The Hornets Buzz
Friday, May 6, 2022
Horizon West Middle School
HWMS Community Member,

I am so proud of the students at Horizon West Middle! I know that all of our students put their best effort into testing this past week. Way to go Hornets! Thank you to all of our parents who supported your child to do their best and to all of our wonderful teachers, who have worked tirelessly to make sure our students were ready and successful!

Next, we have the NGSSS 8th Grade Science and 7th Grade Civics test on May 12th. Then Common Final Exams (CFE) starting on May 16th. CFE’s are administered in all Science, History (except Civics) and elective courses. 

Congratulations to our A-B Honor Roll students that we celebrated last week. Invitations have been sent home for our Awards ceremony taking place on May 12th. 

Each day we move closer to what everyone is most excited about – SUMMER BREAK! Please take the time to review your student’s coursework and grades in Skyward/CANVAS and ensure your student turns in all missing work. The last day of school is around the corner and I want all of our Hornets to stay focused on crossing the finish line strong and doing their best. We know that the impending Summer Break will be especially exciting for many of our Hornets. However, we need everyone to continue working hard and be on their best behavior.

Don’t forget to regularly visit horizonwestms.ocps.net to get more information concerning all things Horizon West Middle.

Here are the highlights for this week. I hope you enjoy and thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Michelle Thomas, Principal
Useful Links
Connect with HWMS
8200 Tattant Drive
Orlando, FL 37486
(407) 554-1570
Dates to Watch For
May 5-6: FSA - Math, Algebra I, Geometry *
May 6: Last Day of Teacher Appreciation Week '22
May 8: Happy Mother's Day!
May 10: Spring Chorus Concert, Horizon High School Auditorium
May 11: OCPS "Summer Tips for Parents" (virtual workshop), 10am
May 11-13: Horizon High School Cheerleading Tryouts, 5-7pm
May 12: NGSSS 8th Grade Science Test, 7th Grade Civics Test *
May 16-20: CFE Testing *
May 17: Final PTSO Meeting of 2021-2022, 5:30pm (Includes new Board voting)
May 18: PTSO Spirit Night at BurgerFi
May 20: 8th Grade Dance
May 25: Last Day of School
May 31: Start of Boys & Girls Club Summer Zone

* Attendance on these testing dates critical as is a good night's rest the evening before. Thank you for your support.
Special Events
May Testing:
Horizon HS Cheerleading Tryouts (May 11-13):
Spring Chorus Concert (May 10):
8th Grade Dance (May 20):
Summer Zone 2022:
Local Business Support
Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza gift card winners!
Another thank you to Piesanos at Lakeside Village and Restaurant manager Steve Kafka for donating $100 worth of gift cards to our school in support of our tutoring programs!
8th Grade Winners Gustavo and Mehdi
7th Grade Winners Marcella and Alexzia
Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza
407-887-1122
7782 Winter Garden Vineland Rd.
Windermere, FL 34786

Sun-Thurs: 11AM to 10PM
Fri-Sat: 11AM to 11PM
Students of the Week
6th Grade:
Ennio Sasso
Nominated by Mrs. Aulerich- “Ennio is a wonderful student and baseball player. He works hard in school to earn his grades and is a very friendly kid. After turning in one of his essays this year, he had a big smile on his face. He was so proud of himself for all that he had written which just made my teacher heart happy! His work ethic will continue to shine through his academics and on the baseball field.”
Ciniyah Clermont
Nominated by Mr. Hill- “Ciniyah is a student who has been focused on growth all year long and has truly shown a lot of effort when faced with challenges in the classroom. Ciniyah also is a very self-aware student and advocates for herself frequently, which is very important!"
7th Grade:
Beatriz Guerra
Nominated by Ms. Gutierrez- “Beatriz is always full of positivity and kindness. She is always willing to help other students and help me out when I need translation. She is one of a kind!”
Alexzia Lamboy
Nominated by Mrs. Rodgers- “Alexzia was nominated this week for her willingness to go above and beyond in my class. She has maintained an A in my class all year. During our Spring musical The Little Mermaid Jr Alexzia had the part of Ursula and did a phenomenal job. She is a great student and very talented. GREAT JOB ALEXZIA!!!
8th Grade:
Jorie Young
Nominated by Ms. Zuckerman- “Jorie did an amazing job helping me play the music and lights for both dance concerts. I appreciate all her help.”
Clara Alencor
Nominated by Mrs. Gutierrez- “Clara is kind and sweet. Any time I’ve needed help or translation, she jumps right in and helps me. She is a hard worker and is a joy!”
Teacher Spotlight
Congratulations to our “Hornet of the Week” — Coach Davila
(Nominated by Mrs. Miller, 8th grade Math - pictured below right)
“Coach Davila is more than just a PE teacher, he is a mentor and role model to our middle school students. It is evident in the way that our students talk about him, that he truly strives to provide an inviting and fun environment for students. I have many of the students that were on the basketball team this year. Many days they would come in and talk about how Coach Davila was one of their biggest supporters. He is a teacher that is always building students up, encouraging them to be the best that they can be. Students that go to his PE class feel welcomed, and it is clear they are willing to give effort even if they have felt in the past that they don’t have the athletic ability to be successful. He makes PE fun, and gives them the welcome space in the day where students can have a break from the classroom. His classroom may not have rows of desks and textbooks, but the students are learning so much from him.”

