferences. Some conferences will be teacher-led, and some will be led by students. Please see the schedule below. Please select one date to attend conferences so that all families have a chance to meet with teachers. Teachers are also available outside of these time frames for individual conferences with families via phone, Microsoft Teams, or in-person; please reach out to your student’s teacher if you need to schedule a conference at a different time.

• February 9^th, 4:15pm – 7:00pm: Teacher-led, in-person conferences. All teachers will be in the gyms for these conferences. Come by anytime to meet with teachers individually.
• March 1^st, 4:15pm – 5:30pm: Student-led, in-person conferences. Teachers will be available to meet with families as well, but these conferences are led by your student. This unique format encourages students to take ownership of their learning, and we have found them to be very beneficial.
• March 1^st, 5:30pm – 7:00pm: Teacher-led, virtual conferences. Families will sign up for time slots to meet virtually via Microsoft Teams with teachers (link to sign up coming in February).
• March 2^nd, 8:00am – 11:30am: Student-led, in-person conferences. Teachers will be available to meet with families as well, but these conferences are led by your student. This unique format encourages students to take ownership of their learning, and we have found them to be very beneficial.
• March 2^nd, 1:00pm – 4:00pm: Teacher-led, virtual conferences. Families will sign up for time slots to meet virtually via Microsoft Teams with teachers (link to sign up coming in February).

Amharic:

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

Arabic:

يرجى الاتصال ب )جميعة صباحي أو جاودة العلمي( على ) jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.org أو

jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.org للحصول على الدعم مع هذا المورد باللغة 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 समर्थन 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) 로 문의하십시오.

Nepali:

कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम्पकथ 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 Milagro Nuanes en mnuanes@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:

Vui lòng liên hệ với Thuý Ngọc tại Lchung2@cherrycreekschools.org để được hỗ trợ về tài nguyên này bằng tiếng Vi

January 20, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

As the third quarter is now underway, I hope your students have settled into their new schedules and routines. Please continue to reach out to their teachers and any other systems of support as needed. The third quarter is typically a fun, and very fast time of the year. Spring Break will be here before we know it!

Also, we will be practicing a Hold-to-Lockdown Drill on Tuesday, January 24^th. Please see below for additional information on how these drills will be combined, and please contact Robert Jefferson, Assistant Principal, at rjefferson2@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Finally, good luck to our orchestra students participating in the CCSD Middle School District Honor Orchestra performance this weekend at Overland High School. We are so proud for HC to be represented at the district level.

Have a great weekend

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720.886.6101 (office)

720.767.2352 (cell)

Help Speed Up Our Lunch Lines

We are asking for your help to speed up our lunch lines. It is much faster for students to move through the line if they have an ID. School IDs and RIDE360 cards both work, as well as photos of either card on a phone.

Husky Highlight Night – January 30^th, 2023

On Monday, January 30^th, we will welcome students and families who will be in 6^th grade next year. This will be a great opportunity for our incoming class to learn about Horizon Community and all the great offerings and experiences for our students. Please CLICK HERE for more information, please pass this on to any 5^th grade family you know in the area, and please contact Megan Zitek, Assistant Principal, at mzitek@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Family Engagement Night – February 2^nd, 2023

Our next Family Engagement Night is on Thursday, February 2^nd. In our whole group conversation (6:00pm) we will be discussing two topics, Mental Health and Vaping. This should be a great opportunity to engage in conversations and share resources related to two important topics. Families who attend will be entered into a drawing for a fun prize! Families/parents are encouraged to bring their students to join and ensure that student voice enhances the conversations.

The format for the evening is as follows:

• 5:30pm: Potluck Food & Social (feel free to bring snacks or a dish)
• 6:00pm: Whole-group Conversation
• 7:00pm: Breakout Group Conversations (Accountability, PTCO, PASS)

Childcare and a Spanish-speaking interpreter will be provided. Please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Volunteer at HCMS

Are you or a family member interested in volunteering at HCMS? HERE are some of the many ways that families can support our school and community throughout the school day.

Vision & Hearing Screenings

Vision and hearing screenings will occur on February 9, 2023, for all 7^th graders and any students who are new to the district. Parents/families, if your student wears contacts or glasses, they should bring them on this date. If you have any questions, please contact our school nurse, Nicole Doornik, at 720-886-6210.

Smoky Hill High School Wish Week

Smoky Hill Student Government will be sponsoring their 14th Annual Winter Wish Week January 23-28, 2023. This year SHHS will be supporting the wish of 10-year-old, Amner! Amner loves soccer, FIFA video games, LEGO's, and most of all, Kylian Mbappe! Because of Amner’s love of soccer, the SHHS Wish Week theme will be World Cup! Interested in purchasing a Wish Week t-shirt? CLICK HERE. Interested in making a donation? CLICK HERE.

Smoky Hill High School IB Program

SHHS is now accepting applications to join the Smoky Hill's IB Middle Years Program! Interested students should apply HERE. The first application window closes on Jan. 31st. A second application window will open on Feb. 1st, immediately following the first's closure. For up-to-date information about the SHHS IB Program, MYP application, and how to contact us, please visit the SHHS Website. 

Grief and Loss Support for Students

Horizon Community Middle School has partnered with Judi’s House to provide a 10-week series of small group meetings for students who have experienced a significant loss. The Judi’s House staff are experts in childhood grief and bereavement, and you can learn more about their services on their website, judishouse.org.

If your student has lost an important person in their life and you feel that they may benefit from support, please accept this invitation for your student to participate in a group facilitated by Judi’s House staff. This group will meet at school once per week for 1 hour. The small group meetings will focus on normalizing grief responses, developing coping skills, connecting with adult and peer support and creating a safe space to process and share grief.

Our Mental Health & Counseling Teams collaborate closely with teachers to highlight the value of this group and to help ensure student attendance on a weekly basis. Students who participate have reported positive experiences and feelings of support by the facilitators from Judi’s House as well as the other student participants.

If you are interested in having your student participate in the next session, please contact HCMS Social Worker Shelby Thomas (sthomas48@cherrycreekschools.org, 720-886-6222) at your earliest convenience.

Conversation Starter

Here are some questions to ask your student(s) about school this week:

1. Have you thought about your classes for next year? What are you planning to take? What electives? An advanced class? What clubs/sports do you plan to do?

