JCDS Fall 2013 Nitzotzot

JCDS

S PA R K S F R O M O U R S C H O O L C O M M U N I T Y

VOLUME 18, NO. 1 FALL 2013 • 5774 ‫םתיו‬

In This Issue: 2

Pluralism in the 21st Century 3 Learned at School, Practiced at Home 4 The Advisory Games 5 Supporting JCDS: Fran and Dave (z”l) Elovitz 6 How Do Your Dollars Kindle the Flame?

7 Sparks: News at JCDS 9 Assessment for Learning 10 Hebrew Fluency and Tikkun Olam

Delight your palate, feed your mind.

Sunday, March 23, 2014 www.mattersoftaste.org

Pluralism in the 21 Century st

21-‫ה‬

Dear JCDS Community and Friends, How do we prepare our students to enter, and to contribute, to a world that does not yet exist?

This is a daunting and enthralling challenge. What will our kids need to flourish in a world in which the tools for communication, the possibilities for employment, and the priorities of the time cannot even be imagined? What we already know is that the leaders of the future will need to possess skills necessary to deal with new problems, as well as the ability to be flexible thinkers, creative problem solvers, innovators, and lifelong, self-directed learners. These skills and capacities will not magically appear in young adults as they graduate college. If we want them to possess these qualities, we need to be committed to teaching them to our children explicitly and repeatedly. At JCDS, this challenge is part of our pluralistic mission.

Pluralism is a philosophy that celebrates complexity and nuance, rejects easy answers, and embraces uncertainty. Pluralism demands that we each humbly hear each other’s truth. Enacting our pluralistic mission means that we provide our diverse student body with a fertile learning ground for developing the habits of mind and heart necessary to function in a world of difference: a world so much smaller, because our reach is so much wider. Our commitment to pluralism dictates that we help our kids develop curiosity, openness, understanding,

JCDS

www.jcdsboston.org ‫בית ספר יהודי קהילתי‬

BOSTON’S JEWISH COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOL

‫פלורליזם במאה‬

humility, empathy, confidence, imagination, and selfreflection, so they are prepared to engage with “the other”. Our pluralistic community, the instructional strategies our teachers use, and our curricular choices offer our students an infinite number of opportunities to practice and develop these skills.

During the years spent in our pluralistic community, which are formative for character development, our children learn how to collaborate with others, take another perspective from a peer, and forge new answers to old questions. Offering our students opportunities to internalize these habits of mind and heart, so they are prepared to act in a world filled with difference, is our sacred task. It is our holy work to help our kids develop strong character as follows: to be mensches who are committed to derekh eretz; to be proud of their Jewish identity; and to be confident in their religious commitments and beliefs.

Engaging with “the other” – a hallmark of a JCDS education – leads to the intellectual and spiritual growth of our children and is the foundation upon which our children will continue to grow and learn in high school and beyond. Pluralism is our collective blessing, and is the path that prepares and equips our students for their future, whatever it may hold.

B’virkat shalom (With a blessing of peace),

Dr. Susie Tanchel Head of School

2

‫ “הלכה למעשה“ בבית‬-‫נלמד בבית הספר‬ 3

Learned at School, Practiced at Home Every day, Jewish values are on display in JCDS, both visibly around the school and in practice through student interactions. In the Lower School, first graders created derekh eretz (respect for living) speech bubbles, in which they wrote their goals for how they would like to behave towards others this school year. In Middle School, sixth grade students presented “Paper Bag” speeches to their classmates in which they shared three items from home that have significance to them. The students then explained the personal values each item represented.

At every age and developmental stage, our students are learning and practicing Jewish values.

JCDS fourth grader, Benjy, suggested his family build a sukkah for the first time.

Derekh Eretz Speech Bubbles made by Kitat Oren.

Sixth grader Hannah shares three items from home that represent her personal values.

Parent of three JCDS students, Allison Cook, shared a story of the value of t’shuvah (repentance) being enacted at home. After a typical fight between brothers, Cook tried to coach her son on how to apologize to his brother. “I know!” the first grader said, “We’ve been working on this for ten days in school already! I know the steps to get back on the path of good behavior! First I need to realize what I did. I did that. Then I need to feel bad about it. I did that, too. Now I need to say sorry, and then I need to never do it again!”

