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April 17, 2009 |
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From Joe’s Desk |
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Upcoming
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Every Tuesday Pretzel Sales
$1.00 After school
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Dear Families, As you head out
for spring break, we are already beginning to think about next year and class
placement. I would like to share with
you the process we use to place children into classes for next
September. Placement is an important
issue to all families, faculty and staff.
The reason for this letter is to give a better understanding of how
placements are made, relating how, at every step, we consider the best
interests of individual children and classes. Our goal is to provide a
productive and supportive learning environment for every child. We are committed to creating heterogeneous classes because such
classes contribute to a healthy environment with a diversity of learning
experiences. We consider many factors
in creating these classes. Among those
are: academic
achievement balance of boys and girls learning style social maturity social relationships teaching styles siblings special interests personality
type The process is
complex, but thorough. The first step
is for teachers at the current grade to meet together with the principal and
support staff to develop draft classes that are balanced in gender, academic
achievement, social development and relationships. Information from the Parent Information Form is considered
at this point. At the next stage,
specialists and the next year’s teachers join the placement team. The
placement team then reviews and makes any necessary changes to the lists to
reflect the new input. Finally, the
principal and the current teachers review the class lists again, often
reshuffling several times more, until the final lists reflect classes that are
as balanced as possible, honoring as many of the factors we consider for each
child as we can. As the principal I
make the final decisions and match classes with teachers. The Parent Information
Form is attached at the end of this edition of Newsnotes for you to
communicate your thoughts and wishes about your child’s learning styles,
goals, and any other information you consider most pertinent. This information will be treated with
respect and confidentiality. We ask
that you do not request a specific teacher, either by name or
description so specific as to identify an individual. Although it is not possible to honor every
request that all parents make, the placement team will consider the
information parents provide and factor it into the decision-making
process. Please return your form to me no later than It is critical that students stay focused on their schoolwork
and not become preoccupied with concerns about next year. To that end, we will continue to notify
families of classroom placement for next year by mail in August. In this way,
students and teachers can focus on this year’s work and also have this time
to be together as a class, closing this school year without distractions about
next year. SAVE THE DATE – The staff
has planned a Family Math Morning so parents can come in and “sample” some
math activities. Each classroom will
have a number of stations highlighting Patterns, Fractions, and/or Geometry. We have decided not to highlight
Computation for this visit so we can focus on some of the other strands of
math needed to be a well-rounded mathematician. If you have children in grades 3-5, please
join us on Monday, May 4th from Parent
ListServe – I have had a number of requests from parents to join the
listserve. Although I am not a member,
I do sometimes post a message there. If you are not already a member, you
can also join a discussion list for Horace Mann parents, by going to http://lists.neighborhoods.net/wws/info/hm-parents and clicking
on the "subscribe" button. |
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From the PTO |
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Principal for a Day/Specialists Treat Drawing
Coming |
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Your
child could be principal principal for a day or spend an afternoon doing fun
activities with one of our specialists including PE Teacher Mr. Tynes, Music
and Art Teachers Kathy Dregalla and Jordan Byrne, and others. The PTO
will sponsor a Principal for the Day/Specialist Treats drawing after
vacation. Watch your child's backpack for details. (Please note: This is in
place of the Teacher Treats raffle we've held in past years.) |
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Help Wanted: PTO Officers For 2009-2010 |
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Are you looking to get more involved in your
child’s school? Well, now’s your chance. The current PTO officers’ terms
expire at the end of the school year, and we need a new group of parents to
ensure the continuation of the PTO’s mission: to support the school community
and enhance our children’s educational experience through fundraising,
programming and community activities. Here are brief descriptions of each of the
officer positions: Co-Presidents:
Preside at PTO meetings, appoint committee chairs, oversee budget planning,
fundraising and community activities, and serve as liaison to the principal,
School Council, PTO Council and the community. Vice
President: Assist in preparation of the budget, planning
