Home of the Blue Jays

Dear Horizon Families,

December is a busy and joyful month at our school. Students are finishing strong before winter break, and our staff is preparing several events and celebrations. Thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Enrollment for the 2026–2027 school year at Horizon Leadership Academy is officially open. Families are invited to secure their spot early, as space is limited across grade levels. Horizon offers a rich learning environment with strong academics, advanced labs, art and music rooms, athletics, and a modern library. Students benefit from highly qualified teachers, 1:1 support, competitive programs such as Spelling Bee, Olympiads, and Math Challenges, and championship-level sports teams. Early registration includes a $750 discount, and families can schedule a campus tour to learn more.

To see the full application steps and begin the process, visit:

🔗 https://www.horizonleadershipacademy.org/admissions/application-steps

Join a school community where character, leadership, and academic success grow together. 💙

Last Saturday, Horizon Leadership Academy hosted Science Fair!

Students from 1st through 11th grade proudly presented the projects they worked on all week. Parents, teachers, and guests visited each display while students explained their experiments to the judges.

Congratulations to all our young scientists and to the winners for their outstanding work!

Category 1-1st & 2nd Grade

Bronze Groups:

Bronze 1: Sara R. (1st),

Bronze 2: Kemel A.

Group 3: Kerim K., Elijah H.

Silver Groups:

Group 1: Farwa H.

Group 2: Melissa D., Arzu T.

Gold Group:

Group 1: Sadik K., Yusuf P.

Category 2 - 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade

Bronze Groups:

Group 1: Noah K., Zhar A., Yasin S.

Group 2: Melek K., Selma M.

Group 3: Leyla P., Yarlin S.

Silver Groups:

Group 1: Tarik B., Halit K.

Group 2: Erva U., Sara A.

Gold Groups:

Group 1: Elif Y., Ozlem O.

This year’s Spelling Bee was a wonderful celebration of language, memory, and courage. More than 20 elementary students and over 15 middle schoolers took the stage with confidence and enthusiasm. Each student spelled with focus, supported by their classmates and teachers. It is exciting to see this tradition grow every year.

Horizon Leadership Academy reminds all families that our Uniform, Grooming, and Student ID policies will continue to be strictly enforced, as outlined in the HLA Student & Parent Handbook (pages 33–34). All students in Grades 1–11 are expected to wear the official school uniform each day, with pants in black or khaki only. Jeans, joggers, and sweatpants are not permitted. During cold weather, students may wear personal jackets to school but must switch to HLA outerwear inside the building. Hoodies and non-uniform jackets are not allowed indoors. Makeup, nail polish, and lip gloss are prohibited, and jewelry should be minimal—girls may wear small stud earrings only, and boys may not wear earrings. Hair must remain neat, clean, and natural in color. Students must also carry their HLA ID at all times; random ID checks will be conducted, and those without IDs may face consequences. Lost or damaged IDs should be reported to the Front Office. These expectations help maintain a professional and respectful school environment, and we sincerely appreciate your support in reinforcing them at home.

Our Blue Jays participated in the Noetic Math Olympiad with great focus and determination, and several students earned international recognitions through the IMC International Math Challenge 2025, a global online competition with students from 68 countries. We are proud to celebrate multiple medal winners, including Silver Medals for Osman Alhan and Ihsan Karatay, and Bronze Medals for Canan Ercan, Bedir Sagbilge, Orhan Akpinar, Asuman Dursun, and Ismail Gurbuz. In the elementary category, Baktygul Mazalbekova earned Silver, and Sadik Yahya Kaya earned Bronze, along with many Honorable Mentions across both divisions. Thank you to our teachers for their support and to Mr. Ridvan for organizing and leading the effort. Students will receive their medals and certificates at the End-of-Semester Award Ceremony on December 19. We are incredibly proud of our young mathematicians! 💙

A full week of energy, laughter, and nonstop action! Students showed off their best dodgeball moves, teamwork, and school spirit in every game.

Grade-Level Champions

🏆 2nd Grade Champions: unstoppable teamwork and big smiles

🏆 5th Grade Champions: amazing throws and even better spirit

🏆 8A Class Winners: strategy, hustle, and complete domination on the court

The tournament brought out the fun, excitement, and true Blue Jay pride all week long. Every class cheered, competed, and enjoyed being part of the action.

🏆 Middle School Girls Champions!

The final matchup had the whole gym cheering.

Fast games, quick moves, and a little thrilling chaos made it unforgettable.

🎉 Congratulations to our 6A girls for taking the win!

They played with focus and teamwork impressive throwing accuracy.

We’re proud of all students who played with sportsmanship, enthusiasm, and school spirit.

Blue Jays showed up strong! 💙

Parents joined us for an important and insightful seminar on Adolescence & Effective Communication, led by guest speaker Muhammed Yildiz. The session focused on how families can communicate with confidence, empathy, and clarity during the teenage years. Attendees learned practical strategies to support their children, reduce misunderstandings, and build stronger relationships at home.

The event took place on Saturday, December 13, from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM, and the room was filled with thoughtful discussion and active participation. Families who plan to attend upcoming parent sessions are kindly reminded to complete the event RSVP link in advance, so we can prepare materials and seating properly.

We appreciate all parents who took time to attend and engage. Together, we continue to support our students socially, emotionally, and academically. 💙

It is Awards Ceremony time at Horizon Leadership Academy, and we are excited to celebrate the hard work and achievements of our students as we close the semester with pride. Families and students will gather on Friday, December 19, 2025, at the Ottoman Ballroom for a morning full of recognition and celebration. The Elementary Ceremony will take place from 8:45–9:30 AM, followed by the Middle and High School Ceremony from 10:00–11:00 AM. Students will be honored with A Honor Roll, A/B Honor Roll, Distinguished Honor Roll, Citizenship Awards, Perfect Attendance, and Competition Awards. Parents are welcome to pick up their children after their ceremony concludes. We look forward to applauding our amazing Blue Jays. They have worked hard and truly earned it! 💙

Final exams will take place from December 15 to December 19. Students are encouraged to review their notes, complete study guides, and get plenty of rest each night. Teachers are available to answer questions and provide extra support during tutoring times. We wish all our students confidence, focus, and excellent results. Do your best and finish the semester strong!

Winter Break begins on December 22 and continues through January 2. During this time, there will be no school for students as families enjoy rest and holiday time together.

Beginning Fall 2026, some families may receive $10,000 or more per year through the Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) program to help cover educational expenses such as tuition, meals, uniforms, transportation, learning materials

The program gives parents more flexibility in choosing the best educational setting for their children. Students with disabilities may receive up to $30,000 per year, and homeschool participants may receive $2,000.

Key Dates:

• September 1, 2025: TEFA law goes into effect

• January 2026: Application process opens

• School Year 2026–27: Funds can be used for eligible expenses

Who is eligible?

• U.S. citizen, national, or lawful resident students eligible to attend a Texas public school.

• Priority is given to children from low-income families and students with special learning needs.

Families can learn more and find answers to common questions on Texas Private Schools – School Choice

Happy Birthday to our Blue Jays celebrating this month! We wish each of you a wonderful year filled with joy, learning, and great memories.

Fernando G. – 6A – Dec 5

Follow our high school students’ creative videos on Instagram: @hla.bluejays

Check out our official TikTok for fun highlights and student life: @horizonleadershipacademy

Facebook: @horizonleadershipacademytx

X: @hla_houston

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Youtube: @horizonleadershipacademy