Fun and Joy in the School!

Keeping Connected    March 2020

Someone  from outside of Congregation Shalom recently asked me if there is fun and joy in our school. The week prior to that I had a meeting with some of the teachers. We were discussing a new idea around the Hebrew program and my exact words were, “As you plan for the activity, please remember to make it fun.” During a few of my own parent/teacher conferences, I shared with some families that one of my first priorities in teaching is to make sure that the class is fun and that the students enjoy being in the temple.” After being asked the question about fun and joy in our school, I decided to take the question directly to the students. I asked them, “Do you think school at temple is fun and/or enjoyable and if so, would you tell me what is fun?”  These are some of the many responses that I received:

      • I like when we do cool projects.
      • Playing games is fun.
      • I think it is fun when I get to work by myself.
      • I like doing plays.
      • The projects and crafts are fun.
      • I like being together.
      • I like hanging out with my friends.
      • I like when we split into small groups and make words in Hebrew.
      • It is fun when we sing songs.
      • I like being with my friends that I have been with for many years.
      • It is fun to eat pizza together.
      • I like when we watch videos in class.
      • It was fun when Rescue came.
      • The Hebrew games we play are fun.
      • It is fun to paint with the paint markers.
      • It is fun to do Hebrew letter yoga.
      • My teacher makes my class really fun.

If you want more fun, be sure to come to the Purim Spiel and Carnival on Sunday, March 8, 2020 beginning at 10:00am.  All the students and families will be there, as it is a required day of Religious School but everyone in our community is also invited. Bring friends. Bring neighbors.  Bring fun and joy! Bring some money to buy food and play games. Everyone (young and old) are invited to come in costume you and join in as the teaching staff presents a funny skit, along with a few other activities, lot of songs and the reading of the megillah. Following the spiel, The Shalomites will once again host the Purim Carnival, with lots of new games and ideas this year. The Purim Carnival is one of the biggest fundraisers for our temple’s youth group. They are accepting donations of nut free hamantaschen, along with donations of prizes and gift cards for the raffle table.  If you are able to donate hamantaschen or prizes, please contact me before March 8 to allow The Shalomites to prepare accordingly.

Finally, if you have other ideas of ways to make our temple’s school even more fun and enjoyable, please share your ideas with me! Together, we will make the school the best it can be.

Tzedakah Progress

Schedule for March

March 1 – Religious School for Preschool – 7; Kitah Aleph; Grade 3 Family Ed.

March 4 – Hebrew School – Hebrew School; Chai School Session 3 begins

March 6  – 5th grade class dinner and Shabbat service

March 8 – Purim Celebration

March 10 – Post Confirmation

March 11 – Hebrew School; Ma’ariv – Kitah Bet; Chai School

March 15 – Religious School (Pre-7); Kitah Aleph; Grade 6 Family Ed; Grade 7 Ketubah painting

March 18 – Hebrew School; Chai School

March 22 – Religious School (PreK-7); Grade 7 Ketubah painting

March 25 – Hebrew School; Chai School

March 29 – Religious School K-7; Grade 4 Family Ed.; Grade 7 Ketubah painting