December 13, 2010

Random Seasonal Song Quote:

“Happy New Year, Happy New Year
May we all have a vision now and then,
Of a world where every neighbor is a friend
Happy New Year, Happy New Year
May we all have our hopes, our will to try
If we don’t we might as well lay down and die
You and I”

- Abba (Yes, that same Abba from the 1970’s…pretty cool lyrics to a song that gets very little play.)

Wrapping up the semester:

This week we decided to recap the first semester with our top ten moments/stories of the year to date:

In no particular order:
• 8th grade Samantha Agnich stacking ding dongs on her forehead during the first Minute to Win it! All of “The Minute to Win Its” have been a blast, but that one really stands out.
• The success of both girls’ volleyball teams. They were dominant and it was a lot of fun going to those games in the fall.
• Grayson Sheena’s buzzer beater to beat St. Mark’s in the final boys 8 basketball game before break! This was just the last in a long list of great performances by this team.
• Hugging goats on the 6th grade field trip to Home Sweet Farm and Blue Heron Farm. The goats were too cute, the goat cheese was terrific, and the kids got to hug goats…fun for everyone!
• Dr. Bishop getting dunked in the dunking booth at the opening picnic in August. I don’t think any more explanation is necessary.
• The Veteran’s Day Kallah that Mr. O’Neal organized. 7th graders Elana Shoss singing the National Anthem, the 6th grade Vocal class singing at the end, and the speakers were terrific. A very cool, very classy Kallah.
• The various bands that played at the opening of Open House. 7th graders Rory O’Dwyer and Cy Pacht may be our very own version of Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith.
• The Thanksgiving Kallah – students eating apple pie without hands, chunkin’ pumpkins across the stage, digging through shaving cream looking for ducks, dressing turkeys, I mean teachers, and extreme apple bobbing. Need I say more?
• Tikkun Olam – the 7th and 8th grade have represented themselves and their school very well this semester out in the community giving a little back.
• Lunch – after the expected growing pains of 190 middle school students eating lunch at the same time, the 50 minute lunch has proved well worth the initial trouble. Watching students of all grades playing together and giving students time with their teachers has made this one of our favorite parts of the day.
• And #11 – for you Spinal Tap fans – “it goes to eleven” – Snack during the 12:30 dismissal days. Never have I seen such widespread joy than that first day of snack. Those were some happy chillin’s…And, because of this, we will have snack available in The Commons during the break in exams each of these three exams days!

So, as we finish a good first semester and push on into the New Year, I want to wish you all the best over the winter break and a Happy New Year. Enjoy the time with your families and please be safe in your travels. See you in 2011.

No Athletic Events or practices until after break.

Happy Birthday to the following students who are celebrating birthdays this week and over the break, and a special Happy Birthday to Jackie Wertheimer, who celebrated a birthday on December 11th:
• Tyler Cohen – December 13th
• Bess Krasoff – December 16th
• Brandon Olifant – December 17th
• Roderick Harris – December 18th
• Kyle Cimono – December 23rd
• Allan Frederick and Mirra Gutman – December 24th
• David Czarlinsky – December 26th
• Mikayla Smolensky – December 29th

Mazel Tov to Joseph Minkowitz who will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah over the break on December 30th

Calendar Events:
• Review Days – December 13th and 14th
• Exams – December 15th – 17th
There will be a brief Kallah just prior to lunch on Tuesday, but otherwise Kallah has been canceled to accommodate the schedule for review days.

Review Days – December 13-14
• Students will meet with all classes
• 6th grade will have a study hall during the Fine Arts Period
• Advisory/Kallah period is not included in the schedule to make room for all of the classes to meet
• 7th and 8th grade – all students will have study hall at the end of the day – no sports.
• 6th grade Hebrew will meet at its regular time

Exams – December 15-17
• Exams are from 8-9:30 and 9:45-11:15. Students will be ready for pick-up at 11:15.
• Wednesday – Math and Science
• Thursday – History and Hebrew
• Friday – English and Judaics
• Please see the extended time schedule for finishing times for those students.
• Snack is available for purchase during the break between exams for all students.

School is closed for Winter Holiday from December 18th - January 3rd. Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 4th.