Horace Mann Building and Design Committee Meeting Reminder

 Dear HM Families,

As a reminder, there is a meeting of the Horace Mann School Building and Design Review Committees on Thursday evening at 6:00pm. You probably have the link for the meeting already, but if not here it is: https://newtonma-gov.zoom.us/j/81498253314?pwd=NE82VDU4ZEx3NUZQK3ljcHFNR21pdz09.

At this meeting we will be going over a few minor changes to the site plan and interior floor plans.

I will also be explaining Thursday evening that this will be our last meeting where the SBC takes the lead. After this meeting, the SBC will join the DRC on Wednesday evenings as we move further into the schematic design phase and start working on Site Plan Approval. This does not in any way diminish the role of the SBC. The DRC has always welcomed feedback, input, and questions from the SBC members. We've still got lots of design work left to do so there will be ample opportunity to stay involved and help continue to shape the future of this project. This transition occurs to align the process with the City of Newton Revised Ordinances that drive the roles and responsibilities of the Design Review Committee.

Regards,
​
Josh Morse
Public Buildings Commissioner
Public Buildings Department
City of Newton

Horace Mann Principal Update 10/22/23

Horace Mann Principal - Update October 22nd, 2023 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

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Panorama Education - The Newton Public Schools has partnered with Panorama Education, a student survey and social emotional platform, to support us in gathering information and providing school based supports. Twice a year, in October and February, classroom teachers will fill out a short (7 question) survey that asks about teachers' impressions of student well being and engagement in the classroom. The survey will serve as a screening tool that will provide us with big picture information about how our students present in school. The data will provide invaluable insights into our students’ experiences and how we can improve and adapt our district to better meet their needs. In practice, this could include conducting whole class SEL lessons, refining Hawk Family placements, creating lunch and snack groups, or organizing peer leadership groups. Panorama Education also has a wealth of additional ideas for supporting students and helping them stay connected and engaged in school. Panorama aligns with the same framework our Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) program is designed around - the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework. The CASEL framework identifies five core competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Our surveys were created to measure these same competencies. Please reach out to me at nardellimv@newton.k12.ma.us if you have any questions or concerns. Below is a sample of some of the questions that we ask classroom teachers to consider... I'm writing to inform you of the NPS district response to Massachusetts regulation 603 CMR 28.03(1)(f), which mandates early literacy universal screening for all students in grades K-3. The Newton Public Schools has a robust battery of assessments of early literacy skills. Teachers use a variety of methods, including screeners, to monitor reading development, in order to provide targeted support that helps all students thrive as successful readers and develop strong literacy skills. We take this responsibility very seriously. Current Literacy Screening Tools In Newton, we use the following early literacy universal screeners: EarlyBird for Kindergarten and the i-Ready Diagnostic accompanied by 1-1 DIBELS tasks for grades 1-3. These screeners are endorsed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. They provide information about skills related to successful reading and help teachers understand a student's risk of facing challenges. They do not diagnose dyslexia or other reading disabilities. Reporting to Families Following the screening assessments, grade-level teams review results with literacy specialists and principals. As a result of the new MA regulations, families will receive a report detailing children’s outcomes within 30 school days. If your child scores significantly below benchmark levels, we will also share an intervention plan. Also, your child’s teacher will talk about this topic at your fall conferences. This is not a new process for us at Horace Mann. We’ve been conducting assessments like the above, identifying students in need of intervention, and communicating with families in a variety of ways. Our aim is to collaborate with you in creating the best possible outcomes for your child's academic journey. We firmly believe that screening is one crucial step in fostering proficient readers. We are grateful for your continuous support and ongoing partnership in this journey. If you have any questions about the early literacy universal screening process, please contact Deana Lew, Elementary Literacy Coordinator, at lewd@newton.k12.ma.us. Mark Nardelli Mark is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters

A Message from NPS Principals

Dear HM Families,

Over the course of this week, NPS building and district leaders and the superintendent  have been working together to support our community and to reflect on the week’s events. Collectively, we felt it was important to share the following message as an expression of our ongoing care and learning in these difficult times.  

We share outrage and horror at the Hamas-led terrorist attack against Jewish and Israeli civilians and we recognize that some families did not hear us name those events and feelings in some of our initial communications. The unspeakable acts of violence that have been committed against innocent people are an atrocity. The loss of civilian lives in this attack, and ensuing war, has caused deep and lasting trauma for so many students and families here in Newton. 

As an NPS team, our messages earlier this week were intended to convey support for our Israeli and Palestinian families, our community members with ties to the region, and all those impacted by violence and war. As a part of our commitment to keeping all children safe, we will continue to listen and engage in thoughtful conversations about how best to communicate and to be responsive to our diverse community's needs. 

Through all of our shared work this week, it is abundantly clear that there is a common thread to the diverse viewpoints, opinions, feedback, stories, and reflections we have heard from our NPS families and students. Everyone, regardless of background, faith, or experiences yearns for reassurance that their children are safe and their identities are honored and protected. 

As Dr. Nolin has written and reaffirmed in recent remarks at the city’s forum on hate and antisemitism, please know that our educators remain steadfast in their commitment to ensuring all students are valued, respected, and supported and that our communities are free from harassment, discrimination, and hate. We will continue to work together with our district and school leadership teams to support our students.

Sincerely, 

Newton Public School Principals