NewsNotes 11/12/17

FORJ (Families Organizing for Racial Justice) - This group of families in and around Newton has organized an effort to educate parents, children, and various communities about race racism, culture and identity. The following message is an update of upcoming activities for the group at Horace Mann. For anyone interested in taking part we have two events coming up:

• We will meet on Monday, November 20 at 7pm. Kate Carpenter will host at her home on 67 Prescott Avenue in Newton. We'll get to know each other, talk about our ideas, and how we can best support Mark Nardelli and the HM staff as they learn and teach about racial awareness, bias, and privilege. 

• In addition, we're trying out an article/podcast discussion group on racial awareness and privilege for parents and guardians to connect, open up and learn, too. Our first meeting is Tuesday, December 12 at Horace Mann - check out the materials and RSVP here: https://tinyurl.com/FORJ-HM-DiscussionGroup

Empathy and Cultural Humility - I came across the following article and felt it was worth sharing. Much of our conversation centers around the idea when we are willing hear each other’s stories, we are more likely to reach out to be helpful to and inclusive of others. The attached article points to several tools that are worth exploring as adults:

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2017/11/03/4-tools-to-help-kids-develop-empathy-and-cultural-humility/

Next Generation MCAS - If you have a child in 4th, 5th grade (or 6th grade), you should have received individual results for your child’s MCAS scores from the spring of 2017.  I wanted to share a few details about the current status of standardized testing:

• Over the past several years, standardized testing has been in a state of flux.  We’ve had the original version of MCAS, PARCC (both online and on paper versions), and most recently the Next Generation MCAS. 
• For each version, the questions and format have evolved.  As I have always maintained, we do not teach to the test.  Each year, as the state releases more test questions, we will do our best to help students anticipate the kinds of questions they can expect to see.
• The results, which don’t come to us until 6 months after the test is given, are generally not helpful in making instructional decisions for individual students.  Instead, we rely on assessments that are given throughout the year to provide us with information about students’ strengths and weaknesses.
• MCAS results can be helpful in looking for patterns within a specific topic or instructional area. For example, if a large number of students do poorly on Number Sense questions, we can look at classroom instruction in that area.
• Real estate agencies typically use test scores as a major factor in helping families decide whether a school is high functioning.  For Horace Mann, we were a 9 (out of 10) two years ago, a 7 last year, and an 8 this year.  Despite the different scores, our approach and our philosophy really hasn't changed, and the scores can only indicate a portion of what is working or not working in a school.  Keep in mind that there are other important variables that need to be considered in assessing how well a school functions.  These variables include school climate, attitudes towards social emotional learning, commitment to values and priorities, efforts to promote citizenship, etc.  
• For more information about MCAS and the dilemma schools face as standardized tests have evolved, click on the following link to a recent article in the Boston Globe: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/10/18/new-tests-bring-worse-scores-for-mass-students/YYiJaH6OCmVcOsolkYRN7M/story.html

If you have individual questions about your child’s scores, please reach out to me and/or your child’s teachers to get a better sense of where the scores fit in with the larger picture.

