• February 12th (Monday): National African American Parent Involvement Day
• February 14th (Wednesday): Valentines Day
• February 15th (Thursday): PTA Meeting (7:00 p.m.)
• February 16th (Friday): Author Mary Casanova Visit
• February 19th (Monday): President's Day Holiday (No School)
• February 20th (Tuesday): End of Kathryn Beich Fundraiser for Eagle Bluff
• February 27th (Tuesday): Celebrity Reader, Angela Davis from Channel 4 News (1:30 p.m.); Staff Meeting
• February 28th (Wednesday): Readathon Ends
• March 2nd (Friday): Horace Mann School Reading Celebration (1:30 p.m.); Horace Mann School Award Drawing (2:15 p.m.); Family Night: Readathon Sock-Hop

READING WILL ROCK U! In celebration of our readathon this month, all students will be given a book of their choice next week. This book give-away is made possible by RIF, Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. RIF supports literacy development by providing free books for children to choose and keep. Students will be given the opportunity to choose their books during their regularly scheduled library times. Students who are absent on their library day will still receive their RIF books. If you have questions regarding the program or would like to find out how you can help with our next distribution, contact Mariana Tennyson at 293-8965.

NEXT FAMILY FUN NIGHT SET FOR MARCH 2ND Our next Family Fun Night will be held on Friday, March 2nd, 2007. We will combine our Readathon Sock-Hop with Family Fun Night on this date. Please watch for additional information on this special evening event. Thank you PTA for sponsoring this event!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE SILENT AUCTION The Horace Mann PTA is putting together a team of volunteers to run our Silent Auction, to be held on May 4th, 2007. We need your help! Most volunteers will volunteer an average of 10-12 hours over the next three months. What a great way to meet other parents while supporting your school!

We need help with gift solicitation, decorating, computer entry, art projects (with students and teachers) and event workers.

Please contact school parent Tom Youness at 690-8985 or tyouness@comcast.net. We're looking forward to hearing from you!

CONGRATULATIONS TO CREATIVE YOUNG MINDS, READY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS OF THE FUTURE -- HORACE MANN'S YOUNG INVENTORS FAIR The Inventors Fair was held last Thursday, February 1st. This event supports young people in an exciting journey to invention from creative ideas to productive solutions. Each student had the task of developing a new solution to an every day problem. Eleven students participated in the Fair. Students presented their inventions to judges in the a.m. The judges were amazed by the sophistication of the inventions.

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION REMINDER! It is time to gather up the stash of Box Tops you have been collecting and turn them in to meet the February 20th submission deadline! General Mills issues two checks per year and this is the last chance for Horace Mann families to contribute Box Tops that will be counted toward the 2006-07 academic year. Thank you for supporting your school!

HELP KOWALSKI's HELP HORACE MANN Horace Mann School will be a recipient of the Receipts for Charity Program at Kowalski's Market. How can you help? Shop at Kowalski's Market (Grand Ave, 1 block east of Hamline) between January 1-March 31, 2007. Place your receipt in the clear Lucite box labeled Horace Mann School. The boxes are located near the exit. The donation from Kowalski's will be based upon the number of receipts (not dollar total). Shop at Kowalski's and we will all benefit!

PLEASE NOTE: GUEST READER DR. ROSENBERG ASSEMBLY CANCELLED Due to the illness of Macalester College President Dr. Brian Rosenberg, his attendance at our assembly on Monday as a guest reader has been cancelled. We will attempt to reschedule with Dr. Rosenberg at a later date.

Dear Horace Mann Parents:

Monday, February 12th, 2007, will be a special day at Horace Mann School.

We will be celebrating the 12th annual National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID), take your child to school or visit your child in school day. This is a national call to action during Black History Month, to increase African American parent involvement in their children's education. It is expected that national observation of NAAPID will open dialogue among teachers, parents and students, and will lead to a more facilitating learning environment for all students.

On February 12th, although our focus will be on African American Parents, it is our hope that all parents will accompany their children to school, have breakfast or lunch with them, meet with the principal, observe classrooms and tour the building. It is our hope that the result of such a community, district and nationwide call to action will result in on-going benefits and educational excellence throughout the school year for all students.

A special breakfast and lunch will also be served on this special day. The breakfast menu (from 7:55-8:20 a.m.) will include cold cereal, yogurt, graham crackers and grits. The lunch menu (11:15-11:45 1st lunch and

11:55-12:25 2nd lunch) will consist of Rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, biscuit, mixed greens, peaches and sweet potato pie. The cost for adults is $3.25 and siblings $1.50. A special surprise from Mr. Scott awaits those parents/guardians that sign the guest register in the office.

If you plan on having breakfast or lunch with your child, please RSVP by calling the school office at 651-293-8965.

Please join us on Monday, February 12th.

Sincerely,

Lewis Scott, Principal