Parashat Chukat

The last Lower School link for the year should have a major trumpet introduction!!!  Another year (or your first year!!!) We did it!! Your kids did it!!! Our teachers did it!!!  We have completed successfully another major step in your children’s lives.   Growth is obvious from the sheer new heights they’ve reached physically, to the advancements they’ve reached academically.  We are heartened by the wonderful programming we’ve been able to offer and the receptiveness of our students to the excitement and challenges.

What lies ahead for next year?   The major change is that the entire Lower School will be adopting the Singapore Math curriculum.  This year, it was taught in grades 2 and 3, as well as in the Middle School (for the second year) and is being received with much enthusiasm and acclaim (by teachers, students and parents).  At Back to School Night in September, there will be a presentation for the parents about this program.  Teachers are already receiving training, with more on the schedule.

Another change is in a few staff members.  Hamorah Gali and Mrs. Freedman, as well as Lea and Shlomit, our Bnot Sherut are returning to Israel, and Rabbi Moses is pursuing another direction.  Last night we had a staff get together/farewell party which was so poignant and bittersweet.  The bonds of friendship and respect are so strong; so difficult to say goodbye to people who have become entwined into our everyday lives.  We wish them all hatzlacha!  I am confident that our staff will be equally welcoming to new staff members and that you and your children will grow to love and admire their successors. 

Part of the charm of the Lower School is the manner in which newcomers, both  students and staff , are received and taken in to your hearts. Both family and student buddies have proven to be special and pave the way for new friendships.  We ask all parents to encourage their children to include newcomers into their summer and start of the school year activities (think guests for Succot!!) Plan Ahead.   As we have seen over the last few years, we have quite a few new students enrolled, transferring in from area schools and moving in from out of town (and country).  It is with great sadness that we say l’hitraot to our families who are leaving to return to Israel.  You certainly will be missed!

On a personal point, I am so excited to say that after school today, I am going to the Hebrew Home to pick up my husband – so he may return to our home!!!  It has been a very long haul and I so appreciate all your support and encouragement.  Ayn rah blee tov – there is no bad without good.  I now possess a much stronger understanding of the need for and strength of bikkur cholim – both as a mitzvah we are privileged to fulfill and as an organization.  Thank you for your kindnesses.

Another year draws to an end.  I thank assistant principal Tammie Rapps I thank assistant principal Tammie Rapps for her assistance, creativity and warmth, which have helped create such a  positive environment in the Lower School, Naftali Quartey, our administrative assistant, who makes everything possible, Suzy Israel, head of Education Support Services, for her dedication to each child’s education, and Rachel Handloff, Guidance Counselor, for  strengthening our caring community.  To all the teachers, who have worked so diligently to sustain each student, to the MJBHA personnel who have worked so hard so that we may serve our students in a clean and safe surrounding. Your work is recognized and appreciated. To our beautiful students, you are the heart and soul of our school, and make every day beautiful!!  I also acknowledge and am grateful to our parents  who trust us with their children; we recognize – and take seriously - our responsibilities.   And of course, I am ever so grateful to Hakodesh Baruch Hu for watching over us and guiding us.

I look forward to seeing you at Tuesday’s 10:30 (prompt) Step Up ceremony, as we say farewell to our 5th graders and move our other students up a grade.   Shabbat Shalom

Parashat Korach

Last night’s Showcase truly was amazing.  I, like you parents, am a bystander; I watch the rooms come to life; I see the children working on projects; I smile when I hear their excited voices talk about their efforts; I am pulled into room after room by students wanting to show me their work; I marvel at the teachers’ ability to turn their class rooms into display rooms, with joy and excitement – with pride in their students.  Thank you to so many of you who came last night, to share our pleasure in your children’s achievements!

As Showcase unfolds, it is exhilarating to watch your children leading you from exhibit to exhibit, showing off their own work, sharing – and praising - their friends’ attempts, and curiously looking into other rooms – to reminisce about what already was and to preview what might be in the years ahead.  One of the keys is that this is the children’s work; this is the result of their own labor, creativity, skill, thoughtfulness, and time.  Obviously there are teachers behind each child, teaching, guiding, suggesting, helping, allowing the children to use their own ideas, shaping those ideas – but not confining them, encouraging their students to soar.

