On the Bridge
Gesher Jewish Day School September 22, 2010 |
Chag Sukkot Sameach! | |
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| Greetings! |
Sukkot, the harvest festival, is known as "zman simchatenu," - "the time of our joy." Since ancient times, sukkot has been a time to get out of the house, enjoy nature, and generally return to the elements. Our Gesher Green team will take the students out for a nature activity in the garden to celebrate the holiday and directly observe the cycle of growth within it. All the classes will get some time to enjoy a snack in the sukkah and recite the appropriate blessings to fulfill this mitzvah.
During the Chol haMoed semi-holiday days next week, grades three through eight will gather each morning at 8:30 a.m. for a joint tefillah (prayer) service, in which we will say Hallel (psalms of praise), shake the lulav and etrog, and proceed in a hakafah (circuit) around the Beit Midrash. We hope to be led by a community rabbi who will also (later on) go into a K-2 class to tell a favorite Sukkot story. (If you purchased a lulav and etrog through the school, please consider sending them back in next week with your children- even if you want them brought back and forth home daily- and please join us if you get a chance!)
Every grade has a sukkah party planned- the PTO has done a great job in setting these up. We hope that you will consult the list below under Mishpachat Gesher and plan to attend your grade's event. Our teachers will go light with the homework this coming week and combined with observing the great American screen-free week, we truly can make the week ahead, a zman simchatenu - a time of our joy!
Shabbat Shalom v'Chag Sameach!
(A peaceful Sabbath and a Happy Holiday!)
Zvi Schoenburg
Head of School
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Upcoming Events
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September 22- Erev Sukkot, noon dismissal
September 23-24*- Sukkot Yom Tov, no school
*Reform Judaism celebrates one day
September 26, 27, 29- Class Sukkah Parties
September 27-29- Sukkot Chol haMoed, school in session
(bring in your lulav and etrog!)
September 29- Hoshana Raba, noon dismissal
September 30- Shemini Atzeret, no school
October 1- Simchat Torah*, no school
*Reform Judaism celebrates Shemini Atzeret in conjunction with Simchat Torah
SAVE THE DATE!
October 4- 7:00pm Back to School Night, Elementary School
October 11- 7:00pm Back to School Night, Middle School |
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| School News |
Violin Lessons with Music Kids NEW this year at Gesher Jewish Day School
Ages: K-8
When: Monday afternoons
Where: After school at Gesher Jewish Day School!
Gesher Jewish Day School is pleased to announce a new partnership with Music Kids for the 2010-2011 school year. Starting in October, private instruction with a violin teacher from Music Kids will be available on-site. Lessons will take place after school for Gesher-enrolled students. Music Kids is a program which believes in an integrated approach to music education, believing that high-quality instrumental education should be a natural part of a student's academic, social, and family life.
The Music Kids program includes the following:
* weekly one-on-one lessons
* monthly group lessons
* student recitals and performance opportunities
* convenient violin sizing, rental, and insurance
For further information, please join us for a Hands on Demonstration for both parents and kids on Tuesday, September 28th at 3:45pm in the Beit Midrash. Click here for more information!
STEM stands for Science Technology Engineering Math.
Remember our strategic plan? Read all about it on our website at the following link. One instructional area which we especially wish to advance is science instruction- and with it, all the STEM disciplines. What would you like to see happen in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math? Please send your ideas to Dr. Schoenburg.
Morah Melanie is Teaching Teachers How to Differentiate Instruction
Our own Morah Melanie Eisen is at it again. She has been tapped this fall by the Matok Torah Curriculum to lead a series of webinars for Jewish day school teachers on how to differentiate instruction in their Torah teaching. Teachers from all across the country are slated to participate on-line.
MAP is BACK! and one more MAP opportunity
MAP is Gesher's after school enrichment program. It runs in three 8-week sessions on either Tuesdays or Thursdays. The first session will begin right after the holidays on either October 5th or 7th. The new brochure is out, and there are many wonderful classes to choose from. There are classes for children who are artistic, or athletic, or academic. In other words, there is something for everyone! Anyone in ABC on Tuesday or Thursday can participate as part of the ABC program.
For the budding Naturalists (and early risers) at Gesher, Jeanne Leckert, MAP and Gesher Green Coordinator is offering morning nature walks. The class will meet on Tuesdays, from 7:30-8:30AM. Each week we will walk through different habitats and watch as fall comes to our area. We will look for animals, birds, bugs. We will note as the colors of the leaves change. Explore into the woods. Play environmental games. It should be great fun. This class is open to all ages. I will adapt the class depending on who is interested and what their interests are. The cost remains $100 for the eight 1-hour sessions. Dates are Oct 5-Nov 30, with no class on Nov 16.
MAP is open to non-Gesher students as well. If your child has any friends in the neighborhood, or from synagogue who would like to come for a MAP class, please pass along a brochure to them. Fall 2010 MAP brochure. Hope to see many of your children in MAP this year!
