Horace Mann School Viewbook

WE ARE

HORACE MANN SCHOOL 231 WEST 246TH STREET | BRONX, NY 10471

www.horacemann.org

Horace Mann

MAGNA EST VERITAS ET PRAEVALET.

Great is the truth and it prevails.

We have a reputation for rigorous academics and outstanding athletics. We also have an amazing arts program, a beautiful campus, and a caring community. But what makes us an exceptional school?

WE ARE

HORACE MANN

First and foremost, it is our students.

At Horace Mann, students come from across the world, from the next state, and from our own neighborhood. They are hard to miss because they do not live in the margins.

They excel, make a difference and stand out. Wherever Horace Mann students go, they distinguish themselves, but also help others step into the spotlight.

They are passionate, eclectic and excited about learning.

They value the life of the mind.

Their compassion and quiet dignity commands attention.

And whether they are 3 or 13, their voices are heard—because they are worth hearing.

Horace Mann is a school with a long tradition of scholarship and leadership.

Ours is a history founded on the philosophy that grades are not the only measure of success.

Our students try things they never imagined and some they always dreamed of. They take challenging classes and meet their best friend for life. We give them an abundance of choice—to feed their curiosity, their mind and their soul. At Horace Mann the best teacher they will ever encounter and the most supportive coach and advisor will influence them.

They are guided in the direction of their aspirations. Maximize their strengths. Work hard. And take risks.

WE ARE

HORACE MANN

M IDDL E DIV ISION Bronx Campus 440 students, grades 6 through 8

NU R SE RY DIV ISION Manhattan Campus

U P P E R DIV ISION Bronx Campus

150 preschoolers (age 3 and 4) and kindergarteners

720 students, grades 9 through 12

L OW E R DIV ISION Bronx Campus 460 students, grades k through 5

FASTFACT Who is Horace Mann?

Nicholas Murray Butler founded Horace Mann School in 1887, as part of Columbia University’s Teacher College. Our namesake, Horace Mann, was a lawyer who served in the Massachusetts State Legislature, the first Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education, a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and President of Antioch College. He played a leading role in establishing the U.S. elementary school system.

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W E A R E I N T E L L E C T U A L LY

Curious ACADEMICS Above all, Horace Mann is a school that values the life of the mind.

This means that in each Division of the school, students learn to think deeply, explore intensely and express themselves with confidence. Kindergarteners discover logic and strategy by playing chess. Third graders identify frogs and insects on a stream walk at our Dorr Nature Lab in Connecticut. Sixth graders experience Colonial America by visiting Williamsburg. Ninth graders give life to Shakespeare’s words as they perform scenes and monologues.

Eleventh graders explore complex ideas, such as computer science data structures and the ethics of genetics.

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FASTFACT Our mentor-guided Independent Interdisciplinary Research Seminar allows students to study topics not covered in the Horace Mann curriculum or continue research on a topic covered in a previous course

AT H OR ACE M ANN, W E DON’T T E ACH SU B JE CT S, W E T E ACH ST U DE NT S. In every academic endeavor, we encourage students to strive for balance. Take hard courses, but also make time for creative expression.

Study traditional subjects, but also try innovative courses. Reach for individual academic achievement, but help others achieve as well. Students work hard here, and teachers support those efforts. The extraordinary student/teacher relationship is the core of the Horace Mann academic experience. The close bond that students and teachers develop is based on mutual respect and the exchange of ideas. Students come to Horace Mann with different talents, abilities and learning styles. In the early years, our teachers use practical in-house assessments to determine the learning needs of every student. The Middle Division and Upper Division each have a dedicated Academic Center, where teachers, peer tutors, mentors, learning specialists, advisors, guidance counselors, and friends are always there to help.

FASTFACTS Our 220 faculty members hold 210 master’s and 25 doctoral degrees We offer six foreign languages: Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Spanish

At Horace Mann, we encourage students not to focus on the destination—what they’ll do in the next grade or where they’ll go to college—but on what they do here and now, and how they’ll contribute to the life of the school and the larger community. We prepare students for the world and challenges they’ll face tomorrow by helping them fulfill their potential each day.

