Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet

Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet offers kindergarten through eigth grade students an opportunity to get a quality education in a caring environment while learning both Spanish and English. Students start in kindergarten, first and second grade using a language immersion model where 50% of the classroom instruction is in English and 50% is in spanish. As teachers incorporate the district and state reading and math standards into the English and Spanish insturction, students are taught early on to think, talk, read, and write in both English and Spanish. Students quickly learn how to switch between languages and apply their learning intheir academics and friendships.

Intermediate students in the third through fifthe grades expand their knowledge in Spanish and English as they rotate between their Englais Langarue Arts, Spanish Language Arts (including social studies), and Spanish Mathmetics (including science). In addition, all elementary students continue receiving enrichment through music, physical education, art, library, technology, and Spanish classess that meet the district's standards.

Middle School students continue the academic excellence tradition with English language Arts. English Mathematics, Spanish Sccience, and Spanish Social Studies. Elevtives include are, music, band, strings, physical educaiton, Spaish technology, and Spanish which are nine week rotations for sixth graders and semester classes for seventh and eighth graders. In addition, middle school students have the opportunity to participate in the district middle school activties including sports, National Academic League, STUCO, After School Program (enrichment classes and intramurals), dances, and other events.

All students interested in attending Horace Mann must apply by magnet application and random selection process for available openings through the Magnet Admissions Office at 201 N. Water. The elementary and middle magnet application deadline this year is Wednesday, March 26th at 4:45 p.m.


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Achievement Highlights

Exit Kellogg at Central Business District. Go north on Market for twelve blocks. Horace Mann Campus is on the west side of the street. See Maps for all USD 259 locations.

The mission of Horace Mann is to establish a strong, standards-based curriculum, which promotes high academic achievement in both English and Spanish, in an environment that embraces diversity and strives for excellence.

• Reading comprehension
• Math problem solving
• Writing

• Dual Language Immersion (English/Spanish)
• Before and After School Tutoring
• Professional Development School
• Parental Involvement Worker/Parent Resource Center
• Light Span Home Connection (Educational Playstation checked out to each family)
• Before- and after-school program
• Community library and technology lab
• English and Spanish classes for Parents/Community members
• All day kindergarten

• Cinco de Mayo Celebration
• Red Ribbon Week
• Rotary Club
• Reading is FUNdamental (RIF)
• Folklorico Dancing
• Community partnerships (PDS, Foster Grandparents, AmeriCorps)
• Literacy/Math Family Nights
• Standardized Dress
• Middle School Intramural and Competitive sports
• Community Outreach initiatives
• Student Council

Horace Mann opened for school in the fall of 1918 as Horace Mann Intermediate School, one of the first junior high schools west of the Mississippi River. The school was named for Horace Mann, outstanding New England educator and inventor who lived during the first half of the nineteenth century.

The initial building was completed in 1917 and was added to in 1918. In 1950 an addition was constructed consisting of a gymnasium-auditorium combination, two art rooms and a small theater used for instrumental music. Portables were added in 1960, 1961 and 1968. Remodeling of the library, offices and corridors was completed in 1976.

The first room for the educable mentally handicapped was added in 1961. Later three more rooms were provided to serve pupils in the area north of Douglas and west of Broadway.

Originally the school was located in the affluent section of town where some of the finest large homes were situated. As families moved to suburbs and other areas of the city, this inner city area changed, and many large homes were converted to apartments. Consequently, the school population became one with a high rate of mobility.

In the first 40 years school enrollment fluctuated from 650 to a high of more than 800 pupils. After 1970 the enrollment gradually decreased to less than 500. The school is well integrated with just over 30 percent black, about 14 percent Hispanic, and the remainder white.

On May 16, 1977 the Board of Education voted to initiate a middle school program during 1977-78 at Horace Mann school on an experimental basis and approved changing the name of the school to Horace Mann Middle School. The school opened in September 1977 with an enrollment of 386 pupils, including grades six, seven and eight. The ninth graders in the Horace Mann attendance area attended Wichita High School North.

In 1989 Horace Mann was combined with Irving and Park elementaries to become a foreign language magnet elementary school with grades 3-5 housed at Irving and Park. Enrollment remains about 450 with 56 percent Hispanic, 16 percent black and 23 percent white.

From A History of Wichita Public School Buildings, c 1997