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KOL ECHAD | Weekly Newsletter
October 19, 2023
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Exploring the World: Science Unleashed!
By Nicole Levi, Middle School Science Teacher
Science is a thrilling and endless journey of discovery. It’s a process of asking questions, seeking answers, and unraveling the mysteries of the world around us. As a science teacher, it is my passion to ignite the spark of curiosity in our Kadima students and to encourage them to
observe, explore, and experiment in order to help them build a solid foundation of knowledge
and skills. Science is not just about memorizing facts; it is about understanding how the world
works, from the tiniest atoms to the vastness of the cosmos. It is about critical thinking, problem-solving, and the excitement of new revelations. My role is to be a guide on this journey and to create a classroom where students can question, learn, and discover as well as showing our students that science is not just a subject in school, but also a way of thinking and understanding the world around us.
In middle school, science is designed to prepare students for more in-depth and specialized courses in high school. It also aims to develop critical thinking, observation, and problem solving skills. Additionally, hands-on experiments and activities are commonly integrated into the curriculum to make science more engaging and interactive for students. Overall, middle school science provides a solid foundation for a lifelong appreciation of science and the skills needed to think critically about the natural world.
We are thrilled to announce the upcoming middle school science fair, an event that promises to be a showcase of creativity, scientific exploration, and the incredible potential of our young scientists. We wanted to provide you with some important details and encourage everyone’s participation in this exciting venture.
Theme: “Exploring the World: Science Unleashed!”
Participating in the science fair is a great opportunity for our students to:
- Explore their scientific interests and curiosity.
- Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Apply the scientific method to real-world questions.
- Showcase their creativity and innovative thinking.
- Gain confidence in public speaking and presentation.
What to expect:
- Students will work on individual or group projects.
- These projects can be based on topics related to biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, or any other area of interest.
- Students will conduct experiments, gather data, and draw conclusions to create informative and engaging displays.
Parents, your involvement and support are invaluable. We encourage you to engage with your child during their science fair project, providing encouragement and assistance where needed (but please remember that these are their projects, not yours).
We look forward to seeing our students’ enthusiasm and creativity shine at the middle school science fair. It is a day that celebrates the inquisitive minds and innovative ideas that make our students extraordinary.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Together we can make this year’s science fair an exceptional and memorable event. We can’t wait to witness the incredible projects that our students will bring to the fair.
Nicole Levi,
Middle School Science Teacher
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Important Dates
Monday, October 23
Thursday, October 26
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Challah Bake - 6:00 pm in the auditorium
Tuesday, October 31
- Field Trip to Underwood Farms (Kindergarten)
Thursday, November 1
- PTO Meeting - 8:15 am in the library
Wednesday, November 8
Thursday, November 16
- Parent-teacher conferences - minimum day - 12:00 dismissal (ES/MS only)
Thursday, November 17
- Parent-teacher conferences - no classes
November 17-21
November 22-24
- Thanksgiving weekend- school closed
*For the full school year calendar, please click HERE.
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Kadima Welcomes New School Staff! |
Yair Ben-Zvi - Middle School Language Arts Teacher
Yair Ben-Zvi, our new middle school English teacher, brings experience and engagement to Kadima. He is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles with a bachelor's degree in English with an emphasis in literature and rhetoric. He has been teaching for over eight years in classrooms, online, and various private schools and education companies. He loves to read and enjoys sharing that gift with others. This year he hopes to encourage students to develop a personal connection to literature and for students to enjoy reading and writing in and out of the classroom!
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Chantelle Leiderman - Development Associate
Chantelle Leiderman brings motivation and passion to her new role as Development Associate at Kadima Day School. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degrees in international relations and French and a graduate of the University of Haifa with a master’s degree in Holocaust studies. After serving in the Israel Defense Forces, she worked in the fundraising sphere in Israel for three years. She hopes to get to know each member of this warm community well and take Kadima’s fundraising efforts to the next level.
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Connecting with Israel
This week, our 8th grade students met virtually with students from K'ramim School in Binyamina, Israel. Students spent time introducing themselves, sharing their school experiences, and singing songs of love and hope.
Students in Israel are unfortunately conducting school virtually during this difficult time, and we appreciate their logistical efforts to join us for what will be a regularly scheduled meet-up. Our 8th graders will hopefully meet them all in person this spring when they travel to Israel for their class trip. We are excited to form these special friendships and bonds with students from K'ramim School, and we look forward to our next virtual session.
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School Pictures
School portraits taken by Cornerstone Photography are now available for viewing and ordering.
All orders must be placed online, will incur a $5 shipping charge, and will be mailed directly home. Portrait pickup on campus or in the Cornerstone studio is not available. To view your portrait, click the link below and enter your online code which is KDMA and your student ID. If you do not know your child’s student ID, please contact the main office and we will provide it for you.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW YOUR PORTRAIT
Online Code: KDMA+Student ID (For Example: KDMA123456)
What if I missed picture day?
A makeup opportunity is scheduled for Monday, October 23 for those who missed picture day or for those who are not satisfied with their portrait and want to try again.
For additional questions, you may contact customercare@cornerstone.photo or (805) 529-1635.
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Make-A-Plate
Kadima's PTO is excited to work with Makit Products to offer a creative and meaningful activity for your child and our school. The Make A Gift® program lets children draw an original piece of artwork, which can then be captured in the form of a personalized plate. These personalized items make perfect Chanukah gifts for grandparents, relatives, loved ones, and friends, or a keepsake for yourself! All proceeds benefit Kadima's PTO.
Children were asked to make their art in school this week. If you would like to order a 10" melamine plate with your child’s art, please place your order no later than Wednesday, October 25. We appreciate your help in making this program fun for your children and thank you for your continued support. To order your personalized plate, please click here.
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Challah Bake
Thursday, October 26, 6:00 pm, Kadima Auditorium
Kadima's PTO invites the Kadima community to a special evening of prayer, unity, and challah baking for Israel. The event will be lead by Sivan Kobi of Sivan's Kitchen and mother of a Kadima alum. Tickets are $36 per person. Limited tickets are available, deadline to purchase tickets is Friday, October 20. Please click here or on the flyer for tickets.
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Rosh Chodesh Lunch Sponsorship
Celebrating a milestone or a simcha?
Want to treat our amazing faculty and staff to lunch?
Here’s your chance!
Rosh Chodesh lunch is a service of the PTO to provide a beautiful lunch to the faculty and staff at the beginning of each Jewish new month. You can participate by sponsoring part or all of this meal, and we will recognize your milestone or simcha with a sign listing all the sponsors at that lunch. It is a highlight of the month for the teachers and a great way to support the Kadima community. We need a combined $500 each month to provide a beautiful meal. If you would like to participate, please contact: Adva Tzvi advatsvi@hotmail.com or Shani Gabay gabayshani@hotmail.com.
Please email or text or WhatsApp with the following information:
- The month you would like to sponsor (September-May)
- The dollar amount you would like to donate
- Family name as it should be listed
- In Honor of/Celebration of/Memory of
- Your contact info
The Finance Office will reach out for payment .
Thank you for your participation,
Adva and Shani
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2024-25 Admission Application Now Open
Admission applications are now being accepted for the 2024-25 school year. Remember, you do not need to reapply annually for admission. For priority consideration for younger siblings, please submit Kadima admission applications by January 31, 2024. Please visit your FACTS portal to apply, or click here.
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Top 10 Conversation Starters: Parashat Noach
By Dr. Steven Lorch
#10 - Noach was an איש צדיק תמים - a righteous and blameless man (B'reshit 6, 9). But the Torah goes on to add בדורותיו - in his times. According to Rabbi Yohanan, this qualification lessens his greatness; according to Resh Lakish, it increases his greatness. What do you think: does the reference to his times make him seem greater or less great?
#9 - Noach was a great man, but the Torah says nothing about the other members of his family. Do you think they were great too, or were they saved just because of Noach's greatness?
#8 - God brought the flood כי השחית כל בשר - because all flesh was corrupt (6, 12). Were the animals corrupt too? In what way or ways? If not, why were they destroyed?
#7 - The flood destroys trees and vegetation too. Why? Were they corrupt too? How? Or, if they weren't corrupt, why were they destroyed
#6 -God commanded Noach to build an ark (6, 14). God could just as easily have made the ark for him and saved him all the work (just as God made Adam and Eve clothing from animal skins). Why did God want Noach to build the ark?
#5 - In some places in Parashat Noach, Noach was told to take into the ark 2 animals of each species (for example, 6, 19-20), and in other places the number of each species on the ark is 7 (for example, 7, 2-3). Why?
#4 - On the sixth day of Creation, Adam was commanded to be a vegetarian (1, 29). After the flood, Noach was permitted to eat meat (9, 3). Why the change?
#3 - The reason the people of Babel gave for building the tower and the city is that, if they didn't, they would be scattered all over the world (11, 4). Why did they think that the tower and the city would prevent them from being scattered?
#2 - When God punished the people of Babel and scattered them across the earth, the Torah says that they stopped building the city, but it says nothing about the tower (11, 8). Did they also stop building the tower? If so, why is it not mentioned? If not, why was it okay for them to keep building the tower but not the city?
#1 - Terach planned to migrate from Ur to Canaan, but he stopped in Charan and settled there (11, 31). Why didn't Terach keep going to Canaan?
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