We always talk about the home-school partnership, how we partner with you the parents.  As we head into the last full week of school and into a glorious summer, we think of the numerous ways we benefit from this partnership.  Obviously there are the usual expectations that parents will help their children keep their academic skills sharp, by helping find the time and space to read, use their math skills, practice writing (as in thank you letters, journals, letters to relatives and friends – I’ll answer!!! ).  But there are also the other areas that we work to instill or develop in our students, such as taking responsibility, showing caring and kindness to others, making good choices.   Each summer I offer the students a challenge – to practice a middah, announced at the Step Up ceremony.   But sometimes, it gets lost in the last minute hectic rush.  And so I present it to you today as this will need parental assistance.  The children will be asked to make good choices, to think for themselves, to use their beautiful brains to choose to do the right things. 

And you?  Please, please, please help them learn this essential skill by providing them the logical consequences when necessary.  If they spend all their allowance, they will not be able to buy ice cream; if they don’t write a thank you to their grandparents (how’s that for a plug!!), they won’t be able to use the gift, leave your ball outside, it might not be there in the morning, forget to put your bike away…… you get the idea.  There actually are many websites that discuss “Letting natural consequences teach your child to make right choices is a powerful learning tool. Experience is the best teacher ….. Children make unwise choices on the way to becoming responsible adults. Children must experience the consequences of their actions in order to learn from them.”  There also is the positive side to making good choices – praise for the action, praise for the right choice, the unexpected treat – “you have been such a big help with extra chores that I have the time to go for a walk, read a book, etc. with you….” We would appreciate your adding derech eretz to this adventure.  Expect to be respected, expect your child to exhibit appropriate demeanor, language, and behavior.  We will all be the beneficiaries – especially your child.  Shabbat Shalom

Parashat Beha'alotecha

 Time is certainly flying by… as in space capsules versus propeller planes!  We are trying to finish up units, teach those last concepts, and get just one more point across!!!    In the midst of this, teachers also are helping their students prepare for Showcase Night – that time of year when we open all our classrooms to display our students’ work.  It’s a time for parents and children to travel through the classes, to show off their own work and admire that of other classes.  It’s also a time (we open the program at 5:30 and close at 7:00) when you, the parents, can take a peek into what your child might just experience next year!

We hope that you already have June 5 circled on your calendar.  The program runs from 5:30 until 7:00p.m. (firm times) .  A few words of explanation – it can definitely take that whole time  to traverse  the hallways, to visit all the rooms and marvel at the various materials.  We discourage strollers as they  sometimes block doorways and because it often is so crowded, those little ones down there can suffer from a lack of air.   Baby carriers have proven to be much better.  Please come a bit early as the parking lot ends to get VERY crowded and there might be a shortage of parking spaces.  This is planned to be an evening for children and their parents.; children must be  accompanied  by an adult during the program.

Not to sing our own praises – but It is a great, not-to-be-missed event.  At Back to School Night, we tell you what we’re going to teach (what your children will learn); at Showcase, we show you what we have taught – what your children have learned!!!  Please make sure to join us.  As a convenience, Sheryl Blaufeld,  our fabulous school cook , is offering to prepare a pizza dinner.  She will need reservations to be ready for you – so if you’re interested, please respond when the form is sent next week.

A wonderful new addition to our program this year is  our 5th graders performance of the lion king IN HEBREW!!!!  This will take place on May 10 at 12:30pm.  Yes, it is during the school day.  All our students will attend and parents and proud bubbies and zaydies, etc. may also attend.  It is free. However, we are soliciting sponsors to help cover all the costs involved in such a production (even a low budget one such as this).  Please see the blurb below. Yes, the play will be videotaped, so if you cannot attend, you may still enjoy!

To formally end the year, we will hold our annual Step Up Ceremony at 10:30 (prompt) on the last day of school, June 18.  That program is one hour long and in it, we will hear beautiful music from our choir and our 5th graders, salute our 5th graders as they leave the Lower School for Middle School, and then assist each grade in moving up from their current grade to the upcoming one. Parents are invited to attend (you might need tissues if you’re that kind of person). It is a joyous end to an amazing school year.  Students return to their classroom to say farewell for the summer, gather their papers, and then be dismissed at noon.  And that will wrap up another year…..  Enjoy!  Shabbat Shalom

Parashat Acharei Mot

It is THAT time of year again.  We have joyously celebrated Yom Haatzmaut (have you seen any of the pictures?!!) and are looking ahead to end of the year activities.   Coming up of course is the last in our series of “yoms,” Yom Yerushalayim, on May 8. That is quickly followed by Grandparents Day and Shavuot.  Lag B’Omer takes place on a Sunday this year, and we will have our traditional field day on an alternate date.  That will leave us just one month to fit everything in – the last field trips, Showcase, and class celebrations.  We truly hope that you will enjoy all the festivities and take pride in your children’s progress this year.

