As the Spring semester begins we are interviewing students and receiving applications for the 2009-2010 school year. On January 13, at 7pm, we invite all prospective parents to join us for an information session, questions and answers, and a tour of our beautiful campus. On January 20, at 6pm, we invite prospective students to join us for a pizza party and the chance to root our Bulldog basketball teams on to victory!

As we look to welcoming our new students, our seniors are completing the college application process and we will soon send out mid-term grade reports to the universities. Our students are receiving acceptances to schools across the country and we are very proud of their hard work and achievements. Our juniors, just beginning the process, are starting to meet with our College Guidance Counselor, Allyn Schmucker, who will soon disperse our college application process packages.

Just as we are preparing our budget for the next school year, we are very concerned about the financial crunch that our families may find themselves in. To that, we are now streamlining the tuition assistance program and expect assistance application forms to be available in March, with responses, we hope, returned to you in late April.

The PSAT scores of our juniors are returning and, as a class, they've done very well. While awards will not be finalized and reported until September, we expect this class to produce a Commended Student and a Semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Scores to report, college application acceptances to be proud of, and sports wins to announce, we hope that all of these news briefs and more will soon find a home on the Bulldog Network as our Spring semester debuts a new video journalism class, taught by Rhonda Russell. We are very excited and hope to hit the Yavneh airwaves with in-house broadcasting before the end of the year.

Mrs. Haun joined Yavneh's staff in 2006 to organize the school's library, already a seven-year veteran of the staff at Akiba Academy. She is responsible for bar- coding materials, creating a computerized catalog, and setting up an impressive study center for faculty and students alike.

"Our library, like many, has become a supplement to the internet and other resources," said Mrs. Haun. "Materials online are 'in the moment,' but I'm happy to work with our students to be sure that what they are finding is accurate. Many 'sources' they are likely to be using as 'research' can be questionable. I try to guide them to use print resources and then follow through with the internet."

"We are building our Judaic and General Studies curriculum support for all of our classes and we welcome donations from home libraries," said Mrs. Haun who notes that books that can't be used in the library are sometimes shared with teachers for classroom use, and other times sold with the proceeds used to purchase needed materials. "We are very judicious about what we accept, and we advise people to go through their books to be sure there aren't any special notes, photos, or other memories inside."

Yavneh's library has close to 4,500 book titles and 25 regular subscriptions to periodicals, including Newsweek, Time, Consumer Reports, the Texas Jewish Post, National Geographic, and Southwest Art.

Mrs. Haun, originally from Wichita, Kansas, is married to C.D. (a social studies teacher in Ft. Worth), the mother of Megan and Kenneth, and grandmother of three. She received her bachelors degree at Phillips University and worked as a speech therapist for 20 years before getting her masters degree in Library Science from UNT.

"My work now is all about the kids," said the always- cheerful Mrs. Haun. "Some think I've read every book in the house, and, believe me, there are days I feel as though I have." Her favorite author? "Dr. Seuss, I think. He wrote beautiful tales for the children but his more mature stories, 'You're Only Old Once,' and 'Oh, The Places You'll Go,' are at the top of my list."

On her own time, Mrs. Haun enjoys reading historical mysteries, science fiction, and fantasy. "For us, 'date night' is settling in to a good bookstore. I can't turn it off!" When she does put down the pages, it's likely to knit or crochet.

A member of Congregation Shaare Tefilla, Zoe is a founding member of Uniting Students of Dallas. Zoe believes the group is important because of its work in exposing students to people of different backgrounds. "I hope it has enhanced acceptance of others and appreciation of diversity among our students," she said.

"Zoe is a role model for younger Yavneh students," said Chad Baruch, Athletic Director and sponsor of USD. "She is gracious, kind, and generous, committed to her school, friends, and community, and works hard both in her studies and to add to the richness of life at Yavneh. She is one of my all-time favorite students, and we will miss her when she graduates!

A Yavneh Lady Bulldog coming to the end of her high school basketball career, Zoe "cannot even begin to imagine my high school years without basketball. Though participating in the athletics program is demanding, it has taught me time management and many other valuable lessons. I have realized that pushing myself is the only way that I will become the best I can be, on the court and in life."

For Zoe, tops is learning to be a team player, an essential trait for life. "Coach Walker has truly instilled the importance of respect in me, a lesson for which I am forever grateful. His great knowledge has also made me a better player of the game. Coach Samuels has been such a great role model as I have learned, and continue to learn, a lot from her. Though Coach Michelle came to coach only this year, I have already improved with her help. It is good having her here. They all have my never-ending respect."

