Our School

Dear Horizon Community Middle School Families,

I am so excited to send this community message, officially welcoming everyone to the 2022-2023 school year! We are thrilled for students to return in a few short weeks. Our talented and hard-working staff is eager to get to know your students as we design and lead meaningful, relevant, and rigorous learning experiences. We look forward to your partnership as family members of the Horizon Community!

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

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely,

Dr. Brad Weinhold

Principal

Horizon Community Middle School

720-886-6101 (office)

720-767-2352 (cell)

Important Dates

• Thursday, August 11^th – 6^th Grade WEB Orientation Day (8:40am – 11:30am)
• Thursday, August 11^th – Back to School Night (5:00pm – 7:30pm)
• Monday, August 15^th – First day of school for 6^th Grade students (7^th & 8^th at home)
• Tuesday, August 16^th – First day of school for 7^th & 8^th Grade students (6^th at home)
• Wednesday, August 17^th – All students attend HCMS

Check-in Procedures

Each year, all HCMS families are required to complete Parent Forms by visiting my.cherrycreekschools.org and accessing the PowerSchool tile. For students returning to Horizon Community Middle School, or for incoming 6^th grade students who attended a Cherry Creek elementary school, completing Parent Forms is the only registration requirement before school begins. Parent Forms are now available, and we encourage you to complete this step as soon as possible. This step is required in order for students to be able to attend classes in August. For any questions, please contact our Registrar, Mr. Steve McCandless, at jmccandless@cherrycreekschools.org or call 720-886-6108.

6^th Grade WEB Orientation Day

Our WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) Orientation Day is designed to assist incoming 6^th graders with their transition to middle school. This will occur on Thursday, August 11^th, before the actual start of school. Students will arrive by 8:40am and the day will conclude at 11:30am. This will be a great opportunity for students to engage in some fun activities, meet new friends, and learn from 8^th Grade WEB Leaders. School buses will be available for students who normally ride the bus during the school year. Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle and dress comfortably as the day will be active. WEB Orientation Day is for students to independently experience getting to know their new school. We encourage families to come back with students later that same evening for Back to School Night. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Hailey Wilkinson at hwilkinson@cherrycreekschools.org or Ms. Shyla Strickler at sstrickler@cherrycreekschools.org.

Back to School Night

All students and their families are invited to our Back to School Night on Thursday, August 11^th. Most activities will be organized in an open house format, with Principal’s Welcome Message presentations at scheduled times. Events scheduled for the evening include: 

5:00pm – 6:00pm (open house format)

• Games
• Dessert
• Family Engagement Information
• Athletics/Activities Fair
• HCMS Spirit Gear Sales
• STRIDE Health Center Information
• Student Schedule Pick-Up

6:00pm – 7:30pm

• Tour the building
• Visit teachers in classrooms (open house format)
• PowerSchool & Schoology Tutorial (presentations every 15 minutes)
• Principal’s Welcome Message (large gymnasium)
  • 6:15pm: Families whose last names begin with A – L
  • 6:45pm: Families whose last names begin with M - Z

For space purposes, there will be two separate Principal’s Welcome Message presentations. Please attend the session for your alphabet group.

School Supplies

Please click HERE to view our school supply list. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Megan Zitek, Assistant Principal, at mzitek@cherrycreekschools.org.

Athletics Information

We are excited for all students to participate in our sport offerings of track, basketball, wrestling, and volleyball. Please visit our ATHLETICS PAGE for registration information and season schedules.

Family Engagement

Please visit our FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PAGE to learn about ways to volunteer at HCMS. We welcome and encourage all families to participate in all aspects of the schooling experience of their children.

Open PTCO Position

Our PTCO Board is led by Amber Hall (President) and Tarena Cannon (Secretary). We are looking for someone for fill the role of Treasurer. Please contact Dr. Brad Weinhold (bweinhold@cherrycreekschools.org) if interested.

Facebook Page

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

Lockers

Continuing with our practice in recent years, we will not assign lockers to students. Students are encouraged to carry their computer and other supplies in a backpack. With the days of heavy textbooks long behind, and the calmer atmosphere in the hallways absent the noise of lockers closing, we believe that a greater sense safety (and timeliness to class) exists when lockers are not used.  

Building Hours & Activity Bus

Our school building will open at 8:40am each morning. Breakfast will be available at 8:30am (students enter through the Cafeteria). School hours are from 8:50am – 3:45pm each day. Our Activity Bus, which departs HCMS at 4:45pm, will begin on Thursday, August 18^th, and will be available Monday – Thursday throughout the school year.

Morning Line-Up Locations

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

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

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

Husky Community Market

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

Free and Reduced Price Meal Information
Through the National School Lunch Program, free and reduced-price meals are provided to those students who meet eligibility guidelines. To receive free and reduced-price meals, one completed application per household is required (all students in household can be included on the application) and a new application must be completed each school year. Every student may apply and the application can be accessed in one of the following ways:

• Online Application: Go to titank12.comto apply. The application is available in 8 languages. If you need assistance, please call our meal program manager at 720-886-7172 or visit us in person at the Student Nutrition Center (14270 E. Briarwood Ave, Centennial, CO 80112). Additional program information is available at www.cherrycreekschools.org under the Food and Nutrition Department.
• Paper Application: Paper applications are available at your student's school or at the Student Nutrition Center. Paper applications are available in English and Spanish. This application can be mailed to the Student Nutrition Center, brought to your student's school, or brought directly to the Student Nutrition Center.