Mrs. Lynch's Kindness Project

I'd like to pass along a wonderful story from Mrs. Lynch's 3rd grade class here at Horace Mann...and an invitation to do some good!

Our area has many organizations whose mission it is to help those in need, and Mrs. Lynch selected three to support.  The Hunger Network feeds homeless people at various locations and then provides items to people as they head out into the elements.  Malachi House opens their doors to homeless people each night and also shares bags of items when people leave in the morning to help sustain them through the day.  Providence House services families displaced by abuse.  Because the women and children arrive with little more than the clothes on their back, they are constantly in need of things.   

With the donations given by Mrs. Lynch's class, 62 bags were created and dropped off over the weekend. Students expressed generosity for others and also gratitude for their own warm coats, homes and full bellies.  The happy faces of our helpers speak for themselves :)





Mrs. Lynch makes regular visits to these organizations, and is happy to organize any donations.  If you would like to give items, please see the photo below. 

Mrs. Lynch also shared this note with the parents of her students about a special day last week,
 "Our day started with bags of donations making their way into our room.  Then we got a surprise gift from Alden - our very own classroom tree and colorful ornaments!  He asked Addie to help him put hooks on each ornament and then they passed them out.  In between assignments, the kids took turns trimming the tree.  I’m pretty sure I instilled some life skills in the process as I guided their eyes to find gaping holes in the tree or recommended they separate colors.  (Yes, I’m the mom that rearranges ornaments after the kids go to bed.)

At lunch, I opened the bags and was overwhelmed by all the donations.  I wasn’t sure what would come in so I was a bit unprepared.  When Mrs. Theirren stopped in with more bags, I held her hostage to help me.  Imagine 19 kids, on a Friday afternoon, 2 weeks before holiday break, with the first fluffy snowfall and a sick teacher then I’m sure you can sense my exasperation.  Again, the spirit of giving and joy in their eyes kept me going.  I overheard this little nugget when 2 kiddos were chatting, “This is the best day ever.”
Since it was free choice time this afternoon, I let kids choose if they wanted to make bags or enjoy their other privileges.  A small group decided to “give up free time to help.”  They were very serious about their job of helping the homeless.  While they packed up bags, I heard them saying things like, “Can you imagine having to sleep outside when it’s this cold?” and “I feel so bad for the kids.”  Statements like this were shared all week by the kids - this project is making an impact!  They are seeing how good it feels to be grateful for what they have and empathetic for those who have little.
I’m pretty sure we made nearly 50 bags today!  I know some kids and you were disappointed thinking they missed out.  Not at all!  I plan to keep this going through next week, so please take advantage of this opportunity if you want. I reached out to Lakewood Community Resource Center to try and keep your donations local.  I’ll let you know where all our donations end up going."

 

Enjoying the Beck Center - Arts for All

Walking up Webb to watch a sensory-friendly performance at The Beck Center has become a sweet annual tradition for our CHAMPS students and staff.  Everyone bundles up appropriately and gets in the spirit of the season for this outing!

Evey Lardi

This year, the show was "The Nutcracker Suite," a holiday favorite.  Horace Mann is proud to boast of three of our own involved in the show:  Evelyn Lardi (4th grade), Mackenna Muzychenko (3rd Grade) and Mrs. Jessica Farmer (Intervention Specialist).  Aren't these pictures of our dancers terrific?

Mackenna Muzychecnko

 You might be wondering, "What makes a show 'sensory-friendly'?"  Sensory-friendly performances are adapted to be more enjoyable for persons with autism and other neuro- and physical diversity.  I found a helpful list on The Kennedy Center's website:

• Lower sound level, especially for startling or loud sounds;
• Lights remain on at a low level in the theater during the performance;
• A reduction of strobe lighting or lighting focused on the audience;
• Patrons are free to talk and leave their seats during the performance;
• Designated quiet areas within the theater;
• Space throughout the theater for standing and movement;
• Limited crowds and visitors at the Kennedy Center during the day and timing of the performance; and
• Staff trained to be inviting and accommodating to audience members' needs

This is just one more reason why we are fortunate to have The Beck Center up the street!  Please visit their website for upcoming events and ways to support their work:  http://www.beckcenter.org/

CHAMPS Cafe Serving Acceptance, Dignity & Respect

Always looking for ways to help students build real-world skills, CHAMPS teachers Maureen Crane and Cristina Smith dreamed big.  They envisioned a coffee cart at Horace Mann where students with special needs work side-by-side with neuro-typical 5th graders to serve coffee and tea to staff and other invited adults.

