To celebrate the "Festival of Lights," Agnon students are participating in a variety of activities - from learning about the historical significance of this holiday and how to play the dreidel game to making homemade potato latkes and clay chanukiot (Chanukah menorahs). In addition, Agnon's 8th grade band will perform Chanukah music at Menorah Park on December 13.

The entire school is participating in important holiday tzedakah (social justice) projects.  One involves donating a Chanukah gift to a child in need and another involves contributing warm clothing and other necessities to "Operation Warm Up." 

Agnon 4th grade students are learning about Chanukah and Ancient Greece in an integrated education unit that culminates with a "Greek Chanukah Night."  This unique educational program brings language arts, social studies, science, math, Judaic studies, technology, art and music together in a presentation that begins at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 12. 

One of the program's goals is to enhance each student's Jewish identity.  Through the study of Ancient Greece and Hellenism, along with the Jewish history of this time, 4th graders see the relevance of Chanukah and feel pride in being Jewish.

Dressed in chitons (loose outer garments worn by ancient Greece citizens), students demonstrate everything they learned about the Jewish victory in 165 B.C.E. over the Hellenist Syrians and Antiochus -- the Greek King of Syria -- who outlawed Jewish rituals and ordered the Jewish people to worship Greek gods.

Although a fun-filled and joyous holiday, Agnon students also learn about Chanukah's deep spiritual significance which reminds them of their sacred heritage and Judaism's ancient, yet timeless traditions.

AGNON ACCOLADES

Mazal tov to Agnon's Middle School Soccer Team for placing second in the team championship games.  Congratulations on a great year!

Mazal tov to Agnon 1st grade teacher Johannah Cross, who is teaching a Reading Assessment and Intervention course at John Carroll University.  Last spring, she taught a Methods in Reading Education class there as well.

Mazal tovto the Agnon Brainstormers, a team of Agnon 3rd grade boys who participated in a Junior Lego League competition at Hathaway Brown School.  As a solution to this year's theme -- a Super Seniors Challenge -- the students created a Lego model and presentation board that demonstrated how robots have changed.  They were awarded a trophy for innovation for developing a robot called "Senior Wheelie E," designed to help seniors in their daily lives. 

Mazal tov to Agnon speech therapist Stephanie Saad and her husband, Justin, on the birth of their son, born on November 29.  He is also welcomed by big brother Moshe and grandparents, Ellen and Jay Joseph.

FACULTY FOCUS:  SUSAN BEAMISH

Susan Beamish has been with The Agnon School for seven years and teaches 5th - 8th grade math as well as 8th grade science. She enjoys working with students in both subject areas, encouraging them to aim high and pushing them to achieve.  In addition, Susan is a 7th grade advisor. 

Susan holds a Masters in Mathematics from John Carroll University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Dayton in Middle Childhood Education.  She previously worked for the Bedford City Schools as a 6th grade science teacher.

Born in Akron, Susan grew up in Troy, Ohio.  She now lives in South Euclid and, when not at work, enjoys baking, knitting and sewing.  Susan is also an active member of Plymouth Church in Shaker Heights.  

During the summer, she likes to garden and spend time with her husband and two-year-old son, Joey.  She and her husband, Jeff, are expecting their second child in April. 

• Favorite Food:  Ice Cream
• Favorite Film:  The Sound of Music
• Favorite TV Show:  Friends
• Favorite Music:  Broadway Musicals  

NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITE TEACHER

There are two remaining recognition periods to nominate a teacher:

• February 15, 2013
• March 15, 2013

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Agnon students recently raised $1,366 by waging a week-long "Penny Wars" charity event to support the Jewish Federation of Cleveland's Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs. 

In the innovative "penny wars" format,  the prize goes to the grade which collects the most amount of pennies in its jug, which means that donors get busy adding larger coins to the jars belonging to competing grades. In the end, Agnon's Kindergarten class was declared victorious.  They received a trophy and will celebrate their triumph with an ice cream party.

"This charity fund raiser created a tremendous amount of excitement and friendly rivalry among the students," said Laura Leventhal, Agnon's Director of Development.  "Children in every grade enthusiastically placed pennies in their own grade's jugs and then strategically deposited larger amounts in the jugs of other grades to increase their own chances of winning."   In the end, "everyone wins with this type of competition." Leventhal explains. "The students feel great about the amount of money they raise and Federation receives all of the proceeds."

Federation uses Annual Campaign funds to address the needs of the Jewish community worldwide, distributing funds to those at risk and strengthening Jewish identity.

During the recent Israeli conflict, Agnon students learned about the conditions related to this situation and held age-appropriate discussions in class.  

The 8th graders also participated in a leadership forum to talk about the circumstances surrounding this dispute.  As a result, they decorated Agnon's front hallway with posters supporting Israel.  They also invited students to wear blue and white -- the colors of the Israeli flag -- on Monday, November 19, and asked them to perform extra mitzvot (good deeds) to support the state of Israel.

On Tuesday, November 20, Agnon held an all-school t'fillah in recognition of the conflict in Israel.  This prayer service was covered by FOX-8 News and Jerry Isaak-Shapiro was interviewed on camera.  That evening, TV-8 featured Agnon on its six o'clock news program.

SOCIAL JUSTICE IN ACTION 

To commemorate Thanksgiving each November, Agnon Middle School students participate in a variety of social action projects to benefit local charities.  This year, they included the following activities:

Bellefaire:  Students filled "birthday boxes" with cake mixes, frosting and gifts for children residing at Bellefaire who don't have families to celebrate their birthdays.  They also decorated bags for children moving into foster homes. 

Jewish Family Service Association:  Students created "positive jars" containing encouraging quotes and made blankets for children in need.  

Hebrew Shelter Home:  Students created artwork and paper flowers for those individuals living at this facility for homeless women and children. 

An important part of our Jewish values curriculum teaches students to engage in tikkun olam (repair of the world) with acts of tzedakah (righteousness or justice) in the form of volunteer work and charitable giving.  These experiences instill in Agnon students a sense of responsibility for each other and for the larger world in which they live.

AGNON HOLDS MOCK ELECTIONS

On Tuesday, November 6th -- Election Day -- Agnon students voted in a school-wide mock election.  The results are as follows:

President

Obama / Biden            Romney / Ryan

146 votes (82%)          32 votes (18%)

U.S. Senate

Sherrod Brown           Josh Mandel

112 votes (69%)         51 votes (31%)