Traffic and Parking—Please Help When I cleaned out Mr. Scott’s office last spring, I found a brochure from AAA entitled “Parents Can Be Serious Traffic Hazards”. It was from 1977 so it’s a lot more direct and a lot less politically correct than today. I sure do not want it to be true though, so I need your help. Let me share a story to illustrate.

One morning last week I was standing on the sidewalk by our main entry on Eleanor. I found a Hyundai parked in the “No Parking” drop-off zone. It was difficult for other cars to pull to the curb and drop. I continued greeting families and used my walkie-talkie to page the car’s owner. While my back was turned and without my noticing, a second Hyundai arrived and parked in the unloading zone too! We paged both cars’ owners.

Then I watched as a Volvo come to drop off. Unfortunately, that car could not pull to the curb. The child got out on the street and hurried to the curb. A school bus came from the opposite direction. Neither the Volvo nor the bus could move forward. It felt like a Laurel and Hardy episode. With some fancy driving and some patience, eventually the bus got through, the Volvo got on its way, and the Hyundai owners drove off.

Time is valuable for everyone, but our children’s safety is an even more precious goal. Please help by:

• Dropping off only in the unloading zone in the morning.
• Having your children get out of the car on the school side. Move out of the unloading zone for the next parent.
• Park on Wilder or Kenneth if you need to come into school.
• Park further than 15 feet from corners. This will allow the buses to make the turns around the school (not just our own, but others that pass by) and keep good sight lines for the cars coming and going.

Family Time Together Are you looking for a way to spend time with your children that is free, fun, rewarding, and helpful to others?  The newly-formed Service Project Committee is meeting for the first time to discuss and plan family volunteering at Horace Mann School.   Please join us on Wednesday, 11/7, at 7:30 - 9:00 at White Rock on Cleveland Avenue, near school.  Come share ideas, discuss past experiences or just learn more!   Any questions, please call Chris Aerts at 699-6575 or Sarah Johnson at 695-8075.

Accelerated Reader We are using a new, web-based version of Accelerated Reader this year. There have been some technical glitches but most classrooms and the library are now up and running with the new system.  For your convenience, a current list of books will now be accessible via the Horace Mann website (look under Resources>Library/Media Center). It was initially thought that Accelerated Reader may be used by families at home, but the staff would prefer to keep A.R. within the school. We appreciate your patience as we continue to learn the new system.

Horace Mann Haunted House and School Party is tonight, Friday, October 26, 2007 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Horace Mann Gymnasium. There will be a Haunted House, games, a Monster Walk and food. The money raised supports the 6^th grade week-long trip to Eagle Bluff Environmental Center in the spring. The trip is the culmination of a student’s 6^th grade year and career at Horace Mann.

Halloween Candy Collection A parent recently shared with me a service project being conducted in another school district. They are collecting extra Halloween candy to donate to charitable organizations. For example, hard candy is being sent to soldiers posted in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other foreign postings. My brother recently returned from an assignment in Uruguay. We sent him some care packages that he and his fellow soldiers truly appreciated. If you and your child(ren) would be interested in taking on this service project, please contact me. We would need collection boxes, collection dates, sorting of candy, and packaging and mailing.

Playground Update As I write this, the contractors are installing sod on our field. Last week we moved the playground piece. Slowly but surely the playground project is coming to a conclusion. The sod and grass take at least 2 weeks of warm weather to root well enough to remove the fence. Unless the forecast changes, I would predict that the fence will stay up until the spring. We did not have sufficient funds in the project to purchase the grill, the picnic table, and the bike rack. We are still working on these items through other means. There are 4 remaining tasks to be completed:

• Install 4 benches (we are waiting for the legs)
• Install 13 handholds on the climbing wall ( we have to order more)
• Install the top to the Skyrunner (we are waiting for more sand from the district for the playground)
• Install the basketball rim (we were sent the wrong rim and are having trouble finding a locking rim)

Wellness Council Update The school has a Wellness Council made up of staff and parents. The Council is charged with promoting health, good nutrition, and fitness for the students, families, and staff. They are working on a participation promotion for eating a healthy breakfast at school or at home. They will be putting out surveys to generate other ideas and gauge interests. They are looking at fundraising—in particular non-food rewards and prizes. They are participating in a program called “Steps to a Healthier St. Paul”.

Together We Can Save Horace Mann Money Are you interested in helping Horace Mann spend less money on paper and save a few trees? Horace Mann spends about $2300 a year on paper for classroom assignments and notes to parents like this one. Other schools print these materials on re-used paper. We can too. All we need are some businesses willing to donate their paper to Horace Mann. Why not look around your place of work and see whether there is paper which has already been printed on one side which can be donated to Horace Mann? If you need help transporting the paper, the Environmental Committee is available to help. Contact Nancyjwagner@comcast.net or 698-6783.

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