Horner Parent/Family Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome back! We are excited to start the 2025 school year and look forward to another semester of growth, learning, and collaboration. We hope you and your family had a restful and joyful break and are ready for the opportunities that lie ahead.

At the heart of our mission is a shared commitment to the success and well-being of every student. As we embark on this new school semester, we want to remind ourselves of the importance of working together as a school community—students, teachers, parents, and staff. The positive change and growth that we seek for all of our students require a united effort. It is through open communication, mutual respect, and active involvement that we can create an environment where every child thrives.

We believe that the most meaningful progress happens when we collaborate to support students in every aspect of their development—academically, socially, and emotionally. As parents, your insight into your child’s needs and experiences is invaluable. We encourage you to stay involved in your child’s education, whether through attending school events, volunteering, or maintaining an ongoing dialogue with teachers and staff.

Together, we can ensure that our students have not only the tools they need to succeed but also the encouragement, care, and understanding that help them grow into confident, capable individuals. By working as a team, we can make the rest of the school year one of great achievements, where every child feels empowered to explore, learn, and reach their full potential.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to the success of our school community. We are excited to work with you and your child to make 2025 a year of positive change and growth.

Cindy Hicks-Rodriguez, Principal

Horner Vision Statement

We at Horner Middle School, envision a future in which every student receives an effective, equitable, and engaging education that allows them to reach their full and unique potential.

Horner Mission Statement

At Horner Middle School our mission is to provide students with the Knowledge, Tools, and Skills they need to master content standards, make effective decisions, and collaborate with others, which will enable them to be successful lifelong learners.

Knowledge, Tools, Skills = Master, Make, Collaborate!

The Horner teachers have voted and it was determined that our bell schedule for the 24-25 school year will be the exact same bell schedule as this year. Please note that our AC Transit bus will continue to provide pickup and drop off's on regular day Monday's, Tuesday's, Wednesday's, Thursday's and Friday's. The only days that after school bus service will not be provided is on minimum days that are NOT Wednesday's. Those dates will be as follows:

April 17 (Thursday before Good Friday)

May 27 (Tuesday last week of school)

May 29 (Thursday last week of school)

May 30 (Friday the last day of school)

Bell Schedule 24-25

M/TU/TH/F

Start time: 815 AM. End time: 228 pm

WED

Start time: 815 AM End time: 120 pm

Other minimum days that are NOT Wednesday's

Start time: 815 AM. End time: 120 pm

Last day of School

Start time: 815 AM. End time: 1248 PM

Please see the PDF below for information coming from the Counselors at Horner. Thank you.

If your child is interested in trying out for a Winter or Spring sport please print out the forms that are attached prior to the school year. At MAZE day you are able to turn the forms into the athletic table if you have the physical form from your doctor attached. All students trying out for a sport MUST have all paperwork and physicals completed and submitted on the due dates below in order to try out. If you have any questions you can email Mr. Sean Davis at Horner Middle School as he oversees the athletic programs.

Forms due for Boys Volleyball: February 27

All deadlines are firm and we cannot accept forms past the due date listed above. Thank you.

Jan. 6 - school resumes

CHPSE lessons in science 7th and 8th

January 6 – 17, 2025

Girls BB tryouts

January 6 – 7, 2025

PTSA meeting (zoom)

Wednesday, January 8, 2025⋅6:30 – 8:00pm

Girls BB team posted

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Math olympiad in MUR

Friday, January 10, 2025⋅2:45 – 5:45pm

Martin Luther King Jr. Day - No school

Monday, January 20, 2025

SSC meeting online

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

6th grade townhall in MUR by counselors for registration (PE classes)

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Board meeting

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

AMC 8 Math test MUR (pre registration and signups were required in December for this test)

Thursday, January 23, 2025⋅2:45 – 4:15pm

IHS Counselors coming to 8th History (Registration)

Friday, January 24, 2025

7th grade townhall for registration in MUR (PE classes)

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Registration forms due for current 6th graders

Friday, January 31, 2025

Dear Horner Families,

As we prepare to embark on a new semester, we want to take a moment to share our excitement for the opportunities that lie ahead for our students. A fresh start brings new challenges and the chance to grow, and we are committed to supporting each child’s journey in their education.

As part of this transition, we would like to remind everyone of our school rules and expectations. These guidelines are designed to create a safe and respectful environment where all students can thrive. We believe that a clear understanding of these rules helps students make positive choices and fosters a sense of community. Please take a moment to review Horner’s expectations in the school planner with your student. In addition, when we return from Winter Break, we will be reminding students of the school’s expectations and fun activities as we begin the 2nd semester.

We appreciate your support and together, we can ensure a positive and productive semester for all.

Thank you for your continued partnership. We look forward to a wonderful new semester filled with growth and achievement for our students.

Sincerely,

Horner Middle School Assistant Principals

Hi Horner families, we are doing so many buzz buck rewards and incentives that we are running low on incentives. Any help you could give with a donation of the following would be greatly appreciated:

$5 gift cards to any local location

Bags of jolly ranchers

Bags of suckers

Thank you so much.

Horner will be hosting its Annual College and Career week during March 31 - April 4th at lunch time.

We are looking for parents/guardians or community business connections to come set up a table at lunch time to meet and greet with students about their careers.

During this week long event we will have career booths so that students can receive handouts and flyers about different careers and we will have college booths with different colleges coming to provide students with college information.

If interested please sign up on the Google form no later than February 20th. Thank you.

We will also have first responders and some of our ROP groups from FUSD coming to provide information to students.

If you are interested in coming to Horner to talk with students about your career please complete the Google form below. Once received the Principal will review it and get in touch with you for next steps.

Thank you in advance for helping us make career week an amazing experience for students.

We could use help with collecting school supplies for students in need. We are looking for school supplies to begin to build our resource center whereby students who need specific supplies can come to get what they need for free. We are looking for a variety of supplies such as:

• Highlighters
• Pens
• Rulers
• Glue sticks
• Pencils (both mechanical and #2)
• Erasers
• Portable pencil sharpeners
• Markers
• Binder paper
• Spiral notebooks
• Colored pencils

Pretty much any supply that students might need for classroom work. If you would like to donate to our portable resource center for students please drop items off in the front office during the month of November. We greatly appreicate your support.

Anyone can submit a birthday wish to a student at Horner to be shown on the school marque on the students birthday for only $10 cash. Parents or students may submit a form or payment to the office for this wonderful birthday gesture! Everyone loves seeing their name in lights and on the marque with a birthday wish. Get your birthday wishes at anytime. Come into the office for information.

This week (no later than Friday the 10th) the Principal will be sending out a AMC8 link to those parents who have completed the Horner Google form for the AMC8 math test AND who have made their payment by the due date of Dec. 17th. The tests have already been secured and ordered therefore we will not be able to add additional students to the test for this year. The due date for payment and the Google form was December 17th. If you are one of the those 8th grade families that have signed your 8th grader up and have paid, please be on the lookout for a link from the principal that you will need to go into and officially register your student to take the AMC 8 math test. Only those who have paid and completed the Google form will have this link. Please do not share this link as it only for your child since you met the deadline. Sharing the link will make the link for your child inactive. The test will take place on Jan. 22 after school. The deadline to activate the link and officially register your child will be Jan. 15th. If you don't activate the link by the 15th, your child will not be able to take the AMC 8 test on the 22nd. Thanks parents! Any questions about the link and the next steps, please email the principal.