Silverstein Hebrew Academy Brochure - 2014

SONIA & MAX

SILVERSTEIN HEBREW ACADEMY A COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOL COMMITTED TO 21ST CENTURY EDUCATION AND JEWISH VALUES

SONIA & MAX SILVERSTEIN HEBREW ACADEMY OF GREAT NECK

JEWISH DAY SCHOOL

OUR STORY

Recognizing the role of education in building a viable Jewish future, noted benefactors Raine and Stanley Silverstein led the campaign to build a Hebrew Academy in Great Neck that would include the best of general and Judaic studies. We know that the Silverstein Hebrew Academy is an ongoing source of pride to them.

SHA was founded in 1998 to provide students with an inclusive, progressive and passionate Jewish education.

Located in Great Neck, Long Island, our nursery, elementary and middle schools currently educate over 200 Jewish children each year.

SHA is an affiliate of the international ChabadLubavitch movement, which directs more than 3,300 branches in 50 countries on 6 continents. Nearly a million Jewish children participate in Chabad’s schools, centers, summer camps and extracurricular programs each year.

A CULTURE OF ACHIEVEMENT e Silverstein Hebrew Academy offers an integrated dual curriculum featuring a rigorous general studies program with an attractive array of Jewish studies.

Our school is committed to empowering our students with 21st century educational skills. We have created an environment where critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity are encouraged. Our school culture promotes lifelong learning for faculty and students, where children can experience the power of their ideas and develop the skills to be future leaders.

Our day school experience offers small classes, exceptional teachers, and attention to individual learning styles.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE Education is the hallmark of our school. rough differentiated instruction and child centered classrooms, our students graduate as confident, caring and collaborative learners who are prepared to lead and affect change on a civic and social level.

A WARM WELCOMING COMMUNITY Our school is a family, a community that embraces Jewish children from all backgrounds. Our staff is carefully chosen not only for their teaching ability, but for their role as mentors and role models in every interaction. Our students are taught values based on Torah ethics enabling them to become citizens who will make a difference in their communities, in Israel, and in the world at large.

WHY CHOOSE A JEWISH DAY SCHOOL?

Children of all Jewish backgrounds and affiliations receive an excellent general studies education coupled with a strong Judaic studies program at the Silverstein Hebrew Academy.

Students develop into ethical and compassionate young adults with exceptional leadership qualities and a strong sense of community.

Studies show that the more Jewish education a child receives, the more likely it is that he or she will lead an active Jewish life as an adult. Jewish day school education is one of the most effective means of transmitting our precious heritage to the next generation.

ARE JEWISH DAY SCHOOL GRADUATES

JEWISH EDUCATION’S IMPACT ON JEWISH IDENTITY

WELL PREPARED FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE? Our school prides itself on the high-quality general studies education that we provide. Additionally, studies show that intensive study of a second language and Judaic texts enhance analytical skills used in other areas of study, in high school, college, and beyond; and enable our graduates to excel.

A national study of 3,000 Jewish undergraduates, conducted by Brandeis University, found that former Jewish day school students gain admittance to the most highly selective colleges and universities and often become leaders on college campuses. e study found that former day school students exhibit a strong orientation toward civic and social responsibilities and greater commitment to the Jewish community than those who did not attend Jewish day school.

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RITUAL SCALE

SYNAGOGUE MEMBER

BEING JEWISH VERY IMPORTANT

VERY ATTACHED TO ISRAEL

 Day School: 7-12 years  Day School: 1-6 years  Supplementary School: 7-12 years  Supplementary School: 1-6 years

 Sunday School: 1-6 years  Sunday School: 7-12 years  No Jewish Education

ACCORDING TO A MAJOR NATIONAL STUDY, JEWISH EDUCATION HAS A DIRECT AND STRONG IMPACT ON DECISIONS JEWS MAKE AS ADULTS. HOW CAN I AFFORD JEWISH DAY SCHOOL TUITION? Day schools simultaneously build two generations of Jewish leaders: parents, who often become active in the schools and the community; and students, who are more likely to be future Jewish leaders because of their education.

