GMSG Dinner

This past Sunday the Girls High School held their annual tribute dinner honoring Rabbi Yonason and Mrs. Sandy Gersten for their 25 years of service and dedication to our school.  The high school girls, who plan, promote, and execute the lavish affair in its entirety, brought in a record-breaking crowd from across the community all of whom were treated to a delectable meal and a moving tribute to two very special educators.

See below for a slideshow from the event.  For individual pictures, click here. 

Video of Governor's Visit

Here is the full length video of Governor Bill Haslam's dedication of our Max Cooper Business and Technology program last week at our school.  The speakers, in order of appearance, are Dr. Larry Wruble, myself, Mr. Ron Belz, Governor Haslam, and Dr. Brad Somer.

Many thanks to 12th grader Yosef Gersten for acting as our videographer for the day.

Enjoy!


Governor Haslam's visit to the MHA/FYOS from MHA/FYOS on Vimeo.

Shrine School

Thanks to the help of Mrs. Teri Graber, over the past two years we have forged a very special relationship between our Middle School and the Shrine School, a local public school which serves the physically and mentally handicapped population. Several times a year our students visit them, or they come to visit us, for a "fierce" game of basketball. The first half of the game features the wheelchair bound Shrine students playing against our students - who also take to wheelchairs for the event. In the second half, the ambulatory Shrine students, with the help of an aide or two and with exceptions made for them to the rules of dribbling, take on another set of Academy students, this time with everyone walking and running. Many of our younger grades come to the gym to watch, as one of their staff members works the microphone as the play by play announcer and inevitably gives the Shrine students an overwhelming home court advantage. With the scoreboard lit up, both teams in uniform, and a professional ref in place, it has the look and feel of any other inter-school basketball game. But the event, of course, has very little to do with basketball. For our students it gives them an invaluable opportunity to interact in a meaningful way with the disabled population and to learn that as different as they may be with regard to race, religion, socio-economic status, physical capability, and academic ability, there are still so many areas - like a love of basketball and the thrill of performing in front of a crowd - where we are all really the same. And for their students playing against our kids is a chance to feel like a million bucks and a rare opportunity to get attention for what they can do, rather than what they can't. For pictures and videos of the latest game, click here.

Governor Visits MHA

In what was a landmark event for our school this morning, Governor Bill Haslam and recently installed State Commissioner of Education Kevin Huffman, along with some 75 Memphis business leaders,  visited our school to dedicate our new Max Cooper Business and Technology Program.  The Max Cooper program, which has allowed us to install new technology in all of our classrooms and to offer a plethora of Business and Technology related electives for our high school students, marks our school's first step toward meaningful integration of 21st century learning.

After an introduction by Dr. Larry Wruble, a business associate of Mr. Cooper's, I spoke to the crowd for a few minutes on where I think education is going and what we need to do to get our kids there.  I then handed the program over to Mr. Ron Belz, one of the city's leading businesspeople, who introduced the Governor.   Governor Haslam then spoke about the serious challenges facing education in our state and how he believes even faith-based private schools like ours can be part of the solution. He also encouraged our high school students not to be afraid of high expectations and rigorous demands, and not to be afraid to bring the "treasures" of our religion with us into the public square.  Dr. Brad Somer closed the program and then we accompanied the Governor out to the front of our building where our Early Childhood and Elementary students were eagerly waiting for him.  He charmed them, much as he had charmed the adults, and after a few pictures with the kids he was off to his next destination.

For pictures from the event click here.  Below is Fox Memphis's news coverage.  Needless to say, it was a special day that won't soon be forgotten in our school community.

Alumni Game 2011

The Annual Irby Cooper Memorial Alumni Game returned home last night, after a few years in alternate venues.  The turnout was great, the food was fantastic, and the environment was electric.  Believe it or not, we even had some good basketball, too!  Led by Richard Lewis, the alumni made it close, but the boys of the Cooper Macs prevailed.  This doesn't bode well at all for the alum, given that most of the current Macs are freshman and sophomores and they are still at the point in their lives when getting older means getting better...

