Day school students celebrate Purim

Day School Roundup

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

The King David School

Enrollment for the 2003-2004 year is at a record high of 201 students with 98 percent of current students returning and many new students joining the family. Projected enrollment for opening day is well over 200 students making a 30-percent increase from the previous year. Several class sections have a waiting list.

The Middle School Spring Dance, jointly sponsored by The King David School and Pardes Jewish Day School, is being held on 7:30-9:30 p.m. Sunday, March 30, at Temple Beth Israel, 10460 N. 56th St., Scottsdale. All middle school day school students are welcome to attend. There is no admission charge and refreshments will be served.

Festivities were enjoyed by all during the Purim holiday, as students and staff came dressed in Purim costumes. The Megillat Esther was read during the morning tefilah (prayer) services. First and second graders visited the Kivel Campus of Care on Purim to celebrate the holiday with the residents.

Families of the students were given the opportunity to attend three concerts at the Phoenix Symphony as part of a special cultural series arranged by a parent.

In preparation for the science fair, fifth-grade students carried out a successful rocket launch. For their project, fourth-graders did an egg drop (How can you drop an egg from a height of a two-story building intact?). The students put their eggs in soda cans, sneakers and other containers. The results will be displayed at the Science Fair on April 1.

The assistant mayor and a resident of the community of Kedumim in Israel visited and spoke to the middle school students about life in Israel and its challenges. A new relationship developed between the school and this community.

As part of a hands-on science project, kindergartners have planted their own vegetable garden. They are caring for the plants on a daily basis, measuring their size and predicting their growth, and are excitedly waiting to see (and eat) the results.

Pardes Jewish Day School

On Feb. 27, Bonnie S. Morris, head of school, Diane Silberman, elementary division director, and Tobee Waxenberg, middle school division director attended the national PARDeS (Progressive Association of Reform Day Schools) conference in Beverly Hills, Calif. At this annual conference, administrators and lay leaders meet to share ideas and discuss issues relevant to Jewish day schools today. Morris recently completed her tenure as President of PARDeS.

The elementary division hosted Shabbat for families and friends on March 21. The after-dinner entertainment included z'merot (singing) and Israeli dancing.

Tri-City JCC Day School

The children enjoyed preparing for Purim. All the children participated in making hamantaschen. The hamantaschen and several other items the children created were then put into baskets for the residents of Kivel. The students learned the true meaning of kibud zekaynim (honoring elders) and felt very good about doing something kind for older people.

Other Purim happenings included the students reading the story of Purim Megillah. The first- and second-graders put on a play and the third and fourth grades performed an entertaining puppet show. The week culminated with the children dressing up in costumes and having a Purim parade.

On March 9, the Day School Choir sang at the Torah dedication in Sun Lakes for Temple Havurat Emet. The synagogue dedicated two Torahs - one purchased last year from a rabbinical scribe in Los Angeles and the second a Holocaust Torah, selected by Rabbi Lester Frazin after a recent visit to the Czech Memorial Foundation, located in the Archives of Westminster Synagogue in London, England. The children really enjoyed the Israeli dancing and other entertainment of the afternoon.

Phoenix Hebrew Academy

Mazel Tov to the winners of the academy's Winter Learning and Davening Contest: Josh Dorsch, grade three, grand prize winner; Tal Avrhami, grade six, second prize winner; Shira Shlomi, grade seven, third prize winner; Yanna Gurgg, grade four, honorable mention; Chaya Levertov, grade three, honorable mention; Uriel Kaykov, grade three, honorable mention; Devori Wolfe, grade four, honorable mention; Michael Galibov, grade two, honorable mention; Mark Tomaszewski, grade five, honorable mention; Nicki Tomaszewski, grade seven, honorable mention; Rachel Dorsch, grade six, honorable mention; Ophir Gross, grade four, honorable mention; and Yael Alyeshmerni, grade three, honorable mention.

Congratulations to Diana Mirzakandova, grade two, and Yuliya Melnick, grade seven, for being January Mensch of the Month winners.

Grades three, four and five attended the Bureau of Jewish Education's Torah Mitzvah Fair at the JCC. Together with students from the other day schools, they participated in activities related to mitzvot. The students displayed their mitzvah boards and described their projects. The mitzvot displayed included Shabbat, visiting the sick, tzedakah, kashrut and proper treatment of animals.

