Read all three stories of the full issue here to connect with the names, faces and initiatives that make Scheck Hillel a college preparatory school that develops global citizens with enduring Jewish identity and values. And as always, visit eHillel.org for more school news and information.
Yesterday, Thursday, December 9, we had the privilege of welcoming Mayor of Golden Beach, Glenn Singer to Scheck Hillel Community School. Grade 2 has been studying its "My Community, My Country" unit – covering the people, laws and government that shape who we are from local neighborhoods to the nation as a whole. Upon this perfect timing with Grade 2's studies, classes gathered to ask the Mayor questions about his role in our community. As part of a special surprise, Mayor Singer brought along Golden Beach Police Chief Rudy Herbelo and Police Sergeant Leila Perez who answered questions about how they keep the community safe.
What an exciting and special opportunity for our youngsters!
A special thanks to Mayor Singer, Sergeant Perez and Police Chief Herbelo for joining us on campus and sharing in our Lion Pride!
Written by Jordana Zackon, Grade 11
On Tuesday, December 1, Scheck Hillel students were given the opportunity to visit Belen Jesuit School in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Nostra Aetate. This revolutionary document, published under Pope Paul VI in 1965, marked a true turning point in Jewish-Christian relations. It is well known that historically, Jews have suffered persecution due to the fact that they were considered “Christ-killers” in the eyes of the church. What makes this document so historically significant is that it was the first of its kind to proclaim that “what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews… nor against the Jews of today.”
In the spirit of rekindling the notion of positive Jewish-Christian relations, a beautiful ceremony, composed of a choir performance, an informative video and a panel of speakers, was arranged. The first speaker, Reverend Francisco Perez Lerena, spoke about Judeo-Christian liturgy and the importance of honoring the renewal of it. He also emphasized the important point that “faith cannot be spread by the sword,” which truly displays an eagerness for peace. Next, Dr. Antonio Lopez provided a detailed summary on modern day Jewish-Christian relations, exemplified by their newly created constructive dialogue. Lastly, Rabbi A. James Rudin largely credits the strong Catholic leaders for all the work they did to promote the document in the United States.
Overall, the event was wonderfully organized and a fantastic way to celebrate a continuously improving connection between Jews and Christians. We were privileged to have Mr. Rafael Quintero, Scheck Hillel’s Chief Operating Officer accompany us to Belen. Mr. Quintero is a Belen alum who graduated in 1982. His insightful comments must be noted: “In the end what is important is that we must all respect each other as people, and as members of different religions as there is one G-d for all of us.” This message will be well remembered by all of us who attended this memorable and auspicious event.
| Part 4: Project Planning in the Arts"Project planning is the most pragmatic of the skills taught in arts education. Students are encouraged to consider and commit to projects that might not see fruition until weeks or sometimes months later," says Edutopia. This week, our Grade 6-8 orchestra students performed during our Annual Event Pre-Reception. Leading up to the performance, students rehearsed for weeks, incorporating orchestra practice times into their already full extra curricular schedules. 43% of orchestra members are involved in other activities, including the Gilinski Hillel Ambassador Program, athletic teams and other arts programs. Their dedication paid off; Annual Event guests thoroughly enjoyed the performance, and all are excited to watch the students play again alongside 80 of our other Jordan Alexander Ressler Arts Program musicians in the Winter Concert Thursday, December 10, 6PM. Check back here next week for Part 5 of our Edutopia series. For more arts resources, click here. |
| Part 5: Art is for Collaboration"This ability to see oneself in others, to learn and work with others, is key to understanding leadership and a skill that we should continue to encourage and build upon in our classrooms.," says Edutopia. The notion that the arts promote collaboration was exemplified this week during two events: Generations Day and the Winter Concert. Drumline's collaborative performance during Generations Day enhanced the overall program of the day, and wowed onlookers. And last night's Winter Concert called for more than 90 Drumline, Band and Orchestra students to collaborate in order to put on a great show. Click here to watch a clip from the Winter Concert. The collaborations continue next Wednesday, December 16, when Orchestra and Band students team up to perform at the JCS Holocaust Survivor Chanukah Event and Tri-M students sing for seniors at Regents Park Nursing Home. For more arts resources, click here. |
Last year, in Grade 1, these students received Siddurim from Scheck Hillel. These two consecutive presentations enrich students’ lives and reinforce the foundation of traditional Torah values upon which they will grow and learn throughout their Scheck Hillel careers. Giving every student his or her own Siddur and Chumash to keep for a lifetime is a demonstration of the meaningful religious and cultural experiences that our school's mission outlines, so we as a school community may instill strong Jewish identities in our youngest generation.