NewsNotes 11/5/2017

Ready, Set, Go! Day - Thank you to David Tynes for bringing back this annual event.  Activities such as “Jump the Sock” and “Ball Factory” present students with a challenge that requires concentration,  teamwork and encouragement.  My favorite aspect of the event is watching the kids cheer for one another as they “Scale the Wall"...congrats to all. CAS: Mitali Perkins - 4th grade students were treated to a visit by renowned author Mitali Perkins, who has written a number of wonderful books that focus on doing going in the world and overcoming adversity of some sort.  In her presentation, Mitali talked about cultural differences between those we know of in the Unite States vs. those of her parents' upbringing in India.  Topics included food, marriage, clothing, and more.  For more info about Mitali Perkins and her work, click here: http://www.mitaliperkins.com/ Special Ed Workshop - The district is offering a workshop session that talks about the basics of special education.  If you are interested, the session will take place as follows: November 8, 2017: Basic Rights in Special Education, Ruth Diaz, FCSN (Federation for children with special needs), 7-9 pm, Room 210, 100 Walnut Street, Newton, 02460. Food Service Feedback - Food Service wants to hear from you! Please share your food service experience so that the NPS food service department can improve service, address any issues of concern, and make changes that create a more positive experience for students and families. The survey should take no more than 5 minutes and gives very important feedback! Parent Survey https://www.sodexosurveys.com/f/102256/699f/  School Health Update - Communicating with the School Nurse In order for the school nurse to be as well prepared as possible to care for students coming to the health room, it is helpful to have the “big picture” perspective for each child. Parents and guardians should know they have an open invitation to communicate with the school nurse both about physical changes such as significant illness, hospitalization, injury, and medication (even if not taken at school), and about social and emotional changes. Examples include changes in the family structure such as a new sibling, parental separation, illness/death in the family or a parent traveling. It is also helpful for the nurse to know if a student is having trouble adjusting to school or if a parent is concerned about bullying or classroom issues. The goal for the school nurse is to keep students in school whenever possible. This “big picture” kind of information, along with phone calls for parent consultation, is helpful to achieve this goal. Additional tips for communicating with the school nurse: For urgent or time-sensitive matters, please call. Occasionally there is a substitute nurse who cannot access the email of the regular school nurse. Parents should drop off medication directly to the school nurse instead of sending it with the student. Keep contact information such as cell phone and work phone numbers updated. Let’s keep in touch to meet the needs of your child. To reach the Horace Mann School Nurse, Elissa Matloff, please call her at 617-559-9522 or email her at Elissa_Matloff@newton.K12.MA.US. Responsive Home Workshops - The workshops below are provided for all parents and caregivers who would like to expand their toolbox for managing behavior at home.  I highly recommend the sessions. From the PTO SAVE THE DATE: Mystery Dinner—February 3, 2018—calling all hosts! Our 2018 Mystery Dinner is Saturday, February 3, 2018 and we need hosts!!  Those of you who have been a part of the Mystery Dinner in previous years know how much fun it is.  It's a wonderful opportunity to catch up with old acquaintances, meet new friends, and connect with other HM parents; all while enjoying delicious food and supporting the school. Please consider opening your home for a dinner. For those who need more info, a quick snapshot of the night: It begins with a cocktail hour (6:30pm) where all attendees go to receive their dinner location and a list of people in their dining party.  Parties will then split up and go to their hosts' houses and enjoy a special dinner from 8:00-9:30pm.  Thereafter, all parties will reconvene at a mystery location for dessert. Being a host entails opening up your home to anywhere from 4-10 people (or more if your house can accommodate) for dinner.  You decide the theme and the menu for your party to enjoy.  Past dinners have ranged from home-cooked Italian dinners to surf & turf to Indian cuisine.  It can be as creative and involved as you wish.  It does not need to be extravagant--the point is to enjoy a good meal and to have fun! Note: it is preferred for hosts to get babysitters or have the kids at a friend's or family member's house during the dinner. If you are interested or have questions, please email Liz Kleinerman (ejkleinerman@gmail.com) or Cathy Amos (catamos@mac.com) with any questions.   Bag Fundraiser—thank you! Thanks to all of those who participated in our first official HM fundraiser! We raised more than $3,000!  We hope you enjoy the Mixed Bag Designs products and enjoy using them this coming holiday season.  You can expect your order to deliver in early December. And thank you to Greta Ryan for coordinating the fundraising efforts!!  Any questions, please contact Greta at gakara@aol.com PTO Dues Thank you to families that have paid their dues to date—we are off to a great start!  Half of HM families have contributed their dues and we appreciate it!  As a reminder, dues fund many of the programs integral to the school’s curriculum (Creative Arts & Sciences, e.g.).  We ask that each family contribute $50 per child at HM as your annual contribution to PTO dues.  There are many ways to do this easily—website (horacemannpto.com—click on ‘PTO Dues’ button), personal check, or any PTO Board Member can take credit cards.    Mrs. Karam read around the camp fire at the book fair. Thank you to everyone who shopped and supported the Book Fair. Co-chairs Megan Anapolle and Jacqueline Freeman are proud to report that sales went up 30% over last year. On the night of the Book Fair the PTO placed more than $4,500 worth of books directly into the classrooms. We are proud of everyone's efforts. Keep reading!

