Horse Creek Academy

📵 Free to Focus at HCA 📵 👉 At Monday’s Board Meeting on November 18th, we introduced the Free to Focus SC framework—an initiative developed by the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) and mandated for all SC public schools. 🧠 This policy is designed to create a focused, phone-free learning environment that fosters meaningful engagement, collaboration, and the development of essential skills outlined in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. By limiting personal electronic device use during the school day, students can thrive in a distraction-free space, building focus and interpersonal skills critical for success in college, careers, and life. 📅 What’s Next? The Board will discuss and vote on specific policies for "Free to Focus" at the next meeting on Monday, December 16th at 6pm. 🎉 Looking Ahead: Don’t worry, we have plenty of time to plan for this together as a Village! The Free to Focus policy at HCA will officially begin on January 13th—the perfect time to align with those New Year’s resolutions to start fresh and stay focused. ❗️Check out the detailed guide (especially that FAQ page!) in the pics below, or check out the PDF version at https://5il.co/31hd3 💙 We know change can be hard/scary, but we’re excited about the positive impact this initiative will have in our Village. We can't wait to share more info, facts, and resources with you this Winter!

🌟 Celebrating Our 2024-2025 Mini Grant Winners! 🌟 ❤️ The HCA Mini-Grant Program is a cherished tradition that brings our pillars of connection, flexibility, and service to life. Each year, our Village nominates local nonprofits to receive grants of $500 or $1,000, helping them make an even greater impact. We’re thrilled to announce this year’s recipients! 🎉 $500 Grant: Hope for Hooves Hope for Hooves combines equine rescue with child mentorship, providing a safe, healing space for children who have experienced trauma. Their equine-assisted programs nurture both children and animals, fostering growth, hope, and connection in our Village. 🎉 $500 Grant: ACTS For nearly 40 years, ACTS has supported our community by providing essential resources like food, clothing, and medical assistance. With partnerships across the CSRA, ACTS continues to strengthen underserved areas of Aiken County, embodying service and connection. 🎉 $1,000 Grant: Nurture Home Nurture Home supports homeless women battling mental illness, offering individualized care to help them rebuild their lives. By breaking the cycle of homelessness and fostering independence, Nurture Home is a cornerstone of our Village’s support network. 💙 Thank you to these incredible organizations for their dedication to making our community stronger. We are the Village!

👋 Hello, HCA Village!   📧 We wanted to take a quick moment, to let you know that we are resending a schoolwide email originally sent on November 8th regarding student-led clubs in Middle and High School. Even though we only have student-led clubs in our Middle/High grade levels, there has been misinformation on Social media regarding their presence at our elementary level, where they do not exist and are not advertised, so we wanted to be sure to continue to share this information with the whole Village.   📲 The decision to reshare this message today comes in light of recent social media rumors, and we want to ensure all families have accurate information. Please click the following link to view the full message: https://5il.co/30shb   💻 Getting to the message on our website is also super easy, just go to www.hcacs.net, click Menu, click Documents, and then just click on our 2024-25 Communications Folder to see all of our messages!   💙 Thanks, HCA Village, we love you and hope you have a great afternoon! As always, we are here to answer any of your questions.

👋 Good morning HCA Village, 🚨 We wanted to let you know that our campus is participating in a Secure Drill this morning. These drills are a routine part of ensuring our campus remains a safe and prepared learning environment. ⏰ Our goal is to keep families informed when drills like this occur to maintain clear communication and ease any potential concerns. The drill will take less than 15 minutes, and we’ll return to our regular schedule immediately afterward. 💙 Thank you for your continued support in helping us prioritize the safety and well-being of our students. Have a wonderful day! ❓ Want to learn more about HCA’s Standard Response protocols for emergencies? Head tohttps://5il.co/2wrql

📚✨ We’re excited to announce the HCA Fall Book Fair coming to HCA November 18th - November 22nd! 💙 Elementary Students will visit the Book Fair with their classes throughout the week. 💛 Middle/High Students can attend with a direct pass from their teacher 💵 Pro Tip! Setting up an E-Wallet for your child is a great way to make sure book money isn’t lost. Use the link below to set it up; it only takes a moment! 📲https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/horsecreekacademy 🎉 And make sure to join us for Family Book Fair Night! Join us on Thursday, November 21st, from 5 PM - 7 PM for a special evening of shopping! It’s the perfect opportunity for families to pick out books together and celebrate the love of reading. 📖 Mark your calendars and get ready to shop for some fantastic books!

