Themes of Bravery, Hope & Resilence

Middle School students in Ms. Ruben's classes are diving into their third quarter Integrative Essay. Drawing from texts and sources studied throughout the quarter, students are analyzing the thematic connections that tie their learning together. Using a clear thesis statement and focused topic sentences, they are crafting organized five paragraph essays that thoughtfully anchor their ideas in evidence. As they write, students are exploring powerful themes such as bravery, hope, survival, resilience, and the impact of a single day. This culminating assignment challenges them to think critically, synthesize their learning, and express their insights with clarity and purpose.

Reaching for the Moon

On Tuesday, Middle School and fourth and fifth grade students heard from Barry Tobias, an RMBA parent who works at Johnson Space Center and is associated with the NASA Technical Reports Server. He spoke about Artemis II and the future of human space exploration, including living and working on the moon, and shared insights into how NASA prepares missions, trains astronauts, and plans for sustainable life beyond Earth. His visit sparked curiosity, inspired big questions, and brought the future of space travel closer to home.

Stacking up to Success

Ms. Morrison's fourth grade class put their math skills to the test during an exciting “Stack 100 Cups” challenge. Using counting, grouping, and strategic thinking, students worked to build structures containing exactly 100 cups. Along the way, they practiced skip counting, organized cups into equal groups, and carefully checked their totals to ensure accuracy. After successfully reaching 100, students expanded their designs by adding additional multiples of 10. As they increased their totals to 110, 120, 130, and beyond, they rethought their strategies, adjusted their groupings, and recalculated to maintain precision. This deepened their understanding of place value and number patterns while encouraging flexible thinking. The hands on activity strengthened number sense and fostered teamwork, problem solving, and perseverance.

RMBA Marathon & Purim Update

The RMBA Marathon is continuing at a steady pace, and this week students will proudly reach Mile 10. The school community is so impressed with their dedication and enthusiasm. Students run each day, weather permitting, including next week during our Purim dress up days. Families are kindly asked to ensure that their child comes to school wearing appropriate running shoes so they can fully participate in the marathon.

Thank you for the continued support in helping students stay active, healthy, and motivated!

A heartfelt thank to Tanglewood Foot Specialists, Crossfit Central Houston, Dr. Von Slate DDS FAGD PC, and Masters in Dietetics LLC! Their support of this program and help make these milestones possible!

Growing Knowledge

On Wednesday, Mr. Simon’s third graders explored the life and work of George Washington Carver, learning how his advocacy for crop rotation transformed agriculture by helping soil rebuild nutrients instead of depleting them. Making connections across disciplines, the class also recognized that this concept appears in the Torah. To bring their learning to life, students planted parsley seeds, getting ready to enjoy fresh parsley for Passover!

Taking Care of Texas, One Brushstroke at a Time

Lower School students in first through fifth grade have been hard at work in Art class preparing their submissions for the Take Care of Texas Kids Art Contest. Students explored meaningful ways Texans can conserve water and prevent water pollution, then translated those ideas into thoughtful, creative illustrations focused on protecting Texas’ water resources. Each piece reflects both artistic talent and a growing sense of environmental responsibility. The entries will be mailed to the contest, and the community is cheering on these young artists as they make a splash with their important message.

Milestones, Creativity, & Confidence

Second graders marked the 100th Day of School with a celebration! The day began with 100 exercises to get everyone energized, followed by the design of personalized 100 dollar bills that highlighted students’ understanding of the number 100. They created thoughtful 100th Day posters, reflecting on how they have grown over the past 100 days. In writing, students composed “If I Had 100 Dollars I Would…” paragraphs, clearly explaining their spending choices and supporting their ideas with reasons. The celebration continued with projects featuring exactly 100 items and a hands on exploration of how much 100 objects weigh using measurement tools. It was a meaningful way to recognize both learning and progress. Students also presented their diorama projects to the class. From animals and habitats to businesses and imaginative scenes, each project reflected careful planning and creativity. While sharing their work, they practiced valuable social skills such as speaking clearly, making eye contact, listening respectfully, and thoughtfully answering questions from classmates.

Around the World at RMBA

In honor of Rosh Chodesh Adar and the spirit of “Mi Shenichnas Adar Marbim B’Simcha,” (whoever enters Adar shall increase in Joy) the incredible Bnot Sherut transformed the school halls into a vibrant global adventure, filling the building with creativity and joy.