In addition to learning Jewish values, the students also develop a deeper understanding of the practices and meaning behind Jewish holidays. While all students at JCDS have the opportunity to celebrate each holiday with their classmates in school, many have started to bring what they have learned in class to their homes. “Before coming to JCDS, we would go to our friends’ homes for Sukkot, but the kids never asked to build a sukkah. This year, they came home and requested that we build one and we were delighted!” says new JCDS parent, Michelle Barmazel. Her son, Benjy, who is a new JCDS fourth grader, further explains, “I wanted to eat in our own sukkah and do fun things in it with my family.” In moments like these, the JCDS community can be proud that the creative community spirit and school mission go beyond the school walls and permeate throughout life cycle celebrations, Shabbat meals, and holiday celebrations at home.

“I wanted to eat in our own sukkah and do fun things in it with my family.” - Benjy, 4th Grade JCDS

www.jcdsboston.org ‫בית ספר יהודי קהילתי‬

BOSTON’S JEWISH COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOL

THE

ADVISORY GAMES

‫משחקי חברה ומחשבה‬ “It was a great way to bond with our teammates!” - Eliana, 7th Grade

This fall, JCDS Middle School students participated in the first annual Advisory Games. This two day competition between the four advisories, Sabra, Esh, Tzufit, and Nahar, consisted of relay races, a water balloon toss, team performances, cheers, and plenty of ruach. While the competition itself was a fun activity that built team spirit and school pride, it also opened the door to a wider conversation of this year’s Facing History theme: membership.

How can we preserve our individuality and still be part of a group?

In the classroom reflections that took place after the games concluded, students analyzed different aspects of the competition and how they reacted emotionally.

Teachers posed challenging questions, such as how do we preserve our individual identity while being part of a group? What do people have to give up to be in a group? Can we achieve more when part of a group? To what extent do we choose to be in a group? The discussion, which will extend throughout

TzUFIT

SABRA

the rest of the school year, went deeper to examine the psychology of insiders versus outsiders and how stereotyping others simplifies and reduces them. “The easiest unifier is to put the others down”, Advisor Pete Sperber explained to the students in Nahar as they reflected on their win, “but is that a good reason to form a bond with someone?”

With the help of their teachers, the students in the other three advisories accepted their loss, recognized the progress that they made, and graciously congratulated the team that had won. “We all had fun,” shares eighth grader Norman, “I was really proud of my team and everyone did their best.”

NAHAR

ESH 4

Supporting JCDS

‫אנו בין תומכי‬

Fran Elovitz lovingly remembers her husband, Dave (z”l), and their JCDS experience the school and the love of the children by the teachers … that we got involved.” Fran recalls. “JCDS does a great job of making the children intelligent scholars and above all menschen.” They soon became involved with JCDS at every level. Both Fran and Dave gave of their time and money because “[they] saw a vision and a need to fund this vision.”

“JCDS does a great job of making the children intelligent scholars and above all, menschen.” - Fran Elovitz

Love. Family. Community.

These three words summarize the lives of Fran and Dave Elovitz, beloved members of the JCDS community for over fifteen years.

This story, however, begins much earlier. In 1947, Dave and Fran met in high school, when they were 15 and 16 years old. Fran, an only child raised by her grandmother while her mother worked, never belonged to a synagogue because of financial constraints. Nevertheless, Fran felt a strong connection to Judaism, so five years later, in 1952, when Fran and Dave got married and settled in Natick, MA, they considered sending their three children, Kenneth, Gary, and Sara, to a local Jewish Day School. As involved members of Temple Israel in Natick, they raised their children in an active Jewish household.

When their youngest son, Gary, married his wife, Dena, they had four boys. When Jesse, their oldest son, began his studies at JCDS, Fran and Dave were awestruck. “We were so impressed by the education, the love of the children for

5

In the early years of JCDS, several moms and grandmothers came together to cook a hot lunch for the students. They had a wonderful time preparing the food, schmoozing, and enjoying one another’s company, while the children reaped the benefits of a home-cooked meal at school.

It was not long after Jesse began at JCDS that Fran was invited to join this Hot Lunch Bunch program. Soon after, Dave was recruited as a JCDS board member and later served as President of the Board from 2005-2007. The decision of Gary and Dena in 1998 to send their oldest son to JCDS impacted the lives of Fran and Dave in ways they could never have imagined.

