Essence Of

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Our Girls’ Choir is singing at tomorrow evening’s YGW “By Women, For Women” Concert at 7:30. Singers should come at 7:10 in the following attire:

• White button down blouses with collars • Blue uniform skirts • Shabbos shoes

Monday, November 17 - 11:45 Dismissal

No Daycare

Wednesday, November 19 – 4B/4G to Flag Ponds

Time of Takeoff : 9:30 ETA (at school) : 4:30

Boys in 4B should Daven at Home that A.M.

Friday, November 21 – Extended deadline for journal ads.

Erev Shabbos Parashas Vayeira November 14, 2008 Candle Lighting: 4:36 Volume XV, Issue 11 Dear Parents, Shockingly, our journal ad deadline has been extended to next Friday, November 21. Please use these bonus hours to send in your eleventh hour ads in honor of Dr. Howard Sabrin, Mrs. Donna Mack, and your kids’ teachers. Also, countdown to our December 7th Fourteenth Annual Dinner has been reduced to 23 days. Don’t let yourselves be caught without a seat that evening. As of 2:00 P.M. today, we are merely 29½ hours from tomorrow night’s YGW Concert. Make sure (if you are a member of the female gender) to come out and hear our girls sing. Tickets could have still been purchased today at our (box) office, but never fear! You can still buy those box seats at the event.

Calendarial Anticipations Sunday, November 16

5th/6th Shiurim. Please remember to bring the Sefarim and supplies you need (e.g. Gemarrah, binders, etc.).

Monday, November 17 11:45 dismissal. P.M. Staff Professional Day.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, November 18, 19 and 20

Full post – 3:30 schedule.

Wednesday, November 19

4B/G to Flag Pond. Time of return: 4:30. 4B should Daven at home.

Pizza. Todah for this week to Rivka Goldstein and many staff members.

Tuesday, November 25 1B/1G Chag HaSiddur at 9:15.

Wednesday, November 26 NOAM (Night Out at Max’s) for Rosh

Chodesh Kislev. Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, November 27, 28, and 30

Thanksgiving Break – No classes. Sunday, December 7

14th Annual TSGW Dinner.

Today’s Attachments: Classroom Close-ups by Mrs. Malka. Ooroo LaTefillah. Chosen Words.

We wish a Refuah Shelaimah to:

Chani Kreiser. Meredith Altschuler’s mother. Mrs. Karp’s daughter.

We express HaKaras HaTov to:

• Adrienne Rosenthal for covering the front desk on Sunday.

$$””22"" TToorraahh SScchhooooll ooff GGrreeaatteerr WWaasshhiinnggttoonn

EE..SS..TT..EE..RR.. EErreevv SShhaabbbbooss ““TToorraahh”” EEvveennttss RReeppoorrtt

• Sharon Graff, Rochie Reingold, and Lisa Solomson for all their help during the girls’ choir’s special practices.

What’s Been Goin’ On Around Here?

“Reading Buddies” has really been a hit for 3G and 1G. Every Friday, young ladies from these two grades are paired up and take turns reading to each other.

On Monday and Tuesday of election week, our kids got to vote using our ballots. The results were absolutely non-representative of Maryland (or anywhere else in the country), as John McCain won by a “historical” landslide. Nevertheless, he didn’t get any Electoral College votes.

KB/KG applied the results of doing their civic duty to math, as they graphed their voting.

2B drew sequences of pictures to depict Noach’s sending the Yonah from the Teivah.

2B/2G/4B learned the difference between VaYishlach (and he sent) and VayShalach (and he sent away), as the former is in Binyan Kal and the latter is in Binyan Pi’eil.

3G get involved in simple machines, acted out an original story in Ivrit about raking leaves (using a real rake), played a game which involved a beach ball and lots of spoken Hebrew, conjugated verbs in past tense, read a summary of Parashas VaYeirah in Ivrit, and have their creative writing “Fall Feelings” bulletin board on display.

2B/G are now experts on immigration and have perfected their knowledge and understanding of even/odd #’s.

3B and 3G have really gotten into their newest skill, as they are studying Rashi

textually. Rabbi Samberg’s boys are becoming Royal Rashi Readers.

3B played charades to learn verbs and used mental math strategies for +, -, and estimation.

KB/G practiced emulating Avraham Avinu, as they made special plates and delicious edible treats for their guests. They’re also into a unit on friends.

