75th Annivesary Celebration is a Huge Success! Thank you to everyone for your help with our evening celebration, student performances, the parade, and the all-school picnic. A special thank you to Jim Johnson, Eileen O'Connell Conzet, the PTA for the planning and preparation; to Rita Behrens, Grace Raymond, Liz Aase, Maria Spann, Kathy Ames, Amy Kortuem, and Susan Lawrenz-Smith for the musical; Jenny Logan for the veggie/fruit trays; the 5th and 6th grade ambassadors; our custodians Mike and Shauna; Margy and Missy for the barbecue, and Commander McNamara for leading the parade. We have a tremendously generous community of learners, families, and educators. I am continuously amazed and thrilled by the support and enthusiasm here. I feel fortunate and blessed to be principal and promise to lead us forward into another wonderful 75 years!

Playground Installation The playground installation is on for Saturday, June 16. More help is welcome. Minnesota/Wisconsin Playground will provide the foreman. The volunteers will provide the tools and the labor. We anticipate beginning the installation at 8:00 a.m. It should take a half day. If you have experience with putting together equipment, using quikrete, or moving heavy objects, you are welcome! The reponsibilities will include unloading the equipment, taking inventory, installing the concrete, assembling and installing the equipment.

Please bring the following tools if you have them:

• Cement mixing tools
• Power saw
• Hammers
• Mauls
• Wheelbarrows
• 3/8" drive sockets
• Wrenches (9/16" and 1/4" are the most needed)
• Tape measures
• Hand levels
• Step ladders
• Vise grips
• Utility knives
• Power drill (cordless, charged preferred)
• Loads of enthusiasm

[One note: Individual tools look alike. Consider marking them. It can be frustrating to lose part of a set.]

KARL KNETSCH EARLY WINNER! Karl Knetsch correctly calculated the amount Horace Mann friends and family will raise if each student returns all five envelopes with 50 Box Tops ($8,125). Quick thinking Karl! There are seven more prizes to be earned-can you find out what is necessary to win them (see the note attached to the envelopes)?

Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program It's a great program for kids entering 1st-6th grade. They can read eight books over the summer, fill out the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Journal and bring it in to any Barnes & Noble store to receive a free paperback book from a list of great children's titles. Parents and teachers can print out a copy of the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Journal by visiting www.bn.com/summerreading and clicking on "Summer Reading Journal." You can also find some activity sheets on the same page.

Summer at Horace Mann This place will be hopping! With nearly every room being used throughout the summer months for special programs, it'll be a challenge to get all of our cleaning scheduled and completed! Teresa Ciccarelli will be the Site Administrator for Summer School 293-8770. Judy Ronnei will be the Site Leader. Our regular office will be closed from June 22 to August 4, except during Summer School hours 7:30-11:30 a.m. The school will also undergo both the playground renovation and building lighting renovation. The lighting renovation will change all but the newest area of the building.

[REVISED] Dismissal Plan Changes for 07-08 I will still work this summer to make changes and improvements to our dismissal plan for next year. However, I was mistaken in my understanding of the process and have to coordinate with two departments,Transportation and Plant Planning, before any plans are finalized.

The main goal is still to separate bussing and pick-ups and reduce the street crossings that children make. A detailed diagram and description will be sent home with our letter in August.

I realize that some of these changes may be inconvenient. When we balance a child's safety versus a minor inconvenience, safety still is the number one priority.

Doing Good Together Our school is exploring a partnership with Doing Good Together, an organization whose mission is to enable family volunteerism, build citizenship, and provide hands-on volunteering activities. You can learn more at www.doinggoodtogether.org. Cornelia Elmentary in Edina has worked with them this year holding a family service night with stations such as making sandwiches for Simpson Homeless Shelter, making/mailing cards for chronically ill children, and stuffing birthday bags for Ronald McDonald House. Families there also receive a monthly list of other service opportunities. Each completed activity has added a link to the Cornelia Chain of Caring. If this is a partnership that interests you or it is something you think would be worth pursuing, please contact Kindergarten parent Paul Johnson at pjohnson@goldengate.net or 695-9853.

Frogtown Toy Drive was a big success. A truckload of toys left our playground on Saturday, June 9. Way to go Horace Mann community!

Keep Your Kids Learning During the Summer Did you know children lose a shocking amount of what they’ve already learned if they’re allowed to “veg out” during the summer? By forgetting about learning during the lazy days of summer, we’re actually harming our child’s education. That means that the kids who put forth just a little bit of effort are going to be way ahead come fall. We owe it to them—and to their futures—to incorporate learning activities into their summers.

7) Participate in sports/exercise. With hours of free time every day, there’s always time to build in some physical activity. Even if your child can’t participate in a local sports league or community-based team, there are plenty of ways to get exercise—from jumping rope to family walks.

There are wonderful resources available through schools, libraries, and on the Internet to help families keep their children’s brains “alive” during the dog days of summer. Even though it takes a little bit of effort on your part, the payoff, in terms of their education, is beyond measure.

Upcoming Events

• Monday, June 25 - Friday, July 27 - Summer School (No School July 4)
• Mon, August 27 Opening Week Begins
• Thur, August 30 Open House - Meet the Teacher Night
• Wed, Sept 5 Gr 5/6 Family Information Night 5:00 p.m.
• Mon, Sept 10 Gr 1 Family Info Night 5:15 p.m.
• Mon, Sept 10 Gr 2 Family Info Night 6:00 p.m.
• Tues, Sept 11 Staff Meeting
• Wed, Sept 12 Gr 3 Family Info Night 5:15 p.m.
• Wed, Sept 12 Gr 4 Family Info Night 6:00 p.m.
• Thu, Sept 13 Kdg Family Info Night 6:00 p.m.