Thank you to Grade 2’s morot - Rachel Levana, Raquel Heisler, Celina Chocron, Sharon Cohen, Sandy Gruskin, Meytal Miara, Ofra Sharabani, Rabbi Heshy Riesel, Samantha Berenstein, Ali Shuster, Sarah Goldman, Dganit Penias, Michelle Levy and Michelle Kalusetksy. And a very special thank you to Mr. Yuval Miara, Director of Judaic Studies & Hebrew Language for our Juda and Maria Diener Lower School.
Mazal tov Grade 2! Click here for photos of this special event.
| Michael Daugherty, an engineering professor at the University of Arkansas authored an article, The Prospect of an 'A' in STEM Education in which he argues that STEM "is missing a key set of creativity-related components that are equally critical to fostering a competitive and innovative workforce, and those skills are summarized under the letter 'A' for arts." "One of the goals of STEM education is to increase innovation and creativity in the U.S.," says Daugherty, "it makes perfect sense to integrate artistic design, artistic expression, reflection and multi-sensory appeal in the curriculum." The article also sites that numerous research reports show that an integrated curricular approach has vastly improved test scores. It is clear that arts education has a great deal to offer to the STEM movement, and here at Scheck Hillel, we are already on board: our STEAM Club in the Lower School incorporates arts, and our curriculum initiatives from ECE-Grade 12 focus on the role of creativity and the benefits of interdisciplinary learning. And, of course, everything our students gain through our Jordan Alexander Ressler Arts Program - such as leadership, organizational and problem-solving skills - are foundations for success in the classroom. For more arts resources, click here. |
| You may have noticed that construction crews have taken over our Judith Lindenfeld Stage this week. No, they weren't here to join the cast of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown or The Lion King Jr.... They were here installing our next phase of brand new curtains thanks to a generous gift from our HIP/PTA. This is just one of the many improvements to our Jordan Alexander Ressler Performing Arts Theatre, Friedman Uhlar-Auditorium. After the stage itself was replaced, a new main curtain was installed, and now we're excited to unveil this next phase. In the coming weeks lighting and wireless microphone systems will be updated thanks to our Jordan Alexander Ressler Arts Endowment. These improvements will of course benefit our musical and technical theatre offerings, and our Jordan Alexander Ressler Arts Program as a whole. Additionally, it will make experiences such as Tefilah Be'Yachad, Siddur and Chumash presentations and ceremonies like Senior Awards all the more special for our students and community. A special thank you to all who made this possible! |
| As part of a November Chesed project, our Grade 6-8 students put together Chanukah packages that were sent to U.S. Troops serving abroad. The packages brightened the holidays of Jewish soldiers deployed in Afghanistan and Kuwait. A thank you letter recevied from Moshe Lans, Squadron Chaplain states that, "The wonderful thing about tzedakah is that it equally benefits the giver and receiver, in that the benefactor receives heavenly credit for fulfilling the mitvah of giving tzedakah and the beneficiary benefits from the donation. The Jewish personnel deployed to Afghanistan are humbled to partner with you in this mitzvah." In a separate letter sent by U.S. Army Major E. Alex Espinoza on behalf of the Jewish Congregation of Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, the Major writes, "As we fulfill the mitzvah of tikkun olam in uniform, it is very comforting to know that the thoughts and prayers of your students, faculty and staff are with us as we celebrate Chanukah with our military family overseas." Click here to read both heartwarming letters in full. |
| We are proud that three Scheck Hillel faculty members were invited to present at the prestigious Future of Educational Technology Conference (FTEC) last week: a clear indication of the technology integration and STEM applications in our classrooms now and ahead. Charlie Mahoney, Nancy Penchev and Opher Yungerpresented Putting 3D Ancient History in Your Hands, Girls Building STEAM: Exciting Girls about STEAM Fields, andIntegrating Design and Technology Into Conventional Curriculum. Several more of our educators also attended, gaining first looks at some of the emerging technologies that will enable and inspire new teaching practices. Teaching 21st century learners undoubtedly calls for infusing educational technology in the classroom, and with speakers such as Reshma Saujanu, CEO/Founder of Girls Who Code, FTEC was the place to be on the pulse of this transforming industry. |
| One of the many benefits of arts education is that it promotes inventiveness. When children are encouraged to express themselves and take risks in creating art, they develop a sense of innovation for life. To promote inventiveness and self-expression, this week arts teacher Dionne Lockett charged her youngsters with choosing a character and dancing, acting and singing the way they imagine that their character would. Her classes were filled with ninjas, princesses and superheroes all moving and grooving to the tune of their own imagination. Click here to check it out for yourself. |
