Working with the Torah School Board, this year we hope to establish a process by which we review curricular offerings with the following question in mind, "By the time a student leaves our program, what is it we want him/her to have learned/experienced?"
After the broad outlines are established, we will begin work on grade-level learning objectives, which will provide a systematic framework for learning/teaching throughout the school.
This is a process that will take some time. In order to be most effective, it must include input from parents, congregants, students and teachers. If you are interested in participating, please let the Education Director or members of the Torah School Board know.
Dor L'Dor (Generation to Generation) is the Torah School's parent-support group. There are a wide variety of ways in which parents can become involved in supporting the Torah School. Some of them are listed below:
To get involved with these or other activities, please contact the Torah School Board.
Our Jewish Family Life Educator is Carolyn Garber. Family education sessions will be held for classes Gan through Hey during the regularly scheduled class times. Reminders will be sent from the school office as your child's Family Education Session approaches.
Kitah Vav students and parents (and pre-B'nai miztvah students in Kitah Zayin) will participate in several B'nai Mitzvah Workshops led by Cantor Rachel. Those dates also appear in the Torah School calendar.
Kitah Zayin students and parents will meet for a book discussion session one Sunday in the fall. That date, also, appears in the Torah School calendar.
Coordinated by the Torah School Board, these dinners provide an opportunity for families to gather in grade-level groups to celebrate the beginning of Shabbat. Volunteers are needed to coordinate this program for each grade level and to host the dinners. Please contact the Torah School Board if you'd like to help.
Our Music Program is an integral part of our Shabbat morning program. Under the able direction of Sue Marx, our students learn holiday songs; traditional favorites; and songs incorporating modern Hebrew language. She works with the classroom teachers, where possible, to integrate grade-level content into the music program. Sue has expanded her program to include movement as part of her program in order to add an extra dimension to the students' learning experiences. This year, Sue will begin to gradually introduce trop to students in grades Gimmel (3) and above! We also intend to add a music component to our Family Education sessions. Sue's commitment to our music program is demonstrated by her participation last year in two Board of Jewish Education-sponsored and Federation-funded Music Educators' Institutes. Our students continue to be the recipients of her energy and dedication.
Prayer Services
Students participate in several different prayer services during the course of the week. Parents are invited to participate with their students in any or all of these services:
Tikkun olam(repair of the world) is a strong value in this community. Several
years ago, a program was instituted which provides for a tikkun olam project at each grade
level.
In the fall of the school year, parent representatives from the Tikkun Olam Program work
with each class or grade level to help students determine where they would like to
contibute the Tzedakah money collected on a weekly basis. Parent representatives
help students learn more about the choices available to them, and assistn the
class in making a final decision. During the year, they are responsible for
providing information to the students about their recipient, as well as
arranging for an interactive educational session. Sometimes, this means in-class
presentations; sometimes it involves a field trip or work done off-site. Teacher
responsibility involves providing classroom time for ths project (working with
the parents to arrive at a mutually convenient time); collecting tzedakah on a
weekly basis; assisting in the distribution of information to students and
families; and similar activities. At the end of the year, a summary of the work
done and monies collected will be shared with the rest of the community.