Stories of the Week:
the mindful use of tech at hillel
Creativity and coding went hand in hand this week as fifth graders programmed their own games of tag using Scratch, a programming language for ages 8-16 developed by MIT. Students chose characters and a background, and then placed color-coded actions into a sequence that saw one character chasing another.
“It’s a little challenging,” said student Brandon Levine, as he worked to add a scoreboard to his scene.
But he, and his classmates, persevered, learning essential skills for success. As this recent article points out, mastering computer science, the gateway to app development, prepares students for their future.
assessments and tech work together to produce mastery of skills
The fourth grade recently finished a math assessment on fractions. Based on the results, teachers employed clever tools, Osmo, and Freckle, to review and reinforce skills according to each student’s need. The digital systems teach a variety of math concepts such as decimals, fractions, whole numbers, and factors through word play, and picture riddles. In the case of Freckle, it self-adjusts its level of challenge based on the answers arrived at by students as they go along.
Observing her class working individually or in pairs, teacher Rachel Kellert said, “Each student is working at his or her level following the assessment, and Osmo and Freckle make it easy - and fun - to differentiate the learning that will help each student get where they need to go.”
For more about technology at Hillel, read this week's blog by our Coordinator of Technological Adventures!
addressing an authentic audience boosts public speaking skills in ivrit!
By Amalia Poris, K-8 Ivrit Coordinator
As second graders started learning about Tu Bishvat, the holiday of the trees, last month, we had discussed the many kinds of trees that God created on the third day of creation. The children chose one tree from a long list of selections, and researched their tree at home with their parents. The students returned to class very excited to share the information they had gathered.
They then followed a process of writing in Hebrew that builds upon their vocabulary, and led the students to become independent. Every day they wrote about a different aspect of the tree: from its size, fruit, leaves, climate, to why trees are important, and more. Eventually, they were able to write their own book reports.
They also each made a poster of their tree that served as a beautiful artistic background to the classroom. Finally, on Thursday, they presented their reports to an authentic audience, their friends in Kitah Daled (fourth grade)!
courtside at bball tournament
By Lexi Cutler, Varsity Girls’ Basketball Team Player
Hillel hosted a boys' and girls’ basketball tournament this week, and our girls' varsity team was proud to be on home turf! The first game against Sacred Heart was a nail biter. Everyone was excited to play but also nervous because if we won we’d face another winning team in the next game.
The score at the end of the first quarter was 4-4. During this quarter we played well but we had a lot of fouls. During the second quarter we played well, and had a one point lead with 9-8. In the third quarter, we still led, but we had a lot of fouls, too. Finally, at the end of the fourth quarter, Sacred Heart moved up on the scoreboard, and won 18-12.
In the second game, where two losing teams play each other, Hillel played against Farber Hebrew Day School, and thankfully, we won 26-6!
toddlers enjoy pj playdate at hillel
By Ethan Endelman and Maxim Gross, 7th grade reporters in training
On Thursday at Hillel Day School, PJ Library held an event where young Jewish kids in the community could play, read, learn, and eat. It was a opportunity for young kids who do not yet have much knowledge about Judaism to increase their awareness. There were play mats for the kids to jump and play on, too. The PJ Library is a organization that sends free books to Jewish families monthly. After the event, the kids were drained of energy, but filled with Jewish understanding.
more news & events 4 u
As soon as we return from mid-winter break, it's time for our STEAMATH Night on Wednesday, February 27! You don't want to miss it. It will be an amazing, family-friendly, fun-filled night, with over 20 different stations and dinner! Build your own instruments, enjoy a bean bag toss, geometry breakout, building with food, and much more! The optional pasta dinner is $6 per person! Sign up here.
