School Auction: This year’s auction was a fun and new experience for parents. A dedicated committee of volunteers turned the NNHS cafeteria into a beautifully decorated space, with hula hoop chandeliers, hay bale couches, a cornhole court, and a dress up area. There was a stellar performance by the dad supergroup “The Deceptive Lemons”, square dance lessons and even bull riding! Thanks to all of the families who came out to contribute and enjoy the atmosphere. Thanks also to everyone who participated in the online and live portions of the auction. The funds raised will go towards supporting our efforts to enrich the offerings and experiences of the students at Horace Mann.
Blue Zone Improvements: Thank you to families for supporting our efforts to improve the safety of our dismissal time over these past two weeks. People have been much better about staying off of the grass, which is a tremendous help. Please continue to support safe dismissal procedures!
Fostering Conversations Workshop Follow Up - Thank you to all of the families who came out to participate in our Fostering Conversations Event, which served as an introduction to helping families reflect on their role in talking to our children about the different perspectives that we bring to school each day. For those of you who missed it, there are two opportunities to get a sense of what we discussed:
- Monday, March 20th - Morning Coffee with Principal Nardelli. At this session, we will re-do the first activity from the evening event. This will take place from 8:20-9:00am
- Wednesday, March 22nd - The City of Newton is offering an evening event titled: “Talking to Children About Race” from 7-8:30 pm at the Angier School. Mike Feldstein (5th grade teacher at HM) will lead two activities similar to the ones we shared last week. Click on the following link to register: https://goo.gl/forms/eDB56M2MEcUz7aUX2
Next Generation MCAS: This year all third, fourth, and fifth grade students will take the new statewide assessment, MCAS 2.0. This will replace PARCC, which students took for the past two years. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is requiring that all grade 4 students take the Computer-Based Test (CBT) with the goal of students in all grades taking the CBT by the year 2019. At HM, we elected to have students in grades 3 and 5 take the Paper-Based Test (PBT) this year.
With the adoption of another new test, we find ourselves in a position of thinking carefully about how we want to prepare students. We feel strongly that the high-quality instruction we provide students with each day is the best way we can prepare them for external assessments. That said, the new exam format and testing situation are different from students’ routine experiences and we have a responsibility to introduce students to the testing environment, the types of questions, and the vocabulary. We know we need to be thoughtful about how we accomplish preparation for the test, as we do not want to “teach to the test” and/or create unnecessary stress or anxiety. Therefore, teachers will spend some time in class teaching strategies to help students feel comfortable and confident during the testing situation. Strategies will include reading test directions, unpacking questions, and using a reference sheet. Teachers will reassure students that throughout the year they have learned the content to help them be successful. To minimize stress, teachers will also share with their classes that the results of the assessment are used for multiple purposes such as, planning for growth in future years and determining if additional shifts in our curriculum are necessary.
As a parent, your role should be to minimize the emphasis on this test as a measure of student proficiency. Given the timing of the results, the uncertainty of the test format and content, and the nature of standardized testing, we encourage you to downplay how important these results are for any individual student.
Here is the schedule of testing for this year:
ELA (Reading/Writing)
Grade 3 - April 25th, April 26th, and April 28th
Grade 4 - April 3rd, April 5th, and April 6th
Grade 5 - April 7th, April 10th, and April 13th
MATH
Grade 3 - May 4th and May 5th
Grade 4 - May 15th and May 16th
Grade 5 - May 1st and May 3rd
FROM THE PTO
These Horace Mann Parents were happy to "Stand by Your Mann" on Saturday at the spring auction and Country Hoedown. Thank you to all of the parents who support the PTO And the school, including Principal Nardelli, who is always up for a wild ride!
2017 Horace Mann Talent Show—APRIL 1, 1pm, FA Day Auditorium!
Registration is Open NOW through March 14! Get your little performers ready--the HM Talent Show is around the corner! Get the kids out of hibernation and have them ready to showcase their special talents-—from piano solos to dances, from martial arts to stand-up comic acts…show us that HM's Got Talent! For non-performers, come and support your classmates—it is always a fun and entertaining day! To register your performers, click here. We will hold previews of all acts on March 17 at 3pm—this helps us understand types of performances and timing so we may develop a strong and well-balanced program.
Spirit Wear—get your Hawks gear, coming soon!
Basketball shorts looking a little tired? Outgrow your flannel pj pants? Need another snazzy hoodie for your collection—we’ve got you covered! We have ordered all your favorite spirit wear items, along with some new additions so you can show off your love for Horace Mann! Very soon, you will see samples in the front lobby and be able to order your items online. Our goal is to get all orders in before April break so that items deliver well in time for Fitness for Life. So, stay tuned for more info and get ready to donate the old and bring in the new!
