Monday, January 22, 2018

NewsNotes 1/21/2018

From Principal Nardelli
Assembly Recap - This past Friday at our All School Assembly, under the backdrop of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of a more equitable society, I shared the story titled Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev.  The basic story is about a boy who wants to bring his pet elephant to a pet club and is told that elephants aren't allowed.  At our assembly and in classroom discussions afterwards, we talked about the following:
  1. Friendship - What kinds of things do friends do for each other?
  2. Exclusion - What are some reasons that people (or pets) are excluded? Is this what we want for our school community?
  3. Inclusion - What does it mean to be inclusive? How can we foster an environment this is inclusive of all?
  4. Social action - What can individuals and groups of people do to make change happen?
  5. Exploring feelings - How do the various character feel in this story?  What connections can we draw from the experiences of the characters?
If you would like to read the story at home and discuss at home, I’ve included a link to a pdf of the story: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QfRji-sATF8LpiK0M9oCqlmf-gq7Rlb8/view?usp=sharing

Peek Week - Thank you to David Tynes for sharing the students’ past 6-8 weeks worth of work.  They’ve been learning a variety of gymnastics skills as well as healthy fitness habits. It is amazing to see the progression of skills that takes place from the beginning of the unit to the end, as well as between grade levels.  We had lots of support from families…there were large audiences all week and the kids were so excited to have visitors see their strength, their desire to help one another, and their willingness to take risks.  Thanks so much to all the friends and family members who came out to support this event.

Winter Concert - Thank you to Megan Lotz, Geoff Wadsworth, and our 4th and 5th grade students for the musical performances last week. We had a packed house for the evening performance, and it was well worth it.  The string ensemble, the band, and the chorus all showed their respective talents and their ability to play/sing together in sometimes tricky arrangements.  It was impressive to see how much these musicians have grown since last year.

Geography Bee - Each year our school participates in the National Geographic Geography Bee, which  is open to all 4th and 5th grade students.  Children take a series of written tests to determine a set of 10 finalists for our school.  This year’s finalists are: Layth Abduljabbar, Campbell Engler, Leah Gelfand, Aritra Ghosh, Alex Gleason, Rory Griffith, Lila Anapolle, Peter Edwards, and Raylen Li.  We held the finals competition this morning and Alex Gleason emerged as the Horace Mann champion, with Aritra Ghosh coming in second place. Congratulations to all of our contestants.
    Progress Reports: Progress reports will be published electronically in the first week of February.  Details about how to access the reports will be provided just prior to February 5th.  Please let me know if you do not receive any information.

    I thought I would leave you with the following poem, in hopes of sending a reminder to occasionally shift our focus from "deficit thinking" (or thinking that we don't have enough) to one of opportunity...

    Be Thankful
    (author unknown)
    Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire.
    If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
    Be thankful when you don’t know something, 
    for it gives your the opportunity to learn.

    Be thankful for the difficult times.
    During those times you grow.
    Be thankful for your limitations, 
    because they give you opportunities for improvement.
    Be thankful for each new challenge, 
    because it will build your strength and character.

    Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.
    Be thankful when you’re tired and weary,
    because it means you’ve made a difference.

    It’s easy to be thankful for the good things.
    A life of rich fulfillment comes to the who
    are also thankful for the setbacks.
    Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
    Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
    and they can become your blessings.
    Calendar

    Science Fair
    January 26
    Parent Pick-up Basketball Night
    February 2
    Mystery Dinner
    February 3
    Visit the entire Horace Mann Calendar at www.horacemannpto.com
    From the PTO

    Sign up for Science Night! January, 26, 2018.

    Registration for the 10th Annual Horace Mann Science and Engineering Night has been extended—the deadline is Wednesday, Monday 1/24, to sign up for a project or for pizza!!
    The event takes place in the Horace Mann gymnasium on Friday, January 26, 2018 from 6 PM to 8 PM.  It is an interactive, kid-propelled, noncompetitive evening of science fun.  

    Kids (working alone or with siblings or friends - just have at least one adult) can do an experiment or demonstration--the only requirement is that it fit on half a tabletop, and that there is some kind of written explanation of the science behind it - a poster, a drawing, etc.   Do not get hung up on complexity or sophistication!  We want kid-quality work!  

    Mr. Nardelli and several teachers will emcee.  In past years there has been a wonderful 'buzz' as people milled around each table, asking questions and trying out the hands-on demonstrations. This is also EASY ON PARENTS!  You can design your own project, or look at the webpages listed below, each with step-by-step instructions and an explanation of the science involved.  