of meetings, fundraising and community events; act as liaison to committee
chairs. Treasurer:
Receive and disburse PTO funds; keep accounts of funds and present a
statement of account upon request of the co-presidents; prepare the financial
annual report and file tax forms as necessary. Secretary:
Take minutes and maintain records of PTO meetings; handle correspondence; and
assist other officers with communications. Co-presidents serve a two-year term; other
positions commit to one year. Bring your energy and enthusiasm to help make
our kids’ time at Horace Mann the best that it can be! If you have questions or would like to run for an
officer position, please contact us: Marcia Tabenken, Co-President, mtabenken@rcn.com Brian Zabin, Co-President, bzabin@agmednet.com Lisa DiFelice, Vice President, ldifelice@rcn.com Jeff Kolodney, Treasurer, jkolodney@rcn.com |
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School Appreciation
Day April 26 |
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On Sunday, April 26, the PTO holds School
Appreciation Day. This year, we are coordinating with NewtonSERVES Day of Community Service to
maximize the number of volunteers. Please keep this date open to help out
with school-improvement projects inside and out at Horace Mann. Room parents
will be contacting you next week with details and how to sign up. |
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International Night Is May 4 |
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Come and celebrate the diverse community in our
school at an international festival, Mon., May 4, 5:30-7:30PM. We will have
an international potluck dinner, country booth exhibitions, multicultural
activities, games and shows, and a student flag parade. Do you have any artifacts, maps, songs,
dances or a unique recipe from a country you would like to present at International
Night? Please contact Nava at nava_almog@msn.com
or Nani at powderlybauza@mac.com. |
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3rd Grade ‘Understanding Our
Differences’ on Blindness And Low Vision |
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The Blindness/Low Vision
unit of the Understanding Our Differences program has come to a successful
conclusion at Horace Mann for this year. Thank you to the
volunteer team of Betty Knight, Janet Porter, and Karen Solari. Many thanks also to the 3rd grade teachers, Barbara
Coffey, Patti Karam, Jordan Lund, & David Tynes, as well as
our principal, Joe Russo, for their support. Understanding Our Differences will present the
Deafness/Hard of Hearing unit to the 3rd graders on May 21, and we
need volunteers. Please contact Mari Young, 617-965-2226, or mariyoung@juno.com, if you are
interested. |
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Thank You for the Excellent Talent Show |
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The PTO officers congratulate the dozens of
talented students, as well as the teachers, who performed in this year’s
Talent Show. With more than three dozen acts ranging from dancing, singing,
gymnastics and instrumental performances, to stand-up comedy, skits, and math
magic, participants created at magical afternoon of entertainment for the
Horace Mann community! Big thank yous
to Mary Beth DeNucci, Rich Galgano and Stephanie Rogers for coordinating and
executing this major event; to Toni Oliart for his professional sound
engineering and lighting; and to the other parent volunteers: Shauna Khan, Ginny
McCormick, Cathy Simmons, Alison Klein, Heidi Nepf, Holly Azzarto, Gayle
Larson, Pat Tobin, Judy Kwan and Petra Nugent. |
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From The Newton Public Schools |
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Become a Newton Schools Math Tutor |
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Would you like to help a Newton elementary school
student learn basic mathematics concepts? We need adult volunteers to tutor
students in grades 2-5. Tutoring is once a week for 30-45 minutes. No
teaching experience needed. Tutors can select a preferred school, grade
level, and day/time. Play special math games that reinforce skills and help
students gain confidence. Training, Everyday Math books and learning
materials, and ongoing support are provided. For more information, please
contact Ellen Bender @ 617.559.6131 or ellen_bender@newton.k12.ma.us |
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Do You Have A Child with ADHD in Grades 1 or 3? |
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The Floating Hospital for Children, in cooperation with
the Newton Public Schools, will be running a program offering computer-based
attention training systems to children with ADHD throughout Newton elementary
schools next year in grades 2 and 4. Private coaching sessions on these
systems can run $2,400 per child, but students in this program participate
free of charge. This project is fully funded by a grant from the U.S
Department of Education. Enrollment is in May 2009. Interested parents should
send e-mail to CATS@tuftsmedicalcenter.org. |
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Family Fun Night
Newton North High School |
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Based
on a First Night format, it's "Student Showcase 2009", an
evening of entertainment for all ages, Thursday, April 30th 5-9 pm. Come
celebrate the remarkable and highly varied talents of the NNHS student body.