After passing through “security,” students boarded their very own “El Al” flight and journeyed from hallway to hallway, each one a new destination. They strolled beneath cherry blossom trees in Japan, relaxed on the beach in Thailand, went on safari across Africa, and stood before the pyramids in Egypt. In England, they admired Big Ben, and in Paris, they enjoyed beautiful art and a charming café experience. It was a joyful and immersive way to welcome the month of Adar, reminding everyone that sometimes the greatest adventures happen right at school.

Check out our video tour!

From 100 Days to the Letter O

This week, Morah Aliyah's EC4B students had an exciting start to the week as students celebrated reaching the 100th Day of School. The day began with engaging 100 Day centers, where students beaded 100 beads, built and counted 100 blocks with friends, and practiced counting to 100 both independently and with guidance from their teachers. After davening, the class completed a lively 100 step workout, followed by a festive 100 snack celebration and a special birthday party for Aliya Harroch. Students then gathered together to proudly count and share their carefully prepared collections of 100 items brought from home. As the week continued, students carried on with their ABC studies, focusing on the letter O. The class also began learning about Purim, while exploring the state of Texas and discovering interesting facts and fun details about the Lone Star State.

A Joyful Start to Adar

Morah Aviva's EC4A class celebrated a fabulous 100th Day of School on Tuesday with creativity, collaboration, and plenty of counting. Students decorated festive crowns and glasses and worked in the Math Center to sort sweet treats into 10 groups of 10. In the Blocks Center, classmates proudly demonstrated their counting skills by tallying 100 Legos and 100 geometric shapes. The fun continued as students created imaginative self portraits of what they might look like at 100 years old, combining humor with thoughtful reflection. The class also began focusing on the letter O, engaging in multi sensory letter stations to strengthen recognition and formation. Through tracing activities and hands on projects, including decorating their letters with oranges, students continued building their early writing skills.

In celebration of the joyous month of Adar, Morah introduced the Purim story and invited students to use their creativity to design playful leytzan (clown) face plates. Using a variety of tools, textures, and materials, the yeladim (children) embraced the spirit of simcha while expressing their artistic talents.

Sparkling Pennies & Golden Menorahs

This week, Morah Sandy's EC3A students kicked off their learning with a meaningful exploration of Presidents’ Day, discovering how American presidents are honored on our coins. As part of a hands on sensory, fine motor, and science activity, they sorted their classroom tzedakah and conducted a fun experiment to determine which household item would clean pennies most effectively. After forming hypotheses about dish soap, hand soap, and ketchup, students eagerly scrubbed away and observed that ketchup produced the shiniest results. In connection with Parshat Terumah, students brought their learning to life by measuring, cutting, and carefully handling sticky gold tape to design their own golden menorahs, just as Bnei Yisrael created sacred items for the Mishkan (portable sanctuary).

Learning, Building & Celebrating

Morah Clara’s EC3B class celebrated 100 days of learning and growing together. Students counted to 100 by tens, jumped in sets of ten to reach 100 as a class, and created colorful 100 day crowns and artwork to commemorate the occasion. In honor of President's Day, the class reviewed key historical figures and practiced identifying George Washington on the quarter and Abraham Lincoln on the five dollar bill, strengthening both their historical knowledge and real world recognition skills. With the arrival of Rosh Chodesh Adar, classroom joy grew even more as students learned the phrase “Mishenichnas Adar Marbim B’Simcha" (Whoever enters Adar shall increase in joy). In connection with Parshat Terumah, they explored how Hashem instructed Bnei Yisrael to build the Mishkan (portable sanctuary) and became little builders themselves, creating a special home for Hashem using large classroom blocks. The Purim excitement is already in full swing. Students learned the Purim story, cheered for Queen Esther and Mordechai, booed Haman, dressed up, and transformed their classroom into a Purim palace filled with celebration and simcha.

Investing in Our Educators



Last Friday, RMBA staff came together for an energizing Professional Development Day focused on learning, reflection, and growth. The morning began with a delicious breakfast provided by Houston Catering Concepts and an inspiring welcome from Head of School Rabbi Jordan Silvestri. Faculty then participated in a series of engaging sessions designed to strengthen both classroom practice and educator well being. LS teachers explored our classroom design with principals Rowan Bigham and Rivkie Gottlieb while Rachael Payne, Interim Director of Student Support, guided them in supporting all types of learners in the classroom. EC Director Hadassah Brown led a thoughtful session on preventing teacher burnout and exploring play based education. Our US welcomed back Tavi Koslowe of Kadima Coaching as they continued to explore strategies for strengthening classroom management. The day reflected RMBA's deep commitment to investing in its teachers, ensuring they feel supported, inspired, and equipped to continue investing in their students every day.in their students every day.