This year, the Lakewood Ranger Education Foundation (http://www.lakewoodrangers.com/) helped bring this dream to life.  The LREF fully funded the teachers' grant request, enabling the purchase of a cart, Keurig machine, and other essentials.  The operation has been rounded out with donations,and spruced up by the handiwork of several CHAMPS staff members.  PTA has gotten into the act, too, providing help where needed.

Students practiced together, using the adapted materials developed by the teachers.  By the time the Grand Opening occurred on November 20th, the operation was a well-oiled machine!  Many thanks to the invited guests who visited for a hot beverage and a free cookie (courtesy of Blackbird Baking Co. (https://www.blackbirdbaking.com/).

Here are a few pictures of the students learning their trade.  For plenty of Grand Opening pictures, please check out The December/January edition of the Horace Mann Educator:  Link to Newsletter

We look forward to partnering with other local bakeries to offer treats at our bi-monthly cafe.  We hope to invite others to visit in 2019 - watch for announcements and drop by for a feel good way to start your day :)

Benefits of Kindness

While we have 3 "hard and fast" rules at Horace Mann (Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible), we have a 4th principle that crosses over everything we do:  Be Kind.






Our focus on mindfulness over the past couple of school years has helped us experience the benefits of being kind, for both givers and receivers!


This 2 minute video explains the benefits of kindness - watch it and pass it on!   We have a wonderfully kind community here in Lakewood, and I think it explains why we love it here so much 💜💛💜💛!

Kindness Video

Horace Mann's "Longest Serving" Veteran

We here at Horace Mann Elementary School believe it is important to teach our students about service to others and to the common good.  We do this in many ways, both formal and informal.  For many years, dating back to the days at McKinley Elementary, this school community has held a program to honor the men and women who served in our country's armed forces.

Our Veterans Day Assembly is a simple one, but it has plenty of heart.  Using patriotic music as a backdrop (thanks to our music teacher, Mr. Waryk), our 4th graders lead a program to recognize our students and their family members who have been in the military.

This year, our 4th grade leaders included Riley Robertson, Declan Ziegler and Colin Moss as readers and Grace Dawson, Nick Detmar, Riley Robertson, Lilly Nazario, Elijah Sok-Sepulveda and Annabelle McBride representing the Boy and Girl Scouts as our color guard.  They did a terrific job and seemed so comfortable in front of the 300 person audience :)

A sweet story shared by Mrs. Clare Rosser (mom of 5th grader Greydon Rosser) illustrated why this year was particularly special,

Ronald Rosser, a Navy veteran who served during the Vietnam years, has been honored at every Veterans Day program at Horace Mann Elementary School since the building converted from a middle school in 2008. He is the grandfather of Willow Rosser, a Horace Mann graduate and member of the first class to attend from kindergarten to fifth grade in the renovated Horace Mann building, and who is now a sophomore at Lakewood High. He is also the grandfather of Greydon Rosser, a current fifth grader at Horace Mann. Mr. Rosser has attended the program with a grandchild consecutively for 11 years.

                        Lakewood Schools has always done an excellent salute to Veterans, 

                        which I feel honored to have attended with my grandchildren. I thank 

                        the schools for hosting a terrific Veterans program,” says the proud 

                        grandfather and Navy Veteran.

As a new principal at Horace Mann, Mr. Rosser was instrumental in helping me understand how this assembly should go.  We are grateful he has driven almost 2 hours each way to be here with us for the program every November for so many years.  His smiling face and enthusiasm for our country will be missed!

Photo credit: Jenna Tabor

Cats vs. Dogs

As parents visited Horace Mann for parent-teacher conferences last week, I was full of gratitude.  I felt grateful for the children whose work adorns the hallways and classrooms.  I felt it for the families who are raising their "little Rangers" with all the love in the world and found time in busy schedules to come and meet.  I felt it for the teachers who pour their hearts and souls into guiding the development of our students in every way imaginable. 