One of our joys is simply watching your children, seeing them rejoice, observing them grow into their new roles, trying on different ways to act, finding their places, being kids.  One of the beautiful features of children is the gift they have of making new friends, of allowing others into their lives, of learning from and helping others.  Children who might not have known each other on the first day of school are now inseparable.  I hear from so many parents of students new to the school who marvel at how their children have been included.  We know that there are numerous new students already enrolled for next year and we look forward to their (and their parents’) integration into our community.  It is one of  the hallmarks of our school and something about which you should feel great pride.  We are delighted that our students socialize with each other and are so open and welcoming.

Each year at this time, we look at all the classes and reflect on each student's placement.  Looking ahead to constructing the classes for the coming year, we look at many factors.  They include gender and geographic balance, as well as academic strengths and student personalities. We know that class placements are a critical part of the lower school experience. Each year we look at the placements to ensure that the children get exposure to various teaching styles as well as the opportunity to interact with different peers. We also recognize that every child has unique needs and some teachers match better with some students, therefore we dedicate much time and planning to this.   Please refer to the article below about Class Placement 2013/2014 for further information.  Shabbat Shalom

Parashat Shemini

Dear Parents,

I have edited and am recycling an article I wrote three years ago at this time of year:

At this time of year, coming back from Pesach, our school weeks are filled with commemorations and celebrations.  We are somber and then we celebrate.  Sort of like life.  Right after our return, we memorialize Yom Hashoah, this coming Monday, April 8..  Some parents ask what it means to be “developmentally appropriate” in regards to our programming.  I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all answer and even in school we make some very hard choices.  First and foremost, we are very careful about the pictures we utilize.  A child’s imagination can definitely conjure up vivid imagery and even outlandish pictures – but nothing can come close to some of the photographs from the Shoah, many of which are contained in literature, including children’s books.  We also steer clear of discussions of specific acts of violence and graphic details.  We do, however, tell sad stories at times, and in grades 4 and 5, sometimes mention separation of families, and even death, as the children’s discussions take shape.  The commemorations’ placements on the calendar also play a part in their being included in the curriculum.  Had they occurred towards the start of the year, when we hadn’t gotten to know the children so well and when they hadn’t been exposed to other messages of struggle and survival, we would approach these events differently. 

Today, it is believed that, with boundaries, Jewish children should learn about the Shoah at a young age, that matter of fact limited exposure will heighten their sensitivity and make it easier for students in the long run.   Additionally, with the more open nature of today's society and the opening of the Holocaust Museum, information more appropriate (if it really can be "appropriate" for anyone!!) for young children is available.   But, as with any information we may present in school, children’s own personal experiences as well as inter-personal conversations will color or flavor their intake or perception.  As with any topic, we encourage parents to be open with their children and aware of their thoughts and feelings and certainly to contact Mrs. Handloff with any concerns about behavior changes.  She, of course, is in contact with all the teachers and supervising the students to insure their adjustments.  We offer formal, developmental programming for grades 4 and 5 and we limit the amount and kind of material used in our younger grades. Sometimes, as happens, individual children will offer up personal information that offers more details.  We endeavor to maintain a balance in our classrooms and hope that each child will benefit from the “Shoah” curriculum.

The following week, on Monday, April 15, Yom Hazikaron, we will remember Israel’s soldiers and on Tuesday, April 16, we will celebrate Israel’s 65th birthday! Tied all together, the picture is one of the future and our responsibilities as Jews and as human beings.  Again, among other tasks, school should prepare us for the bigger world and the stresses and splendor of life in general.  The roller coaster of life’s experiences takes its twists and turns and well-adjusted children learn to stay on an even path.  I encourage you to talk with your children about the “Yoms” and share your own feelings and experiences as a way to honor our history and remember and celebrate as a family.  Shabbat Shalom (and welcome back)!