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L OW E R DIV ISION (GR ADE S K-5 )

WE ARE ONE SCHOOL

The Lower Division is all about instilling a love of learning. Our students are enthusiastic, fun, joyful, motivated and busy. In our classrooms, children are gaining strength as self-motivated and independent learners, as they become readers and writers and develop confidence in their newfound abilities. They refine critical thinking skills, take on new leadership roles in the school, and consider the world around them. As students explore new aspects of mathematics and science and negotiate new social situations, they develop and consolidate a solid base of skills that will serve them in the Middle Division and for years to come.

The Lower Division curriculum incorporates reading, writing, grammar, spelling, penmanship, critical thinking and listening, math, creativity, logical thinking, technology, library skills, physical education and the arts. French and Spanish begins in the first grade.

Horace Mann is three campuses, five divisions and one school. The fact that we admit students into our Nursery Division, Lower Division, Middle Division and Upper Division is one of our strengths.

Today, more than 1,700 diverse students, age 3 through 18, fill the hallways, classrooms and open spaces of our campuses. It is through their interactions and collaborations that some of the most valuable learning occurs. Our school’s divisional structure encourages team, grade-level and departmental collaboration. We are a cohesive community. Students attend each other’s games, performances, art shows, presentations, and competitions. And as one school, we come together often for special events, celebrations and activities.

The Lower Division is so much more than academics. Ours is an environment where children take risks, stretch themselves and try new things. Expectations are clear for behavior, so students are safe to learn and experiment within set boundaries and limits.

Academic growth is fundamental, but a child’s social and emotional development is equally as important in the Lower Division. Our students are passionate and friendly. Here they make bonds that last throughout their lives at the school. They love to collaborate with each other and their teachers. Our faculty both challenges and supports, while paying close attention to each child’s academic, emotional and social needs.

FASTFACTS NU R SE RY DIVISION (AGE 3, 4, 5) Children age 3 to 5 are brimming with wonder and curiosity. The tremendous growth and development of each child and family is the hallmark of the Nursery Division. Our Nursery facility is a language-rich learning environment where children dedicate time to work and play, classroom jobs, circle-time discussions, and hands-on exploration and discovery. The Nursery program is carefully balanced to include opportunities for outdoor play, art, movement and music, and, in kindergarten, chess and computers. Our faculty includes specialists in science, music, movement and chess.

As children learn to express ideas and solve problems together, they develop strong communication and social skills. One of our goals in the Nursery program is to

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prepare children for the transition to the Lower Division on our main campus in the Bronx. The Nursery program provides a solid foundation for future academic achievement at Horace Mann. Visits to the Bronx campus begin at age 4 and extend into kindergarten with weekly classes in physical education.

The Nursery Division always welcomes parents to be in touch and involved. Ongoing communication and parent-teacher conferences help us all work together to make educationally sound decisions with the child’s best interest in mind. And parents are always welcome in the classroom and in the life of the school. Read a book at story time, serve a family recipe at the International Potluck Dinner, come dressed in your pjs to our Pajama Party or join us for a Central Park Pizza Party.

1st graders visited SoundWaters, on the Connecticut shore, where they learned about plankton and touched a live sea horse

The Lower Division would not be the wonderful place it is without our families. They help out in the classroom, volunteer at special events and join in school-wide activities. Teachers are in frequent contact. We encourage parents to call anytime, with any question—big or small—and get involved in the life of the school. Lower Division traditions include a Math & Science Night, Lower Division Carnival, and a Field Day. The Lower Division has two sections of kindergarten, with two teachers each, and four sections of each grade 1 through 5: • Average class size is about 21 • Each kindergarten has 2 teachers • Each first grade class has a head teacher and a full-time

teaching fellow

Kindergartners made applesauce and apple cider at our annual Applefest Lettuce from our campus garden, harvested by Lower Division students, was used in lunch salads

• Second grade shares 3 teaching fellows • Third grade shares 2 teaching fellows • Fourth grade is divided into homeroom groups. Students

move from classroom to classroom for different subjects with different teachers.

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FASTFACTS The U.S. system of government came alive for 5th graders who visited Washington D.C. Sixth grade students spend a week understanding colonial America while visiting Mt. Vernon, Jamestown and WIlliamsburg Six out of seven Middle Division students who competed in the NYC Regional Science Olympiad placed first, second or third 7th graders took first place in their division at the national science Toshiba Exploravision competition

MIDDLE DIVISION

U P P E R DIV ISION

When students leave our Middle Division, they find themselves transformed—more mature and confident. We expect a lot from our Middle Division students, but more importantly, we teach them how to expect a lot from themselves. Our teachers not only guide, challenge, and support students, but also encourage them to take ownership of their education. Middle Division faculty members love teaching this age group. They are specially trained to help students manage this period of transition between childhood and young adulthood.

