Sports Bash

Over the past year, our school's Athletic program has grown by leaps and bounds, both in terms of its offerings and in terms of its educational impact. While this week's Sports Bash was created by Coach Carr as a tribute to all of our student athletes and their dedicated coaches, it also served as a shining example of the initiative, enthusiasm, and dedication which Coach Carr brings each and every day to our students and our school.

Wheelchair Basketball

Yesterday many of our students had the opportunity to witness what has become an ongoing lesson in experiential learning and sensitivity training by our Junior High, thanks in large part to Mrs. Teri Graber. After having visited their school several months ago, high school students from the Shrine School, a Memphis city public school serving developmentally and physically handicapped kids, visited us yesterday for another inspiring, eye-opening, and most enjoyable game of basketball. As they did last time, when the wheelchair-bound members of their team were in the game, our students also sat in wheelchairs so as to level the playing field. And, as they did last time, our students understood that this game was not about winning and not even about making challenged kids feel good. It was about respecting who they are, getting a glimpse at what they go through, and appreciating that despite the differences between us and them, there is much that we all share.

Early Childhood Education Revisited

This week's Message from the Dean in our weekly school newsletter refers to two recently published articles which burst commonly held perceptions and argue for the reversal of recent trends in Early Childhood education. The first is an article by Peggy Orenstein entitled "Kindergarten Cram" which appeared in New York Times Magazine at the end of April. The second, by David McKay Wilson, appeared in the May / June edition of the Harvard Education Letter and is entitled "Developmentally Appropriate Practice in the Age of Testing."

If you have a child in Pre-K or Kindergarten, or will have one there soon, both articles are very much worth a read.

Lag Ba-Omer Softball

4 teams... 34 boys... 3 inning single elimination tournament on our rain soaked muddy field...Rabbi Gersten with his tie, Rabbi Spodek with his batting glove, and Rabbi Feigenbaum doing his best Keith Hernandez impression... a fun time was had by all...

Graduation Honors

It is my pleasure to announce that two most deserving young women from the Goldie Margolin School for Girls have been selected as Valedictorian and Salutatorian of this year's graduating class. Following in the school's tradition, the honors are given to the two students from either of our two high schools with the highest cumulative grade point average. This year those distinctions go to Raquel Kampf, who was named Valedictorian, and Eliana Graber, who was named Salutatorian. Both Raquel and Eliana will spend next year studying in Israel at Sha'alvim for Women, after which Raquel will go on to Stern College for Women and Eliana will attend Barnard College.

Also receiving special recognition at graduation will be Andrew Tavin, who will be presented with his National Merit Scholarship Award. Andrew, who will be attending NYU as a Presidential Honors Scholar, is one of only 8200 students - out of 1.5 million entrants from across the country - to win the prestigious National Merit award.



Congratulations to them all!

Yom Ha-Atzma'ut

From the solemn ceremonies and thought provoking programs of Yom Ha-Zikaron to the Early Childhood airplane rides and school-wide celebratory march of Yom Ha-Atzma'ut, these two action packed days serve as powerful reminders to our students of the place which the State of Israel has - and must always have - in our hearts and minds.

Last week's Girls High School Dinner was a wonderful tribute to two special teachers - Mrs. Bluma Zuckerbrodt-Finkelstein (Zionism) and Mrs. Barbara Manserberg (Spanish) - and to twenty-eight special girls whose hard work, dedication, and boundless school spirit made the night a phenomenal success.

Yasher kochachen!