Thanks to everyone who participated in our January Hawk Hunt! Thanks to the Zimmer family for the inspiration; we had a lot of fun setting it up, and it was great to see so many smiles! If you'd like to see some of the posts, you can check out this Padlet:
https://padlet.com/schofieldlib/HMHawkHunt
ESSENTIAL INFO: In the interest of making things more accessible, I’ve highlighted key info here:
Progress Reports - Will be available ONLINE on February 10th. You will receive an email with directions for accessing the report.
Virtual Science Night - Enjoy a night of VIRTUAL science fun on Friday, 7 p.m., February 26, 2021.
To participate, please submit a short video of your work by Friday, February 12.
DETAILED UPDATES: If you would like more detail about what’s been happening at school, feel free to read the rest of the updates below:
Reporting on Student Progress - Student Progress Reports will be released online on February 10th. The 2021 Progress Report is intended to communicate expectations for each grade level on both the academic and social aspects of school. Progress report standards haven’t been modified for this year, however, our experience with the children this far indicates that progress may look different for each child as they have been impacted by Covid-19 and the current learning models in varied ways. Below are a few things to think about as you anticipate your child’s progress report:
Teachers will assess progress towards learning goals primarily based on data and observations on work done in school as well as remote learning.
If a child is making solid progress towards benchmarks on a standard, the teacher will indicate that using a score of “3”.
If your child receives a “2,” we are monitoring their progress and providing support towards their growth.
A score of “N/A” will be used to indicate standards that have either not yet been a focus of instruction or areas where we do not have sufficient data to report for an individual child due to attendance limitations.
We intend that this progress report will be a useful tool for the conversations you will have with your child’s teacher as we transition into the second half of this school year. If you are concerned about your child’s scores, your first step is to contact your child’s teacher.
Black History Month - Each February, Black History Month celebrates the contributions that African Americans have made to American history in their struggles for freedom and equality and deepens our understanding of our Nation's history.
At Horace Mann, we feel that it is important to review and adjust our curriculum on a regular basis to incorporate multiple perspectives into the various concepts that we teach. This means looking at historical events using primary sources, highlighting accomplishments by individuals of color, among other things. At our February staff meeting, we will be providing teachers with time to review resources and explore additional curriculum activities that go beyond the month of February.
For more information about the origin of Black History Month, click here: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month
Another part of our efforts to create an inclusive school is to create opportunities for families to engage in dialogue about a variety of topics.
Below are two events that you may be interested in. One took place last week. The other is sponsored by FORJ and is a pilot for our school, beginning with 3rd grade families. If all goes well, we will expand the idea to other grades.
Talking to Kids About Race and Racism: A Conversation with Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum
Last week, Dr. Beverly Tatum took part in a dialogue focused on talking to children about race and racism. For those of you who were unable to attend the session last week, a recording is now available on YouTube. Please feel free to check it out and/orshare it with others.
Below are also some helpful resources Dr. Tatum referenced in her conversation:
Multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators - Social Justice Books
Is My Skin Brown Because I Drank Chocolate Milk? | Beverly Daniel Tatum | TEDxStanford - YouTube
Back to School 2020: Building Community for Connection and Learning | Facing History and Ourselves
Teaching Tolerance | Diversity, Equity and Justice Resources for Teachers
Biased by Jennifer L. Eberhardt, PhD | PenguinRandomHouse.com
Parenting 4 Social Justice | Green Writers Press (publication date March 23, 2021)
3rd Grade Family Event - On Thursday, February 11th from 7:00-8:30 PM, FORJ will be hosting an evening Zoom event for all our 3rd grade students and families.
For this event, we will show a video titled That’s a Family to introduce the idea that there are many different ways that families live and love. In this video, children talk about their families and the kinds of things they like to do together (cooking, bowling, gardening). There are sections on mixed families (in terms of ethnicity, religion, language and race), divorce, lesbian and gay parents, single parents, grandparents and guardians. We will also watch a short segment about a Horace Mann family.
I’ve provided a link to the trailer, if you would like a preview of the material:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD695hbkT8Y
This program aligns with our school-wide goals, which:
Promote greater understanding of and respect for differences.
- Serve as a tool for education about family diversity.
- Reflect a more accurate and balanced picture of what families look like than is often presented in classroom curricula and in the media.
- Use the metaphor of “windows and mirrors” as a way of thinking about how families are similar to or different from their own.
- Ensure that every student—regardless of what kind of family to which he or she belongs—is safe, respected and able to receive an education free from prejudice.
This event is intended for 3rd grade caregivers and children and there will be time for discussion and conversation in small groups.
Zoom Meeting Link:
https://newton-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/2454370913?pwd=NVhVUzR6WVNCVkw3MVovTTNKSm1idz09
Meeting ID: 245 437 0913
Passcode: Hawks
Lunar New Year - The Lunar New Year, most commonly associated with the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, typically falls sometime between January 21 and February 20. This year, Lunar New Year is on February 12, and in terms of the Chinese zodiac animal, it's the Year of the Ox. China, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore and many Asian countries celebrate the Lunar New Year as national holidays. This list includes many families from our own community here at Horace Mann.
If you are interested in learning more, below are a few links/resources:
https://www.oprahmag.com/life/a34892893/what-is-lunar-new-year-festival/
https://chalkacademy.com/chinese-new-year-crafts-activities-kids/
Facility Ventilation Action Plan Update - Throughout the fall the city has been conducting assessments to verify that airflow exchange in classrooms meets identified standards. The following web page provides information about this process for the district as a whole:
https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/Page/3804
Here is also a link to the results of the Horace Mann Ventilation Dashboard.