Freedom and responsibility—Upper Division students are ready to take responsibility for their education, behavior and conduct. A hallmark of the Upper Division is the impressive array of courses, electives, activities and independent study options available. We offer about 230 courses annually, including twenty Advanced Placement classes and six foreign languages. After 10th grade, students design their own curriculum, like in college, so no two daily schedules are quite alike. That said, in addition to four years of English, Horace Mann’s graduation requirements include two years of history (Atlantic and American History), two years of science (Biology and Chemistry), mathematics through Algebra II and Trigonometry, foreign language through the third-year level, and one-and-a-half credits in the arts.

Students must also complete physical education, computer mastery, and guidance courses between 9th and 11th grade.

Another hallmark of our program is our service learning component; a vital and required piece of the Horace Mann experience. In addition to these requirements, students may choose from among a great number of electives, and independent study alternatives.

The Middle Division curriculum allows students to begin making choices. At this stage, students vary greatly in their experiences, interests and abilities. Teachers work to develop skills in higher-level thinking, reading, writing, speaking and listening, as well as organization and time management. The academic rigor traditional to Horace Mann is balanced by opportunities for choices and individual expression.

Our Life Skills curriculum helps students discuss issues surrounding health and wellness, self-image, sexuality, stress, substance abuse and personal values. Free time is a crucial part of every Middle Division student’s schedule. We feel it is imperative for students at this age to learn to manage their time and responsibilities. This is the fist time students are given a free period. They can choose to spend it with friends, see a teacher for extra help, visit the library, bookstore or computer lab or simply relax.

Middle Mania is a Middle Division tradition that spans the entire school year. All three grades take part on colorcoded teams vying for points. The event culminates in a spirited round of dodge ball followed by fierce academic competitions. Past challenges have included a Geography Bee, Name That Tune, Battle of the Books and Math contests. The name of the winning team is engraved on a special trophy!

Course of Study English History Foreign Language (French, Japanese, Latin, Spanish) Science Mathematics Arts Classics (Greek & Roman Culture, Latin) Physical Education Computing & Communications Counseling & Guidance (Life Skills) Service Learning Dorr Nature Laboratory

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In our small classes (14 to 16 students) there is a vibrant energy flowing from a dynamic exchange of ideas, as students collaborate with each other and their teachers.

The Upper Division faculty comprises ninety highly qualified teachers—nearly thirty have earned doctorates, and virtually all have advanced degrees. During the high school years, as students prepare for the transition to college, they are free to leave campus during the day.

Expanding their boundaries and experiences in the world, we give them room to demonstrate growing maturity and an ability to manage competing demands on their time and energy with self-discipline and integrity. The college process is a critical piece of the 11th and 12th grade at Horace Mann. Typically our students are extraordinarily satisfied with the outcome.

Course of Study English History Foreign Language (Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Spanish) Science Mathematics Arts Physical Education Computing & Communications Health Service Learning

FASTFACTS Three Upper Division physics students were chosen as semifinalists in the competition for the U.S. Physics Olympics team Upper Division students held a Sonnet Marathon in our Shakespeare Garden and traveled to London to study Shakespeare

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WHERE WE LEARN Technology plays a major role in our libraries, however we believe libraries are a place where people can work together and support each other.

Nursery and Lower Division classes visit their libraries once a week. Middle and Upper Division students learn research skills through work on individual projects. The Katz Library, which houses 52,000 volumes, is a popular place to study and read. Did you know that Horace Mann Middle and Upper Division students use the library three times as much as their peers in New York City?

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WE ARE

Creative ARTS Expressing creativity—on the stage or in the studio—is a powerful way to learn about the world. Hip-hop dance, printmaking, Broadway musical comedy, classical violin…whatever their passion, students can follow it here. Through music, theatre, dance and visual arts, students in every grade explore inventive thinking and creative problem solving—invaluable lifelong skills. As students’ abilities mature and their artistic skills strengthen, the arts offerings available to them grow in number and complexity.

