Jewish Learning Center
2020-21
www.summitjlc.org
August 2020
A Hebrew School Program
Just For You!
The JLC Team 2020-21
Morah Yael, Faith, Morah Meredith, Cantor Roth, Stacey, Rabbi Friedman, Morah Gabrielle, Yael (Brenner), Morah Debra
WELCOME BACK TO OUR JLC
To our JLC Hebrew School Parents,

We hope this letter finds you and your family healthy and enjoying the remaining weeks of summer. As we prepare for next year and reflect on what we have learned, we are grateful for the harmonious partnership of parents, teaching staff, and COS leadership. 

Since our last letter to you in July detailing the JLC's re-opening plan, we have made some necessary changes to safeguard the health and safety of students and staff, while still ensuring educational integrity. Our new plan is a hybrid mix of in-person and online learning, although families will also have the option to have their children learn by online only. We also have some calendar changes, including our opening date, and have made a change in our JLC hours for the 2020-21 school year.
REVISED OPENING DATES
GRADES 3-7:

Opening Wednesday: September 16, 2020 (remote learning)

  • Students in Grades 3-6 will schedule a Hebrew learning slot during 4-6 PM.
  • Grade 7 meets with Rabbi Friedman from 4:00 PM-4:20 PM

First Sunday is October 4, 2020 (in-person learning, or join via Zoom)
9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

First Monday is October 5, 2020 (for students choosing remote only option)
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM.

GRADES K-2:

Opening Date: Sunday, October 4, 2020 (in-person learning or join via Zoom)
9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

First Monday is October 5, 2020 (for students choosing remote only option), 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM.

GRADES 8-10:

Opening Date: October 4, 2020 (in-person learning or join via Zoom)
11:45 AM - 12:30 PM
Please be prepared for change - we might go to all online,
or back and forth, should circumstances lead us in that direction.
GRADES K-2 OVERVIEW
SUNDAYS
IN-PERSON

There will be 20 Sunday in-person sessions meeting from 9:30AM - 11:30AM with an online option.

All Sunday programs will take place outdoors (except for severe inclement weather) and students should dress accordingly. Students are encouraged to bring a chair, or towel for seating. In severe rain, the JLC will meet on the upper floor of the Synagogue only.

Please read below for our Sunday online option.
FRIDAYS
ONLINE
Friday Evening Shabbat Zoom Services will be offered several times during the year and each class in Grades K-6 will have their own special service.
GRADES 3-7 OVERVIEW
WEDNESDAYS
ONLINE

There are 27 calendared Wednesdays. Wednesdays will be online only. Attendance is 20 minutes only per student.
Grade 3-5 students will be asked to select a 20 minute time slot between 4PM-6PM and will learn Hebrew in groups of 2 students per teacher to allow the teacher to focus on their individual needs and progress. We've found that Hebrew learning online has been more successful in small groups, building relationships while also increasing opportunities for content engagement.

Grade 6 students are scheduled for Hebrew between 5:40 to 6:00 PM.

Grade 7 will have a session with Rabbi Friedman from 4:00 PM to 4:20 PM.

Each student will have their own set of supplies provided by the JLC which will remain at school. There will be a one-time fee of $20.00 per child in Grades 3-6 which will be added to each family's Synagogue bill to help cover the costs associated with the purchase of duplicate Hebrew books for in-home use.

SUNDAYS
IN-PERSON
There will be 20 Sunday in-person sessions meeting from 9:30AM - 11:30AM with an online option.
All Sunday programs will take place outdoors (except for severe inclement weather) and students should dress accordingly. Students are encouraged to bring a chair, or towel for seating. In severe rain, the JLC will meet on the upper floor of the Synagogue only.