Smoky Hill High School Feeder Update

Recently, the Cherry Creek School District Board of Education voted to approve a boundary change for students who live withing the boundaries of Sunrise Elementary School. Beginning with HCMS students currently enrolled in 7^th grade, the home school for all HCMS students will be Smoky Hill High School. HCMS students currently enrolled in 8^th grade who live within the boundaries of Sunrise Elementary School will still be assigned to Eaglecrest High School. For students in this situation who plan to attend Eaglecrest High School next school year, no action is needed. If you prefer that your 8^th grade student attends Smoky Hill High School starting next school year, please submit a School Choice application. For any family interested in learning about the School Choice process, please see below.

School Choice Information

The Cherry Creek School District is implementing a NEW School Choice application system and updated policies. The new application system will be used for all choice applications, including Non-Resident and Intra-District Transfer requests. Parents are now able to submit a School Choice application for the 2023-2024 school year. This applies for residents and non-residents of the school district and the first lottery will run in early February for district residents, non-resident employees’ children, and for students that are currently enrolled as a non-resident or on a 1-year Intra-District transfer. All other applications will be included in bi-weekly lottery runs starting in February. Students who are accepted to a choice school will be accepted to the highest grade level at that school provided they meet the continued enrollment criteria. Additional details about School Choice and the continued enrollment criteria can be found in the School Choice Transfers section of the ADMISSIONS WEBSITE.

Hold-To-Lockdown Drill

On Tuesday, January 24^th we will be practicing a HOLD-to-LOCKDOWN drill. The purpose of this drill is to make students and staff more familiar with the HOLD and LOCKDOWN directives, and the concept of combining two or more emergency actions outlined in the Standard Response Protocol (SRP).

A HOLD may be called for variety of reasons such as an altercation between students, medical incidents, mechanical issues, or an unknown or suspicious person in or near the building. In most cases a HOLD is precautionary in nature and allows school administrators to “freeze” movement of people through the halls and afford time to further investigate the nature of the incident. During a HOLD, the halls are cleared, classrooms doors are locked, and staff and students conduct business as usual. However, in some cases, the nature of the incident may warrant school administrators to escalate the emergency action to LOCKDOWN.

During a LOCKDOWN, teachers and student are to presume an active threat is inside the building or danger close. An active threat could be an active shooter, someone brandishing a knife, a suspicious unknown person, etc. During a LOCKDOWN students and staff should lock their doors, shut off any lights, and move away and out of sight from interior doors and windows, and remain silent. If students and staff are not in a position where they can secure themselves behind lock doors, they can make the decision to self-evacuate to a safe location outside the building. These actions should be made decisively and with purpose.

While I know it may cause anxiety for us to contemplate such a scenario, it is important that we train ourselves how to properly respond rather than react. We want to gain confidence and understanding of the situation so that we become emergency prepared rather than being emergency scared. 

During these drills we will NOT use any type of simulated gunfire, smoke or role players. We will simply provide instruction, practice, and learn how to respond by going through the actions we want to duplicate during a real incident. We will also be supported by School District Security, School District Administration, Law Enforcement, and Fire/EMS personnel who will assist us in checking doors and coaching us through the process. This is important as all of them will have a part in responding to help. Each drill should take approximately 30 minutes as we practice all aspects of our emergency procedure.

At the conclusion of the drill, our building Safety Team will debrief the drill to discuss lessons learned and provide us with strategies to improve our response. We invite all staff and students to provide feedback and ask questions about the process so that we can continuously improve our practice.

Thank you for participating with us in this important training event so that we can help keep our school and our community of students, staff, and visitors safe. Please feel free to contact Robert Jefferson, Assistant Principal, at rjefferson2@cherrycreekschools.org or our District Security Team if you have any questions.

To learn more about the Standard Response Protocol please visit our District Safety & Security Website.

Semester 2 Parent-Teacher Conferences

Our first round of semester 2 conferences is coming up on Thursday, February 9^th. Based on community feedback, we will offer a combination of in-person and virtual conferences. Some conferences will be teacher-led, and some will be led by students. Please see the schedule below. Please select one date to attend conferences so that all families have a chance to meet with teachers. Teachers are also available outside of these time frames for individual conferences with families via phone, Microsoft Teams, or in-person; please reach out to your student’s teacher if you need to schedule a conference at a different time.

• February 9^th, 4:15pm – 7:00pm: Teacher-led, in-person conferences. All teachers will be in the gyms for these conferences. Come by anytime to meet with teachers individually.
• March 1^st, 4:15pm – 5:30pm: Student-led, in-person conferences. Teachers will be available to meet with families as well, but these conferences are led by your student. This unique format encourages students to take ownership of their learning, and we have found them to be very beneficial.
• March 1^st, 5:30pm – 7:00pm: Teacher-led, virtual conferences. Families will sign up for time slots to meet virtually via Microsoft Teams with teachers (link to sign up coming in February).
• March 2^nd, 8:00am – 11:30am: Student-led, in-person conferences. Teachers will be available to meet with families as well, but these conferences are led by your student. This unique format encourages students to take ownership of their learning, and we have found them to be very beneficial.
• March 2^nd, 1:00pm – 4:00pm: Teacher-led, virtual conferences. Families will sign up for time slots to meet virtually via Microsoft Teams with teachers (link to sign up coming in February).

Amharic:

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

Arabic:

يرجى الاتصال ب )جميعة صباحي أو جاودة العلمي( على ) jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.org أو

jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.org للحصول على الدعم مع هذا المورد باللغة 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 समर्थन 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) 로 문의하십시오.

Nepali:

कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम्पकथ 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 Milagro Nuanes en mnuanes@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:

Vui lòng liên hệ với Thuý Ngọc tại Lchung2@cherrycreekschools.org để được hỗ trợ về tài nguyên này bằng tiếng Vi

January 13, 2023

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

Welcome back! While the long break was needed, it is so fun to see our students back in the halls of the HC. This morning (Friday) we celebrated at our 2^nd Quarter Pack Assemblies. Congrats to all students who received an award!

On that topic, have you seen our new PACK Display Cases?! These are on the wall outside of the cafeteria, and they feature names of students nominated for a PACK Award each quarter. We are so proud when our students model Perseverance, Achievement, Connectedness, and Kindness. These display cases were designed and manufactured by students who attend the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus (CCIC), and our very own students from HCMS voted on and co-created the final product.

Good luck to our choir students participating in the CCSD Middle School District Honor Choir performance this weekend at Grandview High School. We are so proud for HC to be represented at the district level.

