Welcome Back Letter to Families 2019-2020

August 19th, 2019


Dear Horace Mann Families,

I hope that this letter finds you well amidst the anxiety and excitement about starting school in a new space.  The Nardelli family recently returned from a two week trip through several southern states: South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky.  We spent the first part of the trip with the entire family (12 grandchildren in all) celebrating my parents’ 50th anniversary.  We then spent some time hiking and sightseeing on the Blue Ridge Parkway, in the Smoky Mountains, and in Nashville before landing in Kentucky, where we joined a group of 30 families who have children with Mosaic Down Syndrome.  The goal of this annual gathering is to connect with other families, share experiences, and participate in research for this relatively rare diagnosis.  We swam, talked about school advocacy, life skill acquisition, and much more. We were excited that Eliana met another 16 year old girl from rural Michigan with Mosaic Downs...they exchanged numbers and Instragam accounts and have been texting back and forth.   Overall, it was good to all be together for some extended time.

Thinking about the upcoming year, Eliana will be heading into 11th grade.  I think I mentioned that she passed her Biology MCAS...we now await her English and Math scores from her 10th grade year (high stakes stuff in high school!).  For activities, Eliana will be cheerleading and participating in theater this fall.  Julia (14) will be in 9th grade and will have a full slate of challenging courses.  She has also made the decision not to continue with soccer.  She will instead try out for the high school volleyball team and hopefully join Eliana on the gymnastics team in the winter.  Alora will turn 9 in a few weeks and will be in third grade.  She has continued with gymnastics, has become our family safety officer (with sunscreen and bike helmets, for example), and has yet to show any signs of limits to her energy level.   Vincent, who will be four in October, has spent the summer avidly playing with Legos, riding his bike, swimming, and learning that you can’t take trinkets from gift shops without paying for them.   Christine will again work as a part-time integrated preschool teacher, returning home in time each day to be available for the kids and their activities.  As always, we are now dreading the return to the busy fall schedule of work, carpools, making lunches, daycare, and more!

This summer I spent a lot of time writing to staff, interviewing candidates for open positions, managing the move, reading, and trying to develop some healthier and more productive habits.  I’m hoping that some of it will actually carry over into the routines of the school year!

I look forward to hearing about your adventures as well...

Entering a New School - With the move, our energy will obviously be engaged a bit differently from years past.  There’s still a lot of work being done, and lots of moving parts as furniture gets moved around, DAD gets their materials set up, teachers unpack, etc. In addition, the first few days will be geared towards working through some logistics: arrival/dismissal, lunch/cafeteria, safety procedures, new technology, a new phone system, etc. 

Because of the timing, I DO NOT anticipate that we will have an opportunity to open the school to families prior to the first day of school.  If that should change, I will let you all know.  For now, I would appreciate families giving teachers the time and space required to get set up. It literally takes hours and hours of work to get settled in.  If you have concerns about your child’s transition for any reason, please send me an email and we can talk about options.

Programming News -
We WILL again be a Title 1 School and Sara McSwiggan will again be back at HM full time.  We will also have money for some before school math intervention and some community outreach efforts.
This year will be making the transition to full day Kindergarten.  For each K classroom, we’ve hired a Kindergarten aide to support the work that will come from this transition.  Details are provided below about K aides.


New Staff Roles/Summer Departures

Welcome back to Kristyn Stem as she returns from maternity leave.  Good to have you back!
Kayde Gower is due to have her baby within the next couple of weeks (amidst a move to a new home...congrats!).  She recently made the decision to take the year to be home with her children.  Sarah Thorne (see below) has been hired to teach first grade this year.
Keith Testa - Keith will be working as ISS this year during the school day.  He will continue to work at DAD during after school hours.
Anna Mignon - Will be shifting from an inclusion aide role into a Kindergarten aide position.  Anna will work in Lisa Seyferth’s classroom.
Hema Rao - Will move from the building aide role to a Kindergarten aide position.  She will work in Courney Bonzey’s class.
Alex Frail found a job teaching part time at NNHS.  He will be teaching a couple of history courses.  I can’t say enough about Alex and his efforts to support inclusion over the past several years.  He’s been an amazing team player, taken on just about every task under the sun, and has been a tremendous advocate for students.  There’s no doubt that Newton North will benefit from Alex’s talents and work ethic.  Best of luck!
Amira El Amri will be out on maternity leave for a few months.  When she returns, she will take on the building aide role. 

New Staff -

Sarah Thorne - A previous graduate of Boston University, Sarah has worked at the Newton South PreSchool for the past several years and will be coming to Horace Mann to teach first grade in place of Kayde Gower during her maternity leave.  Sarah impressed us with her experience managing a challenging preschool population, with her commitment to diversity and inclusion, and with her ability to work with other adults.  We welcome Sarah to the first grade team and to the HM community.
Laura Blushi - Laura brings her preschool teaching experience and apply it to her work as an inclusion aide in Kindergarten.
Kayla Aguilar  - Native of Waltham and graduate of Framingham State.  Currently works in a preschool and will be working as a paraprofessional first grade.
Sara Angelo  - Will be returning to HM after student teaching with Lisa Moore a few years back.  She will be an inclusion aide in 5th grade.
Danielle Phinney - 5th grade intern in Lisa Moore’s classroom. Danielle is currently a student at Simmons and will be working to earn her Master’s.
Meagan Hallaran - Will work as an early literacy aide until December break before heading to Spain to teach English in January.
Hayley Veiga - Recent graduate of Curry College.  Hayley will be an inclusion aide in grade 3.
Jessie Whalen - Previously worked and volunteered at Underwood in K-2 classrooms. Will now work as a Kindergarten aide in Julie Ferland’s class.
Alexis Triest - 5th grade co-taught intern.  Has worked as support staff in Medfield in the preschool and K-1 programs.
Jenny Mittleman - 4th grade co-taught intern.  Is in a graduate program at Simmons College.
Rita Rossi - Longtime Newton resident.  Will be working as a lunch monitor for the school year..

Placement -  We made a few tweaks to placement over the summer.  We are also in the process of registering new students.  Information will go out to families on Friday, August 23rd.  I will send placements out electronically via email and also post class lists on the front of the school.

Facilities/Custodial Support -  I can’t say enough about the arrival and efforts of Kathy Hylander, our new senior custodian.  She has done an incredible job managing this monster move.  She’s taken the lead on interfacing with building contractors, central office people, vendors, etc.  She’s also moved literally hundreds of pieces of furniture and equipment, thinking about logistics in a sensible and practical way.  Most importantly, she has done all of this hard work with a smile, a gracious attitude, and limitless patience. You can welcome Kathy by sharing your appreciation for all of her work this summer…

Of course, Kathy didn’t do all of this alone.  We had a couple of guys here from Cabot for a good chunk of the summer...Matteo and Tim have been outstanding as well.  A big thanks to both of them for their work.  Finally, Al Zelmann has split his time between the old location and Nevada St.   A big thanks to Al for holding down the fort and guarding our stuff at the old location, as well as working with teachers here at the new HM to get setup.


School Supplies - If you participated in the school supply program last spring, kits are scheduled to arrive soon and will be distributed to classrooms prior to the first day of school.  If you chose not to participate, a copy of each grade’s supply list is posted on the Horace Mann website at http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/Page/2636.  You can take advantage of sales and buy the items on your own.  Please be sure to send your child into school with these supplies ready to start a great year of learning. The PTO can sponsor any student for whom the purchase of supplies would create a financial hardship. Please contact me for information.

The school calendar has been integrated into our website and will be updated regularly.  You can access the calendar at this link: http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/horacemann.  You can also follow us on Twitter @HoraceMann687.


Classroom Teacher Lineup Summary

Kindergarten Seyferth, Bonzey, Ferland
1st Grade Chatfield, Rose, Thorne
2nd Grade Bartley, Lewis, Sandison
3rd Grade Bard, Harris, Rosen
4th Grade Berardi/Fischer, Hoover, Oldmixon
5th Grade Adkag/Dias, Feldstein, Moore


Important Dates


August 27th at 5:30pm -  K Playdate* (please note that this is a PTO event, teachers will not be present)
September 3rd -  1st Day of School
September 10th - Back to School Picnic
September 17th - PTO Open House (specialists, special ed, literacy, ELL)
September 23rd - School Picture Day
September 26th - Early Release Day and Back to School/Curriculum Night
September 30th - No School - Rosh Hashanah

Summer Update 8/9/2019

Hi all,

I'm back from vacation and back with another summer update for those of you who are wondering how things are going. 

• All of Cabot School was moved out last week. 

• On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week, the moving company moved our supplies and furniture to Nevada St.  We are now officially moved in...

    

• There's still lots of work to be done here...they are installing lockers on Saturday, patching holes and painting walls in some rooms, finishing renovation and A/C work, installing storage in classrooms, etc.   And we have TONS of unpacking to do!  Work will continue throughout the remainder of August.  You can see the work that has continued in a number of different areas in the photos below.

I'll be in touch soon with more details and my traditional summer letter.

Office Supply Room: old countertops and furniture have been dismantled/removed:

Staff Room/DAD Space - The wall partition has been completed and plumbing has been installed.   The wall intentionally only covers a portion of the space to allow for natural light to come in from the rear wall.  Cabinet installation is next for this space.

  

Seyferth:  Photos from inside the room and from the hallway:

     

     Literacy Space: 

Sandison: 

A/C Units - Many of the AC units have been installed in classrooms.  Not all of them are connected yet.  This work is ongoing.

Kiln Room Door Installation (Chatfield): 

Sink/Plumbing Installation (Gower):

Bus Loop: 

Renovation Update 7/19/19

Dear HM Families,

I'm posting another update on renovations.  Just an FYI...we are headed to South Carolina and then Tennessee and Kentucky from 7/21 - 8/4.  This will be the last post on any building updates until I get back...

Stay cool!

Thanks,

Mark

Air Conditioning:

• I didn't mention this in the last post or show any photos, but A/C installation has been underway since school got out...

Bus Loop:  

• The sidewalks are done and they will be paving the actual bus loop within the next couple of days.  

Sandison:

        

Literacy Space:

Staff Room/DAD:

View from the hallway:

       

Seyferth

View from the hallway:

View from the inside:

Nevada St. Summer Update 7/8/2019

Dear HM Families,

I hope summer is off to a good start for all of you! I've had a chance to get over to Nevada St. to see the work that's been going on, and wanted to post a few photos.  I'll keep you all posted as the work progresses.

The following are photos for the work on the first floor in the K room (Seyferth):

        

 

The Staff Room (front) and DAD Office (rear):

                                          

The Literacy space and new 2nd grade room (Sandison):

                                         

and the Bus Loop:

                                    
                                             

NewsNotes 6/3/2019

NEVADA ST. UPDATES -

1. Transportation/Traffic - Here’s an update from our evening meeting last week:
   
   • We shared the most updated crossing guard locations:
     
     • Nevada/Linwood
     • California/Nevada
     • Nevada/Walnut
     • Walnut/Watertown
     • Albemarle/North
   • We shared walking routes:
     
     • We will be observing key locations in September to make sure that the walking routes we’ve selected are indeed safe and practical. Please send any concerns to me via email and I will forward them to the traffic department.
   • We shared bus routes:
     
     • We are moving forward with two buses (Green Alligators and Purple Penguins) with several stops for each bus.    We are also in the process of taking input on these stops in hopes of adding 1-2 more for each route.  Again, if you have input, please send suggestions into me.
     • To apply for a free bus pass, please click the bus application link.  You should return the application directly to the school.  We will be sending applications home in backpacks as well.
   • We shared parking/traffic guidelines for the area around the Nevada St. location.
2. GaGa Ball Pit - Over the past two weeks, contractors have been installing a permanent new Gaga Ball on the playground area at the Nevada St. location. This will be ready to go this summer!  If you don’t know what Gaga Ball is, click on this link for a short video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO73MVAkhzw

END OF YEAR EVENTS - We have a number of events scheduled for the last couple of weeks…just wanted to offer a few highlights:

• Art Show - On Tuesday, June 4th, students in grades 3-5 will have their artwork on display in the gym and in other areas of the building.  There will also be a few musical performances.  The show will run from 12:30-5:00.  We hope you can join us.
• Musical Performances - Last week, 4th graders in the orchestra, band and chorus performed for both students and parents at two separate performances.  3rd graders (recorders) and 5th graders will do the same this week.  In all cases, the children have prepared for several months, practicing both independently and together as a group.  We are proud of the students for their commitment and dedication to their respective instruments.
• 5th Grade Graduation - On Tuesday, June 11th, we will honor this year’s 5th grade class as they move on to their middle school experience.  This group holds the special distinction of being the last class to graduate from the current Horace Mann building.
• Market Day - Students in 2nd grade will participate in an afternoon of crafts and market strategy using information they've learned about Ghana. 
• Other grade level celebrations - Students will be sharing portions of the work they've accomplished this year.
• End of Year Picnic - On Monday, June 17th, we will host one final picnic at the Horace Mann School on Watertown St.  This will be a time to get together as a community to share some food, have fun, and say farewell to the current space.

BILLY PEPICELLI RETIREMENT - I wanted to share that Billy Pepicelli, longtime Newton Custodian, has decided to retire at the end of this school year. Billy has spent the last 38 years working in various buildings in the city, and has earned the reputation as one of the most respected members of his profession. In his time at Horace Mann, Billy has always taken great pride in having a clean facility.  At any given moment during the day, you will find Billy cleaning windows or restrooms, responding to a teacher need, taking care of a spill, or working with contractors to repair something.  Billy is tremendously dedicated, is a great team player, and has been a caring and thoughtful member of our team.  There’s no doubt that Billy will be missed.  We wish him the best in his retirement.


NEWTON METCO WELCOME EVENT - The Newton METCO Family Welcome Event will be held at Angier Elementary School on Friday, June 7th, 2019, 6:30pm - 8:30pm.  This event is an opportunity for families and/or staff at your schools to meet the incoming families for SY 19-20.  We are sending the invite to your current Newton METCO families in the incoming grades at your school and to FORJ.  Please share the event to Newton residents through your weekly newsletter/annoucement from your school.  Here is the link for staff/families to register:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-metco-new-family-welcome-event-tickets-61600731446
Password: newton


HONOR THY TEACHER PROGRAM - As the end of the school year approaches, you may be wondering how best to thank the special teachers and staff who have taught and nurtured your children since September. Please consider participating in Newton Schools Foundation’s (NSF) Honor Thy Teacher, which provides a way to simultaneously recognize our faculty and support our schools while also complying with the Newton Public Schools Gift Policy.
When you donate to Honor Thy Teacher, NSF will

• Notify honored teachers and staff of your gift
• Share honoree names with the Superintendent’s office and individual school principals
• List all honored teachers and staff in a fall issue of the Newton TAB
• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)
• Environment and Sustainability
• Leadership and Citizenship
• Race and Achievement
• Music and Arts
• Literacy and Writing Instruction
• Social/Emotional Learning; and
• Global Travel and Learning.

The funds raised through Honor Thy Teacher focus onteachers’ professional development and new curricula and learning opportunities which collectively impact schoolchildren across all grade levels. This year NSF funding is supporting programs and initiatives which range the gamut of content areas, including:
Read about the programs NSF funds.
By donating to NSF, you are not only acknowledging teachers on a personal level but also providing rich professional development opportunities for them, and supplementing the existing enrichment opportunities that the district provides.
The suggested donation to Honor Thy Teacher is $25 per teacher/staff member. You can find out more information about the specific programs NSF supports online at www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org, where you can also donate electronically.
Thank you for considering this opportunity to support Newton’s teachers.

NewsNotes 5/12/2019

NEWSNOTES May 12, 2019 SAFETY RESPONSIBILITY RESPECT ACCEPTANCE AND OPEN MINDEDNESS LIFELONG LEARNING In this issue: From Principal Nardelli Survey from the PTO Save the date: End of year picnic! School Kits-order now! Volunteer next year!

From Principal Nardelli

Teacher Appreciation Week: Thank you to our wonderful PTO for your efforts to provide teachers with several special days last week.  The salads, treats, and snacks, were welcome and much needed throughout the week; the love and appreciation came through loud and clear.  The superhero theme was fun and inspiring and helped to promote a positive atmosphere.  Thank you from all of the staff at HM! Ruby Bridges Visit: The following message is from the PTO: "This past Friday, we were very fortunate to have a remarkable historical figure visit Horace Mann and speak for two hours with the 3rd, 4th and 5th grades. Ruby Bridges, the first African American student to integrate an elementary school in the South, led a memorable two-hour Q&A with the students about her experience.  A condition of her visit was that it not be publicized in advance. We were also asked to not record the event. In addition to Creative Arts & Sciences funding through your PTO donation, parents applied for and were awarded a grant through the Harmony Foundation in Newton in order to help bring Ms. Bridges to the school. Be sure to ask your child to share the message of Ruby Bridges' presentation!" One added note from me...classrooms in grade 3, 4, and 5 all did a fair amount of preparation leading up to Ms. Bridges' visit. Classrooms had some hard conversations about segregation, the Civil Rights Movement, and about how we treat one another.  Because of this preparation, the students did an amazing job engaging with Ms. Bridges and thinking through the tremendous efforts that people engaged in to racially integrate the nation’s schools. I want to thank all of our teachers for taking the time to preview and prepare our students to talk about these important historical events.       Nevada St. Update -  Since I last wrote, we have made several changes to our crossing guard and busing plan.  Below is a very brief update.  I am working on a much more detailed update that I will send to all families prior to our meeting on May 30th.  I encourage as many of you to attend as possible. Updated Crossing Guard Locations (please disregard any previous postings): Crossing Guard Location 1: Nevada St./Linwood Ave Crossing Guard Location 2: Nevada St./California St. Crossing Guard Location 3: Watertown St./Walnut St. Crossing Guard Location 4: Walnut St./Linwood Ave Crossing Guard Location 5: Albemarle Rd./North St. This plan will allow those people closes to Nevada St. to walk along a safe route. It will also provide busing for students in two areas that we feel are either the furthert away or the most at risk with regard to safety. Please look for a more comprehensive explanation by next week.  You can review these materials in preparation for the meeting on May 30th.

Calendar

Fitness for Life Auburndale Cove Friday, May 24 MCAS Schedule 3rd Grade Math - May 13th 5th Grade Science/Tech - May 15th and May 16th Transportation Update Meeting May 30, 6:30 p.m. 5th Grade Graduation Tuesday, June 11, 1 p.m. End of Year Picnic Horace Mann Playground and fields Monday, June 17 5:30-7:30 p.m. Last Day of School Tuesday, June 18 NOON dismissal Visit the entire Horace Mann Calendar at www.horacemannpto.com

From the PTO

SAVE THE DATE! The End of Year Picnic will be on Monday, June 17. (Weather Permitting) 5:30-7:30 p.m. Enjoy games and music with DJ Mike Pride Dessert from Cabot's Ice Cream Bring your dinner and enjoy one last night with friends before school ends.   Order your School Supplies for next year   Horace Mann is again working with SchoolKidz.Inc. to bring great school supplies into our school. Skip the back-to-school lines and have your child's school supplies delivered to his or her classroom on the first day of school— it couldn't be easier! Teachers have put together lists of required school supplies. To order, either fill out the form that was sent home with your student or:  1. Go to WWW.shopttkits.com 2. Enter Account 32991 3. Fill in your child's name and grade 4. Add to cart and checkout Kits will be delivered to your child's classroom on the first day of school. As always, ordering an extra kit for the classroom is much appreciated. Please note that teachers often choose to pool school supplies and your kit will be left in the classroom for distribution throughout the year as needed.  If you choose not to use this great service, (why wouldn't you?)  remember to print out the list of required school supplies (click below) School Supplies List 2019-2020 The list can also be found on the Horace Mann Website. Please bring your supplies to school on the first day. They will also be used by the class throughout the year. DEADLINE: JUNE 7, 2019 The PTO is looking for some help next year! There are several committees that need people to shadow the committee chairs and take over the role the following year. Please let us know if you can help! *Understanding Our Differences Both 4thand 5thgrade need someone to help run this awesome program about physical and intellectual disabilities. Training is included so you are totally prepared. You would help gather volunteers and book the guest speakers as well as facilitate the program which runs twice a year for two hours each time. This is a really valuable part of our curriculum and a great way to spend a few hours in the classroom. *Fitness for Life One of the best days of the year! This chair helps coordinate the parent volunteers, is in charge of ordering the food for the PTO BBQ and helps Mr. Tynes set up the Fitness Trail. Help be a part of this special day!      We want to know how we are doing! Let us know what you think. https://forms.gle/Qjnait3QnFvtzZ3K7 Please fill out this brief survey.   PTO BOARD ELECTIONS The seven-member Executive Board of the PTO will be holding elections this June. (Board members will then elect officer positions in the fall.)  The board strives to promote the core values of Horace Mann, support the teachers and staff and encourage parent involvement in the Horace Mann Community. The board oversees the PTO budget, fundraising and educational events. We meet twice a month. If you are interested in bringing your energy, ideas and enthusiasm to this hard-working group, please submit your name for nomination to hmannpto@gmail.com by Friday, May 17. If elections are needed we will post a list of candidates by May 20 and run elections the week of June 3, 2019. If you have any questions, please feel free to email our co-presidents, Adam Brown, adambrown717@gmail.com or Jacqueline Freeman, freeman.jac@gmail.com. Horace Mann is moving to the Carr Building  Horace Mann is scheduled to move to the Carr Building in September 2019. We know there are many questions about what to expect with regards to the move, facility enhancement, technology and many other areas. In order to help us communicate accurate information, Mark Nardelli will answer your questions through regular updates via email and news notes. Please list any questions you have about the move below. Thank you! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScO9ATbIqARgbv_TTM3BFw6eF vHYvCmXZURLq-nNejSpnnEig/viewform?c=0&w=1

Quick Links

Don't forget to use our rewards programs when you shop! Money raised goes towards the PTO. Thanks! You can also pay your dues online if you haven't already.  [Store_Button]

NewsNotes 4/29/2019

It's been a while since I've published NewsNotes, and there's a fair amount of material to catch up on...I hope everyone had a safe April break, and warm regards to those of you who celebrated Easter and/or Passover the past week or two.  During the break, the Nardelli familiy ventured up to Bar Harbor, ME and spent a couple of days hiking in Acadia.  It was off season and some of the park was closed, but the weather was gorgeous and there was NO ONE there (for those of you who know I hate crowds...this was the best part).  Vincent was a trooper, hiking over 3 miles over rockey terrain on one day...mostly without any help. Not bad for a 3 year old.   This weekend, in addition to the talent show,  we also had Alora's communion celebration. We spent most of Saturday cleaning, cooking, and doing yard work, and all of Sunday entertaining family.   Needless to say, I was looking forward to coming back to work. Sadly, amidst the joy and time with family, the news continues to remind us that not everyone is as fortunate as we have been.  The recent horrific events that have taken place in Sri Lanka and California, again force us to reflect on and wonder what's going on in the world.  I find it increasingly challenging to make sense of the hatred and bigotry that continues to threaten our daily existence. Despite the prominence of terrible news, we continue to keep our minds busy with responsibilities and activities that will take us through the end of the school year, which is only a few weeks away.  You should know that we will be focusing on placement, spring data collection, purging and packing, field trips, end-of-year work displays and celebrations, and more.  Here are a few additional details that specific that are worth mentioning: Staffing Update -  Speech pathologist Courtney Ravalese has joined the Horace Mann team to cover for Kristyn Stem, who is out on maternity leave.  Kristyn gave birth to Cameron Richard Evjy weighed in at 7lbs. 9ozs.  Both mom and baby are doing well!  Nevada St. - Construction Update - The 2nd floor wall relocation project was completed over the April break. This created a larger classroom space (Jason Harris’s room), and also our 2nd floor special ed working space.  The work really looks great. Traffic/Busing Update - In April we held an information session for families about a possible busing and crossing guard plan for getting to Nevada St. in the fall.  Since that time we have come up with a second plan to consider as well.   As part of that process, we are conducting a survey to gather more information from families.  The survey went out to a selection of families based on address.   We will use the information to make a final determination on bus routes and placement of crossing guards.  We will then have a second evening meeting for families on May 30th to share.  Here are some details I can share so far: 1) Regardless of the plan we choose, CROSSING GUARDS WILL BE PRESENT at Craft/Watertown St., Nevada/Linwood, and Nevada/California. 2) There will NOT BE CROSSING GUARDS at Albemarle/Watertown or Watertown/Walnut. 3) We are considering crossing guards in one of two other locations.  The decision about the placement of these crossing guards will determine final bus routes for families around these areas. Location 1:  Linwood/Walnut  and Linwood/Craft Location 2: Albemarle/North and Albemarle/Craft At the May 30th meeting, we will also share arrival and dismissal plans, as well as blue zone and parking procedures. Anxiety Article- I thought the following article offered an interesting perspective on helping families manage anxiety in children.  https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/04/15/711213752/for-kids-with-anxiety-parents-learn-to-let-them-face-their-fears Talent Show - The talent show was a big success on Friday night.  We had magic tricks, kindergartners telling jokes, karate, a unicycle act, Chinese yo-yo experts, and a wide array of singing, dancing, and instrumental performances...over 40 acts in all!  It was truly a celebration of talent, hard work, perseverance, and inclusion.  Thanks to Melissa Meyerowitz and Adam Brown for organizing this effort, as well as to all of the parents who came to help out back stage.  Congratulations to all of our performers for sharing their special moment with the school community. Newton Serves -  On Sunday, a large number of families came out to clean, pick up trash, spread mulch, and improve the grounds surrounding the school.  The effort was much needed…thanks to everyone who came out to help!  Thanks also to Ashley Sullivan and Kristy Moore for coordinating the cleanup.

Calendar

Bingo!  Friday, May 3, 6-7:30 p.m. Early Release Day Thursday, May 9th 12:30 p.m. MCAS Schedule 4th Grade Math - May 3rd and May 8th 5th Grade Math - May 6th and May 7th 3rd Grade Math - May 9th and May 13th Visit the entire Horace Mann Calendar at www.horacemannpto.com

From the PTO

This Friday! Family Appreciation Night Bingo! Hosted by the PTO. Board members will be available for questions and suggestions. Snacks and Prizes! Friday, May 3, 6-7:30 p.m., Horace Mann Gym Free, but register here: [Signups_Button] Help teachers prepare for move We are looking for some parents to help teachers prepare for our September move. Some teachers are looking to begin purging on Tuesday, April 30, from 1-3 p.m. We need parents to help them in any way they need, including packing boxes and carrying them to a donation trailer. Please note that this is an ADULT only event. Please sign up to help here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4fa8ac2ea1f58-help As the school year winds down, we have two ways planned to say "Thank You" to our wonderful teachers and staff. First, we will be celebrating National Teacher Appreciation Week next week, May 6th-May 10th.                                                                                                                                  Please join the HM PTO by making this a remarkable week for our great teachers and staff.   Everyday, the teachers and staff will be treated to a delicious surprise. Any small, thoughtful gesture from your child, whether a homemade card or their teacher's favorite treat, would be a pleasant surprise. We are also planning an end of the year staff lunch for the last day of school. We will send more information out about helping with this event in June.  We are happy to accept donations for these events. Just click this link. [Store_Button] Missing something? Items from the Lost and Found are on display in the hallway all week. Please stroll by and grab your lost items by Friday! Unclaimed items will be donated next week. Horace Mann is moving to the Carr Building  Horace Mann is scheduled to move to the Carr Building in September 2019. We know there are many questions about what to expect with regards to the move, facility enhancement, technology and many other areas. In order to help us communicate accurate information, Mark Nardelli will answer your questions through regular updates via email and news notes. Please list any questions you have about the move below. Thank you! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScO9ATbIqARgbv_TTM3BFw6eF vHYvCmXZURLq-nNejSpnnEig/viewform?c=0&w=1