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V ISU AL AR TS

FASTFACT

In our Visual Arts program, children are exposed to a rich variety of media starting in the Nursery Division, where the focus is on exploration of materials in 2-and 3-dimensions.

Formal art instruction begins in the Lower Division, where students continue to express their creativity, while learning about technique. A highlight of the year is the annual Arts Festival. Lower Divisions students are also able to dive deeper into what is being discussed in their English and history classes as a result of curriculum based art projects.

In the Middle and Upper Divisions, course offerings increase in sophistication and specificity to include more formal and focused work in photography, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, drawing, painting, video and film production, and digital storytelling.

Kindergarten students recently performed the Lion King—they wrote a script, composed a song, decorated the stage, created a dance, and used math to figure out how many rows of seats they needed for the audience

MUSIC

FASTFACT Artworks by three seniors were selected from among 600 entries for an exhibition sponsored by the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts

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In our Music program students develop a love and appreciation of music. In the Nursery and Lower Divisions, instruction incorporates physical movement and rhythm instruments. All Nursery students have music class two times a week. Beginning in kindergarten all Lower Division students also take music classes. In third grade, students may also join a band, orchestra or choral group. These might include Chorus, Concert Band, Methods and Mastery, or Chamber Orchestra. Students may continue instrumental instruction in the Middle and Upper Divisions. Advanced topics in the history and appreciation of music, music theory, and the use and influence of technology help students to enhance their understanding of the art. Courses might include the History of Opera, Steel Drums Ensemble or Music and Technology. Private music instruction is available to Middle and Upper Division students.

P E R FOR M ING AR T S Performing Arts flourish at Horace Mann. Dramatic play and movement are important parts of both the Nursery and Lower Division programs. Formal instruction in dance and theatre begins in the Middle Division. In class and on stage, students learn about history and style, set design, choreography, stagecraft, playwriting and dramatic performance. Every year, Middle Division students present one to two theatrical productions. Upper Division students produce three major theatrical productions per year and choreograph and perform in our bi-annual Dance Concert.

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WHERE WE CREATE An exceptional Arts program demands exceptional facilities. Horace Mann offers visual art studios, a kiln, soundproof practice rooms, gallery spaces, music classrooms, and performance spaces, like Sanders Recital Hall stage and the Alfred Gross Theatre, a 650-seat venue with a full stage house designed for professional-level productions and touring acts. Gross Theatre is also for concerts, special lectures and schoolwide meetings.

FASTFACTS Orchestra has performed in Prague, Germany, France and Spain Dance Team performed during halftime at the Orange Bowl Glee Club has performed at Carnegie Hall, Symphony Space, and Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall The Upper Division performed John Steinbeck’s the Grapes of Wrath Our Jazz Band has performed at jazz clubs including Birdland and B.B. King’s 22

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WE

Play Hard ATHLETICS Horace Mann students come ready to play, and play hard. Although participation in team sports is not required, a great number of our students play at least one sport and many are two- or three-season athletes. Interscholastic athletics are a key component of our physical education program. We believe students at every age should be physically active, acquire and develop motor skills, and nurture responsible social behavior to insure healthy lives. This begins at the Nursery level with the movement program and continues through Upper Division competitive team sports. Lower and Middle Division students use our fields, gymnasium, playgrounds and pool, as they begin to explore what teams, sports and physical activities interest them. Athletics in the Lower and Middle Division provides students with beginning skills and interests that they can continue to develop throughout their lives.

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FASTFACTS

Horace Mann is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League (IVY). For a school our size, we offer an impressive array of sports. In a given year, we might field as many as 63 teams that inspire school spirit and pride.

Among 7th & 8th graders, about 50% play on a team In recent years, 44% to 73% of all Upper Division students played on at least one team

GO LIONS !

Varsity Girls Gymnastics won the AAIS Championship

M IDDL E DIV ISION

NU R SE RY DIVISION Nursery students, age 4 and 5, visit the 92nd street YMCA twice a week for physical education with a motor development specialist.

Other physical activities are less formal and include yoga, playground and climbing equipment, Kite Day, Field Day, and visits to Central Park. At the annual Kindergarten Movement Showcase, children can’t wait to demonstrate their skills in ten activities centers and put on a dance performance.

