The Monthly Roar...2016/04/15 · Classes Resume 5th - 7th grade soccer game at St. Gabriel’s...
Transcript of The Monthly Roar...2016/04/15 · Classes Resume 5th - 7th grade soccer game at St. Gabriel’s...
LETTER FROM OUR HEAD OF SCHOOL
I admit it - I have an unhealthy relationship with technology.
Yes, I use it for all the right reasons – work, staying connected to family and friends,
news, productivity and entertainment. However, when my son mentioned to me how
often I was checking my phone, I knew that it wasn’t about the endorphins of receiving
an email or text. I was playing with my phone as a stress release after a long week.
This leads me to wonder about children growing up in the age of technology. Kids are
connected to video games, phones, iPads, and TV during those times when we used to
have to sit. I see this all the time – kids arriving to school with a game in their hand, or
while waiting in the airport, or even while sitting in the grocery cart. How is this
immediate and constant stimulation impacting our young children? Are they having
time to daydream and think? I witness kids having difficulty calming their bodies and
being still in ways that previously didn’t exist. This rise was confirmed by an educational
consultant who also remarked about the increase in children needing tools to regulate
themselves. I don’t have proof that technology plays a role in this, but I speculate that it
does.
In pondering the impact of technology, I thought back to a video a friend of mine sent
me about how many people get creative ideas in the shower. I am one of the 72%.
Shelley H. Carson, PhD, from the Department of Psychology at Harvard narrates the
video. She shares that when we shower, we are in a defocused attentional state. We are
not controlling what we are thinking about; therefore, this is a fertile time for creative
achievement.
I listen to a lot of podcasts (yes, instead of letting my mind wander), and over the
weekend, I listened to OnBeing where host Krista Tippet interviews Tiffany Shlain.
Shlain is a filmmaker and founder of the Webby Awards. She is committed to, “…
reframing technology as an expression of the best of what humanity is capable, with all
the complexity that entails.” As positively as she views the internet and all that goes with
it, her family has instituted the practice of a “tech Shabbat”. They take a hiatus from all
technology use for 24 hours as part of their Shabbat ritual. Tiffany speaks of the positive
impact this break has on her family.
With Passover approaching, I invite all of us who are tech junkies to liberate ourselves
from the slavery of our devices, to take a break. Let’s provide ourselves and our
children the time to daydream and allow creative thought to enter our brains, slow
down, relax our minds and our bodies, and enjoy time together. I wonder what we’ll
discover.
Shabbat Shalom!
Cheryl Hersh
The Monthly Roar 7 of Nisan, 5776
April 15, 2016
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Save the Date .............. 2
Advancement ............. 3
AJA Happenings.…..4-6
SPECIAL POINTS OF
INTEREST
Transitional
Kindergarten
Announcement
Invitation to the
Environment Expo
SAVE THE DATE!
Friday, April 15
Fifth grade Farm Visit from 8:15 am - 2:45 pm at Green Gate Farm
Jump Rope for Hearts Celebration from 1:15 - 2:15 pm in the JCC gym
Environment Expo from 3:00 - 5:00 pm at the Science and Innovation Center
Monday, April 18 Fifth grade field trip to Whole Foods at the Domain for a scavenger
hunt from 8:30 - 11:30 am
Tuesday, April 19 Passover program from 1:00 - 3:30 pm
Wednesday, April 20
Kindergarten field trip to Coyote Creek Farm from 8:15 - 11:00 am
Intergenerational Art Program from 9:45 - 11:15 am in the MPR
5th - 6th grade soccer game at Austin Jewish Academy from 4:00 - 5:00 pm vs Paragon
Thursday, April 21 Third grade field trip to University of Texas campus from 8:30 am -
3:30 pm
Friday, April 22 - Friday, April 29 Passover Break - AJA Closed; Office will be closed
due to carpet installation
Monday, May 2 Professional Development - AJA Closed for students
Tuesday, May 3
Classes Resume
5th - 7th grade soccer game at St. Gabriel’s 6:15 - 7:15 pm
Wednesday, May 4
Fourth grade field trip to San Antonio from 8:00 am - 3:30 pm
Third grade field trip to the Texas Museum of Science and Technology from 1:00 -
3:30 pm
5th - 7th grade soccer game at Austin Jewish Academy from 4:15 - 5:15 pm vs St
Theresa
Thursday, May 5
Yom Hashoah
5th - 6th grade soccer game from 4:00 - 5:00 pm at St. Andrews
Friday, May 6
Fifth grade Farm Visit from 8:15 am - 2:45 pm at Green Gate Farm
First grade field trip the Blanton Museum from 12:30 - 2:30 pm
Tuesday, May 10 Parent Association Meeting from 8:00 - 9:00 am in the Becker Science
Center
Wednesday, May 11
Yom Hazikaron
Show Choir Performance at the JCC Community Hall Stageside from 4:30 - 6:00 pm
Thursday, May 12
Yom Haatzma’ut
Fifth grade Farm Visit from 8:15 am - 2:45 pm at Green Gate Farm
Friday, May 13 Portfolio Day
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WE ARE ALMOST THERE! PLEASE DONATE NOW
to the Inspire Annual Campaign to
ensure we reach our goal of $255,000 and 100% participation.
To make your donation click here
or contact Robin Littrell, Development Associate at
512-735-8375 or email Robin Littrell.
from the AJA Development Office
TRIBUTES In Honor of
Nathan Abrahams, Ben Caplovitz , and Eddie Vane “Thank you for making the world and our Jewish community a better place.”