Below are some highlights from the fun-filled night.  For all of the pictures, click here.

The Muqata: Talmud Study now Mandatory in South Korea

The Muqata: Talmud Study now Mandatory in South Korea: "The following fascinating article was translated by The Muqata from YNET. Close to 50 million people live in South Korea, and everyone lear..."

GMSG Students Top Finalists in Writing Contest

Shoshana Somer and Molly Brakha have been selected as "Top Finalists" in B'nai Brith International's 2011 Diverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge.  The Diverse Minds Writing Challenge competition asked public and private high school students in Memphis and New York City to write and illustrate a children's book that discusses the topics of tolerance and diversity.  The contest winner in each city will receive a $5,000 college scholarship and publication of his or her book.  Second place in each city will receive a $2000 scholarship and third place receives $1000.  In addition, the teacher of the winning students (in our case, the phenomenal Mrs. Abby Johnson) receives a grant of $500 for the purchase of classroom materials and the school receives $500 as well.  


Shoshana and Molly will be attending an Award Presentation Event later this year in which the winners will be announces and presented with their prizes.  We wish them both the best of luck!!

5 Students Admitted to Honors Program

An unprecedented five MHA / FYOS students were admitted into Yeshiva University's prestigious Honors Program for 2011-2012.  Applicants must have at least a 90 cumulative average throughout high school and score at least a combined 1400 in the Math and Verbal sections of the SATs or a 32 on the ACT to even be considered for the program.  Together with their acceptance, each of the five students received a significant merit-based scholarship which together amounts to nearly $100,000 per year.

Students who enroll in the Honors Program at Yeshiva University select from special honors courses from offerings in the humanities, Jewish studies, natural sciences and social sciences, whose enrollment is capped at eleven students. In their final three semesters, honor students each complete a Senior Project under the individual guidance of a faculty mentor.  In addition, students in the program participate in a rich variety of extracurricular events focusing on the cultural resources of New York City as well as summer programs abroad. 


Congratulations to:

Debbie Farber (currently in Israel)

Ariav Schlesinger (currently in Israel)

Jonathan Tavin

Sam Rapp

Maddie Tavin

Purim Festivities

For weeks now, Purim has been in the air throughout the school.  From dress-up corners in the Early Childhood transformed into make-believe Shushans to high school students dressed as beavers preparing for their annual video Purim Schpiel, the spirit of the day was everywhere.  Amongst the most impressive of the Purim presentations was the play put on by the third grade, under the direction of Morah Yehudit, completely in Hebrew.  It was true testament to how comfortable our children have become in Hebrew due to our Lower School Hebrew immersion program for Judaic studies.  Click here  for images and some video clips of their performance.

Topping my personal list of most enjoyable Purim experiences were the grammen prepared by our Boys High School rebbeim and affectionately delivered on Purim afternoon at Rabbi Lubetski's house, and the rather  significant scare I delivered to the Girls High School as part of their Shushan Purim Color War breakout.  Though I think a few of them probably swore never to talk to me again, after a fun-filled two days of Color War, I think most of them of over it...    

Preparing For Purim

Dr. David Pelcovitz, a leading professor of psychology at the Azrieli Graduate School of Education and Administration, recently posted 7 tips for parents in preparing their teens for Purim.  I urge everyone to read it and to share it with their friends.  Have a wonderful, enjoyable, and safe Purim!

Digital Expressions

It seems that every day another one of our teachers begins venturing out of the world of traditional essays, reports, and tri-fold presentation boards, and allowing their students instead to demonstrate their learning via digital, multimedia, web-based tools.  Here are two quick examples of recent student work:

• A Museum Box from Mrs. Massey's 6th Grade on Mesoamerica (click on the pictures to learn more) and 
• Two Prezis (one and two) from Mrs. Perl's 11th and 12th Grade Chumash class (click on the arrow to get an in-depth analysis of the parasha)

Not surprisingly, the response from the students has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic and the sophistication of the products they are producing - using software they have completely taught themselves - continues to amaze us.