Family Workshop - Talking to Children about Identity and Diversity

Family Workshop Evening Event - Talking to Children about Identity in a Diverse World

Horace Mann staff will provide parents/caregivers with a chance to reflect on their own understanding of  identity (race, religion, culture, gender, family structure, etc.) and then talk about realistic scenarios that may come up with your children.  Below are a few scenario examples: 

• From parent - "Why does one student get extra time on a test?  My child could perform better if he had extra time.”
• 2nd grade to a boy - "You shouldn't wear your hair long, you're a girl.”
• From parent - "How come the schools keep talking about the achievement gap?  What about my kid?”
• From student - "When I look around the room I see that my hands are a different color than everyone else's"

Schedule for Thursday, October 26th

5:45                  Pizza  available for all families (generously provided by PTO) 

6:15-7:45         Activity and Discussion (Childcare available provided by DAD staf)

7:45                  Childcare Pickup

Please click on the following link to REGISTER: https://goo.gl/forms/qk8lNWfEyL7F25Hu2

More International Night Pictures!

NewsNotes 10/15/17

International Night - Thanks to all of the families and staff who came out to International Night this past week, in particular those who were willing and able to share their wonderful traditions, talents and recipes.  Thanks also to Manisha Trivedi and Kristen Gleason for their sustained efforts to run this wonderful event each year.

Evening Workshop for Parents - As I mentioned at Back to School Night, our school-wide focus is aimed at creating a school environment where our children, families and staff feel included so that our students can achieve at their highest level.  On Thursday, October 26th, we will host our first evening workshop aimed at extending this work to families.  For this event, we will participate in an activity that helps us understand issues related to race and other aspects of human identity.  In addition, there will be time to talk with other parents about how to be address issues related to race and identity as they come up in the media and in your every day interactions with your children.   We are encouraging as many parents as possible to attend. Here are the details of the event: When: Thursday, October 26th Time: 5:45-6:15 Dinner (Pizza) 6:15-7:45 Workshop Where: Horace Mann gym Childcare will again be available so parents and caregivers can attend the workshop. Registration will be coming soon! Buddy Bench - A few months ago I posted some details about our idea to install a Buddy Bench on the HM playground.  I wanted to share that we are moving forward with this project and as a refresher, I am reposting information that will remind families of this work.  First, for some background, read the following article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2016/04/04/kids-dont-have-to-be-lonely-at-recess-anymore-thanks-to-this-boy-and-his-buddy-bench/ Horace Mann will install a new bench, decorated by students, aimed at fostering inclusion during less structured social times. Students can go to the bench for a variety of reasons, including: A student new to Horace Mann may use the bench as a way to signal that they would like to meet someone. A student may want to try a new activity at recess. A student who would like to offer their support to new friends may use the bench to signal their efforts to reach out. Families Organizing for Racial Justice -  I wanted to bring your attention to a citywide group that was recently formed as part of the district’s efforts to support conversations about racial justice.  Below is the mission statement for this group: FORJ is a group started in 2016 by Newton School parents, who believe that change starts at home and in our own communities.  We are a group of families in and around Newton who want to generate understanding and curiosity about differences in our society. We work together to foster respect and racial equity in our schools and communities.  We are a learning community that is educating ourselves, our children, our schools, and our various communities about race racism, culture and identity.  We hope to achieve safe and welcoming environments that enhance the well-being of all people. We want our work to promote healing and connection between individuals and communities.  We believe in speaking out against injustice, supporting our kids to be upstanders, and taking action to address bias and inequity. Feel free to reach out to Cedar Pruitt (cpruitt@gmail.com) or Karen Carpenter-Bernier (katecarpenter1@yahoo.com) for more information and/or to get involved.

From the PTO

“Mixed Bag” Gift Fundraiser—ends soon! Our first official fundraiser ends soon — don't miss out on these awesome bags and gift wrap! Mixed Bag Designs (www.mixedbagdesigns.com) offers a wide range of great gift items just in time for the holidays.  Check out samples on display in the lobby. Order forms went home last week in your child’s backpack.  And the best part: almost 50% of the proceeds go to the Horace Mann PTO for programming that directly benefits our kids.  Mixed Bag offers bags, accessories, gift wrap, kitchen items, and more to sell to (or buy for) family and friends. This year's sale runs through October 18. Ship to school for free and no tax! We will receive the products before Hanukkah (Dec. 12). Please email gakara@aol.com with questions.

