Library Volunteer Orientation Night will be Tuesday, October 2 at 6:30 p.m. in the library.  We'll cover the activities for those helping classrooms in the library, including a review of our new computer system.  We still have room for a few more volunteers (especially on Tuesday and Friday mornings).  Contact Tracy Taubert (651-699-2188, tracerph@aol.com) for more information.

Promoting a Healthy School Environment with Celebrations Birthday parties and holiday celebrations at school provide a unique opportunity to help make healthful eating fun and exciting for children. Typically, foods for school celebrations include cupcakes, candy, cookies and soda. So what’s the harm? There is nothing wrong with an occasional treat, but unhealthy choices have become the norm rather than the exception. Parties, treats used as classroom rewards, and snacks consistently expose children to high-fat, high-sugar, low-nutrient choices. Overall, U.S. children’s eating habits are poor. Only two percent of children meet all Food Pyramid recommendations. Saint Paul Public Schools policies limits sugar snacks in the classroom to once a month.

Most children do not eat enough fruits, vegetables or whole grains. Obesity rates among children are on the rise, with serious health consequences. Constant exposure to low-nutrient foods makes it difficult for children to learn how to make healthy food choices. By providing students with nutritious choices wherever food is available (including the classroom), we can positively influence children’s eating habits.

We can help promote a positive learning environment by providing healthy celebrations that shift the focus from the food to the child. Choose a variety of activities, games and crafts that children enjoy. When food is served, make it count with healthy choices! Parties can even incorporate a fun nutrition lesson by involving children in the planning and preparation of healthy snacks. Try these ideas for fun activities and healthy foods at school parties and other celebrations.

·         Plan special party games and activities. Provide game supplies, pencils, erasers, stickers and other small school supplies instead of food.

·         Give children extra recess time instead of a class party. For birthdays, let the birthday child choose and lead an active game for everyone.

·         Instead of food, ask parents to purchase a book for the classroom or school library in the birthday child’s name. Read it to the class or invite the child’s parents to come in and read it to the class.

·         Low-fat or nonfat plain or flavored milk, 100% juice, water, flavored/sparkling water (without added sugars or sweeteners), sparkling punch (seltzer and 100% fruit juice)

·         Fruit smoothies (blend berries, bananas and pineapple)

·         Fresh fruit assortment, fruit and cheese kabobs, fruit salad, fruit with low-fat whipped topping

·         Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, apricots, banana chips), 100% fruit snacks

·         Whole-grain crackers with cheese cubes, string cheese or hummus

·         Pretzels, low-fat popcorn, rice cakes, bread sticks, graham crackers and animal crackers

·         Hot pretzels

·         Low-fat pudding, low-fat yogurt, squeezable yogurt, yogurt smoothies, yogurt parfaits or banana splits (yogurt and fruit topped with cereal, granola or crushed graham crackers)

·         Low-fat tortilla chips with salsa or bean dip

·         Coordinate a party with your child’s birthday month mates if you really want to have sweet treat.

Extra, Extra, Read all about it….Horace Mann will be starting up a school newspaper this year.  We are looking for 4th – 6th grade students interested in serving on the Horace Mann newspaper staff.  If your child is a person who enjoys writing, this is the perfect opportunity. Sound interesting?  Give your child’s name to Mrs. Tennyson by either sending an email or a note by Friday, October 5, 2007 (mariana.tennyson@spps.org). If we get more than 12 interested students, we will go through an application process.

Happy 125^th Birthday to the Saint Paul Public Library Come celebrate with the Saint Paul Public Library and the Schubert Club on Sunday, September 30^th. There’s a Children’s Storybook Parade on 4^th Street at noon. Other free festivities take place from 1 to 5 p.m. Visit www.sppl.org or www.schubert.org for details.

What Can I Do about Wellness? Are you concerned about wellness in the building? This year our school has created a Wellness Council made up of staff. We would love family participation too. If you are interested, please contact Dan Gorman.

Music Class Highlights At Mann Elementary, music is a daily event for kindergarteners, and a weekly event for grades 1-6. Mrs. Peterson, our music teacher, draws her repertoire from Silver Burdett's Making Music, which is the St. Paul school district's adopted curriculum. It is multicultural, and spans all genres and historical periods.  Deepest study is of simple songs which provide clear examples of the elements of music---melody, rhythm, form, color, expression and texture.  During our class periods we strive to use all strategies for learning, but frequently run out of time! The most used (and active!) strategies are singing, instruments, composition, reading/notating, and active listening.  When we can, we extend those skills through improvisation and discussion of related art forms, other disciplines, and historical and cultural contexts. Formal assessment (i.e. report card "grades") is done only for kindergarten.

All music classes are taught in the music/band classroom where there is space to move, staff/blackboards for writing and reading practice, Orff and rhythm instruments for playing and a sound system for delivering diverse musical experience.  This classroom is in the west wing, second floor, right by the elevator.

Each year students from Mann are exposed to fine musical performances through the support of area arts organizations. All grades attend various concerts partially funded by the Ordway and Flint Hills.  In November Grade 4 will go to an Upbeat Concert at Orchestra Hall free, thanks to the Minnesota Orchestra.  Grades 5 and 6 will experience an artist in residence in conjunction with Vocal Essence, this year focusing on Duke Ellington. Tentative concert dates for this year are Wednesday March 5 for grades 4, 5 and 6 and Wednesday May 7 for grades 1, 2 and 3. Kindergarten will tentatively perform the week before Memorial Day.

The Art of Giving Last week I gave some suggestions for ways to get the family involved in giving. Here are a few more.

Tap into their talents. Is your little one a budding chef? Encourage him to have a bake sale to help a local family who lost their home in a fire? Do you have an artist in residence? See if she will submit a “masterpiece” to a charity putting together a fundraising calendar. And anyone can help pick up litter, give love to pets in a shelter, or read to children who just need some extra attention.

Make it a family affair. Everyone wins when the whole household gets involved in an effort to help others. Some families even make volunteering a part of their children’s’ weekly allowance requirements.

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