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. Current and past issues can be found at spps.org/mann or directly by clicking here.

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Less than one month of summer left! I'm sending the Perspectives two ways this fall to make sure everyone gets it.

We are excited to see First through Fifth Grades on Tuesday, September 3. We are working hard to prepare for the first day. We did not forgot about Kindergarten students. We can't wait to see you for Kindergarten conferences on Tuesday, September 3 or Wednesday, September 4.

Our mission is to provide a safe, respectful school community that builds upon our tradition of high expectations for all students; nurtures the uniqueness of each child; and ensures that families are connected, informed and involved.

We are committed to challenging and engaging instruction in welcoming classroom environments that represent and respect the diverse backgrounds of our students. We want every student and every family to feel seen, empowered and ready to find joy in learning.

The teachers will help guide you through the year. You can find many details about the school in the Family Handbook, the A-B-C's of Horace Mann. One new policy to highlight is the Personal Device Policy (for cell phones, smart watches, and more). Please take a look.

We are working hard to correct and update our website, https://mann.spps.org/. Soon you will be able to find our calendar, current and past copies of the school newsletter "Perspectives", and other detailed information.

If you have questions that the website, Perspectives or Family Handbook do not answer, please call our school office. We will share or find the answer.

Sincerely,

Principal Litwin

If your child has grown out of their red Horace Mann t-shirt or an adult in the family would like their own shirt, you can purchase shirts by clicking here and going to Spiritwear. The deadline for orders will be Friday, September 13. All new students and staff receive a t-shirt courtesy of the Horace Mann School PTA.

Students begin entering school at 7:15am and the day officially ends at 2:00pm. Attendance begins with being on time to school each day.

Did you know that missing less than nine days of school each year helps students to stay engaged, experience success in their schoolwork, and keep on track to graduate on time? Please make sure to call the school office or email each day your child is absent.

Click this link for the supply list.

Families may want to keep receipts for various tax credits and programs.

• Saving Receipts for Your Child's Educational Expenses (supplies)
• Child Tax Credit
• Working Family Credit
• Credit for Qualifying Older Children

Class lists will be posted on the cafeteria windows on August 23. At some point in August, you will also be able to view your child's upcoming teacher in the Campus Parent Portal. Contact the school office for Campus login information if needed.

Families are invited to meet the homeroom teacher and the rest of the staff on Thursday, August 29. Visit Holleran Hall for a game and other activities. See the school and playground.

• 5:00-5:45pm encouraged for Families Last Name L-Z
• 5:45-6:30pm encouraged for Families Last Name A-K

Click this link for step-by-step directions to do all the Back-to-School forms.

You will start at spps.org/families to complete all of your school forms for each of your children. Forms include:

• Family contact information
• Emergency contacts
• Transportation information- **Must be complete by Aug 16 to get busing for daycare or alternate
• Field trip permission
• Media permission

Contact our school office if you need login information or help.

Bus

Families will receive a postcard in the mail with transportation information near the end of August. The postcard lists details about where and when to get on and off the bus. Please make sure your address is correct when you complete iUpdate (above). Good news for families west of Cleveland and east of Fairview and within a half-mile. Cleveland is now designated as a hazardous crossing. Your child is now eligible for a bus!

Please arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to pick up your child. Track the status of your child’s bus on our school’s website. Go to the site and then find Horace Mann School. Or download the SPPS Bus Status app from your app store (Apple or Google Play.) and find Horace Mann.

If you believe your student is taking the bus and you did not receive a postcard, please call our Transportation Department at 651-696-9600 between August 26-30.

School Drop-off and Pick-up

Students may be dropped off in the morning at one of two locations:

• Students may be dropped off on Bayard Ave and enter Door 7 to Holleran Hall. Please drive east on Bayard so your child can jump out curbside.
• Students may be dropped off on Eleanor Ave and enter Door 1 (red doors). They can go to Holleran Hall or the classroom. Please drive west on Eleanor so your child can jump out curbside.

During dismissal, teachers and students will exit various doors and walk around the block with the teacher. Families may park on Kenneth and Bayard to wait for your child. Staff members will escort them around the block to the crossing corner, family pick up, and buses. If you must park on the opposite side of the street, you will need to cross your child.