Parashat Vayikra

As we sit for the sedarim, we reflect on where we were last year, where we're headed.  We are bnay chorin, free people, with the ability to choose to some degree how we would like the coming year to look.  Where will our priorities be?  What will be prominent?  What will we emphasize?  How will our new year shape up?

One would think at this time of year I would write about Pesach being a new year, starting with Rosh Chodesh Nisan and our jam-packed weeks: interviews for kindergarten admissions, 5th grade family life, kindergarten's celebration of the golden chain, sharsheret hazahav, the celebration of the continuity of family ties, our connection to our roots, a time of increased prePesach fervor, with students proudly showing off their Haggadot and other projects, happily filling the hallways with their joyous singing, a portent of things to come!

However, I find that I am compelled to write about report cards which will be sent home next week.  I am trying to put onto paper, into words, how so many children have grown. Going along with "freedom" is choice.  Slaves have no choice; they have to do what they're told.  Children (even though schools are not democracies), have choices.  They can choose to do their work, or not; they can put in the time and effort needed, or not; they can accept the challenge...or not.  For some, school is easy, the learning, the skills, the communication are second nature; for these children, even though they have to put in varying amounts of time and effort, the results usually are visible.  I marvel at the determination of some other students, of those for whom school doesn't come so easily, of those who put in hours of extra time, practice their reading, reviewing and re reviewing, doing math problems, while their friends might be just hanging out.  They might not always see the results; for some it might take years (truly) until the letters really fit together and start making sense, until Rashi becomes clear.  It is so refreshing to read about progress, about children who rise to the challenge, about parents who work with their children...not to do their work for them, but who help them find their niche, who listen to them read and reread, who encourage them to learn, even if it doesn't come so easily.  They have made the choice to put in the effort and dedicate themselves to this.

As you sit at the Seder and each child brings his or her own strengths, it's so important to remember that for many, it's a beginning, that each child's contribution should be taken for its own value, that each child is appreciated for who s/he is.  We can applaud and appreciate each child's strengths, we can encourage them to strive for more,  to learn from our past and our present, to appreciate each child's efforts and to let our children know that each of them is worthy and valued.  That's a choice we have as parents.  "Let all who are hungry come and eat"...not just those who can whiz thru the Haggadah, not only those who can sit obediently, not only those who can remember all their teachers  have taught them....everyone, each child.  Shabbat Shalom

Parashat Ki Tisa

I love Judaism's focus on education.  One of our basic tenets is recited daily in the Sh'ma:   "V'shinantam l'vanecha."  Repeat to your children.

Repetition is a critical educational tool.  It is great when the repetition can take various forms to maintain children's interests.  How many times do we remind our children of our expectations, of our policies, that each family has its own culture, the adages our parents and grandparents used?

V'shinantam.  It serves as an excellent guideline.

Then of course, there is also (the looming) "v'hegadeta l'vincha," and you shall tell your child (the story of our slavery and the Exodus).  Another excellent teaching tool.  Tell your children stories.  Repeatedly, cyclically.  What a great tradition we have.  And what great results.  What each child remembers and what each child anticipates is remarkable!

Our students look forward with great anticipation to their chances to ask great questions, to hide or find the afikomen, to drinking all 4 cups, to staying up to midnight, to do whatever it is their family does.  Children are creatures of habit and they look forward to routines and comfort, to the same menu and the same seating arrangements.

It is a wonderful reminder that we can rely on the past to teach us and to remind us who we are; that we can concentrate on what is truly important and on what has sustained us through the ages. 

It does not mean that we cannot add new traditions and new experiences that we the parents can also learn new material to bring to the Seder or to the Chag, that we can use props to keep the fun and excitement.  Your children are among the privileged who come to the Seder with a wealth of knowledge.but you the parents still have the  obligation of "v'hegadeta l'vincha," and you shall tell your child.  Let them know your own experiences, share your stories or those of your family.  Talk about the history of that special Seder plate, or matzah cover - or create your own, together.

We hear so much about the importance of the family bond.  Inherent in these two mitzvot (in the Shma and the Haggadah) is  the interaction between parent and child.  Repeat it to your children and tell our children.  That is parent and child.  That is face to face.  That is quality time.  Value it.  It is the best investment you will ever make. 

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Pesach Prep!