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| The Agnon Agenda |
March 2010
Issue #4
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HAPPY PASSOVER!
Welcome to the fourth electronic Agnon Agenda newsletter of the school year, part of our continued effort to "go green." Instead of mailing this newsletter, we are sending it to you as an e-mail that you can forward to grandparents, other family members and friends.
In addition, parents receive a weekly e-mail from Admissions Director Laura Simon, highlighting upcoming school events and activities. Parents of Early Childhood - 5th grade students also get class newsletters regularly by e-mail.
More news, upcoming events, the calendar and monthly lunch menus can be found on the Agnon website. You can also get updates from Agnon by joining our Facebook fan page and following @agnonschool on twitter.
In this issue:
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 ANNUAL SPRING AUCTION RAISES RECORD AMOUNT
Raising a record $100,000+ for scholarship assistance, programming and operating revenue, Agnon's 21st Annual Benefit Auction and Raffle - "Spring Into Action" - was a huge success. A sold-out crowd bid on items ranging from restaurant and beauty salon gift certificates to wide screen televisions and vacation packages. Agnon parents also got the chance to bid on teacher outings for their children. The event was catered by Bonnie Davis.
"Now more than ever, funds raised at this benefit auction enable Agnon to ensure the quality education that our children receive everyday," said event co-chairs and Agnon parents Jennifer Finkel and Elisabeth Sapell. "We'd like to thank our community members who showed their support tonight."
Master of Ceremonies Scott Simon and a live auctioneer both provided entertainment and excitement, while taking bids for everything from Cavs tickets to a South African vacation package. In addition, one lucky Raffle Ticket grand prize winner received $3500, while second and third place winners each took home high definition televisions.
"Our volunteers put in countless hours to make this evening a success, and the generosity of those in attendance was overwhelming. We want to thank all of the bidders plus our donors and sponsors," said Laura Leventhal, Director of Development.
This year's sponsors included: Jones Day, Adam & Nancy Levin/Levin Consulting, Norman & Roz Adler, John & Rabbi Sharon Marcus, Peter & Aliki Rzepka, Wasmer Schroeder, Joan Saks, CPA/Goodman Saks CPA's, Mercedes Benz of Bedford, Hunan Coventry, Saul and Anat Nurko, David Leavitt & Leah Spector, Jonathan & Suzanne Scharfstein, Terry Macklin Event Centre, Weisman, Kennedy & Berris and Michael & Willy Sapell/Sapell Bi-Rite (who were omitted from the auction program.)
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STUDENTS EMULATE ARTISTS AND ACT AS DOCENTS
 One of the culminating experiences of the eighth grade year involves a visit to the Cleveland Museum of Art. Our students recently became docents (guides) as they stood before their own paintings as well as the works (and/or reproductions) of the individual artist they chose to study and emulate. After extensive research, each student spoke about the artist's life and works as well as the emulation process. This special program was well attended by more than 50 friends and family members.
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After successfully competing in The Agnon School Science Fair, 12 Agnon middle school students won awards at the Northeast Ohio Science and Engineering Fair (NEOSEF) held earlier in March at Cleveland State University. Approximately 600 students from more than 80 schools participated. The following 7th and 8th graders were this year's NEOSEF award recipients:
Second Place (Ribbon, Medal, $25)
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Abigail Ophir (7th Grade) / Biology: How does time affect afterimages?
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Julia Scharfstein (8th Grade) / Environmental: What is the effect of color of roof materials on temperature?
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Naomi Shapiro (7th Grade) / Biology: What is effect of hydroponics vs. soil on plant growth and germination?
- Noa Shapiro-Franklin (7th Grade) / Environmental: What is effect of car oil on plant growth and germination?
Third Place (Ribbon, Medal)
- Danielle Buchinsky (7th Grade) / Environmental: How do different detergents affect plant growth?
- Soliana Goldrich (8th Grade) / Physics: What is the effect of material on how well a pulley works?
- Grant Gulden (7th Grade) / Environmental: How does acid rain affect plant growth?