Dave passed away in May 2012. After his passing, Fran made the decision to leave some money to JCDS in her will. “I hope that the money will further the mission of JCDS.” Fran shares. While all four of her grandsons are now in high school and college, Fran’s involvement with JCDS continues to this day.

JCDS

www.jcdsboston.org ‫בית ספר יהודי קהילתי‬

BOSTON’S JEWISH COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOL

6

SCHEDULE A TOUR! Come and visit our school; there is no better way to appreciate what an incredible place it is!

Call 617-972-1733 or email OrnaS@jcdsboston.org

Are you plugged in?

Before the beginning of the year, JCDS launched a new and improved website! One of the many exciting features that this website offers is the My JCDS portal, a password protected area, where you can access school calendars, forms, handbooks, and lists. Vaad events and links are listed here as well. Another great feature is the video archive, where all school videos are stored for easy viewing. If you haven’t already, check out the site at www.jcdsboston.org!

Alumni News

Then & Now

AMALYA & Noa in 2006 & 2013!

Ben Klau

sner (JCD

S ‘09) in Is

rael

SHAUL ARMONY (JCDS Class of 2009) Shaul has enlisted in the IDF and is awaiting his unit assignment.

You can follow his journey through his blog (shaularmony. wordpress.com). He has also spent time with Elie Lehmann (JCDS ‘09) who is studying at Yeshiva Maale Gilboa and is looking forward to connecting with some of his other JCDS classmates who are in Israel this year including GABRIEL KARGER, BEN KLAUSNER, AND REBECCA JACKSON (all from JCDS Class of 2009).

TALYA SARNA (HOUSMAN) (JCDS Class of 2003) Talya graduated from Trinity College, Dublin, in 2011, with a First Class Honors Degree in History and Political Science. She is currently a doctoral candidate in History at Brown University and recently got married to Aaron Sarna.

IF YOU HAVE NEWS ABOUT JCDS ALUMNI, PLEASE EMAIL US AT NEWS@JCDSBOSTON.ORG. WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! CHECK OUT OUR ALUMNI PAGE, WWW.JCDSBOSTON.ORG/ALUMNI

7

JCDS

www.jcdsboston.org ‫בית ספר יהודי קהילתי‬

BOSTON’S JEWISH COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOL

FIND US ONLINE! Add your voice to one of our Adult Torah study groups!

Call 617-972-1733 for details

JCDS SPORTS

In Lower School, the focus was on cooperative games and activities. These games are an ideal way to get students to work together toward a common goal.

Applying this cooperative mindset to team sports was a great way to get all the children engaged and focused on the value of teamwork.

This fall’s Middle School Physical Education curriculum included soccer and football. In small groups, students had the opportunity to learn skills and techniques taught through various drills. After mastering the basic skills, students applied them to a game, and improved their teamwork.

A-HA Moment!

“JCDS wasn’t an obvious choice for us. No one in our family had ever gone to Jewish day school. Our oldest was already in 7th grade, and we had picked our town because of the great public school system. However, after being exposed to JCDS at a “Matters of Taste” event two years ago, we were hooked.

We were extremely impressed with the quality of the work that was on display, and when two students spoke about their experiences at the school, we looked at each other and shared a silent, knowing glance. The students spoke about the strength and values of the community, and how it had helped shape their characters. JCDS was clearly an incredible place and we couldn’t imagine a better environment for our kids. It was crazy, but in one evening, we were thinking about a whole new direction for our kids’ education and our own adult community. JCDS became a constant topic of conversation between us.

It has taken us two years to work out the transition, but from the first moment, our experience has confirmed everything that we had hoped. On the very first day, as we approached the klezmer band and the smiling faces at the entrance to the school, Jacob nervously uttered “You know, I don’t even know where to go.”