Of course, the setting of our school creates a well-cared for backdrop for the work we do and the fun we have.  This week, I want to spotlight our library media assistant, Mrs. Peggy Morris, for the efforts she puts into piquing kids' interest in books through regularly-refreshed bulletin boards and display cases.  She updated the case display near the office last week, and the kids will see it on Monday.  It is called Cats vs. Dogs, and while the foundation of the design is in place, an important feature is yet to come.  Soon, kids will be invited to bring pictures of themselves with their pet cat or dog to personalize the showcase to our own school.

Thank you, Mrs. Morris, for giving all of us one more reason to pay attention to books📖😊🐈🐶

What a "Spirited" Week!

I don't think we could have packed more into last week if we tried!  We had spirit week with daily themes (crazy hair day is always a favorite) and our October Star Students were announced.  Congratulations to Masimo Mellaraj, Noah Oster, Henry Whiting, Abby Dubecky, Izzy Johnson, Fischer Lueck, Peyton Diemert, Jaylen McCrae, Layla Pierce, Leonard Bonner, Noah Gibbons, Rian Fetting, Jack Milanich, and Charlotte Reed.

We also had some seasonal celebrating to do, and PTA did things right!  Kids enjoyed doing the Zombie Walk and/or coloring Halloween pictures during recess.  The week closed out with the Monster Mash Dance Friday night.  It was great to see so many people in costumes, having a good time in our spooky gym.  Thank you to all parents who volunteered for an attended the dance - we couldn't do any of this without YOU.

On a special note, Friday's fun wasn't limited to the dance.  As you may know, we celebrate our safe, respectful, responsible behavior each quarter with a special event.  To mark the end of the 1st grading period, PTA arranged for grade level yoga classes for our students.  Kids of all ages enjoyed the 30 minute yoga class taught by Horace Mann parent Jen McCarter.  I've taken many yoga classes over the years, but this was the first time the teacher narrated a story to connect the poses-really neat experience!  Thank you, Jen--and PTA--for this experience to reinforce our mindfulness practices.

PTA Programs Chair Kristy Gibbons and Yoga Teacher Jen McCarter

Horace Mann Kindergarteners Enjoy Playhouse Square

For many Horace Mann kindergarten students, last week's visit to Cleveland's world-class Playhouse Square was a first.  Do you remember YOUR first time in one of those gorgeous spaces?  Hopefully it sparks a lifetime of interest in - and appreciation for - live theater for them.

Our students saw The Ugly Duckling...but with an added feature:  so-called Light Wire special effects.  The theater was darkened and the actors had illumination on their costumes.  Teachers and students reported back that the play was really great and held everyone's interest.  Nice job, kids, for being safe on your first Lakewood City Schools bus ride, too!

Although I couldn't accompany Mrs. Rini and Mrs. Sloan's students to the play, I was lucky enough to have a connection to the experience.  On display in both rooms are several books, including The Ugly Duckling and some spin off stories with the same theme (such as The Ugly Duckling Dinosaur).  I recently had the opportunity to read aloud both books to Mrs. Sloan's class, which was super-fun for me (and I think they liked it, too) 😊

Several other grade levels at Horace Mann will visit Playhouse Square this year as part of similar reading extension activities.  Maybe this will inspire our families to take advantage of this wonderful resource, as well...right in our own backyard!

Horace Mann's Star Student for Board of Ed Meeting

Greydon Rosser

Horace Mann Star Student

K-5 at Horace Mann

Choir member, Safety Patrol, Boy Scout

Compassionate, curious, conversational

Chosen for enthusiasm about mindfulness

Our Superintendent, Dr. Michael Barnes, asks each building principal to select a Star Student for the Board meeting held at the building. Horace Mann hosted last week's meeting and we were proud to present Grey as our Star Student. He brought along a smiling entourage of family and friends! Grey rose to the occasion as he lead the Pledge of Allegiance and read his slide during our presentation:

“Don’t judge me by my fame, judge me by how many times I have fallen and gotten back up again.”  ~Greydon Rosser

Last year, Mrs. Woods came into our room after lunch and surprised us all.  She said, “I know you think you are a little young for this, but it really helps.”  Then she showed us some mindfulness videos. Everybody pretended to not like them, but really everyone had listened and they changed how they treated each other.  Each student began to help other students , and began to show perseverance in practicing kindness. Practicing mindfulness helped us be ‘in the moment’ and be aware of our surroundings, our actions, and how we interact with others.  That one video caused a change in our thinking from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.

