BACK TO SCHOOL 2011: Horace Mann School

Like the other Melrose elementary schools, the Horace Mann has had SMART Board interactive whiteboards installed and every classroom and will see full implementation of the FOSS science kits this year.

Those initiatives aside, Principal Jeff Stransnick said this year the Horace Mann will focus on goal-setting for students: creating specific, measurable targets for students to strive for.

"We’ve always worked with kids to set goals. This year, we’re going to expand on that and actually look into doing 'smart' goals, which are more specific," Strasnick said. "They're measurable. There’s actually numbers and a timeline built into that. It's more concrete. We’re also doing that with the staff as well—the teachers and myself. I think goal setting is really important and I don’t think we do enough of that."

Strasnick said the goal setting will be done on an individual, student-by-student basis that not only pushes the student to strive to meet the goal, but provides assessments at different points during the year to gauge progress.

"It could be that instead of reading 15 minutes a night, I’m going to be reading 30 minutes a night," he siad. "It's setting some definitely attainable goals, but pushing people a little bit and actually having them reflect on it. It’s hard to say simply, 'I’m going to do better in reading.' Then at the end of the year, 'Did you do better in reading?' 'Well, I think I did.' To have something really concrete I think is important.”

Expansion of "Daily Five" reading program

Last year, a couple of Horace Mann teachers introduced the Daily Five in the classrooms, after they went to professional development  for the program after Strasnick looked into it.

Strasnick said the program is not a reading program, per se, but a way to structure reading.

"We look to hopefully expand that a little this year, and even more so next year," he said. "From what I've seen, and the teachers have even said to me they feel like they’re doing much more teaching than they ever have been because of it, so we’re excited about that."

Using technology to increase communication

Some Horace Mann teachers have been working on classroom websites, "which I think is great," Strasnick said. Along those lines, Strasnick has started a private Horace Mann School Twitter account to keep family's informed. (The Horace Mann PTO already has a private Facebook group for families.)

"We're looking to hopefully get more people on board with that," Strasnick said. "If not that, maybe we try something else, like a blog. We’re always looking for different ways to communicate with families."