July 2025 Family Newsletter Horner

Dear Horner Families,

We want to take a moment to thank you for your continued partnership in supporting your child’s learning and growth. Research consistently shows that when parents and school staff communicate positively and effectively, students experience higher academic achievement, stronger social-emotional skills, and increased engagement in school. Your collaboration helps ensure that student interests remain at the forefront of every decision we make.

Middle school is a crucial time for students to develop self-advocacy skills—the ability to speak up for themselves, express their needs, and seek solutions independently. One of the most powerful ways you can support this growth is by encouraging your child to first address concerns directly with their teacher. When students take the initiative to communicate respectfully and constructively with educators, they build confidence, problem-solving skills, and a sense of responsibility for their own learning. With quarter 1 coming to a close it is critical that we encourage students to ask clarifying questions and address concerns with a trusted adult at school right away when they have questions or concerns.

Of course, your support as parents remains invaluable. You are the bridge between school and home, and together we can help students learn how to advocate for themselves while ensuring their needs are met appropriately. By fostering this partnership, we prepare students not only for academic success but also for lifelong skills in communication, responsibility, and leadership.

We look forward to a successful October as we have some fun activities this month such as Red Ribbon Week, Boys BB tryouts, Parent Conferences and Halloween!

Thank you again for your continued support and collaboration. Together, we are helping our students grow into capable, confident, and resilient young adults.Warmly,

Cindy Hicks-Rodriguez
Principal, Horner Middle School

We are currently seeking donations to support our school-wide PBIS initiatives at Horner, where we reward students for their positive behavior. Your help with any of the following items would be greatly appreciated:

• Jolly Rancher Assorted Fruit Flavored Hard Candy Bulk Bag (Halloween Candy, 5 lb)

• Jolly Rancher Chews (2 lb Bag)

• Original Lollipops Mix (65 Count, Assorted Fruity Flavors, Individually Wrapped)

• Bulk Hard Candy (Individually Wrapped)

• Lemonheads (5 lb Bag)

• Ring Pop Lollipops (Individually Wrapped)

• Dum Dums Original Mix (400 ct. Bag)

• Rainbow Swirl Pops (12 Fruit-Flavored Suckers)

• Fruit Chews (1 lb Bag)

• Original Gourmet Change Maker Mini Cream Swirl and Original Lollipops (100 Count)

• Tootsie Roll Caramel Pops (Apple)

• LOVE CORN Family Favorite (Sea Salt, BBQ, Salt & Vinegar, Cheddar 0.7oz x 20)

• Snyder's of Hanover Mini Pretzels (36 Count, 100 Calorie Individual Packs)

• Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps (Variety Pack, Individual 1.5 Ounce, Pack of 24)

• Lay's Kettle Cooked Potato Chips (Variety Pack, 0.85 Ounce, Pack of 40)

• Welch's Fruit Snacks (Mixed Fruit Snack Box, Gluten Free, 0.8oz Snack Packs, Pack of 60)

• OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (30 Snack Packs, 4 Cookies Per Pack)

• 120pcs Rubber Bracelets (Bulk, with Motivational Quotes)

• Gibleitz Keychains (30/50/100/200pcs, Random Different Designs)

• Soft 100 Pack Star Stress Balls (Bulk, with Motivational Quotes)

• 100pcs Mixed Anime Cartoon Pencil Toppers

• Root Beer Barrels (4 lb, Individually Wrapped)

• Butterscotch Hard Candy (4 lb, Individually Wrapped)

• Ultimate Assorted Candy Party Mix (12 lb Bag, Fun Size Skittles, Sour Patch, Nerds, Jolly Ranchers, Lollipops, Fruit Chews, Smarties)

Please note: All candy donations must be individually wrapped for student distribution. Many of the items above can be found on Amazon.

Thank you in advance for your generous contributions to support our students and their positive behavior!

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!

All Wednesday's are minimum days with early dismissal at 1:17 pm. We will also have other days that we have a 1:17 dismissal that are NOT Wednesdays. Please not on these dates below there will be NO AC transit bus right after school. Students can walk to the Grimmer bus stop near IHS to catch the bus right after school. Thank you for noting these dates below.

11/20, 12/19, 5/29, 6/1

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 Basketball: October 17, 2025

Boys basketball tryouts: October 20, 2025

Forms due for Girls Basketball: December 19, 2025

Girls basketball tryouts: January 6, 2026

Forms due for Boys Volleyball: March 4, 2026

Boys volleyball tryouts: March 9, 2026

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

Here is a checklist for families to encourage Horner's three tenets: Show respect, Make good decisions and Solve problems. Providing a home and school connection is so important!

