Horace Mann - Winter 2012 - (Page 26)

news of the school grams or offices; provide data and projections for annual planning, including enrollment, financial aid, and student, family and employee demographics; and respond to reporting obligations required by the national association of independent Schools (naiS), the new york State association of independent Schools (nySaiS), the independent School admission association of Greater new york, (iSaaGny), the Guild of independent Schools, the new york State education Department (nySeD) and other HM affiliations. Moreira notes that HM has been conducting research on its incoming classes and students for as long as she has been at the school, by gathering and analyzing enrollment data and figures. “We now have an opportunity to get into more depth. one area to examine is admissions testing. We can see how and whether testing students before they come into Horace Mann correlates with how they do as students here. We already have some of this information from over a five-year period. Discovering a correlation between test results and a subset of students could be very helpful. “We’ll also be able to study Horace Mann’s internal performance over time, based on such factors as course selection,” Moreira continued. “a few years ago we looked at the cum laude Society, (of graduating seniors honored for academic accomplishment). We looked at the distribution within cum laude in relation to when these students started at Horace Mann. We saw a cross-section of students who came in nursery and at different times in the enrollment process. Such data can tell us what we can do better. We should have been able to do a cum laude study every year, but we didn’t have the time. now we can.” Moreira has embarked upon an important study of the overall cost of a Horace Mann education. “We know the cost of tuition, but what is the average cost of being in school here if you play on a sports team, or if you take photography? Many students will probably buy their own camera. What does that mean to a family?” Moreira asked. “it’s not my job to tell a department what supplies to ask students to have, but it is my part to inform about these costs. it’s not my job to tell a history department, for instance, not to use a certain history book. but it is my job to say ‘this is what an eleventh-grader, or an eighth-grader, is paying for books.” Horace Mann School has gone through several self-examination exercises in recent years. five years ago Dr. Kelly invited teachers, staff, alumni, students, parents and trustees to participate in a series of “under the tent” meetings held, literally, under a tent outside the Head of School’s home. participants enumerated what they felt Horace Mann does well, and how it could improve. The next two years saw the school involved in self-evaluation in preparation for its required ten-year nySaiS review. in winter 2012 Horace Mann’s families received a “Strategic Thinking” document outlining directions the administration, trustees, faculty, and staff aim to pursue toward building a strong future for Horace Mann. Moreira feels these experiences are very relevant to HM’s institutional research. “Some of the information gathered was anecdotal. Some was based on data,” she said. “you can’t make data relevant without the understanding of the school that we accomplished through these earlier exercises. We also always have to ask whether we are analyzing information the right way. Good statisticians can make data say whatever they want it to say. it’s the context that’s important. Those discussions gave us context. conversely, the data we gather with institutional research will inform some of the ideas and initiatives we came up with under the tent. all of this contributes to the same goal.” a PERSonaL concERn To STREamLinE financiaL aiD anD EnRoLLmEnT hm director of admissions Jason caldwell ’97 and head of school dr. Tom Kelly The transition in the admissions office and the development of the office of institutional research and enrollment allows Moreira to address an issue that highlights her personal consideration for Horace Mann’s students and families: financial aid. “financial aid was one of the first things we looked at when we made these changes. We completely overhauled our timing of the process to have re-enrollment on the same schedule as admissions. We can now send 26 Horace mann magazine Winter 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Horace Mann - Winter 2012

Horace Mann - Winter 2012
Contents
Letters
Greetings from Dr. Tom Kelly
Greetings from Melissa Parento ’90
Horace Mann School’s 125th Anniversary Observances Begin
Strategic Thinking
New Initiatives in Institutional Research and Admissions
HM's New Director of College Counseling
Timothy HO and Monica Merlo are 2011 Tina and Dave Bellet Teaching Excellence Award Winners
Langfan Oratorical Contest, 2011
Horace Mann School Graduates 178 in June, 2011
Alumni Council Corner
Bookshelf
Class Notes
Memorials
Philanthropy and You

Horace Mann - Winter 2012

https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannannualreportdonors_2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemann_ard2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannannualreportdonors_2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemann_ard2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannannualreportdonors_2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannannualreportdonors_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/annual_fund_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannannualreportdonors_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannmagazine_winter2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannmagazine_spring2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannmagazine_summer2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannmagazine_spring2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannmagazine_spring2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannmagazine_spring2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannmagazine_winter2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannmagazine_2011springsummer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannmagazine_2010-11-fallwinter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannmagazine_2010spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/recreative/horacemannmagazine_2009fall
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com