NEMJDS SchoolNews

December 12, 2013 9 tevet 5774

In This Issue

- An Hour of Code

- Gelt to Tzedakah

- Spelling Bee Champs

- Used Business Cards Needed

- Gala Personal Ads

- Thank You!

Upcoming at the Day School...

December 20

Pajama Day

Dec. 23 - Jan. 1

School closed

Winter break

Links You Can Use

Our Website

Box Tops Bring Cash

PTA@nemjds.org

Feedback Welcome!

Schoolnews is sent out weekly to the NEMJDS community. We welcome your feedback, both praise and suggestion. Email schoolnews@nemdjs.org to contact newsletter staff.

Crestline Bagel Co.

Now baking kosher Challahs each week!

Crestline Bagel Co. is a proud sponsor of the NEMJDS weekly school news.

AN HOUR OF CODE ROCKS OUR SCHOOL

Computer science Education Week is December 9 - 15, 2013. Do you know what that means? It means the Hour of Code is here, and we're super excited!

In case you are wondering what is an Hour of Code ....

This week, 5 million students -- in 34,000 classrooms, across 167 countries -- experienced the Hour of Code. It's a simple yet ambitious mission to introduce students (and adults) around the world to computer science and to demystify "code". Anyone can learn the basics of "code" to be a maker, a creator and an innovator. Learning to code is empowering and creative. Computer science should be accessible to every 21st century student.

Thanks to NEMJDS parent, Tricia Elgavish, and teacher, Annette Troxell, the hour of code has lit a fire in the hearts of our students AND teachers. Students were empowered to tackle the world of coding by creating moving shapes and even games, using code. Coding teaches problem solving skills and computational thinking. As a culmination/continuation of this project, Upper Schoolers animated their Hebrew vocabulary - animation reflected the word's meaning. They proudly shared their animations with younger students. One hour can be enough to change a student's life! Can't wait to see who keeps coding.

Click here to go beyond the first hour of code ...

http://code.org/learn/beyond

Marlie Thompson, Clara Lapidus and Ellen Landy work on iPad coding.

Arlo Winston and Lev Berman are coding.

We're coding in 5th grade!

FROM GELT TO TZEDAKAH -

A MIRACLE IN ISRAEL

Asaf Stein reads a chanukah card from NEMJDS

Nes Gadol Haya Sham - A Great Miracle Happened There!

How do Israeli soldiers, stationed at checkpoints far from their bases, celebrate the joy of chanukah? Well if it's up to the students at N.E. Miles Jewish Day School, it's going to include donuts!

Students worked together to create personal chanukah cards and raise funds to send sufganiyot, the sweet jelly donuts that Israelis look forward to all year, to a special group of Israeli soldiers stationed at the Golani base. Thanks to Israel Connection, sufganiyot, menorahs and cards were delivered to a very surprised and thrilled group of soldiers that included Birmingham native, Asaf Stein, son of NEMJDS Hebrew teacher, Susan Stein.

According to Asaf, "Soldiers clapped and cheered when they walked into the dining hall and saw all of the donuts! 'It's not because of me' he told his fellow soldiers, 'It's because of my mother who is a teacher at a school in Alabama!'" We are so proud to help make chanukah a special celebration for soldiers in Israel.

Israeli soldiers read chanukah cards from NEMJDS students!

SPELLING BEE CHAMPS

Ellen Landy & Jacob Elgavish -
Spelling Bee Champs

We are proud to announce that Jacob Elgavish, 3rd grade, won the 2nd/3rd grade spelling bee. Ellen Landy, 5th grade, won the 4th through 8th grade spelling bee. Ellen will continue on to represent our school at the city Spelling Bee. Mazel tov to all the students who competed in their class spelling bees.

MATH STUDENTS NEED YOUR BUSINESS CARDS

Our 3rd grade and Upper School math students are collaborating to create an incredibly complex project out of hundreds of business cards - MENGER'S SPONGE.

BRING US YOUR OLD BUSINESS CARDS

BEFORE WINTER BREAK!

(stay tuned to find out about a 'Menger's Sponge' and details about the finished project)

THE CHALLENGE IS ON!

Join us in our

school-wide challenge!

Purchase a

Gala Ad today.

Honor your children (or grandchildren) and all they have accomplished at the Day School with a personal ad in the annual Gala Auction Book. You can purchase an ad for as little as $36.

It's this easy ...

Click here to fill in your Personal Ad form on-line
Print this form and mail it to the address shown.
Send an email to gala@nemjds.org and we'll bill you.

Don't delay - Deadline is December 20th

A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO THE PTA & PARENTS

From the faculty and administration at NEMJDS, thank you to the PTA and Parents for your very generous Chanukah gifts! We are all so grateful.

KABBALAT SHABBAT

Please join us for

Kabbalat Shabbat

this Friday at 11:00am.

Kabbalat Shabbat falls on the 10th of Tevet - one of 6 fast days during the Jewish year. The fast commemorates the siege of Jerusalem - an event that ultimately culminated in the destruction of Solomon's Temple (the First Temple) and the conquest of the Kingdom of Judah (today southern Israel).

If you would like to sponsor a future Kabbalat Shabbat in honor of your child or a special event, click here for the on-line form.

SHABBAT TABLE TALK - Vayechi

Learn about this week's Parsha ..... Click here.

CONSIDER A YEAR END GIFT

TO THE DAY SCHOOL

A gift for our children today, tomorrow and forever;

create a legacy through the

N.E. Miles Jewish Day School Endowment

Call Lynn Raviv, Development Director at 879-1068 or

Sally Friedman, Birmingham Jewish Foundation at 803-1519

Click here for more information