Finally, as we settle into a new quarter, please continue to have discussions with your students about their classes. As a reminder, PowerSchool and Schoology are great digital places to regularly visit. Please reach out to your student’s teachers at any time with questions.

Thank you!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720.886.6101 (office)

720.767.2352 (cell)

Help Speed Up Our Lunch Lines

We are asking for your help to speed up our lunch lines. It is much faster for students to move through the line if they have an ID. School IDs and RIDE360 cards both work, as well as photos of either card on a phone.

Semester 1 Data Celebrations – Student Engagement

Results from our Fall ’22 administration of our Student Engagement Survey featured many celebrations, including:

1. Students reported high levels of Academic Self-Efficacy. Over 80% of students believe that they could learn material even if it is difficult, and over 90% of students believe in their skill and ability.
2. Students reported high levels of Behavioral Engagement. Over 80% of students reported that they keep their school material organized and they complete their schoolwork on time, and over 90% of students reported that they follow the expectations (rules) in school, pay attention in class, and work hard.
3. School Belonging: When we asked students what they liked most about school, the top answer was being with friends. Further, 80% of students felt they are able to create new friendships throughout the year. Over 80% of students stated they have at least one trusted adult in school, and almost 90% of students stated that teachers have high expectations for them.

While we are always reflecting on areas to improve, we are excited to share these celebrations as reported by our students.

Astronomy Experience: 8^th Grade Students

8^th grade students and their families are invited to participate in our Astronomy Experience from 5:30pm – 7:30pm on Friday, January 13^th, 2023 (TONIGHT). Students will be able to interact with a StarLab and use different telescopes to observe seasonal constellations. Hot cocoa and treats will be provided. Please contact your student’s science teacher with questions.

Smoky Hill High School Wish Week

Smoky Hill Student Government will be sponsoring their 14th Annual Winter Wish Week January 23-28, 2023. This year SHHS will be supporting the wish of 10-year-old, Amner! Amner loves soccer, FIFA video games, LEGO's, and most of all, Kylian Mbappe! Because of Amner’s love of soccer, the SHHS Wish Week theme will be World Cup! Interested in purchasing a Wish Week t-shirt? CLICK HERE. Interested in making a donation? CLICK HERE.

Grief and Loss Support for Students

Horizon Community Middle School has partnered with Judi’s House to provide a 10-week series of small group meetings for students who have experienced a significant loss. The Judi’s House staff are experts in childhood grief and bereavement, and you can learn more about their services on their website, judishouse.org.

If your student has lost an important person in their life and you feel that they may benefit from support, please accept this invitation for your student to participate in a group facilitated by Judi’s House staff. This group will meet at school once per week for 1 hour. The small group meetings will focus on normalizing grief responses, developing coping skills, connecting with adult and peer support and creating a safe space to process and share grief.

Our Mental Health & Counseling Teams collaborate closely with teachers to highlight the value of this group and to help ensure student attendance on a weekly basis. Students who participate have reported positive experiences and feelings of support by the facilitators from Judi’s House as well as the other student participants.

If you are interested in having your student participate in the next session, please contact HCMS Social Worker Shelby Thomas (sthomas48@cherrycreekschools.org, 720-886-6222) at your earliest convenience.

Student Course Registration

It is time to start thinking about course registration for the ‘23-‘24 school year! Please see the attached document that highlights important dates for registration for all grade levels.

Advanced Classes

6^th & 7^th Grade Families: Is your student considering enrolling in an advanced class for the 22-23 school year? At HCMS, all students are encouraged to enroll in at least one advanced class during their middle school career. Students do not need to be identified as gifted to access or succeed in advanced classes.

Now is the time to begin conversations related to course programming for next year. Please see our Advanced Academics philosophy below, and please reach out to your student’s core teachers or counselor with questions.

Our teachers work hard to design and lead students through rigorous, relevant, and meaningful learning experiences. Teachers in all classes differentiate (customize) instructional practices to meet the needs of individual students. This may include the use of scaffolding (stair-stepping) and/or extension (deeper learning) activities.

Advanced classes are currently offered in mathematics and Language Arts in 6^th grade and in all four core areas in 7^th and 8^th grade. Advanced classes in mathematics are taught at an accelerated pace, as the curriculum includes content from one grade level above. Advanced classes in Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies include the same academic standards as grade-level classes and are consistently taught at deeper levels.

Husky Highlight Night – January 30^th, 2023

On Monday, January 30^th, we will welcome students and families who will be in 6^th grade next year. This will be a great opportunity for our incoming class to learn about Horizon Community and all of the great offerings and experiences for our students. Please CLICK HERE for more information, please pass this on to any 5^th grade family you know in the area, and please contact Megan Zitek, Assistant Principal, at mzitek@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Family Engagement Night – February 2^nd, 2023

Our next Family Engagement Night is on Thursday, February 2^nd. In our whole group conversation (6:00pm) we will be discussing two topics, Mental Health and Vaping. This should a great opportunity to engage in conversations and share resources related to two important topics.

Smoky Hill High School Feeder Update

Recently, the Cherry Creek School District Board of Education voted to approve a boundary change for students who live withing the boundaries of Sunrise Elementary School. Beginning with HCMS students currently enrolled in 7^th grade, the home school for all HCMS students will be Smoky Hill High School. HCMS students currently enrolled in 8^th grade who live within the boundaries of Sunrise Elementary School will still be assigned to Eaglecrest High School. For students in this situation who plan to attend Eaglecrest High School next school year, no action is needed. If you prefer that your 8^th grade student attends Smoky Hill High School starting next school year, please submit a School Choice application starting in January, 2023. For any family interested in learning about the School Choice process, please see below.

School Choice Information

The Cherry Creek School District is implementing a NEW School Choice application system and updated policies. The new application system will be used for all choice applications, including Non-Resident and Intra-District Transfer requests. Parents will be able to submit a School Choice application for the 2023-2024 school year starting January 1, 2023. This date applies for residents and non-residents of the school district and the first lottery run in early February for district residents, non-resident employees’ children and for students that are currently enrolled as a non-resident or on a 1-year Intra-District transfer. All other applications will be included in bi-weekly lottery runs starting in February.  Students who are accepted to a choice school will be accepted to the highest grade level at that school provided they meet the continued enrollment criteria. Additional details about School Choice and the continued enrollment criteria can be found in the School Choice Transfers section of the ADMISSIONS WEBSITE.