"Main Street" will be decked out, featuring robots, musical
ensembles, art exhibits, sports presentations, theatre, face painters,
crafts, tasty tidbits from NNHS's Culinary Arts program and more. Tickets
sold at the door: $10 for adults, $5 students, $25 families. Be a sponsor for
$50. Info: www.northptso.org |
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From
The Community |
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Newton Historical Society |
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Save the date: the Annual
Meeting of the Newton Historical Society will be held on Thursday evening,
June 18. Guest speaker: Anita Walker, Executive Director, Massachusetts
Cultural Council. April
26: Burying Grounds Clean-Up (Part of Newton Serves) Join community members
in Newton's day of service by cleaning up Newton's Historic Burying Grounds.
For more info and to register, visit www.newtonserves.org or contact Beverly
Droz at 617-796-1290. The 27th Annual Newton House Tour, benefiting the
Newton History Museum, will be held on Sunday, May 31, 12-5 p.m. Advance
tickets available online: www.newtonhistorymuseum.org or
by phone at 617-796-1450. This year's Preview Party will be held on Saturday,
May 30 at 5:30 pm. Tickets are $100 per person and include wonderful hors d'
oeuvres and a sneak peek of this year's homes! Preview Party tickets may also
be ordered online or by telephone History Book Club at the Newton
History Museum: The next selection is The Ascent of Money: A Financial
History of the World by Niall Ferguson. This book will be discussed at
the Tuesday, May 5th meeting at 7:30pm at the museum, 527 Washington
Street. All are welcome. |
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Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce Scholarship |
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Attention Families of
High School Students: 1)
Applicant must fulfill high school graduation requirements by June 2009. 2)
Applicant must intend to pursue studies in a business-related
field at an accredited college or university. 3) Applicant must be a resident
of Newton or Needham even if matriculating elsewhere. 4) Application must be
submitted by the student's principal or guidance counselor to the
Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce by May 1, 2009 at 2pm. 5) Applicant must
present proof of successful completion of their first college semester in
order to receive scholarship payment (Approx. Jan. 2010). Applications are
due by 2pm Friday May 1st. Further information, contact the Chamber:
617-244-5300. |
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Newton Child Care Commission and Fund Scholarship |
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The Newton Child Care Commission and Fund will
once again be awarding scholarships ($1,000 per family). Scholarships must be
used between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010. To be eligible, families must
live in Newton, work and/or attend school full-time, and meet low to
moderate-income guidelines. Scholarships can be used for any licensed child
care program servings infants, toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children,
including child care centers, family child care homes, summer, and school
vacation camps. Call the NCCC&F office at 617-332-6723 for further
information or to receive an application; applications may also be obtained at
'www.newtonchildcare.org.
Deadline: April 30, 2009. Lottery drawing May 2009. |
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Cambridge Science Festival |
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A
multifaceted, multicultural event every spring, the Cambridge Science
Festival makes science accessible, interactive and fun for everyone.
Bring your family and friends to MIT's Kresge Auditorium, 48 Mass Ave
from noon - 4:00 pm on April 25th and have a blast! More than 50 free
hands-on experiments - from "Weather in a Tank" to "The
Science of Baseball" to Microsoft's "Keep Kids Safe Online".
