IAC Escape Room Challenge

This week, our High School students had an incredible opportunity to take on the IAC Escape Room challenge—an immersive, high-energy experience designed to equip them with the tools to combat antisemitism. Students worked together in small groups to crack codes, solve puzzles, and strategize as a team to "Escape the Hate." Through this dynamic and interactive activity, students gained valuable insights into the rise of antisemitism on college campuses and how to stand up against it with knowledge, confidence, and unity. The experience was both fun and meaningful, reinforcing the importance of being informed and proactive in defending Jewish identity and values. We are grateful to the Israeli American Council for bringing this impactful program to RMBA!

Michal Oshman's Inspiring Visit



Last Friday, we had the privilege of hosting the inspiring Michal Oshman for a powerful talk with our Upper School students on courage, self-acceptance, and personal growth—core qualities of values-driven leadership. Michal, CEO and Founder of Maximize Consultancy and a renowned TEDx speaker, has held leadership roles at TikTok and Facebook and authored What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid? She spoke about overcoming anxiety and self-doubt, sharing how discovering Judaism later in life gave her the tools to lead with confidence and purpose. Her message deeply resonated with our students, reinforcing RMBA’s commitment to cultivating future leaders. To make the experience even more special, each student received a copy of her book, personally autographed by Michal! A huge thank you to The Wellness Institute of Houston and Rabbi Dovid Goldstein for sponsoring our Mental Health Day!

Rise of the Ottoman Empire

In Mr. Cell's 9th-10th grade AP World History class, students examined how the Ottoman Empire consolidated its rule by conquering Constantinople in 1453, leading to the fall of the Byzantine Empire and transforming the world. This pivotal event not only reshaped the balance of power in Europe and the Middle East but also spurred new trade routes and cultural exchanges.

Finding Connections Across Stories



This week, middle school students in Ms. Ruben's English Language Arts classes are wrapping up their unit on Journeys and Survival. They are analyzing the connections between the five sources they explored, including an article, a novel, a short story, a poem, and a video. By identifying common themes across these diverse texts, students will develop a strong thesis statement linking at least three of the sources. They will then craft a well-organized essay to support their argument with evidence and analysis.

SWAG is What it is All About!

The Swag Class Upper School elective has completed their first project. In this multistep process, students created their own sketchbooks. First they wood burned the cover and back, some chose to stain the wood with beautiful colors. Then they created their own marble-styled book end pages before sewing together the paper. After trimming the paper, they added fabric end binding and ribbons as bookmarks. 

Hebrew in Action! 



Last week, Morah Anat's 4th and 5th grade students brought Hebrew learning to life. They created their own falafel stand, making all the products from paper, speaking Hebrew, and serving falafel to classmates and to special Hebrew Speaking guests! They ended the week on a sweet note as they wrapped up Unit 5 in the "Ulpan Or" curriculum with an ice cream party and a Kahoot trivia game!

Learning About Extreme Weather

When it rains, it pours! In Mr. Simon’s third-grade class, students studied extreme weather. They learned how severe conditions, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods, pose risks to both people and pets. As they explored the causes of these events and the necessary safety measures, they also shared their artwork and learned from one another.

Tech Meets the Ice Age

Ms. Morrison's 4th graders have been exploring the Ice Age through a hands-on project that blends research, creativity, and technology. After studying the topic, they designed their own survival kits using computers, carefully considering the essential items needed to endure the Ice Age’s harsh conditions. Many included necessities such as sheepskin tents, shovels, tools, and preserved foods. This project not only deepened their understanding of the Ice Age but also helped them develop valuable technology skills, as they used Google Docs to present their findings. It was an engaging way to apply their research in both a practical and imaginative manner.

Texas Children's Toy Donation

Our wonderful Lower School Student Council, with the help of many of our students, collected around 75 gifts to donate to Texas Children's Hospital. This was the first of their chesed initiative for this year! The students worked together to gather a variety of items, spreading joy and kindness to those in need. Their thoughtful efforts are a perfect example of how our school community comes together to make a positive impact.

Pey, Parshah, and Placemat Fun!

This week, Morah Aviva's EC4A class focused on the Hebrew letter Pey. Students engaged in multi-sensory letter stations where they honed their fine motor skills and continued to develop their hand-eye coordination. They also participated in a cooperative lesson using the Look, Feel, Say, and Write technique. Additionally, they learned some special dinim (laws) in this week’s Parshat Mishpatim, focusing specifically on not mixing milk and meat. During a group discussion, classmates listed foods that are dairy and foods that are meat. As a follow-up activity, students made their own meat and dairy placemats, labeling each mat with the corresponding word in Hebrew—Basari (meat) and Chalavi (dairy).

Flat Stanley Adventure

In Ms. Morrison's 2nd grade class, students have been engaged in a fun and creative project inspired by the book Flat Stanley. After reading the story at home, they came together in class to discuss it. To enhance comprehension, students participated in the Flat Stanley project, where each child created their own Flat Stanley character and wrote a letter from Stanley’s perspective, describing exciting adventures and places they have visited. To make the experience even more special, the letters will be mailed home! As part of the activity, students are also learning how to properly address envelopes and affix stamps. This hands-on project was a fantastic way to strengthen writing skills, spark creativity, and practice real-world tasks like mailing a letter. They also had a great time celebrating the 101 day of school last Friday!

Learning, Creating, &Sorting

This week, Morah Sandy's EC3A class learned all about Parshat Mishpatim. When asked if they would accept the Torah, Bnei Yisrael responded, Na’aseh V’Nishma—"We will do and we will listen." In response, the angels gave them two crowns each. To bring this concept to life, the class painted and decorated their own crowns, inscribed with Na’aseh V’Nishma. Additionally, the students learned about the separation of chalav (dairy) and basar (meat) in kashrut. They enjoyed sorting toy food into these two categories, along with parve (neutral) items.