Amharic:

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

Arabic:

يرجى الاتصال ب )جميعة صباحي أو جاودة العلمي( على ) jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.org أو

jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.org للحصول على الدعم مع هذا المورد باللغة 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 समर्थन 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) 로 문의하십시오.

Nepali:

कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम्पकथ 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 Milagro Nuanes en mnuanes@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:

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

File attachments:
HCMS Registration Dates.pdf

December 21, 2022

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

As we prepare to enter Winter Break, I wish you and your family the best. I hope you have a great holiday season and break from school, and I look forward to seeing your students back at the HC on Tuesday, January 10^th.

Looking ahead, our 2^nd Quarter PACK Assemblies are rescheduled to Friday, January 13^th. We are eager to recognize students for their modeling of PACK. Until then, be safe and well, and we’ll see you all in 2023.

Thank you!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720.886.6101 (office)

720.767.2352 (cell)

Astronomy Experience: 8^th Grade Students

8^th grade students and their families are invited to participate in our Astronomy Experience from 5:30pm – 7:30pm on Friday, January 13^th, 2023. Students will be able to interact with a StarLab and use different telescopes to observe seasonal constellations. Hot cocoa and treats will be provided. Please contact your student’s science teacher with questions. In the event of inclement weather or excessive cloud cover, the Astronomy Experience will be rescheduled to a later date.

Grief and Loss Support for Students

Horizon Community Middle School has partnered with Judi’s House to provide a 10-week series of small group meetings for students who have experienced a significant loss. The Judi’s House staff are experts in childhood grief and bereavement, and you can learn more about their services on their website, judishouse.org.

If your student has lost an important person in their life and you feel that they may benefit from support, please accept this invitation for your student to participate in a group facilitated by Judi’s House staff. This group will meet at school once per week for 1 hour. The small group meetings will focus on normalizing grief responses, developing coping skills, connecting with adult and peer support and creating a safe space to process and share grief.

Our Mental Health & Counseling Teams collaborate closely with teachers to highlight the value of this group and to help ensure student attendance on a weekly basis. Students who participate have reported positive experiences and feelings of support by the facilitators from Judi’s House as well as the other student participants.

If you are interested in having your student participate in the next session, please contact HCMS Social Worker Shelby Thomas (sthomas48@cherrycreekschools.org, 720-886-6222) at your earliest convenience.

Safety Resources

Please see the attached document that includes various safety-related resources.

Student Course Registration

Believe it or not, it is time to start thinking about course registration for the ‘23-‘24 school year! Please see the attached document that highlights important dates for registration for all grade levels.

Advanced Classes

6^th & 7^th Grade Families: Is your student considering enrolling in an advanced class for the 22-23 school year? At HCMS, all students are encouraged to enroll in at least one advanced class during their middle school career. Students do not need to be identified as gifted to access or succeed in advanced classes.

Now is the time to begin conversations related to course programming for next year. Please see our Advanced Academics philosophy below, and please reach out to your student’s core teachers or counselor with questions.

Our teachers work hard to design and lead students through rigorous, relevant, and meaningful learning experiences. Teachers in all classes differentiate (customize) instructional practices to meet the needs of individual students. This may include the use of scaffolding (stair-stepping) and/or extension (deeper learning) activities.

Advanced classes are currently offered in mathematics and Language Arts in 6^th grade and in all four core areas in 7^th and 8^th grade. Advanced classes in mathematics are taught at an accelerated pace, as the curriculum includes content from one grade level above. Advanced classes in Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies include the same academic standards as grade-level classes and are consistently taught at deeper levels.

Incoming 9^th Grade Student Night – Smoky Hill High School

Please see the attached document regarding Incoming 9^th Grade Student Night at Smoky Hill High School on Wednesday, January 11^th, 2023.

Family Engagement Night – February 2^nd, 2023

Save the date! Our next Family Engagement Night is on Thursday, February 2^nd. In our whole group conversation (6:00pm) we will be discussing two topics, Mental Health and Vaping. This should a great opportunity to engage in conversations and share resources related to two important topics.

Counseling Grant Survey

Great news! Horizon Community was awarded a grant opportunity from the State of Colorado to support comprehensive school counseling. Our district has organized a survey so we can best understand how to program for this additional support. The goal of this survey is to learn how middle school students are being supported in 3 domains: academic, social-emotional, and post-secondary planning. We value your input so we can plan ways to enhance our counseling programming. This optional survey should be completed by December 23, 2022.  Thank you!

Family Survey

Student Survey

Educator of the Year

Horizon Community is excited to share the process for nominating our 2022-2023 Educator of the Year. Exceptional educators should represent the Cherry Creek School District’s Mission “To inspire students to think, to learn, to achieve, to care,” and the District’s Core Values: Growth Mindset, Equity, Whole Wellbeing, Engagement, and Relationships.

All teachers, special service providers (i.e. counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, therapists, etc.) and non-teaching licensed personnel (i.e. deans, instructional coaches, etc.) are eligible to be nominated. The written nomination should be between 150-500 words and should describe how the nominee exhibits and/or embodies our mission and core values.

We are excited to honor our outstanding educators and we hope that you will participate in the process. Please click on this Nomination Form and submit your nomination by January 13, 2023.

Smoky Hill High School Feeder Update

Recently, the Cherry Creek School District Board of Education voted to approve a boundary change for students who live within the attendance boundaries of Sunrise Elementary School. Beginning with HCMS students currently enrolled in 7^th grade, the home school for all HCMS students will be Smoky Hill High School. HCMS students currently enrolled in 8^th grade who live within the attendance boundaries of Sunrise Elementary School will still be assigned to Eaglecrest High School (no action is required at this time for these students). However, if you live within the Sunrise Elementary School attendance boundaries and prefer that your 8^th grade student attends Smoky Hill High School starting next school year, please submit a School Choice application starting in January, 2023. For any family interested in learning about the NEW School Choice process, please see below.

School Choice Information

The Cherry Creek School District is implementing a NEW School Choice application system and updated policies. The new application system will be used for all choice applications, including Non-Resident and Intra-District Transfer requests. Parents will be able to submit a School Choice application for the 2023-2024 school year starting January 1, 2023. This date applies for residents and non-residents of the school district and the first lottery run in early February for district residents, non-resident employees’ children and for students that are currently enrolled as a non-resident or on a 1-year Intra-District transfer. All other applications will be included in bi-weekly lottery runs starting in February.  Students who are accepted to a choice school will be accepted to the highest grade level at that school provided they meet the continued enrollment criteria. Additional details about School Choice and the continued enrollment criteria can be found in the School Choice Transfers section of the ADMISSIONS WEBSITE.

