Perspectives

This newsletter provides updates, information and event details for Horace Mann School, the Horace Mann School Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), and Saint Paul Public Schools. It is published weekly and distributed through email. Past issues can be found at mann.spps.org.

We love to meet all the families in person for conferences. We also believe there are reasons a family might need a virtual Google Meet conference. We want to accommodate everyone’s needs. We are able to offer one conference per family per child (due to our student numbers and the short time dedicated for conferences).

If you need a virtual conference, please reach out to your child's teacher. They may want to keep virtual conferences grouped together at a particular time.

• Here is the link to sign up: https://ptcfast.com/schools/Horace_Mann_School.

*Principal Litwin will not be present on on Friday, March 28. Otherwise, if you need to speak to him, he will be available in the office both evenings.

This year representatives from our families joined the school leadership team. This team helps with school improvement planning efforts. The team meets once or twice a month. One of Elizabeth, Daniel, and Mariyam's jobs will be to reach out to families. They might call to get your perspective on key questions for the school. This is just one more way that we are involving all families in making our school community the best it can be!

Grades K/1

Our youngest musicians are growing in their ability to find and show a steady beat. You might try it at home with a song your family likes: see if you can find the beat and show it in a way that fits the music. You could also talk about whether it's a faster or slower tempo, and how that makes the music feel. We're also focused on improving in-tune singing. It's a skill that can be developed, and these students are ready for the leap to the next level. K/1 students continue to develop the songs for the April 15 concert; when we need to wiggle, we pull out the parachute and give it a musical workout. The K/1 students also made lovely and lively contributions to the NAAPID celebration.

Grades 2/3

I'm very proud of the way the 2nd and 3rd graders rose to the occasion for their concerts this month. They sang with confidence and even a little panache, and it was a joy to see them shine like that. Now we shift into a mix of work and play, cementing our note reading and building on ukulele and recorder skills. Soon we'll be able to use those skills to create original music in large and small groups. We also dip into music history and culture. The whole-grade Motown and swing numbers these students shared at the NAAPID assembly were adventurous and mesmerizing.

Grade 4/5

Fourth and Fifth graders will be performing a musical on May 6: please mark your calendars! The count was close, but "The Wizard of Oz" won by two votes, and we are already learning the songs. Like all of our school concerts and shows, any student who offers to try a speaking part will have one! We also spread out the opportunities by having several people play the main character roles. We also have many non-speaking options, and of course everyone will be in the choir. Although we do want to entertain the audience, our main performance value is individual growth for each student, and it's an educational experience with lots of room for creativity. When we aren't working on the musical, we'll continue to deepen music theory knowledge and apply it to our songs.

P.S. To everyone: several families have inquired about where they might find good instrument instruction or music groups for their children. If you have a recommendation, would you please email it to me? I would love to help support great teachers and organizations in our community by connecting them with HM families.

Thank you for your kind support as always-

Ms. Bowron (Horace Mann's music teacher)

Stephanie.Bowron@spps.org

Elite youth running is very often a game of fractions and this race was no exception. Horace Mann School's Maximus missed a National Championship by just .71sec.

With a PR time of 5:13.81, Maximus earned a silver medal and Track & Field All-American status in the 2025 National AAU Indoor Championships (1500-meter dash). Maximus is currently 10-years-old and a 5th grader at Horace Mann School.

Maximus competed as an 11-year-old. He would’ve won a National Championship had he competed as a 12--year-old (5:14.05).

Maximus proudly wears his very hard-earned silver medal, with an emphasis that "hard-work can make anyone successful."

Bookmark our school calendar. It can be found at the top of our website. Here are some highlights for the next two weeks.