💛 Show Respect

☐ Take turns choosing a family activity this weekend.
☐ Listen when someone else is speaking without interrupting.
☐ Use kind words — even when things don’t go as planned.
☐ Thank someone in your family for something they did today.
☐ Show care for your surroundings (clean up after yourself during outings).

💡 Make Good Decisions

☐ Plan ahead before leaving home (snacks packed? phones charged?).
☐ Follow rules at parks, stores, or events.
☐ Choose screen-free family time for at least 30 minutes.
☐ Make healthy food or drink choices when out together.
☐ Balance fun and responsibility (finish chores or homework before heading out).

🤝 Solve Problems

☐ Practice calm conversations when there’s a disagreement.
☐ Work together to find a solution everyone can live with.
☐ Encourage your child to share how they solved a problem today.
☐ Model patience when things take longer than expected.
☐ Celebrate small wins — teamwork counts!

🪞 Family Reflection:

Take a few minutes to talk together after the weekend:

• Which of the three tenets did we use the most?

• When was it hardest to “show respect,” “make good decisions,” or “solve problems”?

• What can we do next weekend to keep improving together?

By modeling and reinforcing these PBIS expectations at home, you’re helping your child build the same positive habits they practice at school. Thank you for partnering with us to grow respectful, responsible, and resilient learners — both in and out of the classroom!

🎃 Horner’s Halloween Costume Guidelines 👻

Dear Horner Families,

Halloween is just around the corner, and we’re excited to celebrate the fun and creativity that come with it! To ensure that everyone enjoys the day safely and respectfully, please review our Horner Halloween Costume Guidelines with your student before the big day.

Our goal is to keep the celebration fun, inclusive, and school-appropriate for all students and staff.

👕 Costume Guidelines

• No Weapons: No real or fake weapons of any kind, including swords, guns, knives, or grenades.

• No Violence: Costumes should not include violent or sexual themes.

• No Masks During Class: Full-face masks or anything that completely covers the face may not be worn during the instructional day so we can identify students. Masks may be worn during the lunchtime costume contest only, then must be removed afterward.

• No Distracting Elements: Please avoid costumes that make noises, have extreme flashing lights, or are too large to allow safe movement on campus.

• No Offensive Themes: Costumes should not include inappropriate, stereotypical, or culturally insensitive content. We ask that students be mindful and respectful of all cultures, identities, and body images.

• Follow the Dress Code: Costumes must comply with our regular school dress code.

• Keep It Functional: Costumes should allow students to participate fully in all school activities, including PE.

• Cultural Sensitivity: Choose costumes that celebrate creativity without misrepresenting or mocking any group.

• Pre-Approval: If you’re unsure whether a costume is appropriate, please check with an administrator before wearing it to school.

• Change of Clothes: Students should bring an extra set of regular clothes in case their costume does not meet guidelines or needs to be modified.

When selecting a costume, please ensure it’s fun, appropriate, and respectful of everyone in our school community. We want all students to enjoy the day while maintaining a safe and inclusive environment for all.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in helping us make this a festive and positive celebration for everyone!

Happy Halloween! 🎃

Hello Horner Families!

Boo! Happy October! I’m here to give you a couple updates about activities we have planned so far for the month of October.

At the time of this reading, we will have hosted our first social of the year! ASB sold tickets a week before the social for two days and then another two days the week of the social. We sold 94 tickets! All year ASB will be in a couple places for sales of any kind. Outside of C102 (which is my classroom) or the breezeway. We have been there all year we are selling anything and will continue. We had over 500 kids come to the social! Shoutout to the amazing PTSA for the volunteer work, we couldn’t have hosted the event without you. Look out for ASB to share some pictures and videos that were taken!

All students should have received their Gold Card and school sweatshirts. We had about 4 students who didn’t pickup even though we did a week of pickup and contacted them and then did another day. If this is your child they are located in the office.

The second thing I wanted to share is every year we have a Halloween costume contest at lunch. Students compete in different categories like scariest, funniest, best group costume and more. Students will also be getting spirit points if they dress up but don’t want to participate in the contest.

Last thing I wanted to talk about are the spirit days we have going on. Whenever your child dresses up, they need to see ASB at lunch to get scanned to get spirit points. These points can be used later in the semester for some awesome prizes. Make sure you get scanned in the breezeway.

Can you believe the year is almost ¼ over?! Me either!

Mr. Shaffer

Activities Director

More Than Photos—It’s Your Story! Created by Horner students with creativity and care, the yearbook captures the moments that matter most. Preorder now for $55 (Sept–Dec) while supplies last! yearbookordercenter.com (Code: 7874) | Room C120

Dear Families,

Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up soon — Wednesday evening, October 22, and all day Friday, October 24! As you can imagine, it’s a long couple of days for our amazing staff who spend hours meeting with families and supporting students.