Dana Epstein
In Honor of Abby Baldwin’s Bat Mitzvah Cheryl Hersh
In Honor of Tisha Brown’s
Principal Certification Achievement Cheryl Hersh
In Honor of Lue Coplin’s Bar Mitzvah Cheryl Hersh
In Memory of Leslie Brittman, mother and grandmother of Rochelle Kraus and family
Cheryl Hersh
Speedy Recovery of Brooke Novy Cheryl Hersh
“Tzedakah is not about giving; Tzedakah is about being.”
Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson
HELP AJA THROUGH
EVERY DAY SHOPPING
Click
below to learn more.
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PSIA and State
Science Fair
We are proud to report that
Austin Jewish Academy
won second place in the
Elementary School Division
of the PSIA competition.
Also, three of our middle
schoolers went to the Texas
State Science Fair to
present their incredible
projects.
Academic scholarship and
competition, such as the
PSIA and Science Fairs,
represent opportunity for
our students to shine and
push themselves forward to
new heights!
MIDDLE SCHOOL FAMILY FUN DAY
Middle School Family Fun Day is
an AJA tradition during which
middle school families and AJA
staff get together for good old
fashioned fun in the sun. The day
started out with a rousing game of
adults versus kids Capture the
Flag. Our athletically gifted
parents were victorious!
Next, the kids and parents faced
off in the classic
schoolyard sport of
Kickball. This time, the
kids punted and sprinted
their way to a win!
It was a beautiful day with
sunshine and good times
for all.
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SOCCER UPDATE The Lions are
ROARing through this
soccer season. We
couldn’t be more
proud of their
teamwork and
perseverance. We’re
about halfway through
the season and have 4
wins and 1 loss. Coach
Bull proclaimed, “This
is the best soccer team
AJA has had!”
AJA PRESENTS: A NIGHT IN THE BIG APPLE
This year’s family dance was a New York
City themed evening of dancing and delight!
Elementary students from our school and
the greater community came together to
dance, have their faces painted, and create
picture frames for photos of this memorable
evening. AJA alumna, Hannah Eisenberg,
donated her time and talent to create New
York City skyline portraits and donated the
proceeds back to AJA. Parent Association co
-president, Stacy Linkin says, “I have never
been involved with another school that has
shown such support for its community. We
love having fun, and the dance was a huge
success. Thank you AJA!”
Special thanks to our sponsors: Global
Printing Solutions, Balloon People, TimoDJ,
Doodlebug the Clown, Shalom Austin,
Abrakadoodle, Hannah Michele
Photography, Jonathan Garza, Noa and
Eddy Levy, the Horwitz Family, and the
Hensley Family.
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MIX IT UP LUNCH
A national campaign launched by Teaching
Tolerance in 2002, Mix It Up Lunch encourages
students to identify, question and cross social
boundaries. Students have identified the cafeteria
as the place where divisions are most clearly
drawn. So for just a day, our students moved out
of their comfort zones and connected with new
friends over lunch. It’s a simple act with
profound implications. Students from all of our
grades had the opportunity to interact with each
other and learn something new or make a new
friend! If the smiles on everyone’s faces were any
indication… a little change can be very good!
1st Grade Siddur
Ceremony
Austin Jewish Academy
marks our students’
progress with a yearly
Jewish Milestone
ceremony and on April 6
our first grade class
experienced their Siddur
Ceremony. Each student
receives his or her own
siddur, inscribed with a
message from their
parents. The students led
the congregation in a few
prayers and enjoyed a
yummy treat afterwards.
CHICKENS COMES TO AJA!
It started with three students, grew into a
middle school project, and came to
fruition with a generous donation from
the Ginor family. Be sure to check out
AJA’s new chicken coop and the
feathery residents: Chamudi, Puff,
Cricket, Flash, Cooper, and Diggy.
Look in the May edition of the Jewish
Outlook for the whole story behind this
egg-celent new development!
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AJA Students take
environmental education to a
whole new level at the
Environment Expo!
Young Voices for the Planet film
festival
Student made alternative energy
prototypes
Student guided tours of facilities
and global climate change projects
including solar powered
aquaponics systems, compost and
vermicomposting systems, fruit
grove and gardens, and chicken
coop
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Community Events
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Calling all Jewish Teens Ages 13 – 16! Join Team Austin in Stamford, CT - August 7 - 12 JCC Maccabi Games Team Tryouts Sunday, January 24 & 31 3-6 PM Arts Fest Auditions: Sunday, January 31 2-5 PM
JCC Austin, 7300 Hart Lane
Go to www.shalomaustin.org/maccabi for a complete list of
team, individual sports and art tracks.
JCC Summer Camps Registration Now Open!
Register for JCC Summer Camps! New options this summer include Transportation from Lakeline Mall; Legorobotics and Archery in weekly Camp Shalom activi-ties; Ultimate Arts Olympics; Day Camp for Grandparents and Grandchildren; and more! Visit www.shalomaustin.org/camps to sign up.
AJRT Presents: As Butterflies May 7-22 $10 Students, Seniors & JCC Members/ $15 General Admission
Congregation Beth Israel, 3901 Shoal Creek Blvd.
Questions? Contact Jenny Lavery at [email protected]
Visit shalomaustin.org/butterflies for more information and to buy tickets.
There's a Few Spots Left! JCC Pickleball Tournament Sunday, April 17 11 AM
JCC Austin Gym, 7300 Hart Lane
Register at: https://shalomaustin.org/pickleball?srctid=1&erid=3730312&trid=a6cde28a-f2da-4310-ab12-1789e52328e2
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On behalf of the staff at Austin
Jewish Academy, we would like
to wish you and your families a
Shabbat Shalom!
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