Thanks, Grey, for helping our Board understand the meaning and worth of Mindfulness at The Mann.

Safety First at Horace Mann

While safety is always high on our list at Horace Mann, we paid special attention to it last week with the help of the Lakewood Fire & Police Departments.

On the Police side, Officer Angela Ortiz dropped by to swear in the 2018-19 class of Horace Mann Safety Patrol.  All students raised their right hands and agreed to be top citizens of our school!  Special thanks to Mrs. Kelsey Robinson for advising this group.  This year's patrol members are:

Nora Kelly

Greydon Rosser

Ruby Fraunfelder

Nate Lardi

Jeremiah Neal

Erin Gerity

Amelia Diemert

Kelsey Karban

Fiona Radke

Sarah Seiler

Allison Easterly

Tessa Carlin

Charlotte Reed

Caitlin Pesta

Leading up to the Fire Safety assembly on Thursday was a city-wide, 5th grade essay contest. Congratulations to Horace Mann 5th graders Amelia Diemert and Charlotte Reed on winning trophies for their efforts!

Fire Marshal Tim Dunphy led the team of Lakewood firefighters in their annual presentation to our student body. While students learn from the video about fire safety at home, they really look forward to the end of the assembly. Each year, a firefighter climbs the TALL ladder, kids cheering him on.

Thank you, LKWD Police & Fire, for helping us all learn how to be safe!

A Big Week Ends with Start With Hello

Whew - last week was a flurry of activity at Horace Mann!  We had tons of fun with Spirit Week (Friday's Hat Day was my personal favorite).  Thank you parents for helping kids participate in our theme days.

PTA was very busy setting up the Book Fair and Doughnuts with Dudes - two of our favorite things, right?  Seriously, though, all of us at The Mann so appreciate parents giving their time to put on and participate in our family engagement opportunities (special thanks to committee chairs Kristy Gibbons, Amanda Whaples and Katie Steinmuller).  A shout out to Donut Pantry for partnering with us for the delicious bakery to start our day sweetly 🍩 

We topped the whole thing off with Star Student of the Month announcements and positive behavior focused assemblies on Friday.  The Sandy Hook Promise is a program developed to foster inclusivity in schools.  The elementary version is called Start With Hello, and has three steps:  1)  See someone alone, 2) Reach out & help, 3) Start with Hello.   We engaged students in mixed grade socializing through pairing 5th grade with 1st and Pre-K, 4th grade with kindergarten and 2nd grade with 3rd.  The turn-and-talk opportunities to practice conversational icebreakers were priceless 🙂 Kids were encouraged to ask "Why?" when a new friend indicated a favorite thing, as the best way to keep the conversation going and find commonalities.  Sincere appreciation goes to Intervention Specialists Jessica Farmer, Jennifer Frank and Heather Woods for leading the assemblies.

Weeks like this show the amazing balance that happens at our school.  We work hard on academics, we attend to social-emotional growth, and we have a good time.  Thank you for joining us in this journey of growth we are on together!

Horace Mann Makes a Sweet Community Connection

One of the neatest things about being part of a Lakewood elementary school is our strong community connections as a result of being structured as a neighborhood school.   It is a sense that is ever-present; at the same time, there are special occasions when it really come to the forefront.

Our Ice Cream Social last week was one of those times.  We had a beautiful evening and an incredible turnout.  Parents shared they felt a real sense of belonging and pride as they walked up to the school (their kids ran for the ice cream), seeing the scene of joyful chaos surrounding the annual gathering organized by our prolific PTA.

The event had a new guest star this year:  Addicted Ice Cream and Coffee (https://www.addictedcoffeebar.com/).  Of course, there were the usual sprinkles on the side, but everyone waited in line with anticipation for funky flavors like Peanut Butter, Superman and Cookie Monster.  Plus, who doesn't love a food truck?!  Big thanks to our new friends at Addicted for partnering with us to make the evening special :)

School/community partnerships are vital to the success of a school.  We are always open to exploring new offers of support for students' academic, physical and/or emotional growth.  If you have ideas about how we can further connect with our community, please be in touch!

