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Shavuon: Volume 3, Issue 18 June 30, 2009
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30 June 2009 8 Tammuz 5769 |
Volume 2 Issue 18 |
SPECIAL END OF THE YEAR EDITION
 HAVE
A WONDERFUL SUMMER. SEE YOU SEPTEMBER 8!
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 Children
have the ability to bring out a teacher's own
inner child, and allow them to vicariously
explore the imaginative and creative world the
children currently live in. As I spent my days
with first grade in the classroom, guiding the
students in their learning, they taught me how
to open my imagination and grapple new ways of
thinking and understanding. This was an amazing
year for me in first grade. Coming from public
school and working with only 12 JCDS students, I
truly got to know each of my students on a
personal level. We called ourselves "the family
of 13" and respected each other in ways I have
never experienced in a classroom before. Each of
these students has grown emotionally and
academically since September and it was my
pleasure to get to know each of them and their
families. I will miss them. Joy Bush
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Mazel Tov to our Graduates,
the Class of 2009-5769
 Nuriya Coke-Coventry
High School, Jonathan Elyashiv-Providence
Country Day, Shir Kanter-Barrington High School,
Aaron Kaplan- Classical High School, Daniel
Katz-Providence Country Day, Daniel
Kapustin-Hope High School, Hannah
Meharg-Cranston East, Naomi Subotnick-Classical
High School, Victoria Volynsky-Classical High
School, Gabrielle Warshay-Classical High School,
Madelyn Wyner-Moses Brown. Kol Hakovod!
Our special graduation speaker was Rabbi Elie
Kaunfer, son of Rabbi Alvan Kaunfer and Marcia
Kaunfer, who gave the graduation speech at
his at ASDS/JCDS graduation in 1988. Elie noted
that at ASDS/JCDS the most important thing they
learned was the value in questioning. He ended
with a quote about the "tzitzit" that we were
reading in that week's torah portion: "See them,
remember them and you will do (my mitzvot)."
Then he quoted the Talmud, "Seeing leads to
remembering