We assured him that he would figure it out and we continued walking towards the Middle School. Barely a minute passed before a beaming, welcoming eighth grader, who recognized Jacob as a new student, approached us and quickly went about finding him another student from his advisory. In those minutes of her search, two other students asked if he was new to the school and did he know where to go. We left Jacob, smiling and looking more confident than we thought possible for a pre-adolescent boy in a new and unfamiliar school. It was clear at that moment that even Middle School can be a nurturing place… or at least it is at JCDS.” - Rachel & William Foster, Parents of Lilah (GN), Lucy (2nd), and Jacob (7th)

8

Assessment for Learning

‫הערכה מסכמת והערכה מתמשכת‬

It is standard practice for schools to administer benchmark assessments three times per year to ensure that all students are making progress on their individual learning paths. In addition to this benchmark testing, JCDS Lower School teachers embrace an “assessment for learning” model in literacy classrooms as a means of improving teaching and learning. This model, which is also called formative assessment, allows teachers and students to collect data regularly to provide continuous feedback and to adjust ongoing lessons and strategies.

In this model, the teacher determines which reading strategies his or her students are ready for, and then demonstrates these strategies. Students then read independently while the teacher meets with individual or small groups of students to see how they are applying the strategy to their reading.

Using the assessment for learning model, the teacher looks at the results of the independent reading conferences and uses this data to determine what should happen the next day in class. Do some students need more practice with the strategy? Do some students need to have the strategy explained again? Are some students ready to apply the strategy in a different context? Instruction is individualized for each student to match his or her needs at that time.

At the beginning of any particular unit, teachers can visualize the trajectory of learning for each student. They are continuously collecting data from the students and using that to determine classroom activities. While the students learn new material, the teachers help them to develop an understanding and appreciation of high quality work. As students mature, the responsibility of assessing work becomes a partnership. With this increased responsibility of self-assessment, the students quickly move towards mastery.

Teachers at JCDS use the assessment for learning model in their classrooms because it encourages students to be more active in their own learning. This model supports students in their development to become self-directed, lifelong learners.

JCDS

www.jcdsboston.org ‫בית ספר יהודי קהילתי‬

BOSTON’S JEWISH COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOL

Hebrew Fluency and Tikkun Olam

‫עברית בשטף דרך תיקון עולם‬ At JCDS, Hebrew is taught through meaningful and age appropriate material. The philosophy behind this teaching approach is that when a student experiences the context in which they are learning Hebrew as engaging and challenging, the vocabulary becomes a vehicle for authentic communication. As part of the seventh and eighth grade Hebrew curriculum, students of all levels participated in a social justice project that allowed them to speak, listen, write, and read in Hebrew, while completing a project with substance and meaning.

“This is one of our most successful units because it is so meaningful for the students.” -Sharona Givol, Director of Hebrew Program

To begin the project, students look at examples of other people’s dreams and aspirations. They read the lyrics of “Imagine” by John Lennon, and learn about Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager who is known for her activism for rights to education for women. The students watch a film called “Promises” about seven children who live within ten miles of each other in Israel, but all have very different hopes and dreams.

After discussing different examples of people who made a difference in the world by acting on a dream, including Theodore Herzl and Martin Luther King Jr., students are exposed to authentic non-profit organizations in Israel. The students learn about all the steps and planning that go into creating a non-profit organization, including creating a mission, marketing the organization, and recruiting volunteers. Students then work to create their own non-profit concepts, using each of these steps, and present to their classmates. “This is one of our most successful units because it is so meaningful for the students” explains Sharona Givol, Director of the Hebrew Program. “They are all engaged in their learning and eager. It is really beautiful.”

10

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

JCDS

PAID BOSTON MA

PERMIT NO 55058 SPARKS FROM OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY

57 Stanley Avenue, Watertown, MA 02472 617-972-1733 • www.jcdsboston.org Dr. Susie Tanchel, Head of School Sara Riedner Brown, President Arnee Winshall, Founding Chair Terri Grogan Director of Development and Communications TerriG@jcdsboston.org 617-972-1733 x215 Emma Sandler Associate Director of Communications EmmaS@jcdsboston.org 617-972-1733 x207

IN THIS ISSUE...

Pluralism in the 21st Century

2

Learned at School, Practice at Home

7-8

How Do Your Dollars Kindle The Flame?

6

3

The Advisory Games

4

Supporting JCDS: Fran and Dave(z”l) Elovitz

5

Hebrew Fluency and Tikkun Olam

10

• Then & Now • JCDS A-Ha! Moment • New JCDS Website • JCDS Sports • Alumni News

www.jcdsboston.org

Assessment for Learning

9