Our annual Mystery Shabbat Dinner is also fast approaching on Friday night, March 8, 2019. Sponsored by the Jewish Engagement for Families committee. To learn more about getting involved with the committee, contact aschlussel@hillelday.org.
the keys to a productive meeting
Do you have a parent-teacher meeting coming up? Our principal, Melissa Michaelson, recently shared her tips in a blog for Macaroni Kid. Check it out here.
resilient kids are healthy kids
Our Parent Education Series on resiliency with speaker and educator Julie Fisher, M.Ed. has begun! We had a great turnout for the first session. You can join anytime, and help your children learn the skills they need to succeed with strength and fortitude. With these skills, they will be able to develop healthy relationships with peers and parents, and be filled with optimism as they move forward in life.
This series is sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. Please RSVP to klove@hillelday.org, noting which sessions you are attending. This is a multi-part series; we encourage you to attend as many as possible. Dates are listed on our school calendar.
back by popular demand!
Save the date for PTO Bingo Night on Sunday, March 17, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. This is a fun event for the whole family; bring grandparents, too! Register here.
Advancement News
and the gala honorees are...
We are thrilled to announce our honorees for this year's Annual Gala, Dream Maker Award honorees Joy and Allan Nachman, and the recipients of the Rabbi Jacob E. Segal z"l Award, Reneé and Craig Erlich. This year, we will also recognize our outgoing Head of School, Steve Freedman, for 16 years of service, and name him an Honorary Alumnus of Hillel Day School.
We invite you to celebrate all our honorees at the Gala on Sunday, June 2, 2019, at Hillel Day School, and to commemorate the occasion with an ad in the Shulman Scholarship Journal that is distributed to all attendees.
pave the way to Hillel's future!
By now we hope you’ve heard that we’re expanding our Early Childhood Center. We have broken ground, and will open the expansion in fall 2019.
To help fund the expansion, you have the unique opportunity to leave a permanent mark at the school by purchasing a brick for a special pathway to be installed in front of the school. We invite you to honor a student, graduate, and/or family member by customizing a brick. Inscribe these decorative bricks as a gift for a favorite teacher or staff member. Help them become a permanent legacy of Hillel.
Bricks come in several sizes. All purchases and/or donations are tax deductible. Purchase a brick and/or learn more here, or contact Hillel’s Advancement Office at (248) 851-6950 by June 1, 2019.
Whether your contribution is $5 or $5,000, it’s an affirmative statement of your passionate belief and pride in your family’s Hillel experience. Make a gift online now.
Dvar Torah: Parashat tetzaveh
Parshat Tetzaveh begins with the famous mitzvah of the daily lighting of the Menorah in the Mishkan (and, later, the Beit HaMikdash/Jerusalem Temple). The Rabbis explain that Aharon was chosen to light the Menorah even before he was selected to serve as Kohen. Because of his sterling character, not his lineage, Aharon was given the honor to serve God and Bnai Yisrael in this capacity. The Menorah symbolized the “light” of knowledge and Aharon was the one who could best fill the job of Torah teacher to the masses.
From the Menorah we also learn that our investments in the education of our children must be with all of our effort and ability, regardless of the innate abilities of the student. The oil used for sacrifices had to be pure olive oil-but the oil used for the Menorah had to be from the special first pressing that is 100% clear, free of any impurities. A teacher must teach in a clear manner so that a student can learn and understand clearly.
Interestingly, both for the short nights of summer and the long nights of winter, exactly one lug of oil was put in each cup of the Menorah and was expected to burn until morning. Rabbi Raymond Beyda learns from this that, though the methods can and should vary, one must invest as much effort into teaching a student who is sharp and learns quickly as one invests into a student who might have difficulty in understanding and retaining the learning. Regarding the faster learner, one must not take for granted that her ability will make her successful. Regarding the slower learner, a teacher must persevere, despite the possibility of frustration along the way.
The amount of oil put into the Menorah in a short summer night must be the same as the amount of oil used for a long winter evening. In both cases the purity must be 100%. As parents and educators, may we all pray for God’s assistance and the patience needed to successfully and soulfully educate each and every one of our beloved children.
Shabbat Shalom, Saul A. Rube, Dean of Judaic Studies
