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 are excited to announce a school event to celebrate National Bike/Walk to School Day. On Wednesday, May 7th, students who ride the school buses will experience the health benefits of walking to school.

Our buses will drop off children at Highland Parkway and Fairview. Students will be met by school staff and volunteers. Students and volunteers will walk to school along the 4-6 block route shown in the picture below. Our school patrol will help them safely cross along the route.

Walking to school has many benefits. Studies find that physical activity improves academic performance. Schools with regular ‘Walking Wednesdays’ report that students who walk arrive at school happier and better prepared to learn.

Parents and children who do not take the bus are invited to walk too. Parent can drop off students with an adult west of the bus drop off location. Walking students can join schoolmates at the bus drop location, anywhere along the route, or walk from home. All students will enter Door #1, the red doors on Eleanor Ave. Breakfast will be served by the office. Kindergarten will get breakfast and head to the cafeteria. The rest of the students will get breakfast and head to class.

Please do not park or drop off children at the Highland Parkway zone where the buses will be unloading. You can drop off students west of this area on Highland Parkway as long as you are traveling west.

In the case of bad weather, Horace Mann School will make the decision to cancel or postpone this event. If you have questions, would like to volunteer, or do not want your child to participate in this activity, please email jim.litwin@spps.org or call 651-293-8965 to make the request.

We’re looking forward to walking to school with your child.

Sincerely,

Jim Litwin, Principal

School counseling lessons over the next few weeks will include the discussion of important safety rules in grades K-4, including those about unsafe and unwanted touching. 5th Grade counseling lessons will be focused on preparing for the middle school transition. The Second Step personal safety curriculum encourages students to recognize when something is unsafe, report anything unsafe to an adult, and refuse to participate. Using developmentally appropriate examples, students will also learn how to recognize a broken private body parts rule and report it to a parent or other trusted adult.

This is a great opportunity to ask your child about the safety rules they've been talking about at school and review safety rules you have as a family. We recognize this as a potentially sensitive topic, and welcome you to contact us with any questions or thoughts about the classroom conversations or curriculum used.

Kristina Rogers, school counselor for grades K, 1, 4 & 5

Kristina.rogers@spps.org

Marissa McClure, school counselor for grades 2 & 3

marissa.McClure@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.

Monday, April 28

• Roller-skating for PE Classes
• 2:00-3:45pm Extended Day for Learning (EDL)
• 3:30-5:00pm Girls on the Run
• 5:30-8:30pm Karen Parent Advisory Council at 360 Colborne
• 5:30-6:30pm 5th Gr Eagle Bluff Field Trip Parent Meeting in Holleran Hall
• 6:30-8:00pm American Indian Parent Advisory Council at 360 Colborne

Tuesday, April 29

• 7:15-7:35am School Store
• Roller-skating for PE Classes
• 8:15-9:45am Grade 5 MCA Science Test
• 2:00-3:00pm Language Sprouts Spanish
• 5:30-8:00pm K-Gr 1 Latino Consent Decree Parent Advisory Council at 360 Colborne

Wednesday, April 30

• Roller-skating for PE Classes
• 8:15-9:45am Grade 5 MCA Science Test
• 2:00-3:45pm Extended Day for Learning (EDL)
• 3:30-5:00pm Girls on the Run

Thursday, May 1

• Roller-skating for PE Classes
• 8:15-10:15am 1st Grade Adventure Classroom Residency
• 8:30-9:30am Kindergarten May Day Basket Field Trip
• 2:00-3:00pm Language Sprouts Spanish
• 2:00-3:10pm Spring Community Education Classes
  

Friday, May 2

• Roller-skating for PE Classes
• 8:00-10:15am Gr 4-5 Musical Rehearsal in Holleran Hall
• 1:00-1:45pm Gr 4-5 Musical Rehearsal in Holleran Hall

Monday, May 5

• Roller-skating for PE Classes
• 2:00-3:45pm Extended Day for Learning (EDL)
• 3:30-5:00pm Girls on the Run

Tuesday, May 6

• Roller-skating for PE Classes
• 8:45-9:30 Grade 4-5 Musical for the School in the Gym
• 2:00-3:00pm Language Sprouts Spanish
• 5:30-7:00pm Parents of African American Students Advisory Council at 360 Colborne
• 6:00pm Grade 4-5 Musical for Families in the Gym

Wednesday, May 7

• Roller-skating for PE Classes
• 7:15am Walk, Bike, Roll to School Day
• 2:00-3:45pm Extended Day for Learning (EDL)
• 3:30-5:00pm Girls on the Run
  

