|
PTO Chanukah Dinner
Start the celebration early with the Annual PTO Family Dinner catered by Z-Tov!
Time: 5:30pm
Dinner: Lasagna, macaroni and cheese, salad, bread, drinks
Cost: $12 per person (Max of $50 per family)
Click here for more information and to order your dinner.
Watch Your Child at our Chanukah Family Celebration!
Our Elementary School students must be supervised by an adult at all times. Until you drop your child off in the classroom at 6:30 pm (see below) or pick him or her up from the classroom following the performance, please keep an eye on him or her at all times. If you will not be present, make arrangements for another parent to supervise your child, and let your child's teacher know who that is.
Visit the Tzedek Fair and enjoy Music Ensemble performances starting at 6pm!
The Tzedek fair is an opportunity to learn about various causes researched and championed by our Middle School students. Bring single dollars or coins to donate. Visit the students' displays and participate in the giving of tzedakah for these worthy causes that evening in the Merkaz. We will also be treated to performances by our Choir and Klezmer Band under the direction of P'nina McCabe at 6pm followed by our student Middle School Band, The Chess Club.
Chanukah Musical Performance: Fiddler on the Roof! Grades K-5!
This is our all-school annual musical. If you have a child in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade, he or she is a performer in the musical. All our Elementary School students have been hard at work on their special numbers for the show! Whether you are having dinner here or arriving only for the show, ALL students must report to their classroom by 6:30pm to get into costume. (Please note that this is a change from previous years, when children were asked to report the gym) If you are available to help supervise the children in their classrooms prior to and after showtime, please email Cantor Adina to let her know: aackerman@gesher-jds.org.
Audience Seating for the Chanukah Musical
As in previous years, we are expecting a crowd! If you'd like to bid on seats in the first three rows, please do so (see link above). You will be notified prior to the show if you have a winning bid and your seat will be clearly designated as yours! General seating will be in fourth row and beyond. The gym will be open for seating at 6:50. Prior to 6:50, the gym will not be open for saving seats.
A few additional reminders for the audience:
- There will be a designated stroller parking area outside of the gym. Strollers are NOT allowed in the gym. Babies must be in laps and children in chairs or laps. The aisles and purple perimeter in the gym need to remain clear for our performers and for safety reasons.
- Tripods will not be allowed in the gym due to space constraints. The show will be taped and made available to view online this year!
- Please help us model good audience behavior. Our performers are very young and distracted easily. If you MUST exit the gym, please wait to do so between musical numbers, during applause.
After the show
All children will be dismissed and escorted by faculty back to their same classroom after the show. Please allow a few minutes for the children to take their costumes off and then ONE parent may proceed to the classroom to sign out their child/ren. No costume pieces are allowed to go home. The PTO will have a sufganiyah treat for the children on their way out!
This is always a wonderful evening and a great time to come together as a community and enjoy the talents of our children. We look forward to celebrating with you!
Afterschool care in Gesher ABC is available for Weds, Dec. 21st
The Afterschool care program is available the day of the Chanukah Musical until 6pm with advanced notice, for $18 per child. Please email Meredith Parnes mparnes@gesher-jds.org no later than Friday, Dec 16 to reserve your child's place. No one will be released from ABC to the Gesher family dinner without parent sign out and supervision. Please arrive no later than 6pm to pick up your child from the ABC classroom. A late fee will be assessed for parents arriving after 6pm.
Modiin University
Modiin is the village the Maccabees came from. In honor of the heroic deeds that happened there during these days at that time we have invited three of our community rabbis to come to Gesher's Middle School to teach mini-lessons on Chanukah and/or the Heritage of Eastern European Jews. We look forward to welcoming Rabbi Jeff Saxe of Temple Rodef Shalom, Rabbi Jack Moline of Agudas Achim Congregation, and Rabbi Shlomo Adler of Chabad.
Meet Yael Ingel
Once a month, our middle school students meet with Yael Ingel, our community shlicha. These meetings give the students the opportunity to make further connections between their studies at school with past and present Israel. This week for example, she met with 6th and 7th grade and talked about heroism in the times of the Maccabees. She also shared with them stories about the pioneers (chalutzim) who came to settle in Israel before the State of Israel was created and reflected in their heroism. They also talked about what makes a person a hero, who are the students' heroes, and how are they being inspired by them.
Yael works with area synagogues and Jewish organizations, promoting relationships with Israel. We are very fortunate to have Yael as a resource for learning about and connecting to Israel all year long. Click here to learn more about Yael!
Student Council Sufganiyot fundraiser!
Just in time for Chanukah the Student Council will be having a doughnut/sufganiyot fundraiser. The doughnuts will be sold on Tuesday, December 20th and Thursday, December 22nd. The doughnuts will be on sale during lunchtime and will cost $1. Each student is allowed to buy one doughnut per day. Happy Chanukah!
Winter MAP coming soon!!
Don't forget to look over the MAP offerings which will begin in mid-January. As always, there's something for everyone.
For the artistic students we have:
- Noah's Ark (Tues, K-3)
- Puppetry (Thurs, K-3.)
- Photography, (Thurs, 2-6)
- Pottery (Thurs, 2-6)
- Knitting (Thurs, 4-8)
- Quilting (Thurs, 4-8)
For the athletic students we have:
- Sports Spectacular (Tues, K-4)
- Intro to Dance (Tues, K-3)
- Fencing (Tues, 3-8)
- Basketball (Thurs, K-6)
- Karate (Thurs, K-6)
For academic students we have:
- WeDo Robotics (Tues, K-3)
- American Sign Language (Tues K-4)
- Lego Robotics (Tues, 3-6)
- Mad Science (Thurs, K-4)
- Chess Wizards (Thurs, K-5)
- Math Club (Thurs, 1-4)
Please sign up early so we can plan appropriately for all our programs. The full schedule is HERE.
Remember, if you know any children in your neighborhood who would like to participate in MAP classes, have them contact Gesher. Classes are NOT limited to Gesher students only.
Gesher Showcase
Click here to view work from our students on our Gesher Showcase website! Yasher koach to all of our hard working creative students!
Pictures:
 | |
Mrs. Rose explains the 'breakfast for the blind' to students Ellie M. and Lars R. The activity was related to Kitah Dalet's Head, Heart and Hand theme.
|
 | |
Kitah Dalet student Tal S. verbally helps her 'blind' classmate Ahava F. eat her breakfast as part of a Head, Heart and Hand class activity.
|
 | |
Kitah Gimel students enjoy the Old World, New World food tasting!
|
 | |
Kitah Gimel students Noa Y. and Gabe M. collect new foods to try from the New World, Old World food tasting.
|
 | |
Kitah Bet student Bryn G. shows her log cabin made out of pretzel sticks- just one of the many activities of Pioneer Day!
|
 | |
Kitah Bet students Josh S. and Alex N. build a log cabin during Pioneer Day.
|
| 
