Lower Division Program Guide

Horace Mann School

Lower Division Program Guide

Mission Statement Horace Mann School prepares a diverse community of students to lead great and giving lives. We strive to maintain a safe, secure, and caring environment in which mutual respect, mature behavior, and the life of the mind can thrive. We recognize and celebrate individual achievement and contributions to the common good.

Our School’s Core Values     

Life of the Mind Mature Behavior Mutual Respect A Secure and Healthful Environment A Balance Between Individual Achievement and a Caring Community

Table of Contents Introduction ......................................................................... 3 Language Arts ..................................................................... 4 Social Studies ...................................................................... 5 Mathematics ........................................................................ 5 Science ................................................................................ 6 World Language .................................................................. 6 Technology.......................................................................... 7 Library ................................................................................. 8 Visual Arts .......................................................................... 8 Music ................................................................................... 9 Physical Education .............................................................. 9 Service Learning ............................................................... 10 Social Emotional Learning................................................ 10 Support Services ............................................................... 10 Nursing & Health .............................................................. 11 Parent Involvement ........................................................... 12 To Learn More .................................................................. 12

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Introduction Horace Mann School was founded by Nicholas Murray Butler in 1887 as a coeducational experimental and developmental unit of Teachers College, Columbia University. In 1947, it became an independent day school for boys in grades seven through twelve. The reestablishment of coeducation was accomplished through mergers with the New York School for Nursery Years (founded 1954) in 1968, the Barnard School (founded 1886) in 1972, and the enrollment of girls in the high school beginning in 1975. The Lower Division campus in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx occupies the site of the former Barnard School. The main Lower Division building houses classrooms for grades one through five, as well as the library, gymnasium, cafeteria, arts and technology center, music room, Music Annex, nurse’s office, modern language classrooms, literacy center, math center, science center, and administrative offices. Two of the School’s five kindergarten classes are housed in freestanding “cottages” that are nevertheless an integral part of the Division. Outdoor facilities at the Lower Division include the “Grasshopper” field (a synthetic play surface), large playground, Butterfly Hill and the O’Neill Arboretum.

Horace Mann School is about its students. With those students in mind, we have created a dynamic program filled with an enormous array of subjects and activities. Highly enriched with endless possibilities, the program is both structured and flexible. Within a supportive atmosphere, we encourage our students to take risks as they involve themselves in the world around them.

The academic curriculum at the Lower Division is designed to stimulate intellectual pursuits as 3

well as ongoing skill development. The foundations of learning in the academic disciplines are established in the early grades and are supplemented through interdisciplinary experiences. Attention to varied learning styles is integrated into everyday class work and is supported by specialists. Community Service activities in the classroom and in the outside community help to support the school’s core values.

Situated in a country atmosphere, the Bronx campus boasts a physical facility which actively enhances the classroom experience. John Dorr Nature Laboratory, located in the hills of Connecticut, further supplements the dimensions of our curriculum by adding challenge and adventure activities within its 304-acre facility. Additional emphasis is placed on both the arts and technology, encouraging creative expression among our students.

As we continue to help our children grow and develop within an atmosphere of safety and civility, we embrace both an ethical and a developmental perspective. This perspective fosters the ongoing evolution of our children and adds excitement within our community. Our program allows us to provide the kind of environment in which our children flourish.

A supportive faculty and administration, along with a dedicated parent body, form the base from which all else at Horace Mann is built.

Language Arts The language arts program embraces knowledge of the English language, its use as a basic means of communication, and appreciation for a variety of literary genres. In kindergarten the students begin the reading journey with phonemic awareness. This is highlighted through our Sounds in Motion program which focuses on a kinesthetic approach to sound letter correlation.

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Simultaneously, the students are introduced to sight words and practice these words in both reading and writing. As the year progresses, each child participates in our Guided Reading program. This program builds on each student’s individual reading level through small group instruction. Thematic units provide rich opportunities and texts to promote cross-curricular study while inspiring creative and expository writing. Skill development in reading, writing, grammar, spelling, penmanship, critical thinking, public speaking, and listening is acquired throughout the grades. Coordination with the technology, library and the arts programs provides further enrichment.

Social Studies The social studies program focuses on skill development and conceptual learning while providing a stimulating introduction to history, geography, culture and current events. A multifaceted approach is utilized at all grade levels, and each content strand is designed to foster the development of informed, responsible, and thoughtful citizens. Through classroom discussion and ongoing research, children begin to appreciate the wide and ever increasing range of human accomplishment.

