Some background on Horace Mann space needs:

• In 2007 HM received modular units with the goal of having 18 classrooms.  
• In 2008-09 and 2009-10, we did not receive the funding needed for an 18th teacher (for that 18th classroom). This directly affected our current 3rd grade class – those students experienced large class sizes for 3 years, with classes of 26+ in 1st and 2nd grades.  
• In fall of 2010 that 3rd grade class finally got some relief in the form of a .5 FTE teacher. (The class gets split into thirds for some instruction time.)  So at this time our 18th classroom space is currently divided into a small Learning Center and a small classroom for 3rd graders to meet with the .5 teacher.  
• Next year, the incoming K class is projected to be 75 students.  (See page 48 of the city's Enrollment Analysis Report, which shows that the upcoming Kindergarten class grows from 75-77-79-81 and all grades growing.) 
• The enrollment at Horace Mann has been under projected by an average of 12 students over the past three years.  If this trend continues, it would give us 87 Kindergartners in 2011-2012, obviously too many for the current three K classrooms.  
• Even if the projections stay at 75 or grow only slightly, we will need a fourth classroom for this grade, assuming we are going to keep the current .5 teacher for our upcoming 4th grade. In other words with 4 K sections and a .5 classroom for 4th grade, we will need 19 classrooms next year.
• This year, the K class in the City was underprojected by 36 students. (See page 10 of this document) Eleven of those, or 31%, were at Horace Mann.  Our current K class has 68 students and was projected at only 55.  If this class grows, as history shows it will, we may need a 20th classroom for this cohort, as well. With 4 K sections, a .5 classroom for 4th grade, and a .5 or full classroom for 1st grade, we may need 20 classrooms next year.
• Last year we saw an influx of 60+ students at Horace Mann between the months of October and April.
• Currently our Art Space is in the basement and was constructed out of part of our boiler room.  
• Currently our Music Space shares the All-Purpose Room with our After-School Program and many other activities.  The Music Space has no solid partition within the All-Purpose room.
• HM has no cafeteria.
• HM has no full-sized SPED classroom.  
• We do not have room to reconfigure the space within our current school building beyond 18 full-size classrooms.  Other schools are slated to receive modulars; that may be a solution for Horace Mann.