We're Loving Book Buddies at The Mann!

Being a 5th grader at Horace Mann has lots of perks and opportunities:  playing an instrument, being on Safety Patrol, working on News Crew...and being a Book Buddy.  If you've been at The Mann for awhile, you might already know about Book Buddies, a sweet collaboration between our 5th grade and kindergarten teachers that gets the two grade levels together each Friday morning for read alouds. 

Students are matched with the same student(s) each week, and 5th graders choose picture books from our rich library they think their little buddy will enjoy.  They use skills gained from being read to, themselves, to help the kindergarten kids engage with the story.  The teachers get a kick out of pairing up students who will have compatible personalities and then watching as they kids read with enthusiasm and joy!

Activities like Book Buddies are one of the special gifts of a district like Lakewood that has neighborhood schools.  In districts I experienced prior, a "campus" set up was used, meaning there were only 2-3 grades per building.  While cross grade partnerships can happen in those settings, it is easy to see how the larger age difference makes this experience better.

While we value the reading, itself, the benefits of Book Buddies goes far beyond.  It contributes to a caring culture in our school, where kids have friends outside their grade levels.  It lets older grades teachers connect with our younger students, and builds partnerships between teachers who might not otherwise even see each other very often in the building.  The ethic of kindness is well-served by Book Buddies, since bigger kids need to be patient with the younger ones.  This is evident not only in the reading, but also in the way the 5th graders model the way to behave in the classroom.

We are grateful to our kindergarten and 5th grade teachers:  Mrs. Martzolf, Mrs. Rini, Mrs. Robinson and Mrs. Sloan for arranging Book Buddies again this year.  Best wishes for lots of fun learning ahead :)

Gearing Up for Intervention at Horace Mann

As we head into the 4th week of the 2018-19 school year, students and staff are really getting traction in their work here at Horace Mann!  Kids are familiar with classroom/building procedures and are feeling comfortable with their new classmates and teachers.  Staff members are gaining a strong sense of who their students are as learners and whole human beings, figuring out how to reach each one where s/he is. 

When we think about child development, we know it is natural for kids to be moving along at their own pace.  We recognize that some are surging ahead and others are striving to meet the standards set for a grade level.  Often the gap can widen in 3rd grade, due to the need for greater independence with work completion and the level of academic skill expected in the standards.

Thankfully, we have structures in place for intervention in both reading and math, our most essential subjects.  For reading in grades K-5, we have the opportunity for small group instruction for students who need additional support each day for 40 minutes during Intervention/Enrichment time.  We are in the process of completing the assessments that will help us place students in flexible groups, and parents will be alerted when/if your child will be receiving small group instruction (including a Reading and Improvement Monitoring Plan (RIMP). 

Based on data collected over time, and the statewide assessments, we have found a need to address math in grades 3-5.  During the school day, there are times when individual and small group math assistance will be provided on topics such as basic facts.  After school, we will again offer intervention groups 1x per week for grades 3-5 for targeted math review and practice in a fun atmosphere.  We hope you will encourage your student to participate if invited (invites will go out soon).

It is our hope that we will continue to see student academic growth and a sense of confidence for each child through our core instruction and these reading/math interventions.  If you have any questions about your child's skills or interventions available--or how you can help at home--please contact his/her classroom teacher.

Inspiring Our Writers at Horace Mann

As I strolled through classrooms this week, it was easy to see that academic teaching and learning is well underway!  I saw kids doing math using various apps on their Chromebooks, learning to form individual  letters, reading leveled books in comfy seating, and creating "All About Me" displays.

Lucy Calkins, TCRWP

How do "All About Mes" fit into this picture?  Well, they form the basis for students' personal narratives, the first Unit of Study in our Writing Workshop.  It is confidence-inspiring to write about something we know--and certainly kids know about themselves--making this a perfect place for writing to begin.

