Students reach out to local community

Day School Roundup

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

Pardes Jewish Day School

The elementary division had a visit by 75 kindergarten children from the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Com-munity on Nov. 7. The theme of the visit was "A Rainbow of Friendship." This was the first part of an ongoing community relations program.

The second grade visited the Halle Heart Center as a follow-up to their thematic unit on the human body. They also sponsored a presentation by Kids on the Block, which teaches chil-dren that people with disabilities are valuable members of our community.

The fourth grade completed a social studies unit on cultural awareness. They chose countries based on their family history and wrote complex research reports. They culminated their studies with a schoolwide Heritage Fair.

As part of the PJDS Social Action Curriculum, students in grades five through eight decorated the sukkah at the Culver Street Synagogue and distributed new socks, T-shirts and water to the homeless in the area.

The sixth graders also led Shabbat services at a private nursing home near the middle school campus, participated in Mitzvah Day at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center by decorating bags for food donations for the Paradise Valley Food Bank, and prepared sandwiches for St. Vincent de Paul.

On Nov. 6, students in grades five through eight visited the Herberger College of Fine Arts at Arizona State University for a private concert followed by a hands-on tour of the Nelson Art Museum.

Seventh graders made their annual trip to Catalina Island to study at CELP (Catalina Environmental Leadership Program). Stu-dents learn in a variety of ways from snorkeling ad-ventures to nature hikes to laboratory activities to interactive slide shows and discussions about how to live more sustainable on the planet.

Phoenix Hebrew Academy

Kivel resident and two-year Dor L'Dor participant Al Plotkin was surprised by the fourth and fifth grades on the occasion of his 91st birthday. The students made in-dividual cards, which they presented to Plotkin. They then shared birthday cake with him as he reminisced.

Student Council elections were held this past week. After days of campaigning with posters and stickers, each candidate had three minutes to address the student body and discuss their ideas. Afterward, all students voted by individual ballots.

This year's Student Council officers, are Elana Ros-engard, president; Yosef Silver, vice-president; Mariya Ibragimova, treasurer; and Yisroel Meir Silver, secretary. Diana Young, student council faculty advisor, is looking forward to a great year with a hard-working group.

Fourth grade is completing The Book of Bereshit. A special siyum has been planned which includes students summarizing and acting out important events from each parsha (Torah portion).

The King David School

The Art Masterpiece program (through the Phoenix Art Museum) is underway with trained parent volunteers visiting the classrooms at all grade levels introducing students to cave art, Chinese brush stroke painting, impressionism and more.

The Copper Silver War is in full swing as the various classes compete to raise the most tzedakah (charity) for worthy causes.

The kindergarten classes presented a dramatic per-formance "The Little Red Hen" for the Chanen pre-schoolers. They also enjoyed a field trip to Crowe's Dairy Farm. The kindergartners had a great time with their dads at the Papa Bears Pajama Party.

First grade celebrated 50 days of school integrating math with a special snack. For language arts they spent three weeks creating a class book, and presented book reports on animals and Thanksgiving.

Seventy students received award ribbons at the State Fair for their creations in the Student Art Exhibit. Twenty-one of these were first place winners including excep-tional merit for best of show.

On an educational trip to the Phoenix Public Library, fourth graders learned how to use the computer cata- log and access reference material.

Fifth graders visited Karchner Caverns on a recent all-day field trip.

Congratulations to chess champs Ben Arqueros (third place, first grade) and Jacob Lille (10th place, first grade) who competed in the 2003 All America Cup, K-1 division. King David placed fourth as a team.

Third through eighth graders placed second in the United Spirit League Flag Football tournament held at the VOSJCC.

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