Spirit Wear is on sale now! Don't forget to visit www.myschoolanywhere.com to purchase your Hawk Gear. Arrives in time for the holidays.

Raffle winners! Thanks to everyone who contributed their dues in time to be entered into our raffle! Congratulations to Tara F., parent of K, 2 and 4th graders. who won Mystery Dinner Tickets, Kindergarten parent Tracy K., who won Spring Auction tickets, and Kindergarten parent Karen M., who won the Apple Watch! International Night – A world of Thanks! Thank you to Manisha Trivedi and Kristen Gleason for many years of running wonderful International Nights. Last week's was another success! Students and parents loved traveling around the world that is Horace Mann!

NewsNotes 9/24/2017

Horace Mann Values - As a staff we spent the early part of the year reviewing our overarching school values and made changes that we felt would be a better reflection of our priorities and our work. I have outlined the values below and provided some examples of what those values look like in action here at school. We shared these with students at last Friday’s All School Assembly. Feel free to have a conversation about what these same values might look like at home.

Be Proud of Who You Are and Accepting of Others

• Be open to new things (like foods or traditions).
• Share something you are good at or proud of.
• Show compassion for a friend who seems upset.
• Invite a new friend to play.

Be Safe

• Walk in the halls.
• Climb ladders instead of slides.
• Look both ways before you cross the street.

Be Responsible for Your Actions and Words

• Listen to teacher directions.
• Apologize when you hurt someone’s feelings.
• Admit when you make a mistake.
• Do your assigned classroom job.

Be Respectful of One Another and Our School

• Use kind words.
• Clean up after you play a game.
• Hold the door for someone.
• Say please and thank you.

Be a Lifelong Learner

• Be curious and ask questions.
• Work hard.
• Try new things.
• Ask for help when you get stuck.

Early Release Day Professional Development

This Wednesday, September 27th is an early release day for all students. Students will be dismissed at 12:30. Staff will stay and take part in our first professional development of the year, and I’d like to take this opportunity to share some of what we will be working on...

First, a quick summary of our work from last year: Our focus last year was to begin to think about how we could become a more culturally responsive and welcoming school for all. We offered staff opportunities to learn and reflect on what it means to be culturally responsive and we also geared several of our other initiatives with the same thought in mind. These activities included: family engagement opportunities (ELL literacy morning, Title 1 discussion night, Family Buddies, etc.), examination of our book collections and expanding our libraries (classroom and school), and the creation of lessons on prejudice reduction.

This summer, a group of staff continued this effort and looked at the works of James and Cherry McGee Banks (leaders in multicultural education) as the basis for our efforts to truly become a school that reflects our student population and welcomes everyone. Below are four areas were we will continue to focus our work.

• Content Integration/Knowledge Construction: In this domain, staff will look more closely at how the curriculum can be shaped to include a wider variety of perspectives in meaningful ways. This might mean looking at a wider range of explorers or inventors, or looking at a historical event from multiple viewpoints. Often this topic is referred to as curriculum transformation.
• Equity Pedagogy: In this area, staff will explore how to teach using methods that take into account the diverse population of students that we serve.This will happen through early year community building activities, classroom structures and practices, and most importantly, different ways to approach instruction. Often this topic is referred to as culturally responsive teaching.
• Prejudice Reduction: Staff members in this group will continue the work we started last year with our K-5 lesson sequence aimed exposing students to stereotypes, bias, and prejudice reduction. 
• Empowering School Culture and Social Structure: In this domain, teachers will look at broader school issues that could include designing family workshops, assessing school appearance, looking at special ed referral rates, looking at behavior referrals and responses, and more.

Back to School/Curriculum Night

This Thursday, September 28th, we will host our annual Back to School/Curriculum Night which offers caregivers a chance to hear from the principal, the PTO and classroom teachers about our work this year. We are again offering two info sessions with classroom teachers: a K-2 session and a 3-5 session.