As you may know, Lakewood elementaries have been teaching reading using the Teacher's College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) curriculum for several years now.  We usually refer to them as Reading and Writing Workshop, based on the large chunks of time given for students to read and write while receiving feedback from their teacher.  This has been proven time and again as the best way for kids to build their English Language Arts skills, and we see plenty of evidence here at Horace Mann.

Lucy Calkins is the founder of the TCRWP, and there is no one more passionate about these topics.  On one of my classroom visits, I was lucky enough to join the children in watching this video of Lucy.  As an aspiring writer myself, it was a happy synchronicity :)  I hope you have 9 minutes to watch the video, too, either with your child or on your own.

Lucy Calkins Speaks to Young Writers

A Fresh Start at Horace Mann

Horace Mann Staff August 2018

Isn't the beginning of a new school year a wonderful thing?  Everyone is refreshed, renewed, and (honestly) ready to get back together again.  And aren't we fortunate to have this beautiful, roomy building to do this work together?  Gosh, so much to be grateful for!

We have what is sure to be a meaningful year ahead of us.  When Dr. Barnes (our new Superintendent) spoke to the whole district staff last week, he laid out 4 Guiding Principles:

1. Never forget why we do this...its for the KIDS
2. It is always about STUDENTS' THINKING and LEARNING
3. Be sure to TAKE CARE of one another
4. Have FUN!

As you can imagine, we were thrilled to hear these core values.  They match really well with our vision statement here at The Mann (The Horace Mann Community is an interconnected whole, rooted in respect, trust and opportunities for all)...and who wouldn't want their leader to say he wants work to be fun?!

Now that we've got all our kids in the door--returning students, new families and pre-K and kindergarteners--let's put our heads and hearts together and make this year the best ever :)

Celebrating Our School Year: 2017-18

We closed out the 2017-18 school year by recognizing talents and accomplishments.  Our Horace Mann's Got Talent show brought out lots of great performances.  Kids sang, danced, played piano, tumbled, showed off their magic skills and even did Kung Fu!  Our whole school - and Ohio School Board member Meryl Johnson  - were highly entertained by our young performers!  Big thanks to Mr. Waryk and Mrs. McCafferty for all their efforts in putting on this event.

We were also proud to honor 11 students who earned perfect attendance this year.  Each child was never absent, tardy or released early for 180 days of school: Ainsley Tracey, Noah Sloan, Abby Dubecky, Olivia Dubecky, MacKenna Muzychenko, Gianna Smallwood, Dominic Smallwood, Elijah Sok-Sepulveda, Colin Moss, Nathan Kopko and Rhianna Mann.  Way to go!

On the last day of school, our 5th graders put on a touching recognition ceremony.  Student emcees kept things moving along as many students shared memories and announced award winners.  Check out the video to watch our whole school "clap out" our class of 2018:

Horace Mann Clap Out 2018

If you watched the video, you could see the joy on kids' faces.  I wish you the same joyful feeling each and every day of the summer ahead!

7 Schools 1 Book Comes to a Fun End

We have had a blast reading Kenny and the Dragon this month, not just as a school but as a whole district!  We culminated our reading quest with kids making dragon puppets (classes of younger and older students were paired) and then sharing them at a whole school assembly to end the day.  Grade levels showed off their creations :)



There are SO MANY people to thank for this amazing extended activity (and I hope I haven't missed anyone):

• Teaching & Learning for writing the grant to get the books and providing the daily comprehension questions
• PTA for bead necklaces for daily chapter participation
• PTA for plenty of prizes for a bit of extra motivation
• Mrs. Phillips for organizing and emceeing the opening and closing events
• Horace Mann library staff for behind the scenes work
• Parents, teachers and students for reading and enjoying the book

I hope this serves as a springboard for reading all summer long.  If you haven't done so already, please head up to Lakewood Public Library to sign up for their summer reading program!

Horace Mann 5th Graders Learn About Wellness

Thanks to a three-part program sponsored and provided by the Cleveland Clinic, Horace Mann 5th graders have some new tools for long-term wellness.  For three consecutive weeks, students enjoyed sessions with Cleveland Clinic chefs and a yoga teacher to learn about nutrition, healthy food preparation and exercise for stress reduction. 

The kids made yogurt parfaits and lettuce wraps in the first two sessions and brought in yoga mats and towels to try out down dog and other poses in week three.  Each time, they were buzzing about their experience - so different from a typical school day!