L OW E R DIV ISION In the Lower Division physical education program students develop their minds and bodies. Swimming instruction begins in the 1st grade. Activities like swimming and gymnastics and individual and team sports help students learn about teamwork and develop confidence.

All of the school’s physical education facilities are available during recess and the optional After School Program.

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Athletics in the Middle Division is about fitness, skill building, leadership and teamwork. Our 6th graders participate in daily physical education classes that focus on intramural games and fitness. Team competition is introduced in 7th grade. The Middle Division fields 12 teams for boys, 14 for girls. Students who are not on teams continue in required physical education. Team practices take place during the school day. Games are generally held twice a week after school.

Middle Division teams include: Fall Boys Girls Football (7th/8th Gr.) Field Hockey Soccer (7th/8th Gr.) Soccer Tennis Volleyball (7th/8th Gr.)

Coed X-Country Water Polo

Winter Boys Basketball (7th/8th Gr.) Wrestling

Girls Basketball (7th/8th Gr.)

Coed Swimming

Spring Boys Baseball Lacrosse Tennis

Girls Lacrosse Softball

(7th/8th Gr.)

Coed Outdoor Track

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FASTFACTS

U P P E R DIV ISION Desire, dedication, and self-discipline—Horace Mann athletes understand what it takes to compete. Our tradition of excellence in interscholastic competition complements a rigorous and challenging Upper Division academic program. Through team sports, students are encouraged to reach their potential in physical fitness, skill development, leadership, and teamwork.

Our highly qualified coaches teach student athletes to stretch their minds and bodies—be modest in victory and steadfast in defeat. Students are supported by our outstanding athletic trainers; experts in sports medicine whose purpose is to ensure that our athletes receive the best care when they are on our courts and fields or in the pool. Many of our athletes go on to play collegiate sports.

We field 13 Junior Varsity teams for both boys and girls. At the Varsity level, the Athletic Department offers 18 teams for boys and 18 for girls.

Upper Division teams include: Fall Boys Girls Coed Football (Varsity & JV) Field Hockey Water Polo Soccer (Varsity & JV) (Varsity & JV) (Varsity & JV) Soccer (Varsity & JV) X-Country Tennis (Varsity & JV) (Varsity & JV) Volleyball (Varsity & JV) X-Country (Varsity & JV) Winter Boys Basketball (Varsity & JV) Fencing (Varsity & JV) Indoor Track (Varsity) Skiing (Varsity) Squash (Varsity) Swimming (Varsity) Wrestling (Varsity & JV)

Girls Basketball (Varsity & JV) Fencing (Varsity & JV) Gymnastics (Varsity) Indoor Track (Varsity) Skiing (Varsity) Swimming (Varsity)

Spring Boys Girls Baseball (Varsity & JV) Crew (Varsity) Crew (Varsity) Lacrosse (Varsity & JV) Golf (Varsity) Outdoor Track (Varsity) Lacrosse (Varsity & JV) Softball (Varsity & JV) Outdoor Track (Varsity) Tennis (Varsity & Varsity B) Volleyball (Varsity)

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Our Swim team won the Ivy League Championship

FASTFACTS

Several Horace Mann Fencers won gold medals at the ISFL Individual Fencing Championships

Varsity Wrestling won States for the fifth year in a row and sent four competitors to the national tournament Our Softball team won the Ivy League Championship Varsity Girls Volleyball clinched the Ivy League title four years in a row

Coed

Coed Ultimate Frisbee (Varsity)

WHERE WE PLAY Horace Mann boasts outstanding athletic facilities. Our Prettyman Gymnasium houses basketball courts, exercise and training rooms, an indoor track, and a swimming pool. Our outdoor facilities include Clark Field, Four Acres Field, and tennis and handball courts. Our teams also play at Van Cortlandt Park, Randalls Island Park, Tibbetts Brook Park, Crotona Park and SUNY Purchase.

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WE ARE

Involved CLUBS, ACTIVITIES Horace Mann students participate; try new things. We love that about them. To keep up with their enthusiasm, we offer an impressive array of opportunities for a school our size. In the optional After School Program, a Lower Division student might explore a new academic interest or activity in small group, guided by a teacher. A Middle Division student might write for the school newspaper, join the Science Olympiad Team, or serve on the Governing Council. An Upper Division student could write for a student publication, serve on the Judiciary Council, go rock climbing with the Searchers or do all of these things. And if these activities aren’t enough, there are new ones being created—by students—all the time.

