Request for Reassignment, Daycare Transfer, and Elementary Transfer Sibling If you live in the Horace Mann reassignment area, have a daycare transfer, or live outside the attendance area and have younger children who will attend kindergarten next year, please contact Judy Browne. We are working with District Administration and Student Placement to deal with our attendance area change. This information will be crucial in helping us predict next year’s enrollment and to make plans for classrooms and teachers. Thank you.

The PTA meeting on Thursday, March 13 will be an opportunity to discuss enrollment for next year, ask questions, and share your viewpoint. Executive Director of Elementary Education Nancy Stachel will be on hand. Nancy has been working throughout the district on school and programming changes including those affecting Homecroft and Horace Mann. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.

The Rewards of Reading You know how important it is to read to your children. Like most families, you want to read with your children, but somehow days can go by without you sitting down with them and opening a book. The key is to make it a priority. Here are a few suggestions to help your children improve their reading skills.

• Focus on their interests. Reading with you should be for pleasure, so get books from the school or public library that feature characters or topics they’re really interested in. It doesn’t matter if they’re reading a book about NASCAR or NASA–either way, they're reading!
• Ask them questions while you’re reading. Everyone is a better “listener” when they know they’re going to be asked questions about what they’re listening to. Don’t make it a test, but do keep their interest going by asking them stories about what’s being read. Get their brains working. Don’t just ask who the characters are. Instead, ask questions like “Why do you think he did that?” “What would you do if you were in that situation?,” or “What do you think will happen next?”

The Read-a-thon Needs Your Help!  If you are able to volunteer to help with any of these tasks, please contact Julie Schulz at jschulz675@comcast.net, or at 651-690-4034.  We currently need help with the following things: 

1. Helping students read so Mr. Litwin can shave his beard.
2. Tallying student pledges for one grade level.  This must be done the weekend of March 7-9.
3. Helping at the Usborne book fair on Thursday, March 13 with a one hour shift between 3:00-7:00 pm, or on Friday March 14 between 3:00-6:00 pm.
4. Collecting student pledges at school during the week of March 3-7.  The job takes just ½ hour, from 8:00-8:30 am.
5. Writing thank you notes for students (stationary provided).
6. Help passing out prizes to students on Friday, March 14.  We will begin at 10:30 and hopefully be done by noon.

Thank you for helping make the read-a-thon a success!

The Horace Mann School PTA will be electing officers for the 2008-2009 school year at the upcoming April meeting.  Please consider running for President, Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer.  Have questions about an office or the PTA?  Contact Melissa Kestner at crawkestner@aol.com.  Want to run for an office?  E-mail Secretary Amy Kortuem at amy.eide@spps.org, no later than March 15th to let her know.  Don't miss this great volunteer opportunity!

DECEMBER BOX TOPS COUNTS ARE HERE! Ms Long's kindergarten took top honors in the December collection of boxtops by bringing in $21.50.  Both second grade classrooms did exceptionally well; Ms Dahl's room contributed $19.80 and Ms Dixon's $17.70. Thanks to everyone who helped with the clipping and saving.

4-5-6 Concert Clothing to show Minnesota Pride! Our upcoming concert "Minnesota's 150th Birthday" is March 5 at 8:45 a.m. All 4th, 5th and 6th Students have been asked to wear a shirt that shows a Minnesota GREAT--and hopefully you've got it ready to go.  If not, think about what you'd encourage a visitor to see: Paul and Babe, Itasca Park, a theater or museum, Landmark Center, Minnehaha Falls, a team? These can be long or short sleeved, in good shape. Don't have one yet?  Plan an outing to a special place over President's day, and remember it with a souvenir t-shirt.  Or go on an adventure to Goodwill, Savers or Turnstyle and find one there. Students should all wear dark pants.  If Minnesota Pridewear can't be done, wear a bright solid-colored shirt. Let’s see which class will have the greatest variety of t-shirts to honor Minnesota!

Family Input for SCIP You are invited to give input on our School Continuous Improvement Plan for next year. The more input we receive the better plan we can prepare for 2008-2009. Sessions will be held in the library. Childcare will be available for evening sessions. You can see the 07-08 SCIP by clicking here. You can also provide input by clicking here if you cannot make a session.

• 3:00-4:00 p.m. February 19
• 3:00-4:00 p.m. February 21
• 6:00-7:00 p.m. February 21

WINE RAFFLE TICKETS ARE HERE!....Stop by the office to purchase your wine raffle tickets or to check out some tickets to sell.  ALSO - look for volunteers selling tickets all next week before and after school.  Volunteers will be stationed in the school at drop-off, by the pick-up exit after school and at Discovery Club pick-up.  Warm beverages and treats will be served!  Tickets are $10 a piece and there will be five winners.  You do not need to be present at the Silent Auction to win.  Help us make the Wall of Wine Raffle a great success. Thanks for your support!

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