🍂 Friday, 11/22: A Day of Thankfulness! 🍂 🦃 In honor of this season of gratitude, students are welcome to wear a Thanksgiving/Fall-inspired outfit or a shirt with a thankful message as we prepare for Thanksgiving Break! 💛 As always, students can also wear their Friday spirit gear or uniform—no stress either way! 💙 We’re so thankful for our incredible Village and the joy you bring to our school every day.

🌹✨ Be Our Guest! ✨🌹 Join the HCA Village Players as they bring the enchanting story of Beauty and the Beast Jr. to life on stage! Prepare for a magical night filled with unforgettable songs, captivating characters, and a tale as old as time. 🎶💫 📅 Performance Dates: Friday, December 6th & Saturday, December 7th 🕖 Showtime: 6:30 PM 🎟 Tickets: Just $10 each – a perfect family night out! 📲 Purchase now https://tinyurl.com/hcabeautybeastjr 🕯️🏰🌹 Don't miss this chance to see our talented cast shine! Tickets are limited, so grab yours now and get ready to experience the magic! 👉 Trouble accessing the purchase site? Some wifi systems do not like the HCA Online Store, so try using your cellular data to get to it!

🇺🇸 This Veterans Day, we invite all veterans and community members to join us at Horse Creek Academy for a special Veterans Program, presented by the HCA Bands! Join us on Thursday, November 14th, at 6:00 PM as we honor and celebrate the brave men and women who have served our country. ❤️ We’re excited to offer this program in the evening to make it easier for our community to participate. Come enjoy an evening filled with music, respect, and gratitude, as we say thank you to those who have sacrificed for our freedom. 🗓 Date: Thursday, November 14th ⏰ Time: 6:00 PM 📍 Location: HCA Gym 🎟️ Please RSVP here: https://forms.office.com/r/mHD16U21iu

🏟️ Ready to hit a home run and join the HCA Village? ⚾️ We're looking for a new HCA Head Baseball Coach! 📧 Interested? Email your resume to our Athletic Director, Mr. Walker, at lwalker@hcacs.net.

🇺🇸 Just a reminder that HCA is closed today in observance of Election Day. 🗳️ Enjoy the day, and we’ll see you back at school tomorrow!

Howdy HCA Village, Happy November! These weeks fly by fast as we approach the holiday season, so make sure to stay in the know with the info at https://5il.co/30iq1 🍁🧡🍁

📢 Special HCA Board Election Announcement! 📢 🧑‍⚖️ The HCA Board is holding a special election to fill the seat of the wonderful Ashley McCormick, who has recently stepped down. This is an exciting opportunity for those passionate about serving our school community! ➡️ Apply Now: If you're interested in joining our dedicated board, applications are open and due by November 18th. Submit your application at https://forms.office.com/r/snWa4KGRjn. ➡️ Nominee Announcement: Nominees will be shared on December 2nd in our Weekly Update and here on Facebook! ➡️ Voter Registration: Families, remember to register to vote for this election! Register at https://forms.office.com/r/u1cFF6VbRj by December 6th to participate in the election on December 10th. 💙 Let’s come together to fill this role for our Village!

🏐🌟 Big News Alert! 🌟🏐 We are beyond excited to announce that Savannah Savage has been named the All-Region Player of the Year AND has earned a spot on the South Carolina Coaches Association of Women’s Sports (SCCAWS) All-State Volleyball Team! 🎉 🏅💪 This incredible achievement is a testament to Savannah's hard work, dedication, and talent on the court. All-State Volleyball players are chosen from nominations sent in by high school coaches from each region, with a selection committee representing each region across the state. Out of 94 girls selected statewide, Savannah has made it to the list, and we couldn't be more proud! 🏆🎊 Let’s give a huge congratulations to Savannah for her outstanding accomplishments and celebrate this amazing moment for our school and community! 👇❤️ Drop a comment below to show Savannah some love and support!