A former camper and counselor at Pennsylvania's Camp Stone, this last year saw Zoe sharing many of the lessons of her coaches, and her classroom teachers, as she worked as a sports counselor. "Jewish camping and education are important because they instill special values that other institutions cannot," she said. "It is important to know where you come from and what you stand for."

"David is the rare that student that has so many talents. Not only does he function at a very high level within the classroom, as he records very high grades in all of his classes, he also has a strong creative streak in writing both music and poetry," said Rabbi Meir Tannenbaum. "What really separates David from others is that he also will do anything to help other students, teachers, and the school in general. He's been a great addition to our school."

After Yavneh, David plans to study in Israel. "I think a main purpose of spending a year in Israel is to learn about oneself as a Jew, and to learn the answers to questions that Jewish cynicists will challenge you with," said David who is still decided where he will study. After spending a year in Israel, David plans to study computer engineering, hoping to become a video game programmer.

"Video games are fun and challenging, each in a different way. It's something to do when you're bored, or a good social activity with friends. I've chosen the path of game design because I loved the challenges of computer programming freshman year, and I think nothing would be more fun and stimulating than making video games myself."

"David is an excellent student, engaged class participant, and creative writer," said Yavneh English teacher, Phyllis Beilue. "He not only handled a move well in the middle of high school from one academy to another and from one region of the country to another, but he also became a personable, vital, respected member of the student body at Yavneh. I think that he shows great wisdom in recognizing his strengths and interests and planning a career that combines both creativity and ingenuity. I expect that David will make a name for himself in the future just as he has at Yavneh."

Born in El Paso, David and his family; his parents Brian and Michelle who have both served as U.S. Army doctors, and siblings Jonathan and Heidi, have also lived in Silver Spring and Potomac, Maryland. Affiliated with Congregation Shaare Tefilla, David remains a member of the NCSY Seaboard Region in Maryland, attending Shabbatons through that group whenever possible.

"NCSY is a social gathering, an opportunity to be with friends for Shabbos that don't live in your community, whether they still go to your school or live in a different state," he said. "I'm still connected to NCSY in Maryland because attending Shabbatons is a great excuse for me to go up to visit friends."

A member of Yavneh's Hashinui and Students Against Terrorism groups, David also enjoys playing video games and, as a very serious hobby, songwriting. "I write the lyrics to rock songs under the name of 'Silent Q,'" said David who has written 21 songs with a number of others in the works. "While there is no written music for any of them, as of yet, I write about anger, frustration, solitude, and love. One of my most popular songs is 'Patient as the Sun,' which is actually about mercy."

Summer 2008, David spent vacationing in Florida and participating in a University of Maryland Creative Writing program. "I enjoy writing because it allows me to express my emotions in not only a reasonable way, but also in an impressive way," he said.

YAVNEH BULLDOG SCHEDULE

VARSITY
JANUARY 8
vs. Lucas Christian @ HOME ~~ 7pm

JANUARY 15
@ Temple Christian ~~ 7pm

JANUARY 19
vs Phoenix School @ HOME ~~ 7:30pm

JANUARY 20
vs THESA @ HOME ~~ 8pm

JANUARY 22
@ Lucas Christian ~~ 7:30pm

FEBRUARY 3
vs THESA @ HOME ~~ 7pm

FEBRUARY 5 - 8
Beren Tourney

FEBRUARY 16
vs Temple Christian @ HOME ~~ 7pm

JUNIOR VARSITY
JANUARY 7
vs Gateway Charter @ HOME ~~ 5:30pm

JANUARY 8
vs HSAA @ HOME ~~ 5:30pm

JANUARY 13
vs Anna High School @ HOME ~~ 6pm

FEBRUARY 10
vs HSAA @ HOME ~~ 7pm

FEBRUARY 12
@ LUCAS CHRISTIAN ~~ 6:30pm

FEBRUARY 16
vs HSAA @ HOME ~~ 6pm

LADIES
JANUARY 19
vs Phoenix School @ HOME ~~ 6pm

JANUARY 20
vs THESA @ HOME ~~ 6:30pm

FEBRUARY 5 - 8
Beren Tourney

FEBRUARY 12 - 15
Miami Tourney