Rabbi Teller Visit

Last Thursday, the Upper School welcomed Rabbi Hanoch Teller, who shared words of inspiration and reflection in preparation for Rosh Hashanah. He encouraged students to think deeply about the themes of the High Holy Days and offered meaningful insights to help them approach the new year with intention and purpose. His visit provided a powerful opportunity for students to pause, reflect, and ready themselves spiritually for the days ahead.

From Outline to Final Draft

This week, Middle School students in Ms. Ruben's classes began writing their first essay of the school year. They wrote narrative essays focused on plot structure and are learning to craft stories with a clear exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Students will move step by step through the process, from outlining and drafting to adding details and polishing their final essays.

Rent or Buy? Students Weigh the Options

In Mr. Trevino's Financial Literacy class, 9th and 10th grade students engaged in a spirited debate on the topic of renting versus buying a home. Using the example of renting for $1,500 per month compared to purchasing a $3 million home, students explored real-world factors such as mortgage payments, commuting costs, and the long-term financial implications of each choice. The lively discussion also introduced students to new vocabulary, including terms like speculative homes and custom homes, helping them deepen both their financial knowledge and critical thinking skills.

Handmade Holiday Greetings

This week, the sixth-graders in Mr. Duke’s Social Studies class explored the paper craft of quilling as they designed and created unique Rosh Hashanah greeting cards. The project combined creativity with cultural learning, offering students a meaningful way to prepare for the holiday.

Teamwork and Discovery

In Mrs. Schneider’s fifth grade class, students dove into an exciting project exploring Native American regions. Working in groups, they discovered what life was like in the Southwest, Northeast, Pacific Northwest, and Great Plains. They researched everything from food and housing to transportation, traditions, and fascinating facts. With creativity and enthusiasm, each group transformed their learning into an imaginative advertisement designed to convince others to “move” to their region. The project was filled with teamwork, discovery, and plenty of fun along the way!  

Spelling & Teamwork

This week, second grade students put their spelling skills to the test with a fun movement game. They rotated around the room, stopping at different stations to write words that used the short e sound. Each round encouraged them to listen carefully, focus on the sounds they heard, and decide on the correct spelling. The activity kept everyone engaged and moving, while also highlighting their ability to follow directions and work as a team. By the end of the game, the class had built an impressive list of words they discovered and spelled correctly. The hands-on activity not only reinforced their understanding of the short e sound but also gave them valuable practice in teamwork, focus, and perseverance.

Busy Bees

Morah Aviva's EC4A students engaged in a variety of Letter “Bb” and Rosh Hashanah activities this week. In the Art Center, students created bumblebee-pattern honey mats. At the Math Center, they explored number recognition through Rosh Hashanah symbols. The children also built a city with colorful cubes to strengthen counting skills and color recognition, and practiced forming the letter “Bb” with playdoh.

Rosh Hashanah Comes to the Classroom

Morah Clara's students dove into their Rosh Hashanah unit, exploring the meaning of the holiday through hands-on experiences. They tasted apples with honey, learned how bees make honey, and discovered the simanim that help us prepare for a sweet new year. The class also explored honeycombs alongside regular filtered honey, dipping both with crisp red apples for a truly special experience. In connection with Parshat Ki Tavo, students learned about bikurim, the first fruits, and linked this concept to Rosh Hashanah by exploring pictures of unique fruits such as dragon fruit, kiwi, and papaya. Through sensory play, they had the chance to taste, smell, and touch these fruits while practicing the bracha Shehecheyanu (blessing on something new).

Bringing the Parsha to Life Through Nature and Play

This week in Morah Sandy's EC3A, students explored Parshat Ki Tavo by learning about the mitzvah of marking the first bud on a plant with a red string, designating these first fruits for Hashem. To bring this concept to life, the children went on a nature walk in the Magical Forest, collecting sticks to transform into plants with buds. Along the way, they also enjoyed a sensory science activity, predicting which objects from nature and the classroom would sink or float. Back in class, students pretended to be buds, growing into flowers and fruit, before creating their own “sticks with buds,” carefully tying on red strings with a little help. The experience blended Torah learning, creativity, movement, and discovery in a way that made the parsha come alive for our youngest learners.