B"H
September 10, 2023 / 24 Elul 5783
HS Newsletter
High school is well underway, with a focus on personalized learning in specific classes and as an overall school goal.

Personalized learning builds a student’s ability to take agency over their own academic growth as active participants in the learning process. To launch this initiative, we will have each student lead their own parent/teacher conferences on November 8. Mark your calendars now for this important step in student advocacy!

To support this direction, students meet once a week in a small group Advisory Class, where they work in an ongoing process to prepare for these conferences. This time is structured into three key reflective tasks:

  • Students send reminder emails to themselves and to their parents about upcoming assignments and other things to remember. If you are not getting these emails, let us know. 
  • Students then fill out a goal tracker and choose a goal to focus on for the upcoming week.
  • Then they decide on a piece of “excellent” work (anything they are proud of, big or small) to upload into the Google Classroom into their Portfolio of Excellence. 

We strongly urge ALL parents to sign up for and participate in these student-led conferences. This is an important step in allowing your child to advocate and take responsibility for their learning!
— High School Principal Donna Hutcheson, HS Assistant Principal Bonnie Atkins, and Director of HS Judaic Studies Sara Block
Jewish Thought and Law
JTL classes are preparing for the upcoming holidays by learning about the month of Elul. Elul offers us a deeper opportunity to explore the past year by looking into our deeds and actions and setting new goals in character development and beyond. The month of Elul is a time of introspection, personal accounting and teshuva (change). When thinking about their lives, students have been exploring how they can improve in the realm of Jewish life or their relationship with Hashem, character development/personal growth (including relationships with other people), and physical or mental daily habits. Ask your student about their aspirations for the coming year!
Experiential Learning
All classes at the Schultz Rosenberg Campus have been busy! Here are some shots of students actively learning this week!
MindPrint Pilot Program
Just like a fingerprint, we all have unique thinking and learning skills, or cognitive strengths. In a continued effort to shift to a student-centered, personalized learning campus, the 9th and 10th grades are piloting a program called MindPrint. This program assesses students’ cognitive strengths and provides a report with individualized learning strategies for both students and teachers to use. 

Through Advisory and English classes, students have the opportunity to review their report with a teacher and choose strategies for them to try. Their teachers can use the reports to differentiate assignments, group work, and other teaching strategies to utilize their students' natural learning capabilities.

Here is an explanation of the profile report each student has or will receive:
Things to Know
  • Last Call! Register via UltraCamp for The Art of Acting after-school theatre class in association with JCC Performing Arts Space.

  • Our parent-to-school Blue Note communication form has a new look and can easily be found under QuickLinks at the top of AkibaYavneh.org.
CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS
Fri, Sept 15: No School — Rosh Hashanah
Mon, Sept 18 — During Hebrew Classes

Legacy Studios will be taking student ID and yearbook photos. Please note that Class of 2024 cap and gown photos will be taken Tue, Oct 31.

2:25 pm Mon, Sept 18: Early Dismissal — Tzom Gedalia
7 pm Wed, Sept 20 — Middle School Beit Midrash

All AYA parents are invited to join our Judaic Studies educators for a discussion
of the Jewish month and upcoming holidays. Light refreshments will be served. » RSVP

Mon, Sept 25: No School — Yom Kippur

9 am Tue, Sept 26: Delayed Start (Doors open 8:40 am)

Noon Fri, Sept 29: Early Dismissal — Sukkot

Wed, Nov 8: Student led Parent/Teacher Conferences
OUR COMMUNITY
Your Rosh Hashanah gift: The PTO is treating all AYA families and staff to a round Rosh Hashanah challah. Challahs will be sent home with the youngest student of each family. Shana Tova U'Metukah!
Challah may be ordered directly from Ron the Baker (email). Orders will be delivered to your child in their classroom on Friday morning to bring home.
AkibaYavneh.org QuickLinks
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