The Government Inspector

The recipe never seems to get old: take a whole bunch of high school kids, give them a classic play, mix in a heavy dose of Dr. Kutliroff, and out comes something simply startling.  Such was certainly the case this past Wednesday when the Boys High School staged Nikolai Gogol's 19th century political satire, The Government Inspector.  The fits of laughter heard throughout the audience attested to the talent and skill they demonstrated in pulling it off.

Below is a slideshow of some of the highlights from the play. For all the pictures click here.

Champions!

Congratulations to Coach Winestone and our Mini Macs Girls Basketball team on winning their league championship game tonight!  The team has worked hard all season and there couldn't have been a better way to cap it off.  Well done, girls!

Rosh Chodesh Adar

There are few MHA traditions as hallowed as the practice of our high schools dancing down to the Lower School on Rosh Chodesh Adar and together, as a single school, making their way to the gym for a special breakfast and chagigah.  There isn't a student in the school who doesn't look forward to it and this year's rendition certainly did not disappoint.

Click below for a taste of this uniquely festive atmosphere that electrified the entire school this past Monday morning.

Jeremy Cooper Named Academic All-Star

Congratulations to 11th grader Jeremy Cooper who was named this week's Cellular South Academic All-Star by the Commercial Appeal.  The award is given to seven of the top-performing high school students in the metro-Memphis area each week of the school year based on their academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, good character, and community service.  Those of us who know Jeremy know that in all four areas the honor is most deserved!

Click on the picture to read the full write-up on Jeremy's accomplishments and look for it again this Sunday's Commercial Appeal.

3rd Grade Science Fair Glog

To view a larger version click here.

Watson and the Case for Educational Reform

In case we need any further proof that we’re guiding our students into unchartered territories, see this piece in the Science Section of today’s New York Times.  The educational implications are those which Daniel Pink argued several years ago in A Whole New Mind: that the leaps and bounds by which computer processing power is expanding, and by which the relative costs of production are contracting, means that the future of meaningful human employment is going to be in places which – to the best of our current knowledge – computers can’t go: creativity, aesthetics, empathy, interpretation, deep meaning – what he calls “right-brain” areas.  So we then, as educators, have to ask ourselves to what degree is our educational system built to nurture these “right-brain” processes?  How much of what we do is focused on memorization, computation, and “getting the right answer,” and how much is focused on promoting ingenuity, recognizing multiple perspectives, cultivating a sense of aesthetic appreciation, or nurturing empathic development?  Said differently, how much of what we are teaching our students to do, can – and will – be done by the next generations of Watsons (read the article) and how much will remain in the human realm?

They are weighty questions for sure and no one has definitive answers.  Some have argued that our educational system can’t afford to take the risk.  More and more, educators are arguing, though, that we can’t afford not to.

Maddie Strikes Again

The accolades for 12th grader Maddie Tavin continue to pour in.  First she received a full academic scholarship, worth well over $100,000 to Stern College's prestigious S. Daniel Abraham Honors Program.  Then we received notice from the National Merit Scholarship Program  that Maddie was selected an one of only 15,000 finalists across the nation for their highly coveted Merit Scholar award. And in case that wasn't enough,  at this week's Model UN in Stamford Connecticut - an event that included 47 Jewish high schools and close to 500 students - Maddie was awarded Best Delegate for her work on the Security Council.

Of course, we know that Maddie is just getting started and we look forward to hearing about her accomplishments for many, many, years to come!

Science Wiki

If you haven't yet seen the wikispace created by our elementary school science teacher, Mrs. Hunt, be sure to check it out.  You and your children will find lots of links to sites and enrichment activities which correlate directly to the material they are covering in class.  Each subject area is clearly marked with the grade for which it is appropriate.  It's a great place to foster your budding scientist's passion for exploration and discovery!

Follow Us on Faceshuk

A number of months ago, a program called Faceshuk picked up my blog.  Faceshuk is designed to give certain Jewish bloggers greater exposure over the internet.  In addition to reposting my blog posts on Facebook, it sends the link to it's 3,737 (and growing) followers on Twitter.  Thanks to them, Jews all over the world are now learning just how special a place our school really is.

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