Volume 5 Issue 4 June - July 2013 Sivan - Tammuz 5773
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Juda and Maria Diener Lower School
Hillel
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Samuel and Henrietta Scheck Middle School
Ben Lipson Upper School
Accelerated Reader Program Expands
Students read more than 32 million words! Upon astounding gains in Accelerated Reader in Grades 3-5, Scheck Hillel will expand the program throughout younger grades next year. “This year students read books on their own levels and computerized tests monitored their comprehension, speed and reading level,” said Nancy Penchev, Media and Instructional Technology Director of Hillel’s Juda and Maria Diener Lower School. “I have heard nothing but amazing reports from parents who are so happy their children are now begging for more books.” From January to May 2013, Accelerated Reader statistics showed the following students read more than 1,000,000 words: Shifra Dimbert, Grade 5, Rotem Miara, Grade 5, Mika Ben-Amram Grade 3, Daniela Fincheltub, Grade 5, and Ilana Stiberman, Grade 4. Statistics were broken down into grade levels showing a total of 32,499,510 words were read and tested: • Grade 3 read more than 6,000,000 words • Grade 4 read more than 10,000,000 words • Grade 5 read more than 14,000,000 words
An Incredible Year
Grade 1 classrooms were filled with excitement and anticipation as students’ eagerly awaited presenting their Writer’s Workshop Portfolios to parents the final week of school. The portfolios are treasures filled with written work from the very first day of school through the last week. “It’s exciting to see how students have grown and changed since the beginning of the school year,” said Leanne Weinbrot, Grade 1 teacher. This was just one year-end experience recently shared by Scheck Hillel families and faculty. As parents looked over the work and watched videos documenting their children’s growth through Grade 1, classes across all grade levels began to wind down. Friends said goodbye for the summer and classroom lessons came to a close with final exams, parent visits and student performances. Students in Grade 9 returned from the annual trip to Israel, and seniors became alumni as they prepared for next chapters across the globe at various universities and Israel programs. This summer, students are on campus for Summer Academy’s math, language arts and enrichment classes, faculty, staff and administration are prepping for the new year, the Admission office is touring new families and campus expansion construction is in action. In his Annual Meeting year-end video that looked ahead, Head of School Rabbi Pinchos Hecht said, “We raised the bar and we continue to raise it.” (Visit eHillel.org to view.) Goals are high for the fall, building upon growth of this past year. Here’s to new portfolio work to showcase, a new generation of alumni and so much more on campus. In the meantime, it’s all about summer fun (and reading!). 2011 Blue Ribbon School
Penchev attributed higher MAP testing scores to the program, especially in Grade 3. She has made a request to present the success of the program at the Florida Educational Technology Conference (FETC). “We are so proud of the results of our hard-working students. Next year, Grades 1-5 will participate in Accelerated Reader for the whole year,” she added. “We are looking forward to more great results.”
Mind Lab Added to PK4, Kindergarten Curriculum It all begins with board games...Roughly 200 strategy and mind board games that ultimately develop life skills. It’s through these games that Pre-Kindergarten 4 and Kindergarten students will learn critical thinking techniques when they participate in Mind Lab during the school day in 2013-2014. “This program will lay a foundation for students to think things through and problem solve,” said Dr. Monica Wagenberg, incoming Head of Lower School. “Students will learn how to make healthy choices and decisions based on a well-developed thinking process.” Mind Lab is a world-wide innovative methodology originated in Israel for the development of 21st century life skills through the instruction of strategy and thinking games, said Dori Larea, Mind Lab Program Director. The concept of Mind Lab begins with games. Once students learn the basic rules, they detach from the game and use the skills for real-life decision making and problem solving, Larea explained. Mind Lab is also offered in Hillel’s after-school program. (See page 7.) To read more, visit eHillel.org/afterschool.
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