Thursday, May 8

• Roller-skating for PE Classes
• 10:00am Family Tree Human Growth and Development Presentation in Ms. Kacky's
• 11:00am Family Tree Human Growth and Development Presentation in Ms. Pickart's
• 2:00-3:00pm Language Sprouts Spanish
• 2:00-3:10pm Spring Community Education Classes
• 2:15pm Leadership Team in Room 2104
• 6:00pm Kindergarten Welcome (Classrooms, Library, Holleran Hall)
• 6:00-7:30pm PTA Free Family Fun Night on Playground

Friday, May 9

• Roller-skating for PE Classes
• 9:30-11:00am Jalonack & Kath's Classes Field Trip to Como Planetarium

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 board met last week to review budget priorities for the next school year. A preliminary budget was proposed to guide PTA priorities, including brainstorming new ways to allocate resources to HMS faculty, students, and building grounds. Budget priorities will be finalized at our next, and final meeting of the PTA, on May 15th at 6pm in the HMS library. All HMS community members are welcome to attend!

Are you ready for this year's INFLATABLES announcement? Kids spoke, we listened! Back by popular demand: giant challenge obstacle course, wacky combo 3-in-1 with giant slide, older kids bounce house, velcro axe throw, gaga pit, and if the weather cooperates this year, the rock climbing wall! (Okay, that's not technically an inflatable!) Students, we heard your feedback that you love inflatables and want shorter lines, so we're adding NEW this year: younger kids giraffe bounce house, basketball free throw, rock climb slide, and rainbow combo bounce house!

Thanks to the generosity of families and sponsors through our PTA fundraising events, ALL CARNIVAL FUN IS FREE! Games, prizes, inflatables - ALL FREE!

We need lots of volunteers to make our epic free Carnival happen - 200 slots, to be exact! That means it's all hands on deck! We're asking every family to consider filling at least one volunteer shift. Each slot is only one hour, so families will still have lots of time to spend together. We had a spectacular volunteer crew last year, and we'd love to see you again this year! Anyone can sign up: grandparents, friends, neighbors, middle schoolers, high schoolers. Spread the word! Carnival volunteering is such a rewarding way to get involved at Horace Mann. Sign up to volunteer TODAY!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAAAA28ABFDC52-56472513-horace

2025 Carnival Committee: Katie Bliss, Jennifer Duda Butwinick, Laura Hammargren, Molly Miller Mons, Emily Sadnick, and Laura Wike. Contact us to get involved!

SEE YOU AT THE PTA SPRING CARNIVAL on Friday, May 30, 2025 from 5:00-8:00 p.m.!

Our PRIZE DRIVE continues! Thank you for bringing in donations of excellent-condition, pre-loved trinkets to be repurposed as carnival prizes. We'll continue to collect small, gently-used toys through Friday, May 9. Clean out your shelves and toy rooms! Thank you for helping to reduce our plastic footprint at this year's event.

As our limited volunteer staff will be sorting and storing donations, please ONLY bring in items that meet our needs. Your help is appreciated!

YES items to donate:

- Excellent condition

- Trinkets, fidgets, figurines, etc.

- Clean items, with no stains or damage

- Must be smaller than a grocery bag

NO, please do not bring in:

- NO broken toys

- NO stuffed animals or cloth items

- NO games or books, or items with multiple pieces

Please bring your excellent condition prizes to Horace Mann's main entrance (red doors) through Friday, May 9. For questions or after-hours or weekend dropoff, please contact Jennifer Duda Butwinick at (651) 983-5258 or jekduda@gmail.com. Thank you!

2025 Carnival Committee: Katie Bliss, Jennifer Duda Butwinick, Laura Hammargren, Molly Miller Mons, Emily Sadnick, and Laura Wike. Contact us to get involved!

There are many Great Gathering events still available. They will remain open for registration until sold out so there is still time to sign up to enjoy one (or two or three) this year!

Great Gatherings Spotlight

Afton Group Camping Trip the weekend of May 23rd. Join us for s'mores, hiking, stone soup, and other outdoor fun Memorial Day Weekend in Group Campsite B at Afton State Park. Hosted by the Tollgaard Family.

Check out some upcoming Great Gatherings that still have spots open:

April 25- 5th Grade Parents Whirly Ball

May 2- Pickleball, Pints & a Party with a Purpose!

May 9- 5th Grade Moms Happy Hour

May 28- Sunset Yoga

May 29- 1st Grade Moms Happy Hour

May 31- Bourbon Night

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.