Students are saying:

  • “He is interactive with us and is a good teacher overall “
  • “My favorite thing about this teacher is that he teaches PE and he cares a lot about his students”
  • “He always helps people push forward and try their best.”
  • “He's just cool in every way”
  • “He is very nice. He gives you a chance to fix your mistake the first time. He is a man of his word. Also very strong, yeah, very buff.”
And another “Hornet of the Week” — Mrs. Williams, permanent sub
(Nominated by Coach Davila - pictured below right)
“Mrs. Williams is the true definition of a team player. She is always called and plugged in wherever the school needs her and she fills in with an amazing attitude. Her energy is electric and puts everyone around her in a better mood. The students love her. She goes above and beyond to connect with the students and show interest in their personal lives. She often makes funny nicknames for what I feel like is all the students she comes across. I can see the impact that she has on these kids. She may not be considered a teacher but students learn from her the she carries herself and connects with her students. Mrs. Williams is an amazing asset to our team and she deserves all the praise and respect.”
Hornet Athletics
Track Team News
The girls track team placed 1st overall and boys placed 3rd overall at the cluster championship! Both teams had multiple top 5 finishes and look to continue their success at the district championship on May 10th at Ocoee High School.
Arts and Performing Arts News
Beginning Band and Jazz Band
Congratulations to our Beginning Band and Jazz Band for their wonderful performances recently! Also, thank you to our band director, Mr. Corneau for your awesome work with our students!
Beginning Band
Jazz Band
Guest Teacher in Dance at HWMS
Mrs. Zuckerman’s dance classes were excited to participate in some fun hip hop classes with guest teacher Christopher (Casper) Lupis. The students quickly immersed themselves into the choreography and had a great time!
Academic Excellence
2021-2022: Quarter 3
Congratulations to all of our students who were celebrated in the A-B Honor Roll Celebration!!
**** 8th Grade ****
**** 7th Grade ****
**** 6th Grade ****
Special Recognition
Lawson Forrester for Public Speaking
Congratulations to Lawson Forrester for placing 3rd in the OCPS Florida 4-H Public Speaking Competition for Middle School.
PTSO
The last PTSO Meeting of the year will be

Tuesday May 17th at 5:30pm.

Voting for the new board will take place at this meeting!

Horizon West PTSO Officer Elections & Committee Interest 2022-23

As we head towards our fourth year, our current officers are moving on after serving for 2+ years. We need you to keep our vision alive (and moving forward through COVID-19 restrictions). Please let us know if you are interested in becoming a part of this exciting organization in a small or big way!

Please click on the link below to access this survey:

SAVE THE DATE- BURGERFI Upcoming Spirit Night

May 18th!
Campus Happenings
In Mr. Spangler’s 8th grade science classes students are learning about electrical energy!
In Ms. Dunn's 8th Grade classes students have been preparing for FSA by reviewing content from 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. On this day they were calculating velocity and kinetic energy using marbles and a ramp for some Friday fun!
Food for Thought
WISDOM TO LIVE BY
Inspirational quotes at Mother's Day about a mother's priorities, appreciation for what your mother has done over the years, and how a mother has helped shaped one's life from successful people.
Michelle Obama On Priorities
I love our daughters more than anything in the world ― more than life itself. And while that may not be the first thing that some folks want to hear from an Ivy-league-educated lawyer, it is truly who I am. So for me, being Mom-in-Chief is, and always will be, job number one.
~ Michelle Obama, first lady

George Washington On Gratitude
All I am I owe to my mother.
~ George Washington, 1st US president

Alex Rodriguez's MVP
My mother's the most special person in my life ... I consider her my MVP: Most Valuable Parent.
~ Alex Rodriguez, baseball superstar

Booker T. Washington On Character
If I have done anything in life worth attention, I feel sure that I inherited the disposition from my mother.
~ Booker T. Washington, author

Michael Jordan On Confidence
My mother is my root, my foundation. She planted the seed that I base my life on, and that is the belief that the ability to achieve starts in your mind.
~ Michael Jordan, basketball champion

Mister Rogers On Perspective
When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
~ Mister Rogers, TV personality
Happy Mother's Day!
Ms. Thomas, Principal
Horizon West Middle School
Friday, May 6, 2022
Social Media
Stay Connected with Us
Horizon West Leadership Team
Michelle Thomas - Principal - michelle.thomas@ocps.net
Nicole Hargrett - Assistant Principal - nicole.hargrett@ocps.net
Kevin Flanagan - Assistant Principal - kevin.flanagan@ocps.net
Brian Evans - Admin Dean 6th Grade and 8th Grade (A-L) - brian.evans@ocps.net
Judy Logan - Admin Dean 7th Grade and 8th Grade (M-Z) - judy.logan@ocps.net
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Reproduction of this material, either written or electronically, including the general layout, graphics, analyses, and content topics without the express approval of Target Performance Systems, Inc., a Florida corporation, and OCPS-Horizon West Middle School is forbidden without written consent. Thank you for your support of the Orange County Public Schools and OCPS-Horizon West Middle School. Please contact Ms. Tiffany Stanley at tiffany.stanley@ocps.net with any questions.