Understanding the Menorah

On Wednesday, Rabbi Ouzzan's Middle School Halacha class explored how a menorah should be placed at least three tefachim (fist lengths) above the ground. The students were engaged and eager to demonstrate what they had learned to their classmates.

Medieval Learning Comes Alive



Mr. Stanulonis’ High School students have finished reading Dante’s Inferno and are now diving into a medieval-themed game called The King is Dead. They are exploring strategy, teamwork, and medieval storytelling, bringing their studies to life in a fun and engaging way.

Exploring Global Traditions

Fourth graders in Ms. Morrison's class have officially launched their Holidays Around the World project. Their first stop was Australia, where they learned about unique summer season celebrations and traditions. Students stamped their passports, explored interesting facts, and participated in themed activities that brought the experience to life. Throughout the week, the class will continue their world tour with visits to Italy, Israel, Jamaica, Germany, Russia, and Sweden. Each destination will introduce students to a different winter holiday, highlight cultural traditions, and offer hands-on activities that make learning engaging and memorable.

Exploring the Library

Ms. Morrison's second graders enjoyed a wonderful visit to the school library this week. Students listened to a cozy read aloud, learned how the library is organized, and practiced finding books by using the shelves, spine labels, and call numbers. They loved browsing the collection and making thoughtful book choices before checking out their selections independently. Their growing confidence as readers was clear, and their excitement for discovering new stories brought so much energy to the library. Many students could not wait to start reading as soon as they returned to class.

ATTENTION ALL RUNNERS!

It’s time to get ready for the 2026 RMBA Marathon! We will be starting in January, so keep your eyes peeled for more information coming soon. In the meantime, get those running shoes ready and have a few practice runs to get you back in the swing of things. 

If you have a business, or know of a business or foundation, that would be interested in sponsoring the RMBA Marathon, please contact Mrs. Schneider at mschneider@berenacademy.org.

Rodeo Art Finalists

The Rodeo Art season has been a vibrant showcase of creativity, featuring students from grades K through 12. The pieces highlighted above represent standout works from this year’s finalists, who dedicated time and care to creating original artworks that celebrate Texas history and culture.

These finalists will now advance to the next stage of the Rodeo Art Competition at NRG Stadium, where they will compete against other private school entries for Best in Show. Winning pieces will be displayed at the 2026 Rodeo.

Click here to see a list of our finalists.



Building Confident Spellers

Mr. Simon’s third grade students love to spell. Each week they look forward to learning their new word lists and practicing together. The class often suggests additional words to challenge themselves, showing real excitement and confidence as their spelling skills grow.

Exploring Winter Traditions Around the Globe

This week and next, Morah Eliana’s second grade class is exploring winter traditions from different countries and cultures. These suitcases showcase the students’ creative “travels” as they learn about celebrations around the world.

Mesibat Siddur

Yesterday, our first graders had their Mesibat Siddur. Students were formally presented with their very first siddur, marking the culmination of a semester of growth and dedication in tefillah. The celebration featured a special performance prepared by the students, a meaningful ceremony presenting the siddurim, and plenty of opportunities for photos to capture these treasured moments. Families joined in to celebrate this important step in the students’ journey to connect with the beauty and power of prayer, each family writing a special note placed individually in each child's siddur. Mazal Tov to all our first grade students and their families on this remarkable achievement!

From Action Words to Early Humans

Lower School Montessori students explored the world of verbs and the action they bring to sentences. First graders acted out verbs, second graders matched them to nouns, and third graders sorted them by tense while learning how auxiliary verbs signal future actions. On Friday, students experienced Montessori’s Third Great Lesson, The Coming of Humans. They learned about early human ancestors and key inventions like fire, then stepped into a magical forest during snack where they worked together to build shelters without modern language or tools.

Building and Counting for Chanukah Fun

Friends in Morah Aviva’s EC4A class explored creativity and math as they got ready for Chanukah! They counted hex nuts to use as candle holders for their Chanukiot and engaged in a cognitive activity, recreating the dreidel shape using assorted Lego pieces. The hands-on activities helped bring the holiday spirit to life while reinforcing important learning skills.

A Colorful Week of Learning

Morah Sandy's EC3A students learned in Parshat Vayeshev about the coat of many colors that Yaakov gave Yosef, which sparked his brothers’ jealousy. The class created Yosef puppets to build fine motor skills and used them to act out the story, focusing on how feelings of jealousy can be turned into kindness. Students also enjoyed a math and sensory activity that involved matching numbered coats to clothespins and hanging the jackets. To round out the week, they worked on Chanukah crafts, including painting watercolor menorahs and peeling tape to reveal the negative space.

Chanukah Magic in the Classroom

This week brought so much Chanukah joy to the classroom. Morah Clara's EC3B class explored the miracle of the pach shemen (oil jar), learned how even the smallest light can spark big hope, and got to know the brave Maccabim through stories, songs, and lively dramatics. Each day, they practiced new Hebrew and ASL words that helped the holiday come alive. With hands-on activities, music, and plenty of smiles, the class connected beautifully to the light, courage, and celebration of Chanukah.

A Bright and Busy Week

Morah Aliya's EC4B class continued their Chanukah celebrations! On Monday, students made menorahs, followed by Chanukah themed picture frames on Tuesday and drip mats on Wednesday. The week will conclude with dancing and singing to favorite Chanukah songs. Across activities in math, science, and reading, the children stayed engaged and enthusiastic. They also explored the full Chanukah story, hiding under tables as their “cave” while learning the Aleph Bet, and carefully stashing their dreidels when Greek soldiers, played by teachers in the hall, approached. The mix of learning and play brought excitement and laughter to the classroom. The EC4B community looks forward to sharing their joy with friends and family at the community Oneg!

Strategic Vision

This week, RMBA parents joined Rabbi Silvestri for a Strategic Plan Town Hall, where he walked through how the plan was developed, highlighted key priorities, and shared initiatives already underway, along with our commitments for the years ahead. The plan’s core tenets include strengthening our educational product across curricula, deepening our investment in Judaic studies, and further strengthening community ties and parent engagement. Centered on two main pillars, elevating student learning and fostering parent engagement, the strategic plan aligns educational excellence with vibrant community involvement, positioning RMBA for continued growth, enhanced satisfaction, and long-term success for all stakeholders. Families who were unable to attend (or who would like to review) can view the Strategic Plan Town Hall slideshow presentation.

Professional Development

On Monday, members of the RMBA Advancement Team took part in a learning series hosted by the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston. The session, AI 101: Smart Tools for Everyday Work, was led by Adam Hertzman of Adartova and explored practical ways to integrate AI into daily work to support organizational growth. Participants gained a framework for using AI in a smart, safe, and strategic manner, equipping them with tools to enhance productivity, streamline processes, and strengthen overall impact.