|
|
The goals of our college prep curriculum and our proactive College Counseling Program are to adequately prepare students for college and career readiness, as well as for the college admissions process. To that end, Grade 9 students took the new PSAT this week, which has been restructured to reflect the updated SAT (read more about the new SAT in February 2015's Lion's Share). The goal was to familiarize our younger students with the new test format, which will hopefully translate to even more competitive college applications in the future. Of course, these skills will be reinforced in Grade 11's College Readiness course, as well as throughout the 4-year college planning process. |
|
|
You're Invited: The Golem of HavanaOur Jordan Alexander Ressler Arts Program strives to find unique opportunities to inspire children to discover talents, ignite passions and chase dreams. One such opportunity is the chance to see The Golem of Havana, which tells the story of a Hungarian-Jewish family living in Cuba during the revolution. As a musical theatre production, the show will spotlight theatre techniques that our very own students in the casts of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and The Lion King Jr. have learned. Scheck Hillel families have been offered tickets at a reduced rate of $20 for the Thursday, February 4, 8PM performance. Tickets are available for free for Tri-M, International Thespian and Art Honor Society members, as well as students in our musical theatre casts. For more information and to reserve your tickets, please write to Aaron Margolis by January 27, 12PM. The show is appropriate for ages 12+. |
|
|
A Trip Back in TimeGrade 4 students had a wonderful three-day trip last week to St. Augustine, Florida, showcasing what students had already learned in the classroom: what life was like in the 1700-1800s. The students toured a number of locations, including Castillo de San Marcos - the oldest Masonry Fort in the United States, as well as the oldest house in Florida, the oldest jail in the country and a hands-on museum. Typically seen as a rite of passage, our Grade 4 trip to St. Augustine is so much more than that. It is the first of many class-building trips to not only visit the sites of study, but also to bond as a group and solidify friendships with classmates and teachers. The experience of St. Augustine has proven that Scheck Hillel's Class of 2024 is a truly wonderful group: independent, respectful and eloquent. We are so very thankful to the teachers and parents who have partnered in molding this incredible group of individuals. Click here for photos from the trip. |
|
|
Tu B'Shevat was infused throughout the week, as we celebrated the environment, planet Earth, and expressed our gratitude for the fruits of the Land of Israel – and enjoyed yummy treats along the way! We planted trees, participated in seders, shopped in our very own shuk, and of course, said the sweet brachot of the holiday, sharing tastings of the Shivat Haminim (seven species) with grapes, raisins, figs, carob, olives, dates, cookies and grape juice. Click here for your very own taste of our Tu B'Shevat activities, and here to view our colorful Tu B'Shevat art gallery. |
It was a memorable morning, February 4, at Scheck Hillel Community School, when Grade 1 students received their very own siddurim in what has become a longstanding Scheck Hillel tradition! This year’s Chagigat HaSiddur featured ruach and talent in an amazing production of music, songs and dialogue (all spoken in Ivrit).
Giving every student his or her own Siddur to keep for a lifetime is a demonstration of the meaningful religious and cultural experiences that Scheck Hillel’s mission outlines, so we as a school community may instill strong Jewish identities in our youngest generation. The Siddur Presentation brought nachat to parents, siblings, grandparents, great-grandparents, teachers and administration.
Visit our SmugMug gallery to enjoy our Chagigat HaSiddur’s full album.
History was made by Scheck Hillel Community School, Tuesday, February 9, 2016, when our school's boys' varsity soccer team defeated the defending state champions Maitland Orangewood Christian in the 1A state title game: likely the first win of its kind for a Jewish school in the nation.
More than 400 Scheck Hillel Lions fans packed the stands in Melbourne, Florida, to watch our team compete for the elusive title of State Champion - a title the team had been chasing since the devastating loss three years ago on the very same field in Melbourne. The energy from the Lions fans did not dwindle even as the scoreless 0-0 game entered overtime, double overtime, and eventually, penalty kicks.
After five rounds of penalty kicks the game was knotted at 4-4. In the sixth round, Scheck Hillel senior Salo Lapco's kick soared into Orangewood's goal, bringing the Lions up 5-4. Orangewood's attempt at extending the match was foiled by Scheck Hillel's goalie, senior Alan Landau, who stuffed the shot and secured the dramatic 1-0 (5-4 PKs) win for Scheck Hillel. Lions players rushed Landau on the field and victory celebrations erupted in the stands.
