Dear Parents,

It was so wonderful to see so many Grandparents visiting the school last week!  Grandparent’s Day is always one of the best days of the year as we gather across the generations to celebrate education.  It is the daily learning and modeling of ethics and values, the close connection of the school with parents and grandparents in our holiday celebrations, that we create confident and knowledgeable children.  A special thank you to Mr. Bill Wagner, SIA Grandfather, for sharing his thoughts on why he supports SIA.  A big thank you to the Beth Sholom Village for generously sponsoring the day! And finally, thank you so much to all our volunteers for working so hard to make this day so wonderful!

The Strelitz International Academy is partnering with Jewish Family Service's Annual Chanukah Gift Project for local Jewish children and teens in need again this year.  Each Chanukah, JFS reaches out to local Jewish families with children who struggle with finances to provide gifts during the holiday.  Parent letters, gift tags, and teacher instructions will be given to each class so that every student can be sent home with a gift tag listing one suggested item to buy. These items will be from local Jewish children’s wish lists and are written on the gift tags in order to help you decide what to buy. Please note that the gift tags contain a “suggested gift” item. Parents should feel free, however, to purchase any age-appropriate gift or gift card if they are not able to purchase or locate the specific item on the gift tag that their child brings home. Additional information can be found at the bottom of this newsletter; all donations are due to JFS by Monday, December 5, 2022.

Kindergarten Parents, please join us for a preview of first grade on Friday, December 9, 2022 at 8:15am in the SIA/Miller Library.  Learn how the skills your child is learning in Kindergarten will prepare them for First Grade and beyond. Meet the First Grade Team and learn what opportunities await your child in First Grade.

Below you will see some reminders for the week ahead.  

Heather Moore

Head of School

What an amazing Grandparents Day!! We LOVED seeing all of our Grandparents and Special Friends back in the building after so long.

Click her for more photos.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, SIA Early Years students enjoyed a delicious "Friendsgiving” Feast. Each class prepared a dish to share with their preschool community. This is the second year of this collaborative activity which teaches about sharing and the importance of being a part of a larger community. The students and teachers were excited to use our newly renovated kitchen space to make dishes which will included mashed sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin smoothies and cornbread muffins!

Click her for more photos.

Upcoming Dates:

November

11/30 SGA Twin Day - Dress as a twin with a friend!

** Order December School Lunches ***

December

12/9 First Grade Preview, 8:15am - 9:15am

12/19 - 12/30 Winter Break/ No School

12/19 - 12/23 Winter Break/ EY Fullcare Winter Session 1/ PY Camp JCC SDO Open

12/26 No Fullcare/ PY Camp JCC SDO Closed

12/27 - 12/30 Winter Break/ EY Fullcare Winter Session 2/ PY Camp JCC SDO Open

1/2 New Years Day Observed/ No School/ NO Fullcare or Camp JCC SDO

1/3 School Resumes

Click here for our 2023-2024 Year at a Glance.

Dates are subject to change.

Wednesday, November 30

Find a friend & dress up like twins!

Students will be selling lemonade to support the SGA! $1.00 per cup! Enjoy! 

The online SIA Winter Swag Shop orders will be delivered and sent home with students on Monday, December 12.

Now in its thirtieth year, JFS reaches out during Chanukah to local Jewish families with children and teens whose families are struggling with finances. JFS will again be partnering with Strelitz International Academy for this annual gift drive for Chanukah 2022. Students from every class will be asked to help with this Tzedakah project.

On November 14, packets with parent letters, gift tags, and teacher instructions will be given to each class so that every student can be sent home with a gift tag listing one suggested item to buy. These items will be from local Jewish children’s wish lists and are written on the gift tags in order to help you decide what to buy. Please note that the gift tags contain a “suggested gift” item. Parents should feel free, however, to purchase any age-appropriate gift or gift card if they are not able to purchase or locate the specific item on the gift tag that their child brings home. Linda Bridges will have extra tags and parent letters in the front office.

All gifts are due back in school on Monday, December 5, 2022. JFS will then come to each class during the morning of Wednesday, December 7, 2022 to collect gifts, thank students and their teachers, and take classroom pictures with the collected gifts. We hope to able to count on SGA Officers to help us gather gifts and take them back to JFS.  

Although JFS knows that Chanukah may or may not be a time where gifts are exchanged in every family, JFS hopes that students and their families will want to support this annual gift drive and reach out to those in need. Please call Debbie Mayer or Maryann Kettyle at JFS with any questions: (757) 459-4640.

Thank you to everyone for their help with this project! 

How the Hanukkah Shop Works:

SIA Families donate items for the Hanukkah Shop (details below)

Students visit the Hanukkah Shop with their class.

Students purchase items for $1 each to give to their loved ones. 

Proceeds benefit the Parent Volunteer Organization

Donations for SIA Hanukkah Shop:

Please send in New or “Like New” Items for the Chanukah store starting November 28 until December 4. Donation bins will be clearly labeled near the Fullcare board in the Strelitz hallway. Please make sure items are clean and in good condition. We need items for Kids, Moms, Dads, Grandparents & older siblings. 

Suggested donations:

Toys, Jewelry, ties, books, unused journals, small household items, any gifts you’ve never used! *For sanitary reasons NO STUFFED ANIMALS. We also need gift bags!

Please click here to sign up to volunteer in the Chanukah Shop.

Invitations to out of school parties may not be handed out on school property. Please refrain from scheduling parties on Shabbat or Jewish holidays in order to be inclusive of all classmates who may observe Shabbat. 

Due to allergies and dietary restrictions, SIA does not allow outside food and treats to be brought in to school for birthdays. We encourage families to order cupcakes or cookies through the Campus Cardo Cafe. 

1) PLEASE ORDER ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE.

2) Confirm the treat date and time with your child's teacher. 

3) Complete the form and payment and give to Linda in the front office.

4) Linda Bridges will deliver the order to your child's classroom at the arranged date and time. 

Wednesdays and Sundays • 11/30/2022 – 3/5/2023

Required Players’ Draft Day Wednesday, 11/30/2022, Jaffe Gym

• Grades K-2 4:30 pm – 5:15 pm
• Grades 3-5 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
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Practices on Wednesdays in Jaffe Gym • 12/7/2022 – 3/1/2023 (No practice 12/28)

• Grades K-2 4:30 pm – 5:15 pm
• Grades 3-5 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
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Games on Sundays in the Jaffe Gym • 1/8/2023 – 3/5/2023 (No games 1/15 and 2/19) • start at 1:00 pm

Registration deadline November 28, 2022. Open to boys and girls of all faiths from grades K-5. This program will instill a fundamentally sound approach to the game while appropriately balancing participation and competition. Skill development, teamwork, and sportsmanship are the goals of providing a fun and rewarding youth basketball program. Teams will practice for several weeks before the regular season games, ending with Championship Day on 3/5/2023. Basketball jersey included for each player.

All League-registered K-5 players may attend the preseason clinics for FREE!

$115 members | $150 non-members

Volunteer coaches are needed. Coaches clinic on 11/29/2022, 5:30pm.

Contact the JCC Front Desk at 757-321-2338 if you have questions. 

Click here to register.

>>> Preseason Clinic •

Wednesdays 11/9 & 11/16 • same times as practice above • $40 members/$80 non-members, Free for those registered for the JCC Youth Basketball League <<<