- Zach Kirsch (8th Grade) / Physics: What is the effect of air pressure on rebound height?
- Rachel Levin (8th Grade) / Chemistry: What is the effect of different storage methods on apple oxidation?
- Zach Reizes (7th Grade) / Environmental: What is the effect of soil pH on plant growth?
Honorable Mention (Ribbon):
- Molly Kazan (8th Grade) / Physics: How does temperature affect rebound speed?
- Elanna Rosner (8th Grade) / Physics: How do different surfaces affect speed?
Special NEOSEF Awards
 Julia Scharfstein (8th Grade) received a special award from the Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society.
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AGNON TEACHER WINS CRYSTAL APPLE AWARD
 Agnon kindergarten teacher Michele Sudow has been awarded The Plain Dealer's prestigious Crystal Apple Award - an honor bestowed upon only 12 Northeast Ohio educators each year. Michele was nominated by Agnon parent Karil Bialostosky.
In addition to receiving individual recognition at Agnon, Michele was featured in The Plain Dealer on March 21 and will attend a special awards banquet with Karil in May.
Crystal Apple Award Nomination Essay
By Karil Bialostosky
It was clear from day one that Michele Sudow was a special person and an amazing educator. From the minute the children first walked into her kindergarten classroom last year, she commanded respect and attention, yet radiated warmth, kindness and patience that had a calming effect on the children. Michele is very no-nonsense with both the children and their parents, but she exudes confidence and intelligence. Children listen to her and learn without necessarily thinking they are working very hard.
Read the entire essay -->>
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TERRY POLLACK TO GIVE ADULT JCC LECTURE SERIES
Terry Pollack, Agnon's Director of General Academics, has extensive experience in teaching history and economics and has traveled to more than 80 countries. He'll be featured in the JCC lecture series American Foreign Policies: Do They Help or Hinder?
Foreign policies are usually designed to help protect a country's national interests, national security, ideological goals and economic prosperity. How do our country's leaders decide what is morally, ethically and economically good? How does climate change affect our ever-shifting policies? When is it alright to attain our goals through peaceful cooperation with other nations and when, if ever, is military intervention necessary? In addition to discussing these questions, attendees will examine foreign policy changes over the past century and look to the future to see where we are headed.
Registration info:
Tuesdays ● April 13 - May 18 (6 Sessions)
12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Mandel JCC ● 26001 South Woodland Road
$40 / JCC Members ● $45 / Non-Members
Registration: (216) 593-0448 ● Class Code 5602
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AGNON PARTICIPATES IN PASSOVER FOOD DRIVE
Agnon middle school students recently coordinated a kosher for Passover food drive aimed at helping low-income Jewish Clevelanders - many of whom are Holocaust survivors. After collecting a variety of kosher for Passover food items from the entire Agnon community, Agnon 7th grade students assembled more than 50 gift bags with the donated Passover products and hand-delivered each to Jewish families in need.
  
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AGNON IN THE NEWS: ETHIOPIAN MITZVAH PROJECT FEATURED ON CHANNEL 3
In conjunction with their Israel class trip next month, Agnon 8th graders recently participated in a mitzvah project to help Ethiopian families in Israel who live below the poverty level.
Because travelers can only transport items they have packed themselves, each student filled a duffle bag with new clothes that had been donated for Ethiopian children in need. When they arrive at the airport, the students will check in one of their own suitcases, as well as the duffle bag, since international travelers may take two suitcases abroad at no additional cost.
Packing and transporting hundreds of donated items not only saves an exorbitant amount of money in postage, it also adds to the significance of an already meaningful journey. What's more, the 8th graders are scheduled to meet with these Ethiopian families during their time in Israel.
When TV-3's Ramona Robinson learned about this special project, she asked to feature our 8th graders on one of her "Ramona's Kids" segment which is scheduled to air on Friday, April 2nd during Channel 3's 6:00 p.m. news program. Stay tuned!  
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COMMENTS, CORRECTIONS OR FEEDBACK?
Please e-mail Kathy Peskin, Director of Marketing, at The Agnon School. | |
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