Day schools extend learning beyond campus

The Day School Roundup is a monthly feature in which the local day schools update the community on what is happening on their campuses.

Pardes Jewish Day School

Pardes Jewish Day School faculty and parents will participate in the Jewish Day School-21 conference in Chicago during the last week of October. Pardes was selected as one of four day schools nationwide to participate in the event, sponsored through a grant from the Avi Chai Foundation.

Pardes middle school students are participating in an ongoing project to clean the Arizona Jewish Historical Society's facility to help prepare for upcoming renovations. Students are cleaning the interior of the original synagogue and will prepare for visitors during the society's Nov. 10 open house event.

Middle school students will attend the Scottsdale International Film Festival Oct. 28. Students will view "Promises," a film about conflict in the Middle East as experienced by Israeli and Palestinian children.

The middle school will also participate in "Battle of the Books" at Scottsdale Public Library Oct. 31. Students will answer questions about books in a game-show style environment. Winners will compete with schools across the Valley. Last year, the Pardes teams advanced to the finals of the district competition.

During the month of November, middle school students will prepare sandwiches for St. Vincent de Paul as part of the ongoing social action curriculum.

Seventh graders will travel to the School of Marine Biology on Catalina Island in California Nov. 12-15. Students will take part in team-building activities, scuba diving and oceanography.

The elementary school will attend "Peter and the Wolf," performed by the Phoenix Symphony, Oct. 31.

The King David School

The King David School middle school students joined alumni and students from the Tucson Hebrew Academy to mark the school's first Shabbaton, held Oct. 4-6. The weekend event included Judaic learning, tefilah (worship), sports and friendship.

Students celebrated Sukkot by reciting blessings over the lulav and the etrog with senior residents in Kivel Campus of Care's sukkah. The school also visited sukkot around the Valley to mark the holiday. To celebrate Shemini Atzeret, students flew kites to honor the prayer for rain.

Sixth graders attended the Challenger Space Camp Oct. 2. Participants experienced a simulation of guiding a spaceship through outer space.

Thirty-four students who won awards at the Arizona State Fair's art exhibit visited the fair on Oct. 14.

Kindergarten students performed in a Columbus Day play for parents. Students read their parts.

The Phoenix Community Kollel, kicking off the first event in a series of Judaic lessons, taught students the dietary laws concerning the baking of challah. Students then made their own challah and enjoyed a mock Shabbat dinner with Kollel families.

Other KDS events include a field trip to Biosphere II with fourth through eighth grade students Oct. 23; attending the Scottsdale International Film Festival for the screening of the movie "Promises" for middle school students Oct. 28; and parent/teacher conferences Nov. 20.

Jess Schwartz Jewish Community High School

Mathematics instructor Felice Weiner will serve at the high school as a guidance counselor. Weiner has a master's degree in secondary education in counseling.

Ari Lewine was nominated to be a student intern at the Scientific Enrichment Program for students at the Barrow Neurological Institute.

The Hiking Club took part in the first hike of the season Oct. 20. The Speech and Debate Club will meet the first and third Monday of each month.

Thirty-one students will participate in the Jewish Community Relations Coun-cil's Literacy Program and the book buddy program.

The science and math department took a fall field trip to southern Arizona Oct. 9-10. Participants visited the Lunar Planetary Lab, the Flandrau Planetarium, Kartchner Caverns and the Saguaro National Park.

Students will view "Promises," an Emmy award-winning film, Oct. 29.

Yearbook photos will be taken Oct. 31.

Vision and hearing screening will be held at the end of October.

The first term will end Nov. 1.

Student government officers will attend the North America Association of Jewish High Schools Student Government Leadership Conference in Detroit Nov. 8-10.

The studio art class and the tenth grade will visit the Fleischer Museum Nov. 15.

Recruitment has begun for the class of 2007. Potential students are encouraged to arrange to shadow a current student and sample a day at the school. Fall open house will be held Nov. 17.

Phoenix Hebrew Academy

The Phoenix Hebrew Academy recognized Mark Eisenberg, grade 6, and Ariel Behar, grade 4, as the "Mensch of the Month." The students were nominated by their teachers.

Tri-City JCC Day School

Day school students welcomed Rosh Chodesh with special guest Rabbi Straus of Temple Emanuel, who explained why we celebrate Rosh Chodesh. The children enjoyed learning the weekly parashah (Torah portion) and third and fourth graders are making their own Torahs.

First and second graders have been learning various ways to find books at the Tempe Public Library. Third and fourth graders continued their exploration of tikkun olam (repairing the world) during a science field trip to O Premium Waters to study water conservation.

Art projects have included making decorations and "building" the walls of Jerusalem in preparation for the Ben Yehuda Mall event. Discussion of the purpose of the event and the need to help the economy of Israel preceded the projects.

The new day school choir, directed by Emily Zappa, will debut during two upcoming Hanukkah events.

Home