    NEED PROJECT IDEAS? Check out these websites for great projects

    REGISTRATION:  Registration deadline is Friday, January 19.
    Click on the registration link and fill out the GoogleDocs form :https://goo.gl/forms/PDhwh9psYzpyKRUs1
    You can also pre-order pizza on the registration form!
    ANY QUESTIONS? Contact Kari Jensen at kari.myriah@gmail.com
    We hope you and your child will join in doing a project! See you there!

    Parent “Pick-up” Night
    [Store_URL_Link]
    Come play basketball at Horace Mann
    Friday, February 2, 7-10 p.m.
    This is an adults ONLY event to come out, play some basketball with your fellow parents, have a great time and help your PTO while you do it. 

    They are only 20 spots for this and they will be sold online- 1st-come-1st-served. The cost is $25 per player for 3 hours of court time. We’ll make fair and balanced teams that night.  Get ready to run...or at least aggressively jog up and down the court your kids play on everyday!

    Register now... the limited 20 slots will go FAST!!


    Get your tickets for the Mystery Dinner! 
    [Store_URL_Link]
    You are cordially invited to the Horace Mann Mystery Dinner, Saturday, February 3, 2018.
    HERE’S HOW IT WORKS
    6:30PM
    We all begin the evening at the Appetizer Party where we receive our dining assignments
    8:00PM
    We split up and head to our new hosts’ houses for dinner
    10:00PM
    After dinner, we all reconvene at a surprise location for dessert and coffee
    The Appetizer Party will be hosted by
    Kate and Greg Ploussios
    11 Eden Avenue
    Be sure to purchase your tickets by January 26. Suggested donation of $40 per person. Proceeds benefit the HM PTO. 
    When you do, you will select your two favorite menu themes from the following:
    NAPA VALLEY
    GRILL 28
    ITALIAN!
    FLAVORS FROM PUERTO RICO
    SEASONAL AMERICAN
    COMFORT CHIC
    SOUTHWEST
    “MYSTERY DINNER”
    A TASTE OF JAPAN
    FAJITAS AND RITAS
    FESTA DO BRASIL
    ESCAPE FROM WINTER COZY COMFORT 
    You can click on your store link and purchase on-line or fill out the paper invite your child brought home from school and return it to the PTO mailbox. If you have questions, please email Liz Kleinerman (ejkleinerman@gmail.com) or Cathy Amos (catamos@mac.com). 



    SAVE THE DATE!
    Spring Auction 
    Saturday, March 24, 2018

    Monday, January 1, 2018

    Peek Week Schedule

    PEEK WEEK 2018 

                                       January 8th - 12th                                  

    Please come and see Horace Mann’s finest during their Health, Physical Education, & Wellness class.  The children in all grades and ability levels have been working hard on building muscle, increasing flexibility, improving balance, and working cooperatively.

    Please feel free to visit your child’s P.E. classes during the week of January 8th thru January 12th

    Please keep in mind this is not a competitive event.  Rather, it is an opportunity for family members to come and see the kids learning while enjoying the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle.  Please refer to the schedule below for your child’s class, dates, and times.

    Thanks,
    David Tynes



    Horace Mann School Physical Education Schedule 2017 -2018

    Monday            
    9:20    5Feldstein           11:25 4 Berardi/Fisher         1:05 1 Gower
    9:55    5Akdag/Dias       11:55 Hoover                       1:45 3 Bard
    10:25  5Moore               12:25 4 Oldmixon                2:20 3 Harris

    Tuesday
    8:35 3   Rosen       11:15 Rose
    9:10 3   Harris        12:00 APE 1
    10:00    Sand

    Wednesday (K’s 45 minutes)
    8:45    3Rosen               11:25 KSeyferth                   
    9:45    KBonzey             12:30 2Lewis               2:20 3Bard
    10:35   KFerland            1:05 2Bartley

    Thursday (K’s 45 minutes)
    9:00    2Bartley
    9:45    KSeyferth              12:30  2Lewis              2:20 1Chatfield
    10:35   KFerland              1:40    2Sandison
    11:25   KBonzey       

    Friday
    9:20    4Oldmixon             11:00 5Feldstein                1:05 1Rose
    9:55    4Hoover                 11:35 5Akdag/Dias            1:40 1Chatfield
    10:25   4Berardi/Fisher      12:05 5Moore                    2:15 1Gower