Amharic:

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

Arabic:

يرجى الاتصال ب )جميعة صباحي أو جاودة العلمي( على ) jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.org أو

jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.org للحصول على الدعم مع هذا المورد باللغة 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 समर्थन 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) 로 문의하십시오.

Nepali:

कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम्पकथ 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 Milagro Nuanes en mnuanes@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:

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

File attachments:
HCMS Registration Dates.pdf
Safety Resources for the Holidays.pdf
SHHS Incoming Freshmen Night Poster.png

December 16, 2022

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

As we enter the final week of the semester, I would like to share how thankful I am for our entire community. We have had a great first half of the year, and, after four more days of school next week, we look forward to Winter Break.

But first, we get to celebrate! Our 2^nd Quarter PACK Assemblies are on Thursday, December 22^nd. We are excited to recognize our students for modeling Perseverance, Achievement, Connectedness, and Kindness, as well as our mission statement: We are an authentic, empowered community that believes in opportunity for all.

And while we’re celebrating, congrats to students in our band for an amazing concert at Smoky Hill on Wednesday night! We also had the pleasure of seeing our band teacher, Mr. Evan Geiger, be inducted into the American School Band Directors Association. Way to go!

Our Girls Basketball teams are doing a great job, and students recently represented HCMS with pride at the CCSD Math League. We are proud of you all!

As a reminder, there is no school on Friday, December 23^rd. There will be no activities or athletics (or late bus) on Thursday, December 22^nd. School resumes for all students on Tuesday, January 10^th.

If you have specific questions about any of your student’s classes as we end the quarter, please reach out to their teachers at any time.

Thank you!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720.886.6101 (office)

720.767.2352 (cell)

Student Course Registration

Believe it or not, it is time to start thinking about course registration for the ‘23-‘24 school year! Please see the attached document that highlights important dates for registration for all grade levels.

Advanced Classes

6^th & 7^th Grade Families: Is your student considering enrolling in an advanced class for the 22-23 school year? Now is the time to begin conversations related to course programming for next year. Please see our Advanced Academics philosophy below, and please reach out to your student’s core teachers or counselor with questions.

Our teachers work hard to design and lead students through rigorous, relevant, and meaningful learning experiences. Teachers in all classes differentiate instructional practices to meet the needs of individual students. This may include the use of scaffolding and/or extension activities.

Advanced classes are currently offered in mathematics and Language Arts in 6^th grade and in all four core areas in 7^th and 8^th grade. Advanced classes in mathematics are taught at an accelerated pace, as the curriculum includes content from one grade level above. Advanced classes in Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies include the same academic standards as grade-level classes and are consistently taught at deeper levels.

All students are encouraged to enroll in at least one advanced class during their middle school career. Students do not need to be identified as gifted to access or succeed in advanced classes.

Family Engagement Night – February 2^nd, 2023

Save the date! Our next Family Engagement Night is on Thursday, February 2^nd. In our whole group conversation (6:00pm) we will be discussing two topics, Mental Health and Vaping. This should a great opportunity to engage in conversations and share resources related to two important topics.

Counseling Grant Survey

Great news! Horizon Community was awarded a grant opportunity from the State of Colorado to support comprehensive school counseling. Our district has organized a survey so we can best understand how to program for this additional support. The goal of this survey is to learn how middle school students are being supported in 3 domains: academic, social-emotional, and post-secondary planning. We value your input so we can plan ways to enhance our counseling programming. This optional survey should be completed by December 23, 2022.  Thank you!

Family Survey

Student Survey

Educator of the Year

Horizon Community is excited to share the process for nominating our 2022-2023 Educator of the Year. Exceptional educators should represent the Cherry Creek School District’s Mission “To inspire students to think, to learn, to achieve, to care,” and the District’s Core Values: Growth Mindset, Equity, Whole Wellbeing, Engagement, and Relationships.

All teachers, special service providers (i.e. counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, therapists, etc.) and non-teaching licensed personnel (i.e. deans, instructional coaches, etc.) are eligible to be nominated. The written nomination should be between 150-500 words and should describe how the nominee exhibits and/or embodies our mission and core values.

We are excited to honor our outstanding educators and we hope that you will participate in the process. Please click on this Nomination Form and submit your nomination by January 13, 2023.

Conversation Starter(s)

Here are some questions to ask your student(s) about school this week:

1. As you think back on the first half of the year, what were the highlights and what were some challenges?
2. What elective classes are you taking next quarter?

School Supplies in Backpacks

Winter Break is a great time to restock any basic school supplies that your student needs in their backpack. Feel free to reach out to individual teachers with questions, and please contact Merebeth Scott (mscott@cherrycreekschools.org) if you’d like to access the Husky Market.

School Choice Information

The Cherry Creek School District is implementing a NEW School Choice application system and updated policies. The new application system will be used for all choice applications, including Non-Resident and Intra-District Transfer requests. Parents will be able to submit a School Choice application for the 2023-2024 school year starting January 1, 2023. This date applies for residents and non-residents of the school district and the first lottery run in early February for district residents, non-resident employees’ children and for students that are currently enrolled as a non-resident or on a 1-year Intra-District transfer. All other applications will be included in bi-weekly lottery runs starting in February.  Students who are accepted to a choice school will be accepted to the highest grade level at that school provided they meet the continued enrollment criteria. Additional details about School Choice and the continued enrollment criteria can be found in the School Choice Transfers section of the ADMISSIONS WEBSITE.

Technology Support

Does your student need technology assistance? Tim Stanley, our Technology Technician, can help! Feel free to contact him at tstanley3@cherrycreekschools.org with any questions about your student’s device.

PowerSchool Email Notification

Did you know that you can set up PowerSchool to send you weekly email notifications of your child’s grades to as many email addresses as you would like? Click HERE for directions.

Cell Phone Tip

Did you know that you can set “time of day” and/or “day of the week” restrictions for various applications on your student’s cell phone? Check with your provider for tutorials. You may also be able to set text messaging limits so students can only contact parents (emergency contacts) during the school day. We appreciate your help in monitoring student access to social media and text messaging during the school day.