Walking to School

Elementary school students (K-5) who live less than a half-mile from school may walk to school. School patrols will monitor the intersections at Eleanor/Kenneth and Eleanor/Wilder.

All students are eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch under the Minnesota Free School Meal program. Hot and cold breakfast options are available. Kindergarten eats breakfast in Holleran. Grade 1-5 students grab breakfast to go and eat in class.

Other Prices

Second meals, incomplete meals and single items, such as milk only, must be purchased. The 2024-2025 meal and milk prices are:

• Student Second Breakfast: $3.00

• Student Second Lunch: $5.25

• Milk Only: $0.50

• Click here for more details on Nutrition Services.

All in-person students will receive free breakfast and lunch under Minnesota’s Free School Meals program.

Yet it remains critical that ALL families complete an Application for Educational Benefits each school year. These applications determine how much funding Horace Mann School receives for educational programs and supports. Additionally, eligible families can qualify for other benefits.

The application can be completed online. Paper applications are available at school.

SPPS strives to create welcoming schools where each and every student is seen, known and valued. There are rights students are guaranteed when they are at school as well as responsibilities that accompany those rights.

Families are encouraged to read the Rights & Responsibilities Handbook and talk with their children.

Safety is a top priority at our school. Horace Mann School has an Emergency Operations Plan that is created specifically for our school and regularly reviewed. Families receive communication when an incident directly impacts their students, such as a lockdown. Exterior doors are always locked and all visitors must sign in.

Families, students and staff can use the MySPPS app to “Send a Tip” and confidentially report unsafe behaviors to SPPS Security and Emergency Management (SEM). Every tip is taken seriously and acted on right away. Learn more at spps.org/safety.

Please check in with your health care provider to make sure your child’s immunizations are up to date before school starts in the fall. Visit https://www.spps.org/about/departments/health-wellness, scroll down, and look for Immunizations Needed for School. You can call our Health Office at 651-888-7636 and our nurse or our health assistant can help.

Extended Day for Learning (EDL)

EDL is an after-school program that provides instrumental (Band) instruction for Gr 4-5, academics, and enrichments. The program is offered for Grades 3-5, but is dependent on interest and staffing. We add younger grades when staffing allows. EDL begins after school at 2:00pm with a snack and concludes at 3:45pm. It is not clear yet whether busing will be available this year.

Community Education

This fall we have several fee-based classes on Thursdays, 2:00-3:15pm. You may sign your child up for:

• NEW Choir: Grades 2-5 with Ms. Bowron, our Music Teacher!
• Adventurers' Guild Youth D&D: Grades 2-5
• Youth Yoga: Grades K-5.
• Foam, Slime & Potions (Art): Grades K-5

Language Sprouts

Horace Mann partners with Language Sprout to offer tuition-based small-group Spanish instruction on Tuesdays & Thursdays after school from 2:00 - 3:00 pm. Call us at 651-323-9523 or go to our website for more information.

A qualified candidate will work 12.5 hours a week (10:30am-1:00pm) starting September 5. The pay starts at $15 an hour. The best candidates:

• Enjoy working with children
• Maintain a safe and orderly lunch time
• Work well with other adults.

If interested, please call Jim Litwin at 651-293-8965 x44242 or email jim.litwin@spps.org.

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

Friday, August 23

• Class lists posted on Cafeteria windows

Thursday, August 29

• 5:00-5:45pm Meet the Teacher Night for Families Last Name L-Z
  
• 5:45-6:30pm Meet the Teacher for Families Last Name A-K

Tuesday, September 3

• First Day of School for Grades 1-5
• Kindergarten Conferences

Wednesday, September 4

• Kindergarten Conferences

Thursday, September 5

• First Day of School for Kindergarten

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

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 (21-22).

Perspectives Submission Deadline: Thursdays by 8:00am

Email: jim.litwin@spps.org
Website: https://mann.spps.org/
Location: Horace Mann School, 2001 Eleanor Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55116
Phone: 651-293-8965
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SPPSHoraceMannSchool/