|
|
| The Agnon Agenda |
Fall 2009
Issue #1 |
|
WELCOME TO THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR
Welcome to the first electronic Agnon Agenda newsletter of the new school year, part of our continued effort to "go green." Instead of periodically mailing this newsletter, we will be sending it to you as an e-mail that you can forward to grandparents, other family members and friends.
Please note: Agnon's electronic e-mail newsletter contains several pictures. If your e-mail software prevents you from viewing them, add kpeskin@agnon.org to your e-mail software's address book or "safe sender list." Alternately, click here to view the e-mail as a webpage.
Contents:
|
 
With concert appearances
in 36 states and five countries, along with several awards, Craig
Taubman's magical and enchanting music brings the joy and spirit of
Jewish heritage to life. Appealing to young and old alike, his music
captivates audiences wherever he performs.
The Gordon Memorial Concert Series,
dedicated in memory of Merle and Arlene Gordon, is the second in a series
dedicated to bringing quality Jewish music to Cleveland. Funds raised will benefit Agnon
school programming and provide scholarship assistance.
More info at |
|
| Teach Your Children
By Jerry D. Isaak-Shapiro, Head of School
The oddest things catch your eye - or in this case, the eyes of your wife and daughter  . A few weeks ago Debbie and Naomi saw something at Nordstrom that forced a double take, and it had nothing to do with a fashion trend or clearance sale (does Nordstrom even have clearance sales?). Prominently displayed by the children's shoe department was a sign advertising "shoelace tying lessons" for those in need. It certainly used to be in vogue for some educators to be disdainful of such crass business terms as marketing and positioning and branding, and even customer service was once upon a time, if truth be told, derided as a necessary evil at best. Such sentiments were and remain arrogant. Anyone who truly espouses a theory of multiple intelligence has to be open-minded enough to look to every field - sports, business, theater and every other section of the Sunday paper - for insight and experience. Read on. Click here for the entire article. |
Agnon Librarian Appointed to Book Award Committee
Agnon Librarian Aimee Lurie is one of three new members selected to serve a four-year term on the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee, a group whose mission is to select the best books that authentically reflect the Jewish experience for children. Her term begins in January, 2010. As a committee member, Lurie will read and review every new Jewish children's book published throughout the next four years. Each summer, she will attend the AJL National Convention and participate on a panel that discusses new books with librarians worldwide. Lurie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Ohio State University plus an MLS from Kent State University. She has reviewed books for the AJL Newsletter and Voice of Youth Advocates, a bimonthly journal addressing librarians, educators and other professionals who work with young adults. "Reviewing books has always been important to my professional development," says Lurie. "It is the best way to keep my finger on the pulse of publishing trends." |
 Follow Us on Facebook
If you're on Facebook, there are two ways to keep up with Agnon news, events and happenings.
Become a fan. Join the group.
| |
Just This Side of Heaven
By Diane Lavin, Middle School Teacher
 I love a room with windows. My first classroom at Agnon, M-9, boasts a wall of windows, instantly making me the envy of several colleagues. A few years later, I moved to M-5, also flooded with natural light, and two years ago, I moved to the college side, begging for a room with a bank of windows.
Now I teach in the basement, and it's not because the leadership team wanted to punish me for being greedy. I bargained for it, and here's what my students and I got in return for 13 years of sunlight: two huge spaces, one freshly painted sky blue and the other lilac, exclusive use (almost) of these spaces and freedom to arrange them to suit the needs of my students. Read on.
Click here for the entire story.
|
Dig In to the New Agnon Joint Garden
Help out Oct. 13 (after noon dismissal)!
As the new school year gets underway, a new garden is taking shape on the east side of The Agnon School building, thanks to a a cooperative venture with Agnon's future neighbor, Fuchs  Mizrachi School, and Jewish Family Service Association (JFSA).
"Our goal is to build a garden, in addition to building camaraderie with our new neighbor," said project coordinator and Agnon parent Heidi Solomon. "We want to enrich the educational environment for both schools by creating an on-going, hands-on tikkum olam project and then donating the produce to people in need."
Project volunteers will initially focus on preparing the soil and erecting a fence. Planting is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2010. When school is not in session, volunteers from JFSA's "YouthAbility" program will maintain the garden and help facilitate garden produce distribution.
Agnon families are invited to volunteer and dig in during a Community Service Project on Tuesday, October 13th, from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. (Note: There is a noon school dismissal on that day due to a teacher in-service program.)
Anyone interested in lending a helping hand can contact Heidi Solomon at shalom.eighteen@gmail.com or Laura Simon, Director of Admissions, at lsimon@agnon.org.
|
Agnon Fund Contributions
Many thanks to all of our Agnon contributors. Please click here for a list of Agnon Fund Contributions (Note: The last Fund Contributions list appeared in the June 2009 electronic Agenda newsletter).
| |
|
|
|
Photo Gallery 1: Back-to-School Brunch & PTA Book Sale
  
|
Photo Gallery 2: Classroom Visits
|
Photo Gallery 3: Shofar Idol
  
|
Photo Gallery 4: Rosh Hashanah
 
|
|
|
|
|