Immunization Reminder for 5th and 6th Graders:
All Gesher parents are reminded to obtain a DTap or Tdap booster immunization for their 11 and 12 year old children. If you have not done so yet, please do so as soon as possible. This booster is a required immunization and should be administered by the time the child enters the 6th grade. It is easily obtainable at your private pediatrician's office or at the local health department in the city or county where your children reside.
In addition to the required DTap or Tdap booster vaccination, the healh department recommends that 11 and 12 year old girls receive the HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Vaccine. This vaccination is now recommended but not required for all rising 6th grade girls.
If you should have any questions or would like to receive any additional information about either of these vaccinations, please feel free to contact Sharon Yungshten, the Gesher nurse, at telephone number 703-962-9206.
Did you know that you can order lunch, order challah, and change your daily dismissal instructions on-line?
Just go to the Gesher website at www.gesher-jds.org, log-in, go to Quick Links at the lower left of the home page, and get going! We appreciate you taking care of business the quick and efficient way!
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Admissions News
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Do you know parents who are interested in learning more about Gesher? Encourage them to attend an upcoming Admissions Open House.
See Classrooms in Action!
Mon, Oct 11 or Tues, Nov 9 from 9:30-11a
or Sun, Jan 9 from 10-11:30a (child care available in the Gesher gym for the Sunday Tour)
RSVP 703-962-9216 or dmendelson@gesher-jds.org.
Help build enrollment for the 2011-2012 school year and save on next year's tuition through our Refer a Friend Program!
Why Refer a Friend?
Word of mouth is our most powerful recruitment tool! We value you, our parents, and know that you are terrific ambassadors for Gesher and you know first-hand the value of a Gesher Jewish Day School education.
What is the Refer a Friend Incentive?
You will receive a $500 tuition discount for the 2011-2012 school year for every new family that applies for admission and writes your name on the "How did I hear about Gesher" line on their application. For more information, contact Debra in the Admissions office.
Gesher on Facebook Are you on Facebook? Stay in touch with community events at Gesher and help us increase awareness of our school with this popular social networking site. Become a fan and invite your friends to join! Do it today! Visit http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Fairfax-VA/Gesher-Jewish-Day-School/35325291931?ref=ts |
Gesher Green
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Spotlight on the Gesher Woods
We are so lucky to have a school that sits in the middle of some beautiful woods. These woods are very mature and healthy. There is a nice variety of tree species. Some species are easy to recognize. One is the American Beech which has a smooth gray bark. We also have several species of oak trees, such as white oaks, both northern and southern red oaks, and blackjack oaks, among others. There are also hickory and ash trees. Some of our conifers are White, Virginia and Loblolly Pines. Our woods boast a healthy mammal population as well. We often see deer and fox. Of course, there are many birds that live here also.
Our plans for the forest include creating and mulching trails through the woods. Eventually we would like to have a trail that circles the building and connects all the stations in our Environmental Center.
The classes that will be spending the most time in the woods are kindergarten and third grade. The Gan will be studying trees as part of their science studies this year. The third grade will learn how to care for and protect the forest as part of the Gesher Green responsibilities.
Join our Sustainability Committee and Help The Environment
Gesher is already well-known for its green activities through our curriculum and our building operations. The ethos of respecting the environment is a core part of our values as a school and, we hope, helps us to set a leading example in the community and attract and retain students.
We recently gained external recognition with a $2,500 award from Nickelodeon's Big Green Help Grant Program.
To ensure we stay at the forefront, we are setting up a board committee to support the existing activities and help decide where we expand them; nature trails, energy usage, and recycling are just a few amongst the many different things we could do. We will spend our first few meetings identifying where we can have the most impact and putting a plan together and then we will move into implementation.
I will be chairing the committee, working closely with our wonderful science teacher and green champion, Jeanne Leckert. If you would like to join us please email me at kevin@mossdomain.com.
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| Development and Fundraising |
It's not just dinner, it's dinner with a twist!
Save this date - Saturday, November 13, 2010 - for Gesher Jewish Day School's Dinner with a Twist ®
Look for your invitation in the mail soon where many more special guests will be announced. For more information, please contact Rebekah Dickinson, Director of Development, at 703.962.9209 or rdickinson@gesher-jds.org.
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| PTO |
 Is the tv off? No Wii this week? Then you have joined in our TV Turn Off Drive at Gesher. Turn off the screen and get moving as we enjoy these last few weeks of fall weather. Thanks to Naama Ende for encouraging us to find creative, fun ways to spend our off time. Please celebrate Sukkot with Gesher and join in the parties. The schedule is below.
Sukkah Party Schedule 2010
Gan
Bernstein
Family
833 19th St S,
Arlington, VA 22202
Sunday,
September 26, 10:00-11:30 a.m.
First
Grade
Nash
Family
3806 Sandalwood Court,
Fairfax, VA 22031
Sunday,
September 26, 11:00 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
Second
Grade
Frame
Family
3820 Bosworth Court,
Fairfax, VA 22031
Monday,
September 27 3:45- 4:30 p.m.