Many thanks to Program Manager Jenny Evans and the team at the Cleveland Clinic.  Students took pre- and post surveys to assess their understanding before and after the "Food, Fun & Fitness" activities.  Results aren't available yet, but I feel certain they will remember what they learned as they head into summer and up to middle school.

We plan to invite Jenny and her team back to Horace Mann to do the program with next year's 5th grade.  Who knows, there may even be a whole school yoga event in our future...

Seven Schools, One Book - Kenny & the Dragon

 Lakewood elementary schools have joined a nationwide trend of having the entire school read a book together.  It is wonderful to unify and excite the students with literature!  

Two years ago, we enjoyed The World According to Humphrey, and last year's text was The Lemonade Wars.  We hope you've enjoyed having you own copy at home to re-read and discuss :)

This year's selection is Tony DiTerlizzi's Kenny and the Dragon.  After a week of suspense-building clues, we had a fun pep rally on Friday - complete with our very own dragon (whose name is Graeme, by the way) - to introduce the book.  Thanks to the sponsorship of Lakewood Kiwanis, students received a copy of Kenny and the Dragon to keep (or will have access to a modified book if appropriate). 

Seven Schools One Book runs from now until Tuesday, May 29th.  Be sure to read and help your child answer the comprehension question each night.  Courtesy of our PTA, kids who turn in answers to the questions will build a bead lanyard for participation.  There will also be a drawing each day from correct answers for prizes. 

At Horace Mann, we will close out with various classrooms pairing up to make their very own dragons and talk about their experience of the book.  At our end of the project, whole-school gathering, "big prize winners" will be announced.

This should be a blast, and a nice way to end the year.  We welcome your feedback on any aspect of Seven Schools One Book!

Happy Birthday, Horace Mann...and Other Celebrations

Our schools' namesake, Horace Mann (known as the father of public education in the United States), had his 222nd birthday on Friday, May 4th.  He was honored with a blurb on the Morning News and by dressing up his likeness in our lobby.  We are very grateful that he advocated for the education of ALL children, as well as for high quality teacher training programs.

There are plenty of other celebrations happening here at The Mann, as well.  Our 4th graders celebrated their math skills by having a "scratch paper" contest.  Kids were challenged to make the most of their scratch paper as they worked out answers for the statewide AIR math test.  We can't show examples due to test security, but I can tell you these kids know how to show their work.  Great job encouraging them, Mrs. Kehn & Mrs. Rolfe!




The party continued in 3rd grade, where students celebrated the end of a Reading Workshop unit.  In Mrs. Cali's class, kids performed Reader's Theater-style, acting out their recent class read aloud, Because of Winn Dixie.  Mrs. Lynch's class is in on the fun, too, as they work with their book clubs to compare texts in preparation for a gallery walk to check out everyone's good work.


We 💗 these combined learning and fun activities!

Horace Mann Music Program Breaks New Ground

Mr. Waryk and I started here at Horace Mann at the same time in the fall of 2013.  As we planned the first music concert, we both thought it would be great to have a performance in the cafeteria space.  However, we knew from what others shared that there was no way we could fit for a whole-school performance.

In those 5 years, we've had many wonderful performances in the gym, attended by hundreds of friends and family members here to see students sing and play.  Can you remember your favorite moment?

While things have been very good, Mr. Waryk just couldn't get the opportunity to use our professional-grade stage out of his mind.  We talked about ideas, and problem-solved various aspects of putting on a show in the cafeteria.  I can tell you...he thinks of everything!

As many of you know, all the brainstorming came to fruition last Friday with the Horace Mann Spring Showcase.  Our students in special music groups (Band, Orchestra, Choir and Singers) put on a wonderful show against the backdrop of bright stage lighting, crisp sound and, of course, the velvet curtain.

We owe a hearty thank you to parents for supporting your children's musical talents, PTA and our staff for flexibility on concert day (especially our custodian and Mrs. Mac behind the scenes).  We hope families enjoyed the options of morning and afternoon performances, a link to live stream the concert, longer sets by each group and the availability of the book fair.  Any feedback is welcome as we make notes for next year. 