🎃 Reminder: HCA Trunk or Treat is TOMORROW! 👻 Join us from 5-8pm tomorrow, 10/26, for decorated trunks, tons of candy, live performances, delicious food, and a special visit from Lightning McQueen! 🚗 IMPORTANT: All parking and student drop-off (unless you’ve purchased a spot) will be in our back lot; that is the entrance by the big boulder! If you come to the normal car line entrance we will have to make you turn around...and that's no fun! 💙

📚🎓 Join Us for Dual Enrollment Night at HCA! 🎓📚 High school families (and middle school families looking ahead) are invited to learn about our amazing Dual Enrollment opportunities with USCA and Aiken Tech on Tuesday, 10/29 at 6pm! Dual Enrollment is a fantastic way for students to earn college credits while still in high school, giving them a head start on their future. This could also be a time to explore other unique dual enrollment partnerships that your family may be interested in with one of our guidance counselors. Last year, our Valedictorian, Ethan Strock, even completed Dual Enrollment with the University of Alabama, where he now attends! 💙 Don't miss this chance to explore all the ways HCA can help your student succeed!

🤠 Howdy, HCA Village! Welcome back! We hope you and your family enjoyed a refreshing break last week. As we jump back into our routine, we’re excited to share several opportunities to get involved at HCA this week—what a perfect way to demonstrate #service! Click the link below to explore all the ways you can engage with our community, as well as other important updates. Thank you in advance for your continued support! 📲 https://5il.co/2zcpx

🎉 Enjoy your break week, HCA Village! We can’t wait to see you back on Monday, October 21st! 💙 While you’re enjoying some time off, we’ve got two awesome supply drives ready to start at HCA now through October 25th. You can drop off items in the Elementary Foyer anytime during the break, or wait until we return! 🧡 Donation Drive for Aiken Senior Life Services 🧡 HCA is supporting Aiken Senior Life Services by collecting adult diapers, a critical need for local seniors, especially following Hurricane Helene. Drop off donations in the Elementary Foyer during break or bring them to Cottage Office when we’re back. Your generosity will make a huge difference! 🍬 PTO Halloween Candy Drive 🍬 Help us stock up for our Trunk or Treat on Saturday, October 26th! We’re asking for donations of large bags of candy to make this event sweet and special for our students and community. It’s free admission, so we go through A TON of candy! Your contributions will help make this event a success! 💛 Thank you for being such an amazing Village, HCA!

🏐 Our Varsity Volleyball Team is UNDEFEATED and making HCA history! This is a HUGE first for our school and our athletic department! 🙌 We're so proud of our incredible players, dedicated coaches, and the amazing families and fans who have been cheering us on every step of the way! 🚙 They’re playing Calhoun County RIGHT NOW, and we know they are bringing that famous HCA energy and heart to the game! 🔥 These girls are on fire 🔥 🤩Also, how amazing is this video? It was made by our very own HCA Media students; be sure to follow their channel on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRbS7Akv0RQ

😊 Good news! 📸 We know a lot has happened since we sent home fall picture proofs, so we’ve extended the picture order deadline! You now have until Friday, 10/25 to place your orders. 🍓 Simply go to strawbridge.net to order!

👋 HCA Village, we have some great news! 💡 Power has been restored, and we’re ready to welcome our students back to campus on Monday, October 7th! Thanks to Aiken Electric Co-op and all the linemen working hard across our county! 💙 We know this past week has been challenging, so we’re excited to bring back a sense of normalcy just before Fall Break. Here are a few important details to help make our return smooth: 👕 Uniforms: If you can wear your uniform, awesome! If you can’t due to any power-related issues, this will be a free dress week. Just be sure to follow our general dress code, check it out at https://www.hcacs.net/page/high-school-dress-code 💻 Chromebooks: Middle & High School students, no worries if your Chromebook is out of battery! We’ve set up Chromebook charging stations throughout the Middle/High School to help you get back on track. 🍴 Lunch: We’re stocked with extra meals for the week! If you’re unable to pack a lunch, the Canteen is ready with meals for purchase. Plus, the food truck will be available for Middle/High School lunches! 💛 We know this has been an unusual time, but as we settle back in, let’s show each other grace, kindness, and embrace the spirit of our Village. ❗️ If your family is facing challenges or transportation issues, please reach out to Dr. Taylor directly at ataylor@hcacs.net. 🎉 We can’t wait to see everyone on Monday! Note: We have a few robos scheduled today and tomorrow to share this info. We know cell service is still wonky in some areas, so we are just trying to make everyone aware!