Principal Update 1/17/2024

Horace Mann Principal Update January 17th, 2024 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  Not displaying correctly? View in browser Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King's Legacy This week, in addition to stories and activities taking place in the classroom, we are taking time as a school to recognize the teachings of Dr. King in honor of his 95th birthday. This January holiday is a good opportunity to talk about kindness, friendship, empathy, and inclusion, which are all important values of the HM community. Throughout the school, we have posted 12 different quotes that exemplify Dr. King's teachings and values. At some point this week, students will have a chance to talk about one or more of the quotes and what it means for us as individuals and as a community. Students might have a discussion at morning meeting, respond to a writing prompt, or use a quote to help discuss a problem that has come up in class. From there, students will have a chance to share their understanding of the quote through an example or by paraphrasing the quote in their own words. We will then paste the student response up onto the wall next to the quote. You can also talk about these quotes at home. Just click on the link and choose one or more quotes to discuss... Martin Luther King Jr. Kindness Quotes Portrait of a Graduate Sessions - January 17th and 18th This week we will our Portrait of a Graduate work with you, our NPS community. These meetings will set the stage for developing the shared vision for what we want for our students. The sessions will explore the following questions: What are the hopes, dreams, and aspirations that our community has for our young people? What are the skills and mindsets that our children need for success in this rapidly changing and complex world? What are the implications for the design of the learning experiences—and equitable access to those experiences—we provide in our school systems? The session dates and locations are as follows: Wednesday, January 17 at 6:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m. at Newton North Thursday, January 18 at 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Newton South Please choose to attend just one session. RSVP using this Google Form - POG Community Session RSVP We are excited to begin the process of developing the NPS Portrait of a Graduate with these community sessions. Your voice and input is critical to creating a portrait that reflects our community and the skills our students should have when they graduate. School Absences Chronic absenteeism (missing 10 percent or more of the school year) appears in every type of district – urban, suburban, rural, regional, traditional public schools, career technical schools, charter schools, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools. We know that there are often valid reasons for students to be absent, but, to a troubling extent, students are missing more school now than they did prior to the pandemic. Before the pandemic, 13 percent of students statewide were chronically absent. Last year, 22 percent of students – close to 1 in 4 statewide – were chronically absent. Newton Public Schools is not immune to this trend. In all but two of our 22 schools, the chronic absenteeism rate in FY23 increased from FY19. In many cases, it is double or triple what it was in FY19. As of 12/21/2023, the district’s chronic absenteeism rate K-12 is 10.6%, which means that about 11% of the district’s students (over 1,200 students) have missed 10% or more of the school year so far. We are asking you to commit to making daily school attendance part of your family’s routine again. As a leader of your family, you are the best and most important influencer of your child. When you make a point of getting them to school every day, they will understand that it is important for their success. NPS is committed to partnering with you to find ways to remove any barriers that may be hindering any child from coming to school every day. Please reach out to your student’s school for any assistance or support you might need. Kindergarten Literacy Screening Info State Literacy Reporting Requirements - This message is to inform you of our 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. Reporting to Families During November and December, we conducted literacy assessments for all of our Kindergarten students using the Early Bird assessment tool. Following the screening assessments, grade-level teams reviewed 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. K families should be receiving a report by the end of this week. If your child scores significantly below benchmark levels, we will also share an intervention plan. 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

Portrait of A Graduate Input

Dear HM Families,

NPS is excited to offer TWO options for the community to learn more about why we want to create a Portrait of a Graduate for our district. Come learn about how the world has changed and why our schools must change with it. You will also have the chance to provide input on what our Portrait will look like once the design team process starts. 

Ultimately, the work you help with now will set the stage for developing a shared community vision in our Portrait of a Graduate. The session dates and locations are as follows:

• Wednesday, January 17th at 6:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m. at Newton North

• Thursday, January 18th at 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Newton South

Please consider attending one of the sessions! You can RSVP using this Google Form:

POG January Community Session RSVP

The sessions will explore the following questions:

• What are the hopes, dreams, and aspirations that our community has for our young people? 

• What are the skills and mindsets that our children need for success in this rapidly changing and complex world? 

• What are the implications for the design of the learning experiences—and equitable access to those experiences—we provide in our school systems? 

Your voice and input is critical to creating a portrait that reflects our community and the skills our students should have when they graduate. We look forward to your participation.

Sincerely,

Mark Nardelli

Principal