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FASTFACTS We offer more than 75 clubs, activities and groups Students create and run about 25 publications More than 50% of our students write for one or more publications during their time at Horace Mann

LOWER DIVISION AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVIT IE S (partial list)

U P P E R DIV ISION ACT IV IT IE S AND CL U B S (partial list)

Arts & Crafts Aviation Club Animal Nature Baseball Chess Club Computer Animation Flag Football Jujitsu Junior Record (Newspaper) Kids in the Kitchen Lego Robotics Mad Science Pokemon Club Story Arts Toy Design

AGE Africa Amnesty International Anime Club Arabic Club Architecture Club Ceramics Club Chess Club Dance Company Documentary Film Club East Wind West Wind (world culture) Fashion Design Club Governing Council Green HM Habitat for Humanity HarMannics (a capella) Jewish Culture Club Junior State of America (forensics) Math Team Mock Trial Model Congress Model United Nations Samulnori Club (Korean drumming) Science Olympiad Team Searchers Service Learning Team Ski Club Spirit Squad (hip-hop dance) Support Our Soldiers The Union (students of color) Video Games for Charity Yearbook Yoga Club

MIDDLE DIVISION ACTIVITIES AND CLUBS Anime Cooking Club Debate Gleek (Glee fans) Manga Math Forum Mock Newberry Quidditch Reader’s Forum Reflections (yearbook) Rubik’s Cube Service Learning Interns Science Club Student Government Writing for the Record Yoga Club

U P P E R DIV ISION P U B L ICAT IONS (partial list) Amplified (music) Cinemann (film) Double Play (sports) Edible (food) FAD (fashion, art, design) Folio 51(gender) Horace Mann Review (news magazine) Insight (photography) La Plume (published entirely in French) ManHattan Review (NYC) Mannikin (yearbook) Manuscript (poetry, creative writing, art) Pixelated (videogame & TV reviews) Prime (math) The Record (weekly newspaper) The Score (sports) Thespian (performing arts) Word (prose, photography, art)

FASTFACTS The Record is one of the few high school newspapers in the country published weekly (for 100 years!)

Student publications have won awards from national scholastic press associations Three of our debate teams (Model UN, Model Congress and JSA) won best speaker awards at major conferences

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WE ARE GOOD

Citizens SERVICE Horace Mann School is a proud to make its home in the borough of the Bronx, New York City, and the Tri-State area. We are committed to an educational program that recognizes and values the many cultures and perspectives of our community. We watch with pride as our students become socially responsible citizens who care about the world around them. One of our time-honored traditions is an annual All-School Service-Learning Day, coordinated by our Center for Community Values and Action. While each child is an individual at Horace Mann, we place a high priority on establishing a sense of community—in the classrooms, on campus, among our families and in the world. Our students use the gift of a Horace Mann education to make a difference every day.

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FASTFACTS Horace Mann School provided new lights on Broadway to make the street brighter and safer Our school community planted trees in Van Cortlandt Park during Earthkeepers Day Horace Mann hosts an annual holiday dinner for residents from a local battered women’s shelter and their children SER VICE IN THE NURSERY AND LOWER DIVISION Starting in the Nursery and Lower Divisions, children learn to help others first and then themselves. Everything exists within a framework of community. In the classroom, teachers make sure that every student counts, and students learn to value themselves and each other. Children also learn that they are part of a larger group at the school. Our annual Caring in Action Day gives students and their families a chance to participate in community service projects. During the holidays, for instance, children collected coins, toys, and gently used coats for those in need.

FASTFACTS Nursery children held a coin drive to benefit the Promise Academy of the Harlem Children’s Zone Our faculty, staff, and students volunteer at the Marble Hill Community Center after-school program

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SER VICE IN THE MIDDLE DIV ISION In the Middle Division, 6th and 7th graders engage in service learning activities as part of their homeroom group.

Our 8th graders are required to perform a set number of hours of service in projects, on or off campus, sponsored by the school. Students have collected shoes for Souls for Soles and purchased animals for Heifer International.

