GENERAL INFORMATION Principal: Jen Jaffe Please be sure to return these on a Evaluation: Assistant Principal: Karen Brodt timely basis so that others may Evaluations of your child’s borrow them. progress are available upon request. Email correspondence Hours: between parents and teachers is Sunday - 9:30am - 12:00pm also encouraged. Please don’t (all grades). Music: hesitate to email with the school Midweek Hebrew: various  We have a wonderful music with any questions or concerns. (Grade 4 to 6). specialist on staff! Alex Konyves will be leading the Ruach Problems or Concerns: Please bring the students a few Rally, teaching a chug and leading Any concerns that you have about minutes early so that we can start on songs during Minyan. your child’s instruction should first time. Also, please wait until 12:00 be discussed with his/her teacher, noon before picking up your child. or the Principal, before consulting The last few minutes of each class Tzedakah: the Rabbi or a member of the are important. The concept of Tzedakah School Committee. We believe (righteous giving) is an that directness is the best way to Minyan: important component of resolve any issues that arise. Parents are invited to join us for the curriculum in every Minyan (worship services) as follows: grade. We would like to encourage Absences: • Adults, Grades 2 to 7: the Tzedakah habit by asking the Teachers appreciate knowing 9:30am Sanctuary students to bring a coin (suggested ahead of time if a child will be • Grades Preschool to 1: $1) to put into the tzedakah box away. Please email: 9:30 am Chapel every session. Please encourage [email protected] your child to earn extra tzedakah Messages may also be left on the or to give part of his/her allowance. answering machine at the Curriculum: Synagogue. Absences hinder A brief outline of the curriculum is progress and disrupt the given in this manual. Recess Snacks: classroom community, so please You can find the school curriculum on The school will provide healthy and make every effort to attend the Temple Sholom website: nut-free snacks during recess. regularly. www.templesholom.ca Students are welcome to bring a water bottle to have with them in Religious School Fees: Books: class. • Preschool- Your book fee will provide any Grade 3: $475 necessary texts and Hebrew • Grades 4-7: $600 workbooks. Lost books must be • Grades 8-12 $150 replaced at cost. • Book & Snack fee $50 We encourage students to sign out books from our classroom collections.

Electives for Grades 4-7 Snow days: Every 4 or 5 weeks, students in An email will be sent and a mes- THE FOUR PROMISES grades 4-7 have the opportunity to sage will be recorded by 8:30 am Students are required to adhere to sign up for a chug (elective). on the Synagogue answering ma- the four promises that are posted Choices include: Cooking, Dance, chine advising of any school clo- in each classroom. Lego, Art, Drama, Hebrew, and sure. We will be asking each student and even Krav Maga. their parents to sign a contract agreeing to follow these four prom- Traffic Safety: These electives al- Please drive carefully when picking ises: low students to learn 1) Respect people and property up and dropping off children. The in many different security guard will be on hand to 2) Be where I am supposed to be ways. 3) Use appropriate language help direct traffic on Sunday morn- It’s an inclusive, in- ings. 4) Work hard at learning viting way for our Having these expectations allows children to explore important Jew- for positive learning in a safe place. ish topics while engaging all of Please read and discuss these with The underground their senses. parking area will be your children. Extra copies will be available at the registration desk. closed from 11:30am till If any parents or grandparents 12:00pm. Please park on Oak St., have skills that they are willing to 57th or 54th Ave. and walk to the share through teaching an elective, Synagogue. please be in touch with the school .

Midweek Hebrew Clubs

Children in grades 4-6 have the opportunity to meet in small groups throughout the city to learn Hebrew together. Each club sets a time and place that works best for everyone. Under the direc- tion of an instructor, they use texts, games, activities and on-line resources to gain understanding and appreciation for the Hebrew language and the prayers in our services. The clubs also provide a wonderful opportunity for children and their families to build connections with each other. Not surprisingly, a lot of fun is also involved.

TEMPLE SHOLOM SCHOOL PARENT COMMITTEE

The goal of the Parent Committee is to make The group also aids in the planning of connections and build community amongst our special events for their grades and pro- school families. By increasing engagement, vides volunteers at school programs. families can ensure that the students are not To become part of the team, only provided with a wonderful learning email the school at : schoolprinci- environment, but also a sense of community [email protected] that is integral to incorporating Jewish education into their children’s lives.