Importantly, this event includes childcare and pizza for all who wish to take part. Childcare will begin at 5:35 and run until 7:30. Please register using the link below to let us know about your plans: https://goo.gl/forms/RTgnLE0iMSXc4eAa2

Below is the schedule of events for the evening:

5:00pm Meeting with families in Metco program
5:15pm Pizza available for all families
5:35-6:10pm K-2 Presentations (childcare begins)
6:15-6:45pm PTO/Principal Presentations
6:50-7:25pm 3-5 Presentations (and childcare pickup for K-2)
7:30 Childcare Pickup




From the PTO










“Mixed Bag” Gift Fundraiser—starts next week!
Our first official fundraiser kicks off next week and we hope everyone will participate! Mixed Bag Designs (www.mixedbagdesigns.com) offers a wide range of great gift items just in time for the holidays. Check out samples on display at Curriculum Night. Order forms will go home next week in your child’s backpack. And the best part: almost 50% of the proceeds go to the Horace Mann PTO for programming that directly benefits our kids. Mixed Bag offers bags, accessories, gift wrap, kitchen items, and more to sell to (or buy for) family and friends. This year's sale runs from October 2-18. Out-of-town family and friends will be able to order online—HM account info to come soon— so please share with all for the holiday season. We will receive the products before Hanukkah (Dec. 12). Please email gakara@aol.com with questions.



Curriculum Night—Thursday, September 28
Our next big school event is Curriculum Night. This is a great opportunity to hear from principal Mark Nardelli on the Horace Mann school philosophy, meet teachers and hear more about their classroom environment/curriculum. You will also hear from the PTO Board on programs and events for you to participate in throughout the year. Please come prepared to pay dues that night if not before to be entered into the raffle!

International Night – Friday, October 13, 6-7:30PM
Help celebrate the wonderful diversity of the Horace Mann community! Get out your cookbooks and prepare your taste buds for a treat. One of the most popular events of the school calendar is around the corner.
• International potluck dinner
• Country tables with food, photos and cultural items
• Multicultural music, activities and prizes
If you would like to host a country table, bring a dish, or help with the event in some other way, please contact Manisha trivedi (mtrivedi036@gmail.com).





PTO Dues
Dues are an important line item in the HM budget to fund many of the programs integral to the school’s curriculum (Creative Arts & Sciences, e.g.). We ask that each family contribute $50 per child at HM as your annual contribution to PTO dues. There are many ways to do this easily—website (horacemannpto.com—click on ‘support’ button), personal check, or any PTO Board Member can take credit cards. You will hear more about this on Curriculum Night – we will be raffling off an Apple Watch as well as tickets to our HM Auction or Mystery Dinner—your choice— for anyone who has contributed their dues up through the end of Curriculum Night!





School photo day is
Monday, September 25th.
Photos must be ordered online or with a form On or BEFORE September 25th in order for Horace Mann to earn a commission. Visit www.coffeepond.com, and order now!

NewsNotes 9/10/2017

It has been a pleasure to see all of the excited young faces enter our building each of the first four days last week. I spent much of my time welcoming students each morning and visiting classrooms throughout the day. Based on conversations I’ve had with a sampling of students, teachers, and parents, it seems that we’ve had a successful opening to school. We spent considerable time and energy talking about how we can make the opening of school a welcoming experience, and I am hopeful that we achieved his goal. If not, I am always happy to hear suggestion about how we can improve our practice. Feel free to share your thoughts via email at mark_nardelli@newton.k12.ma.us

In reflecting on our opening, I want to share that as a staff we made a commitment this year to spend the month of September focusing on practices and activities that will foster a welcoming environment. While we recognize that many children truly enjoy summer, many also return to school each September with a renewed optimism and a feeling that they have a fresh start. We are making a concerted effort to capitalize on these feelings by creating opportunities for students to share who they are, to participate in learning activities that are inspiring and engaging, and to build upon the confidence students often feel early in the year. To that end, all classrooms are focusing on identity and community building activities, talking about school values, trying out new inquiry based lessons, and reviewing previously learned material. At Curriculum Night at the end of September, I will expand upon these thoughts and how it relates to our work beyond the month of September.