DO I HAVE TO BE RELIGIOUSLY OBSERVANT TO SEND MY CHILD TO SILVERSTEIN HEBREW ACADEMY? No, families at Silverstein Hebrew Academy reflect a wide range of religious observances. is is a place for all students and their families to feel comfortable in their observance and be welcomed into a warm, multi-cultural, and dynamic community.

e Silverstein Hebrew Academy is committed to providing children from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds with a Jewish day school education. Our school’s financial incentives program along with ongoing fundraising, help make our school more affordable, particularly for middle income families.

Our Tuition Assistance Program reflects our school’s commitment to assist families who cannot afford to pay full tuition. Eligibility is based on demonstrated needs.

Customized payment plans and financial options are available. Applications are strictly confidential and handled with great discretion.

TECHNOLOGY ENHANCED LEARNING Our school offers an integrated technology classroom enhanced by Smartboards as well as iPads for our students. We also have a state of the art computer lab where students improve proficiency in liberal arts and mathematics using Success Maker; an individualized computer-assisted educational software.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Students are given the opportunity after school to participate in sports, music, dance, or art classes. They are also involved in a plethora of communitywide projects from Smile on Seniors, food donations for disaster victims, partnership with students in Israel, to Ronald McDonald chessed projects.

These activities offer students opportunities to help their community in a very personal and meaningful way.

STUDENT SERVICES A school psychologist, reading recovery specialist, assistants as well as a Student Services Director are important members of our faculty. This team partners with teachers and administrators to meet with students and address academic issues, social concerns, and/or personal difficulties. We pride ourselves on nurturing the whole child and ensuring that we address each child’s individual needs.

PRESCHOOL Our Nursery Program focuses on practical life, sensory development, and language and Mathematics acquisition.

We incorporate art, music, yoga and cultural activities into the weekly curriculum to enhance and support learning. Classrooms are designed to provide a setting that is stimulating and enriching for student growth. Teachers support and nurture students in a warm, hands-on and safe environment.

“NOT TOO BIG, NOT TOO SMALL, JUST THE RIGHT FIT”

SILVERSTEIN HEBREW ACADEMY 117 Cuttermill Road • Great Neck, NY 11021 516-466-8522 PRIMARY CONTACTS

Rabbi Yoseph Geisinsky, Dean Mrs. Shireen Deen-Butman, Head of School Mrs. Chanie Geisinsky, Associate Head of School Rabbi Dovid Ezagui, Executive Director Mrs. Ronnie Lichter, Preschool Director

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL In these foundational years of learning, we seek to develop students’ abstract thinking, socialization skills, independence and identity. In our rich learning environment, formal reading and writing begin both in Hebrew and English alongside Torah study. Students are encouraged to question the world around them and formulate their own thoughts and opinions. Technology is used to enhance learning as iPads are used throughout the grades to stimulate and engage students. Siddur play, Chumash Presentation and other crosscurricula grade presentations highlight students’ learning both in general and Judaic studies.

MIDDLE SCHOOL Students are guided and encouraged to be bold thinkers and risk takers in a nurturing setting that seeks to foster problem solving and research skills, creativity, and global citizenship. Our goal is to provide experiential learning that helps students construct their own ideas through connections between disciplines, and real-world context.

Students’ learning is enhanced through sports, music, innovative technology (Chromebooks and Google Apps) and E2K (math and science enrichment program). Students learn best when curriculum is relevant and meaningful thus developing a love of learning that is lifelong and sustainable.

We invite you to schedule an appointment to meet our Head of School, Mrs. Shireen Deen-Butman to see our school in action.

Please call our school office: (516) 466-8522 or email: Admissions@shagn.org

WHERE CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT WITH AN OPEN MIND AND AN OPEN HEART