This was one of our most exciting weeks at Bader Hillel Academy!
Our Torah Expo was a highlight of the week, and we were so happy to welcome so many friends and family members to view our students' work. There was a wide range of exhibits highlighting all aspects of Torah learning.
Students created a mechanized model of Jericho, with "Lego Yehoshua" and the Jews circling the walled-city seven times with their shofar until the walls fell.
Other students created dioramas, presentations and explorations of gematria, dates and other aspects of Torah, as well as connections with Yerushalayim.
Prior to the exhibition, our seventh grade families hosted a delicious pasta dinner with salad, roasted veggies and cake. It was a very enjoyable evening! We will share more photos when we receive them from our photographer next week.
On Monday, several of our staff members attended the ground breaking for the new Bader Philanthropies building in Milwaukee's Harambee neighborhood. We were proud to see Dan and David Bader, Bader Hillel Academy alumni preside over the ceremony. Dan and his wife Linda are also the parents of alumni, Alex. The foundation has an extremely active role in the Milwaukee community and goes and above and beyond to serve others. As many of you know, Dr. Alfred Bader, a prime benefactor of the foundation is also one of the founders of our school (his namesake). Congratulations to the Foundation on their new building. We are continuously grateful to the entire Bader family who's name we so proudly carry.
Our fourth grade has begun a transition to the expectations and
procedures
they will encounter in Middle School. This week they welcomed Ellie Posner and Phillip Maiman to give the class some real talk and practical advice about middle school. They shared organization tips about lockers and backpacks and keeping up with reading and assignment notebooks. They also discussed how they deal with feeling overwhelmed or disorganized. Both 6th graders did a superb job of communicating their experiences with the fourth grade. The class will continue to meet with staff and other middle school representatives as they prepare for the transition.
In middle school student dissected frogs this week as they studied anatomy and learned about different parts of the vascular and cardio-pulmonary systems. Most students enjoy the hands-on learning (some were a little squeamish, but they trooped through).
Students in the third grade worked with Ms. Kramer on ideas and sketches for flexible learning environments. They talked about their ideal classroom setting, and what items from furniture, to lighting, to sound make study and learning easier. They also discussed tips for coping with environments that aren't ideal, and how to problem solve and brainstorm.
As our kindergartners are preparing for their graduation to first grade, they're learning subtraction! They did "Cookie Jar" subtraction, which is a yummy way to learn this new concept.
Their butterfly friends have started to emerge from their cocoons, and students are enjoying watching them in the special butterfly enclosure in their classroom. They also practiced a play with Morah Daphne, and had fun skateboard-surfing in gym!
On Thursday students enjoyed lunch on the grill, in anticipation of Lag B'omer. Just as middle school finished their lunch, they were surprised with the 8th grade in a flurry of red and blue costumes--COLOR WAR! Students are participating in a variety of academic and hands on activities and contests over these two days (Thursday and Today) as they compete "Red Team" against "Blue Team." It's a loud, boisterous and exciting few days of friendly competitive events.
8th Graders are preparing for their graduation of course, and our middle school students are also starting preparations for their upcoming trip to Junior Achievement. Students interviewed for positions with Mr. Miller this week, and applied for the roles they are hoping to take on during the trip.
At Biz Town, students have a chance to try out "real world" roles--Security and law enforcement, banking, retail and political offices. Prior to the trip they apply for the roles and study before the trip to make the experience as authentic and true-to-life as possible.