Please read below for our Sunday online option.
We are still in the process of finalizing our arrival and dismissal procedures and will share more information with our families in advance of the school year. Please also note that all procedures are subject to change as we make our way through the first days/weeks of the school year.
FRIDAYS
ONLINE
Friday Evening Shabbat Zoom Services will be offered several times during the year and each class in Grades K-6 will have their own special service.
GRADES 8-10 OVERVIEW
TEENS
HYBRID
There will be 20 calendared teen Sunday sessions throughout the year. The JLC is proud to have initiated a pioneering partnership with the Alexander Muss High School in Israel - JNF along with four other Synagogues to provide live, interactive sessions with a certified Muss educator in Israel from 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (more details to follow). The first online Muss class "Israel's Greatest Spies."
Additional in-person sessions will take place at the JLC on scheduled Sundays with Rabbi Friedman. Sessions will take place outdoors, weather permitting.

Online guest speakers will be scheduled throughout the school year on Sunday mornings.

In addition to all of the above, our goal is to reconnect our teens with our JLC.
CONFIRMATION
CLASS
In addition to taking part in the Teen Program above, the Confirmation Class will benefit from 15 online sessions with Yael Brenner to plan and carry out a Confirmation Project to be presented to the Congregation at a special service and ceremony scheduled in May 2021.
ONLINE ONLY OPTIONS
Parents who chose online only will have two options:

Option 1: On Sunday mornings, students in K-7 can live stream or Zoom online in tandem with our in-person classes. 

7th Graders also have the option of joining our remote Teen Program.
OR

Option 2: On Mondays, from 4 PM-5 PM, students can join an online class for K-2 or Grades 3-6 for Hebrew and Jewish studies with Stacey David. The classes will be held dependent on sufficient enrollment.

AND

Options 1 AND 2: On Wednesdays, students in Grades 3-6 will join the regular online Hebrew classes (see above).

7th Graders will join Rabbi Friedman's online Wednesday class at 4 PM.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
The JLC will re-evaluate and adjust our plan as necessary during the school year, taking into consideration the NJ Department of Education, Summit Public School district, our governing Health Department and the CDC. If, at any point during the school year, we have to transition to online learning only, our online option means that the JLC will be prepared to make the transition seamlessly.

All students will be expected to adhere to the following guidelines:
MASKS
FACE COVERING

All students and staff must wear masks (over the nose, mouth, chin) at any time inside the Synagogue, that meets with CDC guidelines. Outside mask use for students is elective unless social distancing cannot be maintained during a program. All staff will wear masks at all times.
SYMPTOMS
CHECK

Students will be screened for symptoms in their car prior to drop-off. Anyone with symptoms or registering a temperature of 100 degrees or more will not remain at school.
PHYSICAL
DISTANCING

Physical distancing will be practiced outside and inside.
HAND
WASHING
We will practice and reinforce responsible hand-washing/sanitizing procedures.
SNACKS
FOOD
No snacks or food will be provided (unusual for us) and we ask that children do not bring any food from home. Water bottles labeled with names are strongly encouraged.
OUR COMMITMENT TO
ONE ANOTHER

We are asking that our families help us maintain the healthiest environment possible. Please inform Stacey or Faith in the event that anyone in your immediate family has a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19.

Families are asked to follow New Jersey travel and quarantine restrictions for out-of-state and international travel.
SOME FINAL THOUGHTS
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL
WELL-BEING
We believe that your children’s attendance at the JLC Hebrew School — online or in-person — is as much about maintaining community as about learning Hebrew, holidays, history, and tradition. After several months of isolation and physical distancing, we are redoubling our efforts to provide a nurturing environment for social, emotional, and spiritual growth. While protecting the physical well-being of our families is paramount, the entire staff is committed to being there to listen to and support our children and families.

Although some days will be online, the year shorter, and there have been some changes in staffing, tuition costs reflect the reality of running a high-value program during a pandemic while having less subsidy from the visionary program and a lower student enrollment than we've had in the past.

During the past several months, our congregational community has risen to the challenge of safely creating meaningful paths to further our life-long Jewish journey. Thank you for being our partners, and please trust that the health and well-being of our children, families, and staff members are always utmost and primary consideration in our planning.
 
Wishing you a healthy and meaningful 2020-21,

Stacey David, Education Director
Faith Feuerman, School Administrator