Every class participated in the Jump Rope for Heart program on Feb. 27.

Grades three, four and five held their annual Shabbaton Feb. 28 through March 1. Children were hosted in nearby homes and they were able to enjoy Shabbat to its fullest with tefilah (prayers), food and song.

In order to usher in Purim and the month of Adar II, the student council sponsored three special activities. On March 4, all grades performed original Purim skits. Grade four won the award for best performance. March 5 was Western Day. Students dressed in western garb and enjoyed popping balloons attached to their classmates' ankles. On March 6, the school was turned into HHA (Hawaiian Hebrew Academy). Each grade was judged for their artistic drawing of Hawaii. Grade seven won.

The student council ran a Design a Purim O-gram and Purim Mask contests. They also sold the winning Purim O-grams which were designed by: Elianna Schnitzer, grade three; Elizabeth Fishman, grade three; Avigail Silver, grade three; Yanna Gurgg, grade four; and Cory Zinker, grade five.

Third grade was visited by accomplished author Robin Meyerson, an academy parent, who described the steps one must go through to be an author and have one's work published. The students enjoyed listening to Meyerson read two of her children's books.

Under the direction of Kathy Kerr, many of our middle school students entered a variety of literary contests. These contests include: Anthology of Short Stories by Young Americans; The Jossi Berger Holocaust Study Center of Emunah of America; Tenth Annual Holocaust Essay/Poetry Competition; Anthology of Fifth Grade Poetry; and the Morris J. and Betty Kaplon Foundation Inc. Essay Contest.

Grades five, six, seven and eight worked on their Science Fair projects. The annual Science Fair was held on March 25-26 in the auditorium. After the school science fair, the projects will be transported to Arizona State University for the Central Arizona Regional Science and Engineering Fair.

Jess Schwartz Jewish Community High School

The students at The Jess Schwartz Jewish Community High School have been busy with many mitzvot projects including collecting funds for mishloach manot gift baskets for Israeli soldiers, participating in the Phoenix Jewish Coalition for Literacy child-ren's book drive, and collecting Passover food for the communitywide Passover food drive. Ilyssa Adler, Anna Harris, Ari Lewine, Sara Loeb, Ruthie Storch, and Marc Troisi will be volunteering at the upcoming King David Ball on Sunday, April 6. Students have also started a recycling program.

The make-up placement examination for incoming students will be 8:30 a.m. Sunday, March 30. Interested parents and students should contact Chris Black, 602-385-5100, to register for the test. Other activities on the calendar included bowling on March 23, a tour of the Scottsdale Art Museum on March 28 and a visit by The Young Ambassadors Program (Israeli teens) to the campus on April 4. Spring Break will be April 16-25.

Students and families are going to the ballpark on May 1 to see the Diamondbacks play the Marlins. A formal spring dance is scheduled for May 12 and the students will be hosting the Council for Jews with Special Needs on May 7 for a Yom Ha'atzmaut celebration.

In physics, freshman and junior students are preparing their annual spring project - roller coasters. On March 14, there was a "Pi Day" complete with togas and pies for dessert at lunch.

The students recently participated in the AMC 10 (for students in grades 10 and below) and AMC 12 (grades 12 and below) American Mathematics Competitions. Several Jess Schwartz students scored well on the exams. Freshman Paul Schaffert qualified for the next round of competition (the AIME - American Invitational Mathematics Examination) by scoring 103 points on the AMC 12. The National Honor Roll cutoff score, 100 out of 150 possible points, is typically attained or surpassed by fewer than 3 percent of all participants in the United States. More than 700,000 students participate in the U.S. contests annually. This is an incredible accomplishment and we wish Paul continued success on the next exam. Justin Brooks earned the school's top marks on the AMC 10.

The board of directors, parents and students will hold a tea-licious afternoon of celebration and support for the faculty, staff and friends of Jess Schwartz and a special farewell tribute to our founding headmaster, Jay Schechter on Sunday, April 27, for Hats Off! The committee co-chairpeople are Claudia and Michael Gilburd and Cantor Sharona and Daniel Feller. Call Cinda Gavagan at 602-385-5100.

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