- Page 2 - TEMPLE SHOLOM SCHOOL CURRICULUM:  Hebrew instruction begins with our the introduction of vowels and key which teaches vocabulary, key con- youngest students who learn in play. words using the primer Shalom Uv’ra- cepts and the meaning of the pray- In class they use “Hebrew Yoga” to chah. Once they begin the primer, ers. Structure and grammar of the shape the letters. Our song leader students have the opportunity to use Hebrew language is woven into the introduces them to the alefbet, holi- both text and on-line computer lessons as well. In addition, the stu- day songs and lots more . games and exercises to reinforce dents learn strategies to promote learning. fluent reading. In Grade 2, we begin more formal Hebrew with a short lesson each In our midweek Hebrew clubs, our Grade 7 focuses on B’nai Mitzvah week in a self-paced program which Grade 4-6 students review the alef- preparation as well as reading and introduces the alefbet using the bet and then continue on to the URJ understanding Hebrew texts in a pre-primer Shalom Alefbet. prayer-based Hebrew program, Mit- variety of lessons throughout the Self-paced learning continues with kadem. We use an integrated print year. and on-line self-paced program

We are proud users of (loving kindness) in order to make Grade 5: the wonderful “CHAI” the world a better, holier place. The book of Leviticus and living a curriculum of the Union We are all part of K’lal Yisrael Holy life. The Jewish Community. of Reform Judaism. (the community of Israel) and have Accordingly, our goal is a responsibility to actively support Grade 6: to teach toward the and sustain the Jewish community A brief overview of the Holocaust following enduring understandings through acts of g’milut chasadim. leading into a study of Israel. in the thematic areas of Torah, Sessions on Torah and Haftarah

Avodah and G’milut Chasadim: Major subject areas are: troupe. The Jewish life cycle. Students also participate in an Preschool: introduction to becoming Bar/Bat Torah is an ongoing dialogue A sensory exploration of Jewish Mitzvah in a family program between the text and its students. holidays and ritual objects. Torah is real in our daily lives: it entitled “Derech L’Torah”. goes with us wherever we are. Kindergarten / Grade 1: A focus Families meet together to study the Developing the skills to study Torah on Torah, the stories of Genesis subjects of Torah, Gemilut Chasadim is essential to integrating Torah into and Exodus. Holiday celebrations (good deeds) and Avodah our lives. through the Jewish year. . (prayer).

Grade 2/3: Avodah (prayer) is the work we do Jewish values from the Book of Grade 7: to find sacred connections to God, Genesis and stories from the Book A focus on “Torah and Today”, community, and self. of Exodus. Concepts about commu- sessions on Comparative Judaism Engaging in the work of Avodah can nity, God and holiness. and learning about being a Jewish bring order, beauty, meaning, and teenager in High School. insight to our lives and our communi- Grade 4: ty. Numbers and Deuteronomy. Jewish values related to G’milut Chasadim We have a responsibility to perform acts of g’milut chasadim

- Page 3 -  We are committed to supporting A “Jewish Holiday Dov the Shabbat Bear families in the task of raising Companion” is given to new Dov and his suitcase go children with positive Jewish families. This contains details of the home with a different identities. The following home rituals for each of the member of the programs are designed to Festivals. Kindergarten class each increase the level of conscious week. participation in Jewish life as a Shabbat Basket family: Students in Preschool

Jewish Experiences Together will all have the op- portunity to bring Wimpel (Torah binder) making for (JET) cards are given periodical- home our “Shabbat parents of Grade 7s – date TBA. ly to students in Kindergarten to Basket”. The basket is Grade 3. As each activity is filled with all the completed by the family, students items you need to make Shabbat are encouraged to bring the special. signed cards in and share their experiences with the class.

School Programs Save the dates of this year’s special programs. Parents and Grandparents are invited too! More information to come—watch your email for details.

♦ October 4: Simchat Torah dinner and Consecration Ceremony ♦ January 24: Tu B’Shevat Program

♦ December 6: Chanukah Celebration and Chugim showcase ♦ May 29 Final Assembly and Family BBQ

♦ February 1: Midrash Madness & Tu Bishvat celebration

Should you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact Jen Jaffe, School Principal at 604-266-7190 or [email protected]. 7190 Oak Street Vancouver, BC, V6P 3Z9 Tel: 604 266-7190 Fax: 604 266-7126 [email protected]

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