Mathematics The math program emphasizes a conceptual understanding of what numbers represent.

Through a Singapore approach to teaching math, students progress from concrete to pictorial to abstract representations of concepts. Concrete manipulatives such as snap cubes, base ten blocks, and rekenreks help students develop one to one correspondence and place value. Bar model and number bond drawings allow students to visualize how numbers can be broken apart as well as combined to form various quantities, and allow students to make sense of equations in the upper grades. Throughout every grade mental 5

math is reinforced and students are encouraged to find multiple strategies to solve a problem. Children develop mathematical fluency, including accuracy, efficiency and flexibility when working with numbers.

Science The science program gives children ample opportunity to explore science as a fundamental part of our everyday world. In the primary grades, enthusiasm for learning and discovery is promoted through teacher-centered instruction and hands-on activities. Enhancing these learning opportunities is the Science Center, an integrated part of the science curriculum in grades K-5. Students in Kindergarten through Second Grade take part in inquiry-based lessons while being introduced to the steps of the Scientific Method. The activities encourage curiosity, develop questioning minds, and create an atmosphere of cooperation and independence within the classroom setting. Students in grades three through five take part in weekly lab activities and communicate the results of their experiments in written lab reports. A variety of extracurricular science activities are available to Lower Division students.

Students in grades three through five can voluntarily visit the Science Center during recess periods to work on engineering and robotics projects.

Additionally, our “Wise” (Women in Science and Engineering) program provides a variety of science related experiences for Lower Division girls in a single sex environment.

World Language The world language program capitalizes on young children’s innate curiosity and affinity for new sounds, harnessing the potential for understanding, speaking, and writing a second language in the early years.

Child-centered activities, culturally authentic materials, songs, and games link the French and Spanish cultures to their spoken and written word. The interdisciplinary approach integrates literature, publishing projects, 6

technology, music, art and cooking into the curriculum, reinforcing learning in content areas while simultaneously enhancing native language ability.

STEAM The STEAM program in the Lower Division guides students to become proficient and at ease using technology as a tool to support student learning across all disciplines: Mathematics, Science, Language Arts, Foreign Language, Social Studies and the Arts. The technology program is both skill based as well as project based.

Students in grades K-5 use a variety of software that compliments their regular classroom curriculum through continuous collaboration between their classroom teachers and the technology lab. Students learn to use technology as a means of expression, presentation, and research as well as for communication. Throughout the Lower Division, students become skillful in word processing applications, presentation and multimedia software, electronic research tools, various design applications and media literacy. In addition to becoming skillful in a variety of applications students learn the basics of programming. Through robotics, various iPad apps, and programs such as Scratch, students in grades K-5 sharpen their skills in directional language and programming. Students also have the opportunity to take part in “low-tech” activities such as sewing and wood working. Collaboration and problem solving skills are developed in this unique space as students engage in their own learning.

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Library Horace Mann himself said, “A house without books is like a room without windows.” The primary mission of the Horace Mann Libraries is to teach our students how to become independent thinkers and life-long learners who possess a love of literature; to support independent library use and research skills; and to inculcate a spirit of independent learning and a selfconfidence that will serve students beyond their years at Horace Mann.

The Lower Division Library collection consists of over 23,000 print titles, electronic encyclopedias, online databases and a growing collection of audio & ebooks. These titles and databases include all major subject areas to support the curriculum and general interest.

Five computer workstations allow for a fuller integration of technology into the kindergarten through fifth grade curriculum, including access to the online resources.

Two full time Lower Division Librarians work with both fixed and flexible schedules. Weekly scheduled classes K-5 work within the established library curriculum. That curriculum can include teaching the parts of a book, using an assortment of reference books and doing online research.

Flexibility in the schedule allows librarians to work closely with faculty to develop special projects and encourage individual use of the library during the school day. The home of the annual Book Fair, the Library also hosts a variety of visiting authors including Horace Mann School alumni.

Visual Arts The visual arts program fosters the development of the whole child by engaging student interest and stimulating creativity and critical thinking.

Designed to teach observation skills and expressive use of media while also 8

focusing on the language and structure of art, classroom projects include drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, collage, printmaking, and crafts. The art enrichment program, offered as a supplement to the core curriculum, further enhances this comprehensive approach. Student work is showcased throughout the year in periodic exhibitions that culminate in the two-day Arts Festival.

