PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Dear VTT Community,

Last week, our tech team, with guidance from our Tech Committee, deployed the grade 7 laptop program. This initiative has put laptops into the hands of every single seventh grader for use in all their classes. Every morning students retrieve their laptops from the cart, and then return them at the end of the day. Our senior students will also be using the laptops to complete the e-assessment parts of the provincial FSA tests.

Other tech developments at our school include the purchase of additional smart projectors for various grade 5, 6, and 7 classrooms and we are getting ready to launch an iPad pilot program in the primary grades with the purchase of 20 iPads.

Although good teaching is paramount to effective learning, technology, as a tool, is a wonderful enrichment to the overall student experience. Our faculty are enthusiastic about the curriculum enhancements they can now pursue, such as online drawing activities, digital camera scavenger hunts, web quests for research, Purim projects (with voice recordings) on Keynote, SmartBoard presentations, and science projects and experiments posted on YouTube, etc. Just as technology changes so rapidly, so must our technology goals in order to keep pace with constant change and innovation. Needless to say, creating and meeting the goals would not be possible without the expertise of our committee members and the willingness of our faculty to take risks and try new things.



 

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Shabbat Shalom,

Cathy Lowenstein, Principal
 

Need PPP Hours? The Scholastic Book Fair Has Plenty of Volunteer Opportunities!

Suzanne & Martin Ferera have graciously agreed to co-chair the Scholastic Book Fair, our library's biggest annual fundraiser. Last year's proceeds added $6000 worth of books to our collection.

The Book Fair will occur from Tuesday, February 1st to Thursday, February 3rd. MANY volunteers are needed for this event, including the day before on Monday, January 31st.

To manage and track volunteers, we are using a new program called VOLUNTEERSPOT. Click on this link to access the sign up form. You will be asked to enter your email. You will then receive a confirmation email with a direct link to the calendar and the many volunteer opportunities.

Questions? Contact Jennifer at info@talmudtorah.com

FACULTY & STAFF PROFILES: NOW ONLINE!

Did you know that Morah Varda has volunteered as a fashion model for an Israeli design house?

Or that Morah Orly worked in a residential school in Israel for several years?

How about the fact that Joe Ritchie is a graduate of Studio 58's Professional Theatre Training Program?

Or that Ms. Weintraub's grandmother was author Irving Layton's English teacher?

And can you guess who is Talmud Torah's longest serving teachers? 

There's much more to learn about our wonderful faculty and staff! Click here to read all the profiles that have been written to date. 

Vancouver Talmud Torah's 5th Annual Community BINGO and Bagels Evening entertained both young and old with the fabulous prize baskets, 50/50, and live auction. TO SEE ALL THE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENING, CLICK HERE. 

This is the second time in three years that Liberal MP Anita Neville (Winnipeg South) has visited our school

to share her impressions as an elected representative with our grade 5 students. As one of only three MPs, Ms. Neville is a strong advocate and supporter of Israel and Jewish issues.  

Tu B'Sh'vat celebrations were held throughout the school on Thursday, despite the snowfall! Grades 2 & 3 conducted seders and preschoolers made arts and crafts and feasted on fruit germane to the holiday. Kindergarten to grade 7 students assembled in the gym to donate their tree planting donation envelopes to the JNF, represented by the JNF Shaliach for BC, Micky Goldwein, as well as JNF forester, Kalil Adar. This year, due to the devastating Carmel fires, the PPP directed the money earmarked for Tu B'Shvat gifts to students to the JNF instead. It will be up to the discretion of the organization as to whether they wish to plant more trees or purchase a new fire truck. 

During Tu B'Sh'vat, the birthday of trees, we are commanded "not to destroy" (Ba'al Tash'hit). In honour of this environmental celebration, Adam Shiff and Ya'el Kastiel, two fifth graders, organized a computer waste drive to help people properly dispose of their e-waste. Thanks to parent Brad Moldowan of GOGOGEEK for facilitating the removal of the FOUR BINS of junk through the responsible stewardship of E.R.A.

 

The students in the photo below loved piling into the bins so much that they were reluctant to hand them over for more computer donations.