NewsNotes #7 January 13th, 2023

HM NewsNotes January 13, 2023 From the Principal Essential INFO No School - Monday, January 15th School Committee Budget Presentation  - January 23rd at 7:00 PM 5th Grade Concert  - January 25th at 7:00pm     Food and Culture Night - February 10th 6:00-8:00pm Detailed Updates Peek Week - A big thank you to David Tynes for his efforts to showcase the hard work of the students over the past 12 weeks in their gymnastics unit.  We had lots of parents, grandparents, and others visiting this week, and they all got the chance to see the only remaining gymnastics program in the district.  The kids were awesome at showing us their strength and dexterity skills on the beam, the vault, the climbing wall, etc, as well as their fitness during their classroom routine.  It was a great week. I will be home this weekend working on my V-sits.   Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday  - At our assembly this morning, we talked about why we were having a day off from school on Monday.  I showed the following video to our students during the assembly, and then asked them to think of words or phrases that come to mind when they think of Dr. King.  They shared thoughts like “courage”, “equal rights”, “freedom”, “equality”, and “treat people fairly”.  Some classroom have already talked about the MLK holiday in class, while others will follow up next week.  Feel free to watch and discuss together at home.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrNag04IZoM Hawk Families Update - Also at assembly this morning, we reviewed the idea behind Hawk Families and talked about our first session, which will take place next week.    The agenda for the first Hawk Family meeting will be: Name Games and "Get To Know You" Activities. Discussion and activities around Respectful Habits.  We will review  and practice a variety of skills using scenarios: Saying "please" and "thank you" in the lunch line. Saying "excuse me" when walking through a crowded spot, or when trying to get the attention of a teacher. Greeting one another in the morning or when passing someone in the hallway. Cleaning up trash after eating snack without being prompted. SEPAC EVENT SAVE THE DATE:Sunday, January 22nd at 7:30 pm Join the Newton SEPAC on Zoom with Author Jennifer Natalya Fink:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82952474787 To buy a discounted copy of All our Families Use code SPRING20 starting January 17 at beacon.org for 20% off the hardcover or paperback (which releases in March). Offer valid while supplies last. Limit one discount code per person. Valid for one transaction. Discount code is not redeemable for cash, is non-transferable and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount. Valid on beacon.org. US mailing address required. Expires 07/31/2023 PTO Meeting with School Committee and the Superintendent -  A group of about 10 parents showed up to engage in a dialogue with School Committee members Chris Brezski and Tamika Olszewski, in addition to Superintendent Kathleen Smith and Ayesha Farag, the Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education. The bulk of the conversation focused on the upcoming override vote and the potential impact on the schools.  Please mark your calendars for the January 23rd School Committee Meeting where the district will outline budget decisions for scenarios where the override passes or fails to pass. From the PTO We hope your new year is off to a great start! We have many events coming up-- and many opportunities for you to get involved. Read on for more information. You can also email us at hmann.pto@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook or Instagram (@hmannpto) for more! Food & Culture Night: Fri 2/10, 6pm This is not a drill - we are (once again) planning an in person Food & Culture Night! Please sign up here When: Friday, February 10th, 6:00-7:30 PM in the Horace Mann Gymnasium On Food & Culture Night, the HM gym is transformed into a global fair with tables hosted by school families - introducing food and artifacts from various cultures, countries/states where they have roots, or are interested in exploring. Children are given a passport and are encouraged to visit all tables and earn a prize. We invite everyone to get involved. Host a table, bring food to share, read/share a book, run an activity table for kids, help with setup/cleanup. Just attend and visit all tables! This is a relaxed, fun, festive event! Curious about what you can do? Take a look at what others are doing here. We look forward to seeing everyone in person. Questions? Please contact Shanu Mehta.  -- the Food & Culture Night Committee Mark Your Calendars Can You Help Make These Events Happen? Support HM When You Shop Donate to Horace Mann with purchases you already make. You shop. Amazon gives. Start at http://smile.amazon.com and set "Horace Mann Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization" as your charity. Amazon will donate to HM with every purchase. Download the app and scan your receipts. Every little bit helps! Thanks for paying your PTO dues The PTO suggests a donation of $50 per student or $150 per family for our annual dues-- but any donation is welcome! You can change the dollar amount in your cart when you pay online through Membership Toolkit. The Horace Mann PTO is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Does your employer have a matching gifts program? Contact your human resources department to learn more about increasing your impact. Looking Ahead Upcoming Events Monday, January 16 No School - Martin Luther King Day Thursday, January 19 1:45p CAS - 4th grade - Crocodile River Music (Dance Workshop) Sunday, January 22 Lunar New Year (recognized observance) Wednesday, January 25 7:00p 5th grade winter concert Thursday, February 2 Early Release at 12:10 Friday, February 10 6:00p HM Food & Culture Night Monday, February 20 Winter Recess Tuesday, February 21 Winter Recess Wednesday, February 22 Winter Recess Thursday, February 23 Winter Recess Quick Links

Horace Mann PTO 225 Nevada Street Newton, MA 02460 hmannpto@gmail.com