Free stage performances - from Marvelous Marvin's "Magic of
Science" to Chaos Theory Dance's "Solar System Shuffle" to the
North Cambridge Family Opera's "Naturally Selected - Darwin Bicentennial
Revue" Our founding collaborators are MIT, Harvard University, the City
of Cambridge, the Museum of Science and WGBH. |
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Open House
Highlands After School Program |
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The
Newton Highlands After-School Program, just for middle school children, is
hosting Open Houses for interested families on Thursday, April 16th from
6-7:30 pm, Saturday, May 2nd from 4-5:30 pm, and Sunday, May 17th from 4-5:30
pm, at the Brigham House, 20 Hartford Street, NewtonHighlands. Contact
Rochelle Acker at highlandsafterschool@gmail.com or at
617-999-4617, or visit www.highlandsafterschool.org. |
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Spring 2009
Kindergarten Soccer: Space May Still Be Available |
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Registrations are now accepted on a
space-available basis, with a late fee of $10. Boys and girls now in kindergarten
or entering in the fall are welcome. Teams are usually organized by
elementary school. K’s play at 9:15am and preschoolers play at 10:45 am on
Saturday mornings, April 25-June 20 (except 5/23). The $60 fee includes a
team T-shirt and end-of-program medal. Info and registration at www.kindergartensoccer.org. Questions? Email: ksoccer@kindergartensoccer.org
or call 617-527-9238. |
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Rabies Clinics for Cats and Dogs |
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The Newton Health and Human Services Department
will be sponsoring rabies clinics on the following dates: Mon., May 4, |
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Applications
for |
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CelebrateNewton! is accepting applications for the juried craft show to be
held December 6th at You may also call 617-243-0261 and
speak with Denise Joseph. Final date for submission is June 1. There will be
a fall submission application for remaining spaces, but slots do fill
up. |
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Newton North Little League Registration |
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Tee-ball
is open to 5 and 6 year olds who live or go to school
in Newton, and is a great first experience in
baseball. We also have spots left in our minor leagues and a very
limited number of spots in farm league. Please contact chrisjbanks@verizon.net or 617-795-1500 or call the
League: 617-584-NNLL (6655). Register: http://www.eteamz.com/NewtonNorthLL/index.cfm?subsite=1614835.
NNLL serves boys and girls age 5-12 who attend or reside in the school
districts of Horace Mann, Lincoln Eliot and Underwood. The family
maximum registration cost is $165 and financial assistance is available.
No child will be denied Little League due to financial concerns.
www.newtonnorthll.org. |
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Boston
Breakers Professional Women's Soccer |
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The Boston Breakers return to women's professional
soccer under a new ownership group. Originally founded in 2000 as a
charter member of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) the Breakers
were one of eight teams in the first U.S.-based women's professional soccer
league. It is a great game and family/team event. http://www.womensprosoccer.com/boston/default.aspx |
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Jimmy Tingle at
the New Art Center |
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Stand-up comedian, social
and political humorist, Jimmy Tingle will perform at the New Art Center on
Thursday, April 30 at 7:30pm (doors open at 7:00pm). Appropriate for ages 14
and above, this show will appeal to informed audiences of all political
persuasions. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door (if any
remain). Visit www.NewArtCenter.org,
or call 617-964-3424. The New Art Center is located at 61 Washington Park in
Newtonville. |
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City of Newton Composting Programs |
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Composting
provides excellent soil amendments for gardens while reducing environmental
and financial costs of garbage disposal. The City of Newton has two
composting programs available to residents. First, Newton offers free
unscreened compost to Newton residents. To boost your garden soil, check out www.ci.newton.ma.us/DPW/recycling/Composting/sale.
