8TH GRADERS SERVE AS MUSEUM DOCENTS 

 Each year, Agnon 8th graders select, study, emulate and teach about a master painter.  They then act as docents at the Cleveland Museum of Art, standing before a famous work of art and speaking about the artist's life and work as well as the emulation process.   

Agnon announced that it is adding an additional Kindergarten class for the 2012 - 2013 school year to accommodate increased enrollment.  This added section, which boosts the number of Agnon Kindergarten classes from two to three, allows the school to continue to feature small class sizes while fostering individualized education. 

In addition, the school will have three third grade classes next year.  This year, increased enrollment included 12 mid-year transfer students entering Early Childhood through Middle School classes.  

HANDS-ON SCIENCE:  Seventh Graders Dissect to Investigate Evolution

During a science lesson on evolution, Agnon 7th graders recently had the opportunity to dissect chicken wings.  They discovered the many structural similarities between the anatomy of human arms and chicken wings - a method scientists often use to support the theory of evolution.  

BOOK FAIR BOASTS RECORD-BREAKING SALES 

STUDENTS SEE PRINTMAKING AND MULTIMEDIA ART IN ACTION

A Target grant for an artist-in-residence program gave Agnon 3rd graders the chance to visit with multi-media artist Dexter Davis. 

Dexter, a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art, combines wood-cut prints with other materials ranging from cloth to paper cups.  With work in several local galleries and museums, Dexter sold his first piece to the Cleveland Museum of Art this year. During Dexter's visit, students viewed a slide show and watched the artist make one of his wood-cut prints.

In addition, 4th graders took a field trip to Zygote Press, a studio where artists share printing presses for etching, stone lithography and relief printing. Students observed three different artists at work and created their own artwork using the printing presses there.  

Kimberly Favor has been with The Agnon School for two years and teaches 4th grade Language Arts and Social Studies as well as Gifted Math for grades 2 and 3. She stresses individuality and encourages her students to set their own goals in order to reach their true potential. "I set the bar high, knowing that every student can achieve a level of success with the proper amount of effort and support. Confidence and commitment are key," says Kim.

With a Masters of Teaching from National Louis University in Chicago and a Masters of Arts from Northwestern University in Theatre, Kim also holds a Bachelor's Degree from Concordia University in Montreal in Communications, where she majored in film production. She is also a member of the Anti-Defamation League's Glass Leadership Institute.

Kim first taught drama at Chicagoland Jewish High School and for Chicago's Lookingglass Theatre Company before teaching 6th grade Language Arts and Literature as well as 4th - 8th grade Gifted Language Arts and Literature at Oliver McCracken Middle School in Skokie, Illinois.

She grew up in Montreal, Canada and now lives in Beachwood with her husband, Jonathan Schonfeld, and their 16 month-old daughter, Sadie.

As a child: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

In college: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 

As an adult: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hasseini, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and Stones Into Schools by Greg Mortensen

4TH GRADE CELEBRATES PASSOVER

In preparation for Passover, Agnon 4th graders conducted a successful classroom Seder, complete with matza ball soup, charoset and brisket.  Thank you to all the parents who contributed food and other Seder items.  And, many thanks to Char Moses (Jake's grandmother) for supplying the brisket and helping the students to prepare it.