Here are a few still photos:

Horace Mann 5th Graders "Go Wild" on Field Trip

We are very fortunate to have a world-class hands-on science "lab" nearly in our backyard.  Many readers have been there:  The Lake Erie Science & Nature Center in Bay Village.  How it has grown since my grandmother used to take me there as a little girl in the 70s!

Courtesy of our generous PTA, Horace Mann 5th graders enjoyed the wide variety of experiences available at the Center.  The awesome photos in the link show the boys and girls (so close be being middle schoolers now) learning about habitats on earth...and beyond:

Lake Erie Science & Nature Center Photos

I hope the memories of this trip are fond and last our 5th graders well beyond the 6 weeks they have left at The Mann.  Many thanks to Mrs. Martzolf and Mrs. Robinson for arranging the trip and to our PTA for covering the cost.  Horace Mann is ALL IN!

Thank You, Mrs. Murphy!

Mrs. Kathy Murphy has served Lakewood City Schools as an Educational Assistant at the elementary, middle and high school levels.  Our Board of Education recognized her at the meeting on Monday, April 9, 2018.  Please read on to learn more:

Kathy Murphy shows her love for the students of Horace Mann every day by being prepared.

She shows her love by arriving at school quite early most days, to ready the special needs classroom, both in terms of materials and the game plan for the day. She is mindful of the communication, social, and academic needs of students, making sure she understands the many tasks she will attend to during the day to help students learn.

Kathy Murphy shows her love by every day by being prepared to support students with and without disabilities. Whether in the cafeteria, on the playground or in general education classrooms for inclusion, Kathy focuses sharply on opportunities to facilitate positive interactions among diverse students. We appreciate her artful mix of high expectation and plenty of support!

Kathy Murphy shows her love every day by keeping safety first. She is attentive to our building’s safety protocols and the medical needs of the students she serves. She also has made it a point to continue her own education, especially, but not limited to aspects of physical and mental well-being.
It is due to this last area of preparation that we honor Kathy Murphy this evening.  She conscientiously put her knowledge, skill and love into action by implementing what she had learned in a district CPR course.  She successfully performed the Heimlich maneuver on our student, re-opening his airway.

We are so thankful that Kathy Murphy shows her love for the students at Horace Mann every day by being prepared.

Following those remarks, Mrs. Murphy (with characteristic humility) thanked her classroom team (Mrs. Cheryl Smolen and Mrs. Beth Sayler) as well as School Nurse, Katy Corrigan.

Horace Mann Principal Merritt Waters, Kathy Murphy and Ed Favre, Board of Education President

WONDERful Doors at the Mann!

Thanks to the efforts of Team WONDER, our staff and students, the hallways of Horace Mann have become colorful, fun and encouraging!  As part of our immersion in kindness this month (inspired by the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio) a door decorating contest was held.  Nearly every door burst into creative expression, inviting passers-by to stop and look :)

Students voted on the best door from each of our three floors, and the results are in.  Congratulations to Mrs. Axford, Mrs. Frank and Mrs. Cali for their winning doors (shown below)!  Although these were the winners, there are SO many that are amazing.  I think my favorite sentiment is "Spread kindness like confetti."  Isn't that a great image?



Special thanks to kindergarten teacher Mrs. Rini for organizing this spirit-building activity.  Although the contest is over, I don't see the decorations coming down anytime soon...

The Energized Guyz at Horace Mann

Through our Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS) framework, we recognize students' safe, respectful, responsible, kind behavior with an end-of-the-quarter celebration.  We had a blast at the carnival put on by PTA at the end of the first semester, and invited the Energized Guyz (sponsored by the Illuminating Company) to entertain--and teach--us this quarter.

Riley and Jessie from the National Theater Company made us laugh with their silly costumes and corny jokes as they explained how energy is made, how it is wasted and how it can be conserved.  Between shows, the performers noticed that our audience included parents, and they thought that was pretty cool :)

We were able to have two separate performances, one for PK-2 and another for grades 3-5.  Here are a few action shots to give you a sense of the show:


Part of this performance is an opportunity for parents to receive a free energy saving kit from the Illuminating Company.  I hope you will take advantage of this resource.  Who doesn't like to save money and help the environment at the same time?