23 Sep 2016

Gross Schechter Week in Review – September 23, 2016

Dear Families:

Time is flying quickly as we approach the high holidays. In our Week in Review, you will see students preparing for Rosh Hashanah, our Second Grade students who did their first dissection this week in science lab, our new minyan led by Sheri Gross exploring Jewish comedy, our new community program, Baby’s First – marking holiday celebrations during a baby’s first year, and much more! We’ve also broadened the number of after-school opportunities offered to our students ranging from cheerleading and athletics to chess and choir. Many of those groups started this week as well, as you’ll see in the photos.

This Sunday, we hope you will join us at Federation for Super Sunday. Wear your Schechterwear and come between 9am and 7pm to make calls or write thank you letters for the 2016/17 Campaign for Jewish Needs. We are fortunate beneficiaries of Federation’s Campaign each year.

And don’t forget…picture day is Monday. You can order online here (enter code WP046056Y1) or complete the form sent home with your child.

Have a wonderful weekend.  

Shabbat Shalom,

Randy Boroff, Head of School

Read more 0
17 Sep 2016

Gross Schechter Week in Review – September 16, 2016

    Good afternoon families:
    Enjoy our Week in Review slideshow from this week including the following highlights:
  • -ICC prepares for Autumn with finger painting projects
  • -Preschool classes, Doobbim and Prachim bake a cake
  • -Third graders study the United States and each state’s geographical locations
  • -Second graders enjoy Yaesh dance with friends
    There’s nothing better than watching our students and teachers in action! We would like to thank our Kindergarten through Eighth grade parents for taking the time to attend curriculum night on Tuesday evening. We always appreciate the opportunity to welcome you into the school and learn about how our curriculum and classes are structured and see some of the work that your children have completed to date. There is much more to come!
    Shabbat Shalom!
Read more 0
9 Sep 2016

Gross Schechter Week in Review – September 9, 2016

Dear Families:

This short week turned into a long week of activities and learning at Gross Schechter.  We started the week with an amazing Totally Kosher Rib Burnoff on Monday. Besides the fun, everyone enjoyed the delicious ribs and it was a wonderful event that brought our community together. One could feel the pride for Gross Schechter at the booths, waiting in line for ribs, climbing the rock wall or even from the seat in the dunk tank!  Thanks again to all who organized, volunteered and attended this great annual event.

In the middle school this week, we started the minyan (prayer group) elective program for our students. This is a wonderful way for our students to become engaged in their Judaic Studies by participating in authentic practice. The minyanim include the study of nature, teaching kindergarteners all about tefillah (prayer), studying ancient prayers in modern melodies, stand up comedy and kavanah (respect) and Krav Maga (Israeli martial arts). Students have the opportunity to select an option, which is then incorporated into their participation in tefillah service on each Tuesday and Wednesday for eight weeks. Minyanim will change as the year progresses.

Our soccer team started their season with a tough loss on Tuesday.  They played a gritty game in the intense heat and humidity.  I look forward to great things from the team this year.  On Thursday afternoon, the Schechter Running Club began their program.  Twenty students in grades 4 through 8 are participating in the initial year of the club. Their goal is participate in various 5K runs this school year.  Band and Choir will be starting next week, watch for the information coming home.

Our Strategic Planning Committee continues to work diligently building out a Strategic Plan that will direct our school into the future.  There are wonderful things happening at Schechter and even better opportunities to build upon.

On Friday morning, the school stopped and reflected on the importance of the date of September 11.  Students stood for a moment of silence as a short statement was read, they all joined Sheri Gross in the singing of the National Anthem and Hatikvah and stood silently as the Kofim class helped to lower the flag to half staff.

Last weekend was filled with great activities and fun…this weekend is a weekend to remember, feel pride in our country and thank the men and women who keep us safe and free.

Shabbat Shalom,

Read more 0
3 Sep 2016

Gross Schechter Week in Review – September 2, 2016

29 Av 5776

September 2, 2016

Candle Lighting: 7:37 pm

Dear Families:

As we close the chapter on the second week of school, the entire community is looking forward to the upcoming Schechter Totally Kosher Rib Burn Off on Monday, September 5.  This is a great family activity with plenty of food, games, music and entertainment.  I encourage everyone to buy tickets and share in our Schechter ruach!  We sincerely appreciate the hard work of our two RBO co-chairs, Michelle Feinberg and Renee Greller for their tireless efforts and leadership of the RBO Committee.  Thanks also go out to our dedicated RBO Committee members: Barbie Barnholtz, Robyn Gelwasser, Amanda Gorodeski, Meredith Ginsberg, Heather Greene, Becky Smith, Scott Uher, Risa Uvlin and Rob Zimmerman. Coordinating the entire event is a major accomplishment and kudos go to Rachel Lappen, Caitlin Lubline and LeAirra Lacey for their efforts.

On Sunday evening, the Lake County Captains baseball team is hosting our Schechter students who will sing the National Anthem and Hatikvah prior to the start of the game.  Over 40 students are participating and singing.  Our school is excited for this opportunity and we are thrilled to bring the Schechter family together multiple times this weekend!  Tickets can still be purchased at the game or by contacting the Lake County Captains box office.

There was a lot of activity this week at Schechter.  We welcomed new Middle School Judaics teacher, Alex Blumin, to our staff.  He and his wife, Francine, and 5th grade daughter, Rachel, arrived from Milwaukee. Our seventh graders are already preparing for the Science Fair by beginning the research and data collection.  If your children have not shared the news yet, Mrs. Clerget is organizing a choir and band.  A sign up list is by the music room.  Cheerleading, chess club and a running club are also new optional co-curricular activities this year.  Our soccer team has started practice and is looking forward to another successful season.  And today, we celebrated Shabbat with a Camp Style Tefillah service for our 4th through 8th graders and a wonderful Kabbalah Shabbat song fest for the ECC.

Thanks to everyone for your continued support of Gross Schechter. I look forward to seeing you at the Captains Game and the RBO this weekend.

Shabbat Shalom,

Randy

Randy S. Boroff, Head of School
Read more 0
Carolyn Clerget, Music Class
27 Aug 2016

Ready, Set, Siiing!

Carolyn Clerget, Music Teacher K-8

I am very excited to join the staff of Gross Schechter Day School!  Since I’m new I thought I’d take this opportunity to introduce myself.  I grew up in Highland Heights and studied Vocal Performance at The Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory and at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.  After receiving my degrees, I took the plunge and moved to New York City.  After living the starving artist life, I realized how much I missed my family and that the big city was not for me.  In my work back in Cleveland, I realized how much I enjoyed working with youth and music, so I enrolled at CSU and obtained a license in Music Education.  

I was thrilled to start working with students this week. We started practicing and reviewing The Star Spangled Banner and Hatikvah in preparation for the Captains’ game on September 4th, where Schechter students will lead the anthems for Jewish Heritage Night!  The elementary students are learning some new songs: Little Sally Walker, Bow Wow Wow and Naughty Tabby Cat.  The middle school students were given a group challenge to figure out how to play Mary Had a Little Lamb or Hot Cross Buns on the hand bells or boom wackers.  

I look forward to starting a choir for students in grades 1-8 and a band for students in grades 5-8.  In classes, I plan to start teaching some music theory using Orff instruments and songs that the students know.  I also plan on having small concerts throughout the year to display student achievement for all of our families. I am looking forward to a wonderful year!
Read more 0
Load More