Third
Grade
Tretiak
Family
1006
Northwoods Trail, McLean, VA 22102
Sunday,
September 26, 1:00- 3:00 p.m.
Fourth
Grade
Eisen
Family
6112 Winnepeg Drive,
Burke, VA 22015
Wednesday,
Sept. 29, 12:45- 2:15 p.m.
Fifth
Grade
McSweeney
Rafky Family
415 N. Fillmore Street,
Arlington, VA 22201
Sunday,
September 26, 2:30-4:00 p.m.
Sixth
& Seventh Grade
Rutzick/Nash
Sukkah
at Gesher
Wednesday,
September 29, 12:00- 2:00
Eighth
Grade
Stravitz
Family
3810 Sandalwood Court,
Fairfax, VA 22031
Sunday,
September 26, 6:00- 8:00 p.m.
A big THANK YOU to the Bernstein, Nash, Frame, Rutzick, Eisen, McSweeney/Rafky, Stravitz Families for hosting this years sukkot happenings.
Save the Date - October 16th as Middle Schooler match wits with their Parents in a battle of age and experience versus youth and knowledge for "Are you Smarter than Your Parents?"
October 22 - All School Kabballat Shabbat. Please join your child in the gym as we welcome Shabbat together as a community. |
| Caring Community |
Mazel Tov to Netta and Nissim Cohen as their son, Dan, was wished "to Torah, chuppah, and good deeds," at his brit milah (circumcision ceremony). |
Mizvah Coupon Donations
| | MItzvah Coupon donations can now be made on-line through our secure website, www.gesher-jds.org. Simply log in and click on the Donate link at the top of our homepage.
In memory of Fred Ephraim Schoenburg
Aviva Lieberman and Shmuel Anglister
In memory of Yehezkel Anglister
Aviva Lieberman and Shmuel Anglister |
| Community Announcements |
Eating Disorders: What School Professionals and Parents Need to Know
October 14, 2010
7:00pm-9:00pm
Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School
1524 35th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
Independent Education* will host a program in partnership with The Harris Center for Education and Advocacy in Eating Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital called "Eating Disorders: What School Professionals and Parents Need to Know" at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The program will be free of charge and will educate school professionals and parents about early recognition of eating disorders and appropriate interventions. Registration deadline: October 4th www.independenteducation.org. Click here to view flyer.
*Independent Education is the new name of the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington (AISGW), of which Gesher is a member.
Jewish Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop
Did you know that northern Virginia has its own Jewish Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop?
Open to boys in first to fifth grades, Cub Scout Pack 1818 is a load of fun. We usually meet once a month and do all kinds of activities like sports, crafts, and hiking. We build and race model cars and sail boats. Each year we go camping and take in a Nationals game. Click here for tentative schedule.
Boy Scout Troop 1818 - for boys ages 10 and a half until 18 - provides opportunities to build lifelong skills and values, and make lasting friendships. In addition to weekly meetings, the boys develop leadership skills by planning their own activities (under adult supervision); scouts go on regular camp-outs, hikes, and other outings. The boys have a chance to earn merit badges in such diverse areas as engineering, camping, orienteering, nuclear science, and first aid. This past year, boys from Troop 1818 got to learn CPR, build and sleep in a snow igloo, and attend the 100th anniversary National Jamboree with Scouts from around the country and world.
Both Pack and Troop 1818 are chartered by the Olam Tikvah Men's Club. Families from all synagogues are welcome. Kosher dietary requirements, as well as Shabbat and Jewish holidays, are observed.
For more information on Pack 1818, please contact Steve Lamar at 703-280-2382 or lamarsteve@gmail.com. For more information on Boy Scout Troop 1818, please contact Robert Book at 703-766-0187 or rbook@pobox.com.
Come have fun with your little one- Baby....and ME!
Ages: Newborn - 2 years
When: 2x per month (Oct. 7, 14, Nov. 4, 18, Dec. 2, 16) 9:15am-10:15am
Location: Olam Tikvah 3800 Glenbrook Rd. Fairfax, VA 22031
Facilitator: Sharon Sherry, OTPS Director
Cost: $30 for Fall classes; $6.00 drop-in rate per class
Includes snack and crafts for older children. Featuring Olam Tikvah's preschool music specialist, Carol Boyd Leon, and speakers on important parenting issues. For more information, click here.
of financial assistance at this time, or if you know of anyone in the community who is in need, please do not hesitate to contact the Jewish Federation's Warm Line at 1-866-950-4AID.
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We welcome your inquiries. To schedule a tour, or for more information about admissions or making a donation to Gesher Jewish Day School, please contact us at (703)978-9789.
Sincerely,
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Gesher Jewish Day School
4800 Mattie Moore Court
Fairfax, VA 22030
phone: (703) 978-9789
fax: (703)978-2668
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