Greetings Hortons Creek Families, 

I hope everyone stayed safe and warm during this week's winter weather! Between the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday and the abbreviated nature of our week due to the weather, I don’t have many updates for you today. However, please take a moment to review the important information below.

 

Important info from the PTA:  

Spirit Rock Reservations: Reserving the spirit rock is a special way to celebrate your child and make them feel loved and recognized by their school community. It’s a fun and creative tradition that allows you to mark milestones, birthdays, or achievements in a big, visible way. 

1. STEP 1: Visit the sign-up genius bit.ly/hcesspiritrock, read the rules, then sign up for an available week. 

2. STEP 2: within 48 hours pay for your week through our PTA storefront. Email questions to spirit@hortonscreekpta.com 

Spirit Night: Our next spirit night of the year will occur on Jan. 30th at Jersey Mikes at Parkside Town Commons. Eat in for dinner after 4 pm and 15% of all sale will come directly back to the school!

 

 

Timely Arrival After Winter Break 

Now that we are back from winter break, it is critically important that your children arrive at school on time each day. Our morning arrival window is from 8:45 - 9:15 AM, and our staff need to be in place for instruction beginning promptly at 9:15. Staff assisting with morning carpool will come inside promptly at 9:10 AM. This has always been the case at Hortons Creek. If you arrive on or after 9:15, please remember that an adult will need to sign your child in. There are rare occasions when weather might cause our carpool line to become backed up (rain, sleet, snow, etc) which may delay our start time which we can accommodate, but generally our Carpool Line is very efficient and closes promptly at 9:15 AM. For more information on our procedures, please refer back to our Student/Family Guide shared at the start of the year. The following information has also been in my weekly message since November 22:

Important Sign-In/Sign-Out Reminders for Families:

• Phone and ID Required: For the safety of all students, parents must bring a valid photo ID and their phone when signing out a student or checking in as a visitor.

• QR Code Check-In: Please allow time for the system to process your check-in when using the QR code. Be sure to wait for the "Thank You" screen to appear, then ring the doorbell.

• Morning Carpool: Staff assisting with morning carpool will come inside promptly at 9:10 AM

• Tardy Policy: Students are expected to be in their seats by 9:15 AM. Any student arriving after this time will be marked tardy.

• Late Arrival Sign-In: To ensure accurate attendance, students arriving late must be signed in by a parent or guardian. If not signed in, they may be marked absent for the day.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and efficient environment for our school community!

 

Girls on the Run

 

 

Wake Pre-K online application now available

Families of children who will be 4 years old by Aug. 31, 2025 are eligible to apply. Families can submit one application to determine their eligibility for one of three different services: WCPSS Title I Pre-K, NC Pre-K or Telamon Head Start.

 

Town of Cary hosting Share & Care resource fair for students with disabilities Feb. 7

The Share & Care resource and networking fair will take place on Feb. 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Herbert C. Young Community Center, 101 Wilkinson Ave., Cary. Whether you're a parent, caregiver, or individual with disabilities – or someone seeking information and connections – this event is perfect for you. This free, all-ages drop-in event is designed for everyone from preschoolers to seniors.

 

Reminder: School Grounds Are for Hortons Creek Students and Staff

For the safety and well-being of our students and staff, we kindly remind parents, families, and community members that Hortons Creek grounds are NOT available for walking, biking, bird watching, or exercising during school hours. School grounds should not be viewed as if they are a public park as doing so poses significant safety concerns to students and staff, particularly during the school day. Your understanding and cooperation helps us maintain a safe and focused environment for everyone. Thank you for making student and staff safety our top priority.

Student Absences: 

Please be mindful of your child’s absences. If your child has 5 or more absences throughout the year, we will ask for a doctor’s note for any subsequent absence that families would like to be marked excused. Please also note that because class attendance and participation are critical elements of the educational process, any absences, whether excused or unexcused, can have a negative impact on your child’s academic achievement. 

 

Other People Matter Club

 

 

Reminder: students should come to school prepared each and every day 

We’ve noticed an increase in items, lunches, and other forgotten belongings being dropped off at the front office during the instructional day. To help minimize disruptions and support student preparedness, please work with your child to ensure they have everything they need before leaving for school each morning. Thank you! 

 

 

 

25-26 Enrollment 

Enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year is open now. Please register rising k siblings ASAP

https://www.wcpss.net/Page/33753

 

Kids Heart Challenge

Hello, Heart Heroes! Are you ready? Kids Heart Challenge is coming to our school soon! We have exciting things planned this year to get us moving, helping others and having fun. Get a head start by signing up today and helping your student choose a daily health challenge. Visit our school page at Hortons Creek KHC Page or download the AHA Schools app! Final Collection Date January 31, 2025.

 

 

Hawks Nest Courtyard Lunch Reminder
At Hortons Creek, we value family engagement, and lunch visits can be a special treat for both students and families. However, we ask that interested parents/guardians use this opportunity sparingly. Limited space means frequent and repeated visits may prevent other families from having a chance, and can unintentionally hinder students' sense of self-confidence, independence, and maturity. 

 

Other ways to be involved at Hortons Creek:

• Join the PTA

• Student Showcase Events

• Spirit Nights

• Invest in the Nest Fundraiser

• Grade Level Coordinators

• PTA General Meetings

• Bike, Walk, and Roll to School

• Field Trip Chaperones
  
  

Lunch Safety Reminder
For the safety of all our students, please avoid packing lunches in glass containers if your child packs lunch. We ask that you use plastic, metal, or other non-breakable materials that won’t shatter if dropped. This helps us ensure a safer environment in the cafeteria and classrooms. Thank you for your cooperation

 

Important Upcoming Dates: 

• Tuesday January 18: Report Cards Go Home 

• Thursday January 30: PTA Spirit Night @ Jersey Mike's (Parkside Town Commons)
  
  

Personal Student Devices Reminder

Please be reminded that while smartphones and other personal electronic devices can be brought to school, they should be kept put away in a student's backpack during the instructional day to minimize distractions and maintain a focused learning environment. Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter 

How to Purchase a 24-25 HCES Yearbook 

You can use this link to purchase our 24-25 Yearbook. You will have to sign up by completing the form through the TreeRing website before you can purchase a yearbook. If you have any questions, please reach out to Amanda Morton at amorton@wcpss.net.  

 

Gym/PE Reminder:
Families: please be advised that if your child is to be excused from any Physical Education (PE) activities, a doctor’s note is required. This note must clearly state the limitations on the student’s activity and the specific duration of the restriction. Without proper documentation, all students are expected to participate in PE. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. 

 

Student/Family Handbook 

Please take a moment to bookmark our new and improved 24-25 Student/Family Handbook. This document provides you with a wealth of information about Hortons Creek Procedures including safety and security, arrival and dismissal, school policies including medication, and other important information for our families. 

Things to Note:

1. Please connect to our school calendar on our webpage. All of our school events are listed on our school calendar located on our school’s website on the left side of the home page. 

Have a great weekend!

Michael Parker West 

Principal