SER VICE IN THE UPPER DIV ISION Service Learning is an integral part of a Horace Mann education and the Upper Division’s curriculum. A requirement for graduation, the program helps students continue to develop as responsible citizens. All students must complete forty hours of service in grades 9 and 10, and an additional forty hours in grades 11 and 12. An Upper Division student might tutor middle school children from the Bronx on Saturdays, give children free music lessons at the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center, raise funds for charity through their club, or help build a school in Latin America.

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WE ARE

Diverse Horace Mann believes that diversity and multi-culturalism are key elements in fostering excellence in every aspect of our school. We are a diverse community committed to building an inclusive environment that respects and affirms each of its members. While it is our strong belief that diversity is everyone’s concern, Horace Mann’s Office of Diversity guides the community’s efforts by using the school’s mission and core values as a road map. Horace Mann’s diversity work begins in the Nursery Division and continues through the Upper Division.

We focus on four key areas. Our goal is to make culture more explicit, affirm identity, create a context for understanding through academics, and to engage the Horace Mann community in meaningful dialogue.

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The beautiful mosaic of families, faculty and staff that comprise the Horace Mann School come from every walk of life, representing diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, religion, ideas and ability. Through our curriculum, co-curricular clubs, activities and organizations, we explore what it means to be part of a global society and promote community wide events that celebrate the richness of our different backgrounds.

FASTFACTS Diversity at Horace Mann comes in many forms; these are some of the forms that diversity has taken in recent years: •

•

•

•

• •

•

• •

•

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Upper Division student clubs devoted to cultural issues: East Wind/West Wind, Gay Straight Alliance, Arabic Club, French Club, Italian Club, Jewish Culture Club, Russian Club, Spanish Club, The Union, Women’s Issues Asia Night, Spanish Day, French Day, Japan Day, Women’s History Month and Black History Month celebrations History Department excursions to a local mosque and a Buddhist temple each year, and a simulation of the Ellis Island experience Day of the Dead festival that explores indigenous Mexican culture Community Day Parent Affinity Groups: Black Parents Union, South Asian Family Group, Hispanic/Latino Family Network, Korean Parents League Bi-lingual books, in Spanish and English, in the Nursery Library Fall & Spring Diversity Gathering for families Gay Straight Alliance participation in the National Day of Silence The School’s affiliation with DAIS (Diversity Awareness Initiatives in Schools) and the NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) People of Color Conference and Student Diversity Leadership Conference

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WE ARE

Urban, Suburban, & Rural LOCATION & CAMPUS The best way to appreciate the campuses of the Horace Mann School is to visit them. We are fortunate to claim three distinct locations as our home—one urban, one suburban and one rural. In the last twelve years, Horace Mann School has invested significant resources in technology and for construction and renovation of our state-of-the-art facilities. We are proud members of the Green Schools Alliance.

Come visit us soon.

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M ANH AT TAN The Nursery Division is located in an urban landmark building on Manhattan’s Upper East Side that was originally the carriage house of the Andrew Carnegie estate.

In addition to nine classrooms, the building houses a library, a studio, a yard with climbing equipment, an outdoor classroom/garden, and a rooftop playground.

T H E B R ONX The main Lower Division campus in a quiet neighborhood of the Bronx is home to classrooms for grades k through 5, as well as the library, gymnasium, cafeteria, arts and technology center, Music Annex, Nurse’s office, modern language classrooms, literacy center, math lab, speech lab, science center, and administrative offices. Kindergarten classes are housed in free-standing cottages. Facilities that contribute to the Lower Division program include the “Grasshopper” (a synthetic play surface) and the O’Neill Arboretum.

The 18-acre Middle/Upper Division campus overlooks Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, a 1,146 acre green expanse and New York City’s fourth largest park. Our oldest building is Tillinghast Hall, which houses classrooms and computer laboratories. Mullady Hall houses the Katz Library and the 650-seat Alfred Gross Theatre. Rose Hall is home to the Middle Division and also houses the school’s arts and dining facilities, classrooms, an atrium, Academic Center, and division offices. Science facilities are located in Pforzheimer Hall and the Gratwick Science Wing.

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CONNE CT ICU T John Dorr Nature Laboratory is 275-acres of woods, fields, streams and ponds nestled in the hills of northwest Connecticut. The heart of Dorr is our new environmentally sustainable Lodge, surrounded by five cabins. The 12,000square-foot, LEED-certified Lodge was constructed in 2010 and features multi-purpose classrooms and an open barn-style gathering space. Other highlights of Dorr are the Cooperative Adventure Tower, a 45-foot climbing wall, and the Odyssey Course, a challenging high ropes structure.