Scheck Hillel finished their season as proud state champions unbeaten at 19-0-1.
"To make history is something that can never be taken away from this team ever,” said Lions head coach Ben Magidson. “What an incredible season and experience. It's been an honor to be the head coach for these young men.”
The win is a result of the determination and sportsmanship of the Lions players, the leadership of the coaches and team captains, and the support of the Scheck Hillel community and the South Florida Jewish community at large.
"It is a blessing for me and my team to be a part of it," said team co-captain Netty Silberman, who scored a hat trick in Monday's state semi-finals game. Silberman shared words of gratitude for his school and his community: "We're the ones playing, but the truth is all of your support and prayers are what got us here. Thank you."
Click here to read the Miami Herald's recap of the amazing win!
| # | First Name | Last Name | Grade |
| 1 | Alan | Landau | 12 |
| 2 | Ariel | Grobman | 9 |
| 4 | Yom Tov | Bejar | 11 |
| 5 | Ariel | Martinez | 9 |
| 6 | Leon | Almosny | 12 |
| 7 | Daniel | Franco | 11 |
| 8 | Daniel | Berkman | 11 |
| 9 | Max | Stern | 12 |
| 10 | Netty | Silberman | 12 |
| 12 | Salo | Lapco | 12 |
| 13 | Max | Peicher | 10 |
| 14 | Alex | Almosny | 9 |
| 15 | Sebastian | Ludmir | 9 |
| 16 | David | Mizrahi | 9 |
| 17 | Moises | Bendahan | 11 |
| 18 | Abraham | Woldenberg | 9 |
| 19 | David | Sternberg | 9 |
| 20 | Ilan | Lapco | 10 |
| 21 | Michael | Romano | 10 |
| 22 | Joel | Herman | 9 |
| 23 | Jonathan | Zinguer | 10 |
| G | Joseph | Bensabat | 9 |
| G | Ian | Stern | 11 |
Academics, social/emotional well-being, and student empowerment are the three main focuses of our Samuel and Henrietta Scheck Middle School. Chesed, which falls within student empowerment, has a dedicated Chesed Club that has made it its mission to spread kindness on campus and in the community. To bring this mission to life, the club has hung two 'Acts of Kindness' posters on the walls of school. The first poster is entitled 'Acts of Kindness I Can Do This Week' and the second 'Acts of Kindness That Have Been Done For Me'. Students have been contributing kind thoughts and gestures to the posters throughout the past two weeks.
In addition, faculty members are also passing out Acts of Kindness Cards to students; each card has a specific 'kindness mission' listed on it, such as holding the door open, calling an elderly family member to say hello or giving someone a compliment. Once someone completes their gesture, they sign their name on the back of the card, and then pass the card along to someone else. We can't wait to see how many signatures we can accumulate on the cards!
The idea behind these two projects comes from the notion that a random act of kindness performed by one person can inspires others to do the same. The Kindness Boomerang video illustrates that kindness is certainly contagious. So, take a moment, watch it and then go spread the kindness bug!
Mazal tov to Natalie Broide and Mrs. Nancy Penchev, award-winners and role models!
Mazal tov to our very own Natalie Broide, Grade 11, and Nancy Penchev, our Juda and Maria Diener Lower School Media Specialist, for being honored by the National Center for Women & Information Technology! Natalie is a winner of the 2016 South Florida Regional Aspirations in Computing Award for her “computing-related aspirations and her demonstrated, outstanding aptitude and interest in information technology/computing; solid leadership ability; good academic history; and plans for post-secondary education.” For her Personal IB project last year, Natalie built an actual computer. Her interest in computer science then led her to seek summer opportunities to learn more. It was then that she was selected to participate in Girls Who Code: a prestigious national program designed to inspire, educate and equip girls with the computing skills to pursue 21st century opportunities.
Mrs. Penchev has been named the recipient of the 2016 Aspirations in Computing Educator Award, given to teachers who have demonstrated a commitment to encouraging young women’s aspirations in computing. Here at Scheck Hillel, she has developed our Girls Building STEAM Club for Grades 3-5 and has introduced innovative ways to teach and encourage students through design, robotics, writing and computer science.
Natalie and Mrs. Penchev will be presented with their awards in April; in the meantime we applaud Natalie’s talent, skill, ambition and achievement, and Mrs. Penchev’s work in educational technology and how she’s enriched Jewish education.
.jpg)
.JPG)