We’d love to show our appreciation by providing a luncheon and some tasty treats to help keep their energy up throughout the day — and we’d love your help!

We’re looking for donations of:
🥤 Individual sodas or water bottles
🍎 Fruit or veggie trays
🧀 Cheese and crackers
🍪 Cookies, chips, or any individual snack items
🍢 Appetizers or other grab-and-go goodies

If you’d prefer to make a cash donation, that would be amazing too — we’ll use it to purchase extra items or fill in the gaps.

Donation drop-off:

• Non-perishables can be dropped off anytime before October 15.

• Perishable items can be dropped off on Thursday, October 23.

Thank you so much for helping us take care of the staff who take such great care of our students. We truly appreciate your generosity and support!

Dear Families,

We’re excited to announce that our PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) Teacher of the Month for September is Mr. Jason Whalley! 🎉

Mr. Whalley was selected for this honor because he truly embodies the spirit of PBIS in everything he does. He is friendly and supportive of his students all day, every day, and spends most of each class period working one-on-one with every student — it’s like having 15 of him in the room!

Here are just a few of the reasons Mr. Whalley was recognized:
✅ Consistently uses positive language and reinforcement
✅ Actively teaches and models expected behaviors
✅ Recognizes students with PBIS rewards and acknowledgments
✅ Creates a supportive and inclusive classroom environment
✅ Collaborates with colleagues on PBIS strategies
✅ Implements classroom systems aligned with schoolwide PBIS expectations
✅ Supports students with reteaching and restorative practices
✅ Displays PBIS visuals and reminders in his classroom
✅ Brings infectious positivity to campus every single day!

Please join us in congratulating Mr. Whalley for his dedication, energy, and commitment to helping students learn and grow in a positive and supportive environment. We are so lucky to have him as part of our school community! Mr. Whalley consistently provides incentives to students following our schools expected behavior and he always reminds students in a positive manner about our three tenets: Show Respect, Make Good Decisions and Solve Problems. Good job Mr. Whalley!

Comprehensive Health, Puberty, and Sexuality Education Curriculum

On January 16, 2019, the Fremont Board of Education approved Rights, Respect, Responsibility (3Rs) as the comprehensive health, puberty, and sexuality curriculum (CHPSE) for students in grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and high school Health (typically taken in 9th grade). The information below is designed to inform families about the curriculum and offer resources to help families support this learning with their children.

Student Learning

If your student is participating in in-person learning, these are the lessons they will receive:

CHPSE Lessons and Opt Outs - In Person

Opt out

Families may opt their child out of part or all of the curriculum by notifying the teacher or school in writing via Email to the students Science teacher. In your communication, please include:

• Your student’s name, teacher, and grade
• Parent name
• A statement indicating you wish to opt your child out of these lessons
• A phone number you can be reached if necessary

Horner will be delivering these lessons starting on December 2nd. Lesson days will include the following dates in December during your students Science class: 12/2, 12/3, 12/4, 12/5, 12/8, 12/9, 12/11, 12/12, 12/15 and 12/16. Please submit your request to opt your child out no later than November 17th so that we can arrange substitutes for the students who are not participating in these lessons. We will need to get a count of how many students will require a sub and will need time to plan for this coverage. Thank you in advance.

Parents who would like to view the curriculum can do so by either going online to the district website or they can come into the school office to view the materials. It is located in the front office.

Horner prides itself on implementing PBIS which stands for Positive Behavior Intervention Supports to all students throughout the school year.

Students have multiple opportunities to earn points for demonstrating school wide behavior expectations daily. When students earn specific amounts of points they are entered into a drawing for a gift card. We typicaly like to do the drawing quarterly for the gift cards and we like to try and give away anywhere from 10-15 per quarter to our students. We have a shortage of $5 gift cards for these drawings. If you can donate $5 gift cards from any business in Fremont that would be amazing for our students.

We also give out school supplies to students for drawings. If you can donate new markers, mechanical pencils, spiral notebooks, binders, lined binder paper and various other school supplies, that would also be amazing.

Our students really enjoy being the recipient of the prizes throughout the school year.

Thank you for your donation to support this student initiative at Horner.

We’re excited to offer a fun way to celebrate your child’s birthday at Horner Middle School! Since we do not allow treats, balloons, or other birthday items to be brought to school due to the distractions they can cause, a marquee birthday greeting is a wonderful alternative to make your child feel special.

For just $10 cash, you can have a personalized birthday message displayed on our school marquee — a great way to make your child a “celebrity” for the day!

If you’re interested in purchasing a birthday greeting, please stop by the school office for more information.

Thank you for helping us celebrate our students in a fun, safe, and school-friendly way! All proceeds go towards our school safety supplies and technology needs.