Music The music program is both academic and performance oriented. The age appropriate curriculum focuses on the study of music concepts, the improvement of listening skills and the experience of personal musical growth through practical involvement. The drama program is complementary to that of music, focusing on creative dramatics as well as structured recital. Enrichment activities include dramatic presentations by all students and optional choral and instrumental music ensembles for students in grades 3-5.

Physical Education The physical education department recognizes the wide range of student abilities and offers a variety of activities to ensure choice and flexibility. The school views the physical education program as an essential component of the overall education process. It employs an ordered curriculum to ensure the continuing development of responsibility, decision-making skills, and confidence, all in a nurturing environment.

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Service Learning Service Learning is an important element of the Lower Division program. Students are encouraged to think about themselves as members of a larger community within Horace Mann School, in our neighborhood, and in the greater metropolitan area. Opportunities are provided for students to engage with other students, teachers, parents and administrators in different areas of community service, including the All-School Service Learning Day. The Lower Division partners with a variety of community organizations, including the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center. Within the Division, older children serve as buddies for younger students in a variety of activities including the annual Halloween parade, Thanksgiving Communal Meal, Kindergarten Applefest, and reading partners.

Social Emotional Learning The Lower Division has partnered with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence to enrich our commitment to the social emotional learning of our students. Building on the research based RULER program, teachers and students actively engage, value, and live the four components of this program. The RULER skills include: Recognizing emotions in oneself and others, understanding the causes and consequences of emotions, labeling emotions with accurate words, expressing emotions differently depending on context, and, regulating emotions with helpful strategies.

Support Services The Lower Division provides a variety of support services including remedial support as well as opportunities for enrichment. A team of reading specialists provides additional and varied instruction to meet the specific learning needs of children in grades K to 3, maximizing and enhancing the 10

acquisition of reading and reading-related skills. Small group instruction supplements the classroom reading program. A math specialist works directly with classroom teachers to develop strategies for children who need extra practice in computation and/or conceptual learning. In grades 3-5, small group instruction is offered during regularly scheduled math periods.

A full-time learning specialist teaches a reading, writing, and study skills course for students in grades 3-5 who benefit from reinforcement in language arts and organization skills. The course continues the model of small group instruction, providing support as material becomes increasingly abstract and complex. Higher-level comprehension skills, expository writing, and organization and study techniques are covered in the course.

The learning specialist works closely with the homeroom and subject teachers to support their curricula and assist students in the whole group setting as well. Furthermore, the learning specialist coordinates the administration of standardized testing for the division.

A psychologist works with students in grades K to 5, using a consultant model. Students are seen on an as-needed basis for in-school support to resolve conflicts with peers, assist with friendship difficulties or to ameliorate struggles with anxiety or sadness which impact functioning in school. The psychologist works closely with teachers and parents in offering this support. When indicated, the psychologist makes referrals for outside psychotherapy and/or psychological evaluations; with the consent of parents, the psychologist works with outside mental health clinicians and evaluators to implement recommendations for supporting the student in school and to share observations of the student’s functioning in school.

Nursing & Health The nurse treats children who are sick or injured at school, and maintains communication in cases of illness or injury with parents and primary health 11

care providers as appropriate. The nurse also follows children with chronic illnesses and allergies and coordinates their accommodations with faculty.

The nurse keeps health and immunization records and submits surveys required by the city and state. In addition, the nurse educates faculty as appropriate in emergency procedures, such as the use of epi-pens and concussion management, and serves as a consultant regarding health and safety issues in the school community.

Parent Involvement Parents are an integral part of the Lower Division community, and are encouraged to be involved to support their own children as well as the Lower Division and the larger school community. Many volunteer opportunities are provided, and parents serve as class parents, trip chaperones, admissions ambassadors, and event coordinators and liaisons for the annual Carnival, Arts Festival, the Book Fair, All-School Benefit, Service Learning Day, and Homecoming. The Lower Division also hosts monthly coffee hours for current parents featuring topics including technology, security, School expectations, curriculum scope and sequence and guest speakers. Parents In Action meetings are scheduled by grade level, and Lower Division parents are also encouraged to attend allSchool Parents Association events and meetings.

To Learn More…

For additional information about the Lower Division program, please contact Mrs. Deena Neuwirth, Head of Lower Division, at (718) 432-3300 or via email at deena_neuwirth@horacemann.org.

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Horace Mann School Lower Division 4440 Tibbett Avenue Bronx, NY 10471 (718) 432-3300 www.horacemann.org