This year is off to a wonderful start with a great freshman class that has had a better beginning than any other. This is due in part to the supervised study periods for ninth and tenth grades and to the increased monitoring of student performance by Erin Ray, whose story you will read below in our monthly Faculty Feature. Shortly, we will use the study periods to teach organizational skills to all of the freshmen and sophomores.

Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh graders have had their first training in research on the new electronic databases which were installed this summer and our library program is being developed by Polly Gilbert, retired head of the St. Marks' library.

Senior transcripts have been finalized, and we will be mailing our first college applications on Monday.  To date we have had 15 college reps on campus with many more scheduled and we look forward to learning of the roads our senior students will soon travel.

The revamped English department is functioning well, and students are experiencing new approaches to the learning of literature and writing.

We are in the process of initiating the annual campaign.  The effort is two-fold: (a) to raise $400,000 for the operating budget---most of which will go to scholarships and the installation of new computer systems, and (b) to increase our endowments with a target of  $20,000,000.  We are inviting potential donors to tour the campus and to meet our students as we explain Yavneh's program of instruction.

As you will see in the News in Review section below, our annual "Start of the Year" Shabbaton was a great success.  It was good to see our great diversity of students enjoying the celebration of Shabbat and enjoying being with each other.  The most defining characteristic of this year is the wonderful spirit that our new student body has brought into the school.

We are celebrating the holidays with unique learning experiences, field trips, community service projects, and ritual. 

As we go forward with a busy and challenging year, we send our thanks for sharing your wonderful children and we wish you the very best during the holiday celebrations.