TalkingPoints App

We are excited to announce a new way for you to communicate with teachers and staff. You will be able to receive and send text messages to your student’s teachers using TalkingPoints. The messages will be translated into your preferred language. You do not need to do anything to get started. Your student’s teacher will send the first message. You can also download the optional TalkingPoints for Families app here.

Spirit Wear

Interested in purchasing some HCMS Spirit Wear? We have added some new items! CLICK HERE to visit our online store. Select “Spirit Wear” and you will be able to choose items, add them to your account, and make a payment. Students or families can pick up purchased items from Maria Thompson (HCMS Bookkeeper) in the Main Office. Please contact Maria at mthompson2@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Amharic:

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

Arabic:

يرجى الاتصال ب )جميعة صباحي أو جاودة العلمي( على ) jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.org أو

jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.org للحصول على الدعم مع هذا المورد باللغة 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 समर्थन 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) 로 문의하십시오.

Nepali:

कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम्पकथ 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 Milagro Nuanes en mnuanes@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:

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

File attachments:
HCMS Registration Dates.pdf

December 9, 2022

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

With just two weeks left until break, we are focusing on finishing the quarter strong academically. It is also a time for our Performing Arts Department to shine! Last week we had fantastic performances from students involved in our play. This past Wednesday students in our choir performed at Smoky Hill High School. We also have a Band Concert next Wednesday night, also at Smoky Hill, and our Orchestra Concert is on December 20^th (at HCMS). In addition, Girls Basketball is well underway. This is a great time to celebrate our students and watch as they showcase their amazing talents.

Thank you, as always, for your support, and please reach out to our staff with questions as needed.

Thank you!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720-886-6101 (office)

720-767-2352 (cell)

Educator of the Year

Horizon Community is excited to share the process for nominating our 2022-2023 Educator of the Year. Exceptional educators should represent the Cherry Creek School District’s Mission “To inspire students to think, to learn, to achieve, to care,” and the District’s Core Values: Growth Mindset, Equity, Whole Wellbeing, Engagement, and Relationships.

All teachers, special service providers (i.e. counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, therapists, etc.) and non-teaching licensed personnel (i.e. deans, instructional coaches, etc.) are eligible to be nominated. The written nomination should be between 150-500 words and should describe how the nominee exhibits and/or embodies our mission and core values.

We are excited to honor our outstanding educators and we hope that you will participate in the process. Please click on this Nomination Form and submit your nomination by January 13, 2023.

Conversation Starter(s)

Here are some questions to ask your student(s) about school this week:

1. Are you interested in nominating an Educator of the Year? Let’s complete the form together!
2. Are your teachers planning an end of the quarter project or big test? Can I help you prepare or study?

Husky Community Market

Our Husky Community Market has recently been restocked! The Husky Community Market is here to assist families by providing non-perishable food, some household items, and school supplies. If you are interested in accessing the Community Market, please contact Horizon Community at 720-886-6108 to schedule a time to pick up some items.

School Choice Information

The Cherry Creek School District is implementing a NEW School Choice application system and updated policies. The new application system will be used for all choice applications, including Non-Resident and Intra-District Transfer requests. Parents will be able to submit a School Choice application for the 2023-2024 school year starting January 1, 2023. This date applies for residents and non-residents of the school district and the first lottery run in early February for district residents, non-resident employees’ children and for students that are currently enrolled as a non-resident or on a 1-year Intra-District transfer. All other applications will be included in bi-weekly lottery runs starting in February.  Students who are accepted to a choice school will be accepted to the highest grade level at that school provided they meet the continued enrollment criteria. Additional details about School Choice and the continued enrollment criteria can be found in the School Choice Transfers section of the ADMISSIONS WEBSITE.

Technology Support

Does your student need technology assistance? Tim Stanley, our Technology Technician, can help! Feel free to contact him at tstanley3@cherrycreekschools.org with any questions about your student’s device.

PowerSchool Email Notification

Did you know that you can set up PowerSchool to send you weekly email notifications of your child’s grades to as many email addresses as you would like? Click HERE for directions.

Cell Phone Tip

Did you know that you can set “time of day” and/or “day of the week” restrictions for various applications on your student’s cell phone? Check with your provider for tutorials. You may also be able to set text messaging limits so students can only contact parents (emergency contacts) during the school day. We appreciate your help in monitoring student access to social media and text messaging during the school day.

TalkingPoints App

We are excited to announce a new way for you to communicate with teachers and staff. You will be able to receive and send text messages to your student’s teachers using TalkingPoints. The messages will be translated into your preferred language. You do not need to do anything to get started. Your student’s teacher will send the first message. You can also download the optional TalkingPoints for Families app here. 

Spirit Wear

Interested in purchasing some HCMS Spirit Wear? We have added some new items! CLICK HERE to visit our online store. Select “Spirit Wear” and you will be able to choose items, add them to your account, and make a payment. Students or families can pick up purchased items from Maria Thompson (HCMS Bookkeeper) in the Main Office. Please contact Maria at mthompson2@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Eaglecrest High School Families

Please see below for a message from Gwen Hansen-Vigil, EHS Principal:

Dear Raptor Community,

When we began this school year wearing t-shirts printed with the words Together as Raptors we imagined all the ways we would learn, grow, play, perform, and celebrate as a community. It was unimaginable that we would grieve the loss of one of our Raptors. Now, we are together grieving the compounded losses of four Raptors who were our classmates, our friends, our students, our neighbors, and our children. 

We each have our own personal experiences with loss and grief. Some of our students are, for the first time, experiencing the loss of someone close and of someone their age. Other students have had prior significant losses and associated grief. As adults – our teachers, staff, and parents – we carry our own experiences with loss and grief with us as we have been called upon to support and guide our kids. For each of us, grief is personal and it is a process. It is experienced and demonstrated in different ways - some healthy and some unhealthy. It is not healthy to grieve in a manner that hurts oneself or others, and I am asking each of us to recognize and attend to anyone who is demonstrating the need for additional support. I am asking each of us to be understanding and thoughtful of others while also attending to our own personal needs. 

In the first moments, days, and weeks of each loss, we experienced an outpouring of support and partnerships from the Raptor community and Cherry Creek School District. This support was vital and appreciated, and it is important to continue to provide care, guidance, and access to resources as we heal and move forward in healthy ways. Together as Raptors we can support each other in this challenging time. 