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Bike Newton’s Upcoming Events |
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Bike Newton, a citywide organization
dedicated to "Making Newton a Bicycle-Safe City," has two upcoming
events. On April 23 at 7pm is a Transportation Forum with mayoral candidates
at Newton City Hall's War Memorial Auditorium. On May 17 at |
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Book and Author Luncheon |
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The Friends of the Newton Free Library present Elinor Lipman, author of
the soon-to-be-published The Family Man,
and Tony Horwitz, author of A Voyage
Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World, at the 25th Book and
Author Luncheon, on Mon., April 27, 2009, at 12 noon, Newton Marriott, 2345
Commonwealth Ave at Route 128. For tickets, go to: www.newtonfreelibrary.net/?sec=friends&doc=luncheon
or email bookandauthor@gmail.com. |
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Food Pantry Needs
Donations |
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The food pantry is having difficulty meeting the growing needs of hungry
families in Newton, and together we can make a difference! Collection boxes have
been placed near the front and back doors of the school. If you are willing
and able, please help. Hunger cannot wait, and there are families who need
our help. Your contributions are greatly appreciated. |
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Newton Spelling Bee Second Date Added: May 14 |
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Due to an overwhelming response to the call for students in grades K-9 to
sign up for the annual spelling bee, the Mayor's Office for Cultural Affairs and
Newton Pride Committee, with Score! Educational Centers, have added a second Spelling Bee, on Thurs. May
14, 6-8PM at the Newton Cultural Center, 225 Nevada St. Cost is $5. Proceeds
support the Newton Pride Committee's free cultural events. Participants will
spell grade level appropriate words. Registration: www.newtonpride.org
or call 617 527-8283. |
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Classifieds
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MUSIC
INSTRUCTION: Elementary school student instrumentalists with
at least one year experience who would like to learn to play in a group, get
familiar with different styles, and improvise/compose are welcome at the
pre-ensemble program. Classes held in West Newton and directed by an
experienced musician, Tal Shalom Kobi. Call 617-965-4071 or go to www.talmusicworld.com PIANO
INSTRUCTION: Berklee & New England Conservatory
graduate with 25+ years teaching experience has several openings in studio.
Beginners Welcome. Learn Jazz/Blues/Classical, theory, sightreading from a
patient, caring teacher. Gloria Jasinski, phone: 617.566.9704, email: piano566@comcast.net RHYTHMIC
GYMNASTICS: Rhythmic
Dreams School for rhythmic gymnastics, located at the Armory in West Newton,
hosts two Open Houses. Fri., April 10, 2 - 4pm is for ages 4 -12 who are interested
the competitive aspects or team tryouts. Wed., April 15, 3:30 - 5pm is for
info about summer or afterschool programs and a free class for ages 3 - 7. www.rhythmicdreams.org. QUILTERS
SOUGHT: Whether you’re a beginner or an
expert, please consider joining the Newton Patchworks Quilting Guild. This is
an informal group that meets to share ideas, help one another, socialize and
do some community service (i.e., making quilts as a group for those less
fortunate). If you’re interested &
would like more information, please contact Fran Newton at cipsnewt@rcn.com. Y3K
TUTORING: We tutor special ed. such as ADD, ADHD,
Asperger’s, Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, and gifted. We also tutor
regular ed. and test preparation. All subjects and ages are
taught. Parents can now receive 25% off the first lesson.
Call 781-492-8700 or log on to Y3KTutorInYourHome.com ACTIVEMINDS TUTORING, LLC All grades/all subjects, including test preparation
(MCAS, SAT, SSAT...). Sign your child up for academic success
and receive 1 free lesson by May 15. Call: (617)
663-5700 during business hours, or (617) 227-2225 Eve/Wknds. Please
visit our web site at www.activemindstutoring.com. |
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Newsnotes
Information
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Editors:
Michelle Curran, Kathy Baron, Lauren Paton, Gina Mulvaney, Susanti Sugianto, Millicent
Lawton, Barbara Huggins Newsnotes are the main vehicle of communication at Horace Mann School. Newsnotes are published by the PTO bi-weekly. Please email items of interest to hmnewsnotes@lists.neighborhood.net. Deadline for submissions is 11:00am on Tuesday the week you want the items to appear. Classifieds from the Horace Mann community are free. Classifieds from non-community members may be charged a nominal fee. |
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Horace Mann School 687 Watertown Street,
Newton, MA 02460 www.newton.k12.ma.us/horacemann/ |
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Main Office
(617) 559-9510 Call-Back Line
(617) 559-9530
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Joe’s Email
Joseph_russo@newton.k12.ma.us Newsnotes Submission Email
hmnewsnotes@lists.neighborhood.net
Announcement List hm-parents-announce@lists.neighborhood.net
Discussion List hm-parents@lists.neighborhood.net |
We’re
on the Web! www.horacemannpto.com www.horacemannpto.org |
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