Lots of writing is happening all over the place. Our study of the election prompted many different samplings. In fact, our Sixth Graders wrote what would happen “If I Were President.” They also focused on the writing trait of “idea”, concentrating on a central theme and conveying a specific mood or tone to their readers. 4G learned about and wrote personification sentences.

6B/6G have been exposed (in Navi) to a lot of multi-syllabic, hard to spell/pronounce vocabulary words (e.g. omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, anthropomorphic).

Of course, everybody’s favorite topic is grammar with foci on parts of speech, punctuation, and lots of other fun stuff. Our G.U.M. workbooks really are helping our kids understand, apply, and improve in these areas.

In math, we’ve angled, algebra-ed, decimaled (including doing decimal art – whatever that is), numerated, estimated, bent our minds with mind benders, added, subtracted, x, ÷, geometried, place valued, regrouped, problem solved, (Ed. Note: I’ve been problem creating), played Geometry Simon Says, and kept pretty busy.

6B/B/G have thoroughly covered scientists and their respective –ologies. To review, they played scientist bingo. The only thing obtuse they’ve done is related to math.

We’ve read and/or are reading “Togo,” about the Titanic, “Ramona Quimby,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Tuck Everlasting,” and more. 6B/G have also studied the bio of the author of their current novel.

2G made a picture book for Perek 8 in Parashas Noach.

4B experimented with salinity and evaluated characters’ decisions in a story.

5B have covered all the “Ain Bains” in the first chapter of Maseches Megillah and saw how Hashem’s trait of Rachamim comes faster and last longer than that of strict Din.

5G diagrammed the repeating cycle of events that occur in Sefer Shofetim in Navi.

1B/G can’t contain their excitement over their very-soon-to-be-here Chag HaSiddur – a mere eleven days away.

3B have seen the great wisdom of Eliezer, Avraham Avinu’s faithful servant, in “negotiating” with Lavan and Besu’el for the “release” of Rivka Imeinu.

4B have dabbled with Semichus and Vav HaHipuch and are really into the events of the life of Yosef HaTzaddik in Chumash.

6B/B are getting deeper and deeper into the topic of Yei’ush, as viewed by both Rava and Abaye, and have reviewed how to deal with a combined Mapik Hey and Patach Genuvah.

6B/B/G are very excited about their year-long Taryag Foundation unit on Aseres HaDiberos, as are 5B/5G about their daily Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation Shomer HaLashon programs.

Good Shabbos!

Sincerely,

Rabbi Yitzchak Charner

Headmaster

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vk̈h ¦p §T©k UrUgVolume II November 14, 2008Issue 5

TORAH SCHOOL OF GREATER WASHINGTON 14th ANNUAL GALA BANQUET JOURNAL AD FORM

Sunday, December 7, 2008 Honoring Dr. Howard W. Sabrin

and Morah Donna Mack

A D D E A D L I N E : N O V E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 0 8

Contact Information

Name ________________________________ Business Name ____________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________________________________

City ______________________________________ State __________ Zip Code _____________________

Phone ______________________ Fax ____________________ Email ____________________________

Ad Solicited by ____________________________________________________________

Payment Information

Check (made payable to the Torah School)

Credit Card (circle one) VISA MC DISCOVER AMEX

Number ______________________________________________

Exp ______ / _______ Signature__________________________

Ad Information Ad size (please select one; see back for costs and more information)

Builder $25,000

Sustainer $10,000

Grand Benefactor $3,600

Benefactor $1,800

Patron $1,000

Sponsor $720

Full Page $250

Half Page $150

Quarter Page $80

Eighth Page $50

Listing $36

Please attach camera-ready art or write the text of the ad in the space below.

Submission information on back

Ad Specifications:

CLASS Builder Sustainer Grand Benefactor Benefactor Patron Sponsor Full Page Half Page Quarter Page Eighth Page Listing

COST $10,000 $5,000 $3,600 $1,800 $1,000 $720 $250 $150 $80 $50 $36

DETAILS

Includes 8 tickets Includes 4 tickets Includes 4 tickets Includes 2 tickets Includes 2 tickets Includes 2 tickets 25 word limit 15 word limit Name only

A D D E A D L I N E : N O V E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 0 8

Submission Information:

Please fill out the ad form on the other side of this paper and submit it, with payment, to the Torah School. You can submit your ad in one of three ways:

By Mail

The Torah School of Greater Washington 2010 Linden Lane

Silver Spring, MD 20910

By Fax (240) 494-3602

By Email

gala@torahschool.org

For more information, please call the Torah School at (301) 962-8003

A D D E A D L I N E : N O V E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 0 8

Classroom Close-Ups Mrs. Malka

November 14, 2008 Volume V, Issue 5

Sweet, high-pitched voices chanting Modeh Ani to Hashem herald the start of a

fresh, new day at the Torah School. As these heartfelt tefillos resound throughout the halls, they energize me as I begin, once again, to work on the many exciting goals that comprise my “Torah School To-Do List.” If I were to group these items into one folder on my computer, I would entitle this file: Celebrate the differences! Our youngsters possess unique strengths and challenges that require just the right formulas to help them successfully learn and perform at their own levels. This year, we are continuing to make headway in this direction by initiating a variety of programs that are designed to benefit our students academically and socially.

In the area of technology, the Torah School has bravely plunged into the 21st century by adopting several innovations in assistive technology, all designed to help meet the special needs of our students.

• Kurzweil is a unique program that allows a teacher to download or scan into the computer text which the student simultaneously views on the monitor and hears, thanks to its unique text-to-voice synthesizer. The speed of the vocalization is regulated to the speed at which a student is able to process written and spoken information. As an added visual stimulus for the student, a cursor points to the text on the monitor as it is being read. This program is especially useful to readers who lack fluency, but demonstrate solid comprehension skills.

• AlphaSmart is a keyboarding device that works much like a laptop computer, but it is strictly for word processing. This is especially beneficial for students who need to express information and ideas without being held back and distracted by challenges in fine motor coordination.

• Kidspiration is a computer program that helps students to think, brainstorm, organize, analyze, and write through the use of colorful and highly motivating graphic organizers, such as diagrams, flow charts, and outlines.

• Boardmaker is an ideal tool for creating symbol-based print and literacy activities for beginning and pre-readers.

Our teachers are now in the process of learning to use and implement these valuable teaching tools within their curricula. Two years ago, third graders and up began a new reading program that systematically teaches effective skills in reading comprehension. With the adoption of Macmillan McGraw Hill’s latest programs, Treasures, for Grades K – 2, and Triumphs, for reading resource in Grades K - 6, all of our students are now receiving the most up-to-date instruction in reading. Treasures is based on the most recent reading research and built on the five elements of reading as prescribed by the National Reading Panel: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. In addition to providing authoritative guidance on what to teach, this program gives teachers best-practice approaches for effective, differentiated instruction, enabling them to meet the

needs of students at all reading levels, and provides a wealth of award-winning, engaging literature vital to motivating young readers. Similarly, Triumphs provides our resource students with rich material right at their instructional levels. Yet another area where we work to meet the individual needs of our students is in math. With last year’s adoption of the latest math series by Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley, our teachers are enjoying this program’s rich storehouse of resources which are designed to facilitate differentiated instruction in math. In addition, this year, we are so very fortunate to have as our full-time math specialist, Mrs. Marcia Laundy. Her vast experience, knowledge, dedication, and love for our students, as well as the subject she teaches, make her eminently qualified for this awesome position. Depending on her group, Mrs. Laundy ably provides remediation, enrichment, or acceleration in math. It is almost impossible to fathom that she meets from 1– 4 times weekly with eighty-five students, spanning Grades 2 - 6! Finally, we are so delighted to have added a new member to our Torah School staff—our guidance counselor, Mrs. Maya Beck! Her warmth and outgoing demeanor, as well as her innate sensitivity, will help her to establish a firm foundation of trust and mutual respect necessary to establish positive relationships with her young charges. She will be meeting with students individually and in small groups, as well as visiting classes on a regular basis. Whole-class discussions will include a wide variety of relevant topics, such as stress management, self-esteem, bullying, and peer pressure. Thanks to Mrs. Beck, we will now be better equipped to address the social and emotional needs of all of our students. So, at the day’s end, B”H, some items can be crossed off the “Torah School To-Do List.” Yet, there are so many more goals to fulfill and dreams to realize for our children! But, once again, it will be morning, and as our children sing their uplifting songs of praise and gratitude to G-d, they will continue to inspire and encourage me to plan, to work, to accomplish.

R E M I N D E R :

Mail / Fax to: Binah Magazine207 Foster Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11230

Phone 718.305.5246 Fax 718.689.1373 E-mail schoolspecial@binahmagazine.com

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