E William St
San jose, CA 95112

Test scores are not the only, nor are they the best measure of student success! If you're looking for high test scores, then go to a school that teaches to the test. At Horace Mann, students are taught how to be life-long learners using the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. The students are active participants in their learning, with an enthusiastic team of teachers and support staff working together to help all of the children progress. There are many after school clubs and activities for the students sponsored by the PTO, parents work with teachers to bring art into the classrooms (despite a lack of district funding), and non-native Spanish speaking students have a weekly Spanish class. The school has an amazing facility with a jewel of a library, two computer labs, and a multipurpose room with a stage for student productions. Special events like Multicultural day, Day of Science, and community read-ins all support building curiosity and enthusiasm for exploring the world. The diversity of the student body and the staff are a great asset to this downtown school. Our kids haven't had any problems with bullying, and in fact report that the staff are quick to head off problems and work with the students to promote positive peer interactions. My experience volunteering at the school has shown me a lot of the behind the scenes effort from the teachers and administration, and I am constantly amazed with how much they do with such a limited amount of resources and so many needy kids. Don't base your opinion just on test scores - they don't tell you the whole story. Call the school for a tour and meet with the staff - that will give you a much better picture than the numbers.