Religious School Newsletter (October 2014)

Hinei Matov Umanayim Shevet Achim B’yachad!

הִנֵּה מַה טוֹב וּמַה נָּעִים שֶׁבֶת אָחִים גַּם יַחַד

How wonderful for all of us — students, parents, teens, teachers — to be together for another year at Temple Sinai Religious School! Our classrooms are, once again, filled with enthusiastic students and teachers. Singing fills our school! Our school is very lively with close to 150 students, which includes 28 new students this year. Welcome to our returning and new families! We have a teaching staff of 16 teachers and 21 teen assistants. Teaching about our holidays of Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah make the first few months of Religious School very busy. On October 5, parents are invited to a curriculum meeting at 9:30 a.m. in the Multipurpose Room. I will discuss the curriculum, school policies, and answer questions. Parents will have the opportunity to visit the classrooms and meet the teachers. Please gather in the Multipurpose Room at 9:00 a.m. to schmooze and socialize. The formal part of the meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m.

School is closed on October 12 for Columbus day weekend. A very special program for parents and students in grades 6 & 7 will be held on Sunday, October 19, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Looking In Theatre is a theater group composed of teenagers from the Greater Hartford area who present dramatic scenes dealing with important social, family and personal issues such as drugs, alcohol, sexuality, depression, suicide, and abuse, and how these issues affect adolescents. Actors/teens are trained in the above issues. Audience participation in encouraged. Because of the sensitive nature of this program, it is mandatory for parents to accompany their children to the program. These topics open important communication and discussions in the classrooms and at home. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend.

As always, please contact me with any suggestions and/or concerns as they may arise.

Wishing everyone a Shana Tova,

Rena Citron, Director of Education new-message24