On a more practical side, here are some details about how to stay in touch during the school year:
NEWSNOTES: You will receive newsletters like this twice per month through our PTO mail system. There will often be important information shared here about school events, staffing, programming, etc. The same information will also be posted to the Horace Mann Blog which can be found here: https://horacemann02460.blogspot.com/

SKYWARD MESSENGER EMAILS/PHONE CALLS/TEXTS (new this year): Every so often, I will share important information about upcoming events (like placement lists or early release days). If you have never received a message from this system, please let us know…

PTO EMAILS: You can expect regular emails about school events, fundraisers, volunteer 

opportunities, etc.

TWITTER: The Horace Mann Twitter handle is @HoraceMann687. While I am not an avid Twitter user, I do post photos and videos of school performances, or articles that I think might be worth reading.

CLASSROOM COMMUNICATIONS: I expect each teacher to communicate with families on a regular basis either in hard copy, through a blog, via email, on a website or some combination. Please let me know if you feel that you are not getting information from your child’s teacher.

Finally, I’m sure that many of you (and your children) are adjusting to new routines, fall activities and crisp, dry weather (hurricanes notwithstanding). Here are a few articles that might provides some tips for managing this transition:

http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/going-to-school/starting-school/settling-in/

http://www.get-organized-mom.com/family-routines.html


Please read on for some important reminders about events coming up this week!





From the PTO




Hello and welcome to the 2017/18 school year! We hope that everyone had a great summer and is excited about another fantastic year at Horace Mann. One of our main goals is to have many opportunities for families to create connections across our school community. This Fall we have a jam-packed calendar filled with fun and meaningful community-building events. See our latest calendar at horacemannpto.com.

Each year we strive to create a rich experience for our students and families and we need your support to make this happen. Whether it is volunteering for a couple of hours or leading a committee, your involvement makes the Horace Mann stronger as a community school. See our latest Committee/Chairperson list on our PTO website at horacemannpto.com.

Please do not hesitate to contact any board member about getting involved or with questions, thoughts and suggestions. Your voice and involvement will help us build upon our strengths and bring fresh ideas that will benefit all HM families!

Co-Presidents: Jacqueline Freeman and Adam Brown
VPs: Sharon Russo and Jess Schiefer
Co-Treasurers: Megan Anapolle and Jon Mendicina
Secretary: Susannah Wardly
















Specialist/PTO Open House (a new event!)—Tuesday, September 12, 6:15 p.m.
This event was created in direct response to feedback from you! Parents want to know more about what our specialists do as well as how the PTO operates/what we focus on—so we created an event that will do both! Please join staff from Special Ed, ESL, Literacy, and Specialists (Art, Music, PE, Library) to get to know them and hear about their wonderful programming. And PTO Board members will be at the ready to tell you more about what we do and how you can get involved. Look forward to seeing you there!

Back-to-School Picnic—Thursday, September 14, 5-7 p.m.
We hope to see you all at the Back-to-School Picnic on Thursday, September 14 at 5:00pm. This is a casual and fun way to reconnect with old friends and meet some new Horace Mann families. There is nothing formal here--people congregate in the field behind HM with chairs, blankets and dinner for their families. And all will enjoy DJ/games and free ice cream from Cabot’s!

Curriculum Night—Thursday, September 28
After the picnic, our next big school event is Curriculum Night. This is a great opportunity to hear from principal Mark Nardelli speak about the Horace Mann school philosophy, meet teachers and hear more about their classroom environment/curriculum. You will also hear from the PTO Board on programs and events for you to participate in throughout the year. Please come prepared to pay dues that night if not before to be entered into the raffle!

PTO Dues

Dues are an important line item in the HM budget to fund many of the programs integral to the school’s curriculum (e.g. Creative Arts & Sciences). We ask that each family contribute $50 per child at HM as your annual contribution to the PTO. Simply visit myschoolanywhere or horacemannpto.com and click on the ‘Support’ button to pay by credit card or pay by check (to above board members). You will hear more about this on Curriculum Night (below) – we will be raffling off an Apple Watch and tickets to this year's Mystery Dinner and Spring Auction - and all you have to do to enter is contribute your dues by the end of Curriculum Night!