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WE ARE GREEN John Dorr Nature Laboratory is our outdoor education center in Washington, Connecticut, but also it is a living laboratory where students learn by doing—they explore caves, brave the 45-foot climbing wall, learn how to build a fire and cook a meal on it, canoe and swim in the pond, play teambuilding games, and learn how to use a compass and map. In a world dominated by technology, Dorr is a refuge from cell phones, laptops and other electronics.

W H AT IS OU T DOOR E DU CAT ION? All students experience Dorr throughout their Horace Mann education in age-appropriate activities related to environmental science, conservation, cooperative learning and outdoor living.

Dorr is a hallowed tradition embedded in the curriculum. For our youngest students, Dorr faculty members come to campus.

Nursery Division students go pretend-camping, kindergarteners press their own cider, and 1st graders study bugs and insects.

Our 2nd graders travel to Dorr for the day to study ponds and swamps. Overnight stays in cabins begin in the 3rd grade, where students learn about Native Americans. Our 4th graders focus on stream ecology; 5th graders explore astronomy and myth writing; while 7th graders discover geology. The eight-day program for 8th graders includes a much-anticipated three-day backpacking trip along the Appalachian Trail. A highlight is daring to belay, climb, and trust your peers on Dorr’s Cooperative Adventure Tower. Older students come to Dorr for Upper Division Orientation where they experience teamwork and risk taking on the thrilling Odyssey Course, a high-ropes challenge. There’s also time for getting to know new friends and have fun at Karaoke Night or Disco Dorr. Upper Division students can also join the Searchers, Dorr’s outdoor adventure club.

Something magical always happens at Dorr. It is a special place.

And now it is used year round for science classes, student groups and leadership training, and retreats for sports teams, clubs, faculty and staff. Under the supervision and guidance of the four full-time faculty members at Dorr, students seem to change the way they relate to each other, their school and nature. Some of the strongest and most long-lasting memories from school are often created at Dorr.

FASTFACTS The environmentally sustainable aspects of Dorr help inform the entire school. Horace Mann’s green initiatives include: •

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environmentally friendly lawn and field maintenance a photovoltaic system that produces about 40% of Dorr’s electricity the use of green cleaning supplies solar thermal tubes that heat 90% of Dorr’s water for showers and sinks recycling of paper, oil, fluorescent light bulbs, plastic, and computer hardware geothermal cooling and harvested rainwater at Dorr

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WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU

Horace Mann has a need blind admissions process. Traditionally students enter Horace Mann at four different points. The Nursery Division enrolls approximately forty new three-year-olds each fall. Thirty-five spaces are available for kindergartners in the Nursery and Lower Divisions. Between fifty and fifty-five students join the 6th grade each year, while forty-five begin in the 9th grade. Smaller groups enter as four-year-olds and 7th graders. At all other grade levels, spaces are available based upon attrition, and applications are accepted on a wait-list basis. For more information on admissions, please visit our website: http://www.horacemann.org/page.cfm?p=131 FINANCIAL AID Horace Mann is committed to providing financial assistance to students who could not otherwise attend.

All financial aid is based on need; no merit scholarships are awarded. In an average year, 17% of our students receive financial aid. For more information on tuition and financial aid, please visit us on the web: http://www.horacemann.org/page.cfm?p=261 V ISIT U S While this viewbook will help you to get a sense of Horace Mann, nothing compares to a visit to our campus. Taking a tour, talking with students and teachers, and seeing classes and activities in action will all give you a better idea of the excitement and energy that fills our school. We hope that you will come spend some time with us. We look forward to meeting you on campus soon.

Horace Mann School adheres to a long-standing policy of admitting students of any race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, financial aid, and athletic or other school-administered programs.

Design: Š Peapod Design, New Canaan, CT, Copywriter: Tracey Palmer, Photorgraphy: Jasmin Ortiz, James Levine, Peter Finger, Bruce Fuller

ADM ISSIONS At every grade level, the Admissions process centers on the child. Our staff strives to get to know each applicant as a person. While admissions requirements vary by grade, they are meant to help us assess a child’s readiness. First and foremost, we try to determine if Horace Mann is the right fit for you and your child.

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