Eaglecrest High School is committed to providing support in the grieving process and education in suicide prevention. We are partnering with Cherry Creek School District Mental Health and community resources to provide an evening for community connection and information on Wednesday, December 14th from 6:00-8:30 P.M. It is our hope that parents and students can join together to learn ways to continue to support students’ health and resilience. To help us best plan for the evening, please use this form to RSVP by Monday, December 12.

Agenda for December 14:  

In addition, Eaglecrest High School remains committed to further developing protective influences around our students. We are planning to offer Sources of Strength sessions for students, parents, and staff on Saturday, January 21, 2023. Details will be shared when we return from Winter Break. As we work to expand our Sources of Strength program at Eaglecrest High School, we look forward to having more Raptors empowered as both peer leaders and trusted adults who can impact others through the power of connection, hope, help and strength. 

Let me end by acknowledging that often people in grief describe feeling isolated, alone, and different. While we each have our own life experiences, relationships to those who have passed, and varied ways of grieving, it’s essential that every member of our community knows that we  - Together as Raptors - will support each other on a path towards healing.  

Sincerely,

Gwen Hansen-Vigil, Principal

Amharic:

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

Arabic:

يرجى الاتصال ب )جميعة صباحي أو جاودة العلمي( على ) jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.org أو

jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.org للحصول على الدعم مع هذا المورد باللغة 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 समर्थन 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) 로 문의하십시오.

Nepali:

कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम्पकथ 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 Milagro Nuanes en mnuanes@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:

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

December 2, 2022

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

Thank you to those that joined our Family Engagement Night on Wednesday evening. We examined many important data points for our school, and our PTCO awarded several Educator Grants for our staff! Our next Family Engagement Night is scheduled for Thursday, February 2^nd, 2023.

Congratulations to Merebeth Scott, our Office Manager, for being recognized as a Cherry Creek All Star! This award is for classified employees, and we know that Merebeth is a perfect example of an all-star. Her commitment to our entire community results in better experiences for everyone each day.

We have three more weeks until the end of the second quarter (and Winter Break). Please continue to discuss grades, academic goals, and the importance of positive behavior with your students. As a reminder, we do not have school on Friday, December 23^rd.

As always, please reach out with questions at any time. If you haven’t checked out our SCHOOL WEBSITE recently, please do so. We have so much important information listed there.

Thank you!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold
Principal
Horizon Community Middle School
720-886-6101 (office)
720-767-2352 (cell)

Advanced Classes

6^th & 7^th Grade Families: Is your student considering enrolling in an advanced class for the 22-23 school year? Now is the time to begin conversations related to course programming for next year. Please see our Advanced Academics philosophy below, and please reach out to your student’s core teachers or counselor with questions.

Our teachers work hard to design and lead students through rigorous, relevant, and meaningful learning experiences. Teachers in all classes differentiate instructional practices to meet the needs of individual students. This may include the use of scaffolding and/or extension activities.

Advanced classes are currently offered in mathematics and Language Arts in 6^th grade and in all four core areas in 7^th and 8^th grade. Advanced classes in mathematics are taught at an accelerated pace, as the curriculum includes content from one grade level above. Advanced classes in Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies include the same academic standards as grade-level classes and are consistently taught at deeper levels.

All students are encouraged to enroll in at least one advanced class during their middle school career. Students do not need to be identified as gifted to access or succeed in advanced classes.

Educator of the Year

Horizon Community is excited to share the process for nominating our 2022-2023 Educator of the Year. Exceptional educators should represent the Cherry Creek School District’s Mission “To inspire students to think, to learn, to achieve, to care,” and the District’s Core Values: Growth Mindset, Equity, Whole Wellbeing, Engagement, and Relationships.

All teachers, special service providers (i.e. counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, therapists, etc.) and non-teaching licensed personnel (i.e. deans, instructional coaches, etc.) are eligible to be nominated. The written nomination should be between 150-500 words and should describe how the nominee exhibits and/or embodies our mission and core values.

We are excited to honor our outstanding educators and we hope that you will participate in the process. Please click on this Nomination Form and submit your nomination by January 13, 2023.

Conversation Starter(s)

Here is a question to ask your student(s) about school this week:

1. I heard that students can nominate other students for Leader of the PACK? This is when students model PACK Commitments, right? Have you nominated anyone this week? Where can you find the link for a nomination? (Hint: See PBIS Page on our website)

Bringing Lunch for Students

If family members plan to bring lunch for their students, please remember to check-in with our Security Staff and leave food at the Security Desk. Food brought for students during the school day can be accepted from family members listed in PowerSchool.

PowerSchool Email Notification

Did you know that you can set up PowerSchool to send you weekly email notifications of your child’s grades to as many email addresses as you would like? Click HERE for directions.

Husky Community Market

Our Husky Community Market has recently been restocked! The Husky Community Market is here to assist families by providing non-perishable food, some household items, and school supplies. If you are interested in accessing the Community Market, please contact Horizon Community at 720-886-6108 to schedule a time to pick up some items.

School Choice Information

The Cherry Creek School District is implementing a NEW School Choice application system and updated policies. The new application system will be used for all choice applications, including Non-Resident and Intra-District Transfer requests. Parents will be able to submit a School Choice application for the 2023-2024 school year starting January 1, 2023. This date applies for residents and non-residents of the school district and the first lottery run in early February for district residents, non-resident employees’ children and for students that are currently enrolled as a non-resident or on a 1-year Intra-District transfer. All other applications will be included in bi-weekly lottery runs starting in February.  Students who are accepted to a choice school will be accepted to the highest grade level at that school provided they meet the continued enrollment criteria. Additional details about School Choice and the continued enrollment criteria can be found in the School Choice Transfers section of the ADMISSIONS WEBSITE.

Amharic:

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

Arabic:

يرجى الاتصال ب )جميعة صباحي أو جاودة العلمي( على ) jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.org أو

jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.org للحصول على الدعم مع هذا المورد باللغة 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 समर्थन 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) 로 문의하십시오.

Nepali:

कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम्पकथ 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 Milagro Nuanes en mnuanes@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:

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

November 22, 2022

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

I hope you have a great break with your students and families! Our amazing students and staff members certainly deserve the time. We look forward to seeing everyone back on campus next Monday.

Below are some reminders for our entire community. As always, please reach out to a member of our Administrative Team with any questions. Wondering who to contact with a specific question? Here is a Brief Description of the responsibilities of the members of our Leadership Team.

Thank you!

Brad

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720-886-6101 (office)

720-767-2352 (cell)

Family Engagement Night – Wednesday, November 30^th

All families are invited to join for our next Family Engagement Night on Tuesday, November 29^th. The format for the evening is as follows:

• 5:30pm: Potluck Food & Social (feel free to bring snacks or a dish)
• 6:00pm: Whole-group Conversation
• 7:00pm: Breakout Group Conversations (Accountability & PTCO)

For our whole-group conversation, we will be discussing Student Engagement at HCMS, citing data from our Student Engagement Survey as well as our recent Instructional Observation Day.

In our breakout group conversations, we will be reviewing HCMS Educator Grant applications as a PTCO and reviewing Academic Achievement Data (FastBridge) as an Accountability Team.

Childcare and a Spanish-speaking interpreter will be provided. Please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Mapping Our Community

As part of our district efforts to boost engagement and find people in our community who can help us expand our reach, we are embarking on a new Cherry Creek School District project called “Mapping Our Community.” This project seeks to collect the names and contact information of people living in our school communities who can partner with the district to build relationships, share their expertise, and help tell the stories of our amazing schools. Our families bring a diverse range of professional skills, cultural experiences, and networks that can strengthen our ability to grow together as a community.

Please check out this digital form to help us “map our community.” There is no commitment necessary at this time! If you are someone who has expertise in the areas listed, please fill out the form by Monday, November 28th so we can share your name with our school district.

Mapping Our Community Form

Conversation Starter(s)

Here is a question to ask your student(s) about school this week:

1. There are four weeks until the end of the second quarter. What are your academic goals for each of your classes? Would you like me to help you make a plan to get there?

Athletics & Activities Information

If you haven’t yet, please check out our Athletics Page and our Activities Page to learn ways for your student to get involved in an extracurricular activity. Our clubs meet on a regular basis, and our athletics follow a schedule consistent with all middle schools in the Cherry Creek School District. As Boys Basketball has wrapped up, our Girls Basketball season is about to begin!

Amharic:

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

Arabic:

يرجى الاتصال ب )جميعة صباحي أو جاودة العلمي( على ) jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.org أو

jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.org للحصول على الدعم مع هذا المورد باللغة 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 समर्थन 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) 로 문의하십시오.

Nepali:

कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम्पकथ 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 Milagro Nuanes en mnuanes@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:

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

November 18, 2022

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

Thank you to our families who were able to join for our Instructional Observation Day this week. It was so powerful to have parents in the building, observing instruction, and providing feedback. We hope to host another Instructional Observation Day again this year.

Also, thank you for your support as I shared a video last week regarding some celebrations as well as other behaviors we have seen on campus. Please continue to discuss topics related to peer pressure and the spreading of harmful information. As I shared, we observe amazing behavior each day at HCMS. AND, we also need your partnership regarding some behaviors that can be distractions. Please reach out to our administrators and/or deans at any time if you have questions. If you missed the video last week, here it is again: VIDEO

Finally, as a reminder, we only have school on Monday and Tuesday next week. There will be no after-school Athletics/Activities on Tuesday, November 22^nd.

Thank you!

Brad

Family Engagement Night – Tuesday, November 29^th

All families are invited to join for our next Family Engagement Night on Tuesday, November 29^th. The format for the evening is as follows:

• 5:30pm: Potluck Food & Social (feel free to bring snacks or a dish)
• 6:00pm: Whole-group Conversation
• 7:00pm: Breakout Group Conversations (Accountability & PTCO)

For our whole-group conversation, we will be discussing Student Engagement at HCMS, citing data from our Student Engagement Survey as well as our recent Instructional Observation Day.

In our breakout group conversations, we will be reviewing HCMS Educator Grant applications as a PTCO and reviewing Academic Achievement Data (FastBridge) as an Accountability Team.

Childcare and a Spanish-speaking interpreter will be provided. Please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold at bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Technology Support

Does your student need technology assistance? Tim Stanley, our Technology Technician, can help! Feel free to contact him at tstanley3@cherrycreekschools.org with any questions about your student’s device.

TalkingPoints App

We are excited to announce a new way for you to communicate with teachers and staff. You will be able to receive and send text messages to your student’s teachers using TalkingPoints. The messages will be translated into your preferred language. You do not need to do anything to get started. Your student’s teacher will send the first message. You can also download the optional TalkingPoints for Families app here. 

Conversation Starter(s)

Here is a question to ask your student(s) about school this week:

1. Let’s take a look at your Schoology pages. Will you please show me how each of your classes is organized in Schoology?

Cell Phone Tip

Did you know that you can set “time of day” and/or “day of the week” restrictions for various applications on your student’s cell phone? Check with your provider for tutorials. You may also be able to set text messaging limits so students can only contact parents (emergency contacts) during the school day. We appreciate your help in monitoring student access to social media and text messaging during the school day.

A Message From Our Nurse (Nicole Doornik)

The current cold and flu season has seen an increased number of respiratory illnesses. Here are some suggestions for how you can continue to do your part to help minimize exposure and spread:

• Keep your student(s) home when sick (coughing, frequent sneezing, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, etc.).
• Continue to encourage good hand washing habits.
• Sneeze and cough into your elbow instead of your hand.
• Keep your students up to date on immunizations (including Flu (influenza) and COVID-19 vaccines).
• Reach out to your student’s health care provider for any specific concerns or questions.

Spirit Wear

Interested in purchasing some HCMS Spirit Wear? We have added some new items! CLICK HERE to visit our online store. Select “Spirit Wear” and you will be able to choose items, add them to your account, and make a payment. Students or families can pick up purchased items from Maria Thompson (HCMS Bookkeeper) in the Main Office. Please contact Maria at mthompson2@cherrycreekschools.org with questions.

Amharic:

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

Arabic:

يرجى الاتصال ب )جميعة صباحي أو جاودة العلمي( على ) jsebbahi@cherrycreekschools.org أو

jdajanialami@cherrycreekschools.org للحصول على الدعم مع هذا المورد باللغة 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 समर्थन 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) 로 문의하십시오.

Nepali:

कृपया जेम्स रसाइथिीिाइथ jrasaily@cherrycreekschools.org मा तपाइथको भाषामा यो संसाधनको सहयोगको िागी सम्पकथ 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 Milagro Nuanes en mnuanes@cherrycreekschools.org

Vietnamese:

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