In honor of Parshat Noach, we partnered with PJ Library and the other Jewish schools in New Orleans to collect stuffed animals for the organization Barran's Bears. Barran's Bears is a Non-Profit Organization that provides Teddy Bears to Police Officers and First Responders to utilize at scenes where children are faced with traumatic events.
Since the horrific attacks in Israel on the Simchat Torah holiday, October 7th, we are all concerned by the events taking place in Eretz Yisrael. We all want to help and show support! The way to dispel darkness is by adding light. Here at STA Elementary we have already begun doing that in many ways!
*For the past two weeks, each day, the students of K-8 gather at a joint assembly to add in Torah, Tefillah prayers, reciting Psalms, and giving extra Tzedaka to charity. Before each assembly, Morah M. Rivkin reads the Hebrew names in prayer for IDF soldiers who are direct family members or personal friends of our STA community. The sweet voices and beautiful actions of the pure children bring much merit and G-d's open protection to our brothers and sisters in Israel and to those defending our land and our People! During one day's gathering, the students were delighted to be visited by a respected guest, Rabbi Shlesinger, who came to New Orleans from Jerusalem. The fresh regards from Israel was very special for the students and staff.
*The Middle School students decided to make a Bake Sale for Israel, with proceeds going to help with the many needs of those currently experiencing the war in Israel. The students came up with a list of delicious cakes and cookies that they could bake and sent around flyers with the prices. They got together after school hours to bake and prepare the goodies. Many people who no longer live in New Orleans but are friends and family members of the STA community, heard about the Bake Sale for Israel and contributed funds towards the project. Through the amazing efforts of our students, more than $800 was raised and will be sent to Israel! Thank you STA Moms- Mrs. Greenwald and Mrs. Ceitlin for your help.
Kol Hakavod to our Middle School students!
*Last week, before Shabbat Mevarchim when we bless the upcoming month, students were asked to try to recite Tehillim for a few minutes on Shabbat, with grade- appropriate quotas. Those who fulfilled the requirements enjoyed a free dress day at school. Then, at our Rosh Chodesh assembly we launched an Elementary Mitzvah Mission Campaign called "Tzivos Hashem". The students enrolled in the "Army of Hashem", whereby Torah and Mitzvot are our greatest ammunition against physical enemies or the enemy within ourselves that tries to convince us to not-always do the right thing. Each student started as a Private and received a special green folder with weekly Mitzvah checklists appropriate for their grade as well as some extra Mitzvah challenges. There will be a beautiful wall display showing the students' ranks. Special raffle prizes will be given for completing checklists and moving up in rank. We know that our Mitzvah "soldiers'' will help to give a lot of strength and success to the brave IDF soldiers and all those in Israel, even from afar! Special thanks to Morah Gittel for her help with this detailed program.
*Our elementary students were encouraged to write letters/draw pictures of encouragement and thanks to soldiers in the IDF. One of the Rabbis on our staff, and his wife, also a staff member, are traveling to Israel next week to bring support to the communities there and they will bring these special letters. In addition, our 4th/5th graders have begun a project to contact a few families in Israel that used to live in New Orleans and the children are their friends from STA. Our students will inquire after their wellbeing in Israel and will ask what they might need to be sent to their communities in Israel. The 4th/5th graders hope to fundraise/ collect those items and to be able to send them off to Israel, with love.
*We are in the process of putting together a bulletin board display in our front hallway that will have pictures of family members and personal friends in Israel and in the IDF. There are many dear ones that we are thinking about and praying on their behalf! Families have begun sending in personal photographs of loved ones and we are collecting more. We stand proudly with Eretz Yisrael!
*The 6th- 8th graders did a special unit in their Judaic Studies class with Morah Cohen to discover many special teachings from Torah perspective, Tanach, and the Commentaries about Eretz Yisrael, our holy Land, as Israel is front and center of our minds at this time!
We will continue to fill the world with light. We pray that Hashem keeps everyone safe. We are encouraged by the verse from Tehilim, Psalms-
מפי עוללים ויונקים יסדת עוז …
From the mouth of the young and the babes you have established strength !
We have faith in Hashem's protection as it also says in Tehillim, Psalms-
הנה לא ינום ולא ישן שומר ישראל
The Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps !
We await the news of miracles and tranquility very soon!
Seventh and eighth graders learned about square roots and cubed roots this week. The culminating activity was a puzzle where students used their new knowledge to match numbers with both their square root and their cubed root. Following this activity, students applied their knowledge to real life situations based on area and volume.
JPA students have had a blast this year with our new Clay enrichment class! In contrast to regular art class, where students make something to take home, this class is all about the process. Process-based projects are hugely important in the 0-5 years, as kids are still acquiring fine motor skills, self-awareness and
We have explored a wide array of techniques and concepts during the Clay class, each week building upon what they’ve already learned. Before introducing tools, we talked about different ways to work with the clay: rolling, coiling, pounding, pinching, etc. The kids love to create challah bread by rolling the clay out, and little snake families by coiling it. As students engage with the clay, they’re strengthening the little muscles in their hands needed for writing.
We‘ve also introduced various clay tools to the class, which they absolutely love! The kids have used popsicle sticks to build structures, and have explored how different tools can create texture. Every class talk about how the clay feels. How does it feel when Ms. Janet sprays a little water on it? How does it feel when you press a texture tool into it?
The kids have had such a positive response to this class, and we’re super excited about this addition to the JPA programming!