Monday, February 24

• 2:00-3:45pm Extended Day for Learning (EDL)
• 5:30-8:00pm virtual Karen Parent Advisory Council
• 6:30-8:00pm virtual American Indian Parent Advisory Council

Tuesday, February 25

• 7:15-7:35am School Store in 1st Floor Hall
• 2:00-3:00pm Language Sprouts Spanish
• 5:30-7:30pm virtual Parents of African American Students Advisory Council
• 6:00-7:30pm HMS PTA Meeting in Library

Wednesday, February 26

• 2:00-3:45pm Extended Day for Learning (EDL)
• 5:30-8:00pm virtual Hmong Parent Advisory Council

Thursday, February 27

• 2:00-3:00pm Language Sprouts Spanish
• 2:00-3:15pm Winter Community Education Classes
• 2:30-3:30pm Leadership Team in Room 2104

Friday, February 28

• 7:30am-12:00pm Phillips EYE Institute Screening in DC Base Room

Monday, March 3

• 2:00-3:45pm Extended Day for Learning (EDL)

Tuesday, March 4

• 9:30-11:30am Rice & Tennyson Field Trip to MIA
• 2:00-3:00pm Language Sprouts Spanish

Wednesday, March 5

• 9:30-11:30am Doenges & Glass Field Trip to MIA
• 2:00-3:45pm Extended Day for Learning (EDL)

Thursday, March 6

• 9:00-10:00am All School Assembly by Dr. Artika Tyner
• 9:30-11:30am Jalonack & Kath Field Trip to MIA
• 2:00-3:00pm Language Sprouts Spanish
• 2:00-3:15pm Winter Community Education Classes
• 6:00pm HMS PTA Free Family Bingo Night in Holleran Hall

Friday, March 7

• No School - Conference Prep Day

Perspectives Submission Deadline: Thursdays by 8:00am

Email: jim.litwin@spps.org
Website: https://mann.spps.org/
Location: 2001 Eleanor Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55116

Phone: 651-293-8965
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SPPSHoraceMannSchool/

The PTA is hosting another great free family fun night! Students, caregivers, and siblings are welcome to attend!

When: Thursday, March 6, from 6 to 7:30pm

Where: Holleran Hall

• FREE to play!
• BYO-Snacks!
• WIN awesome prizes!

We hope to see you there!

Exciting news! More fantastic prizes have just been added to the raffle! Each $10 raffle ticket gives you a chance to win one of four incredible prizes — all inspired by this year’s movie theme: a home theater projector, a $150 Riverview Theater gift card, a movie night gift basket, and our legendary Wall of Wine & Beer.

How to enter: Stop by Horace Mann during one of our raffle pop-up sales to purchase your tickets.

CASH OR CHECK ONLY. Our first raffle sale is on Friday, March 6th during the BINGO Free Family Fun Night (6pm-7:30pm). Check the website for future sale dates. The drawing will take place at the live auction, but you do NOT need to be present to win.

Remember to buy your live auction tickets and sign up to host a Great Gathering!

Stay tuned for next week’s topic: let’s get in theme. In the meantime, contact us at auction@hms-pta.org with any questions.

Auction Committee Co-Chairs: Allison Deep, Sarah Haley, Virginia Ryan

Horace Mann Service Night will host a hygiene drive for Bridge to Basics– providing requested hygiene items to local nonprofits who distribute to our neighbors.

Collection is moved to next week. We will be collecting new, full size, non-expired hygiene items. Donations can be brought to the school office by early next week.

See the Bridge to Basics flyer for more details

All are welcome to attend the next PTA meeting in the library, Tuesday 2/25 6-7PM.

Childcare will be available, provided by the 5th grade Ambassadors.

The PTA has several board positions open for next school year. If you are curious about a role on the board, or other volunteer opportunities with the PTA, come to the meeting and get your questions asked! No experience is required to become involved in the PTA.

President: Grace Hanson, president@hms-pta.org

Vice-President: Gina Corradi, president@hms.-pta.org

Treasurer: Alex Stuart & Sam Smith, treasurer@hms-pta.org

Teacher Reps: Amy Kortuem & Mark Lindskoog, teacher-rep@hms-pta.org

Communications: Lisa Ortmann, communications@hms-pta.org

Volunteer Coordinator: Christine Holloway, volunteer.coordinator@hms-pta.org

Recorders: Andrea Gleckner & Sarah Liuzzi, recorder@hms-pta.org

Check the HMS PTA website for the most up to date information about meetings, latest forms, announcements, contact information, volunteer opportunities and more. Click on the “Treasurer’s report and Budget” to see this year’s budget. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please email web-admin@hms-pta.org.

Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) is not sponsoring, endorsing, or recommending the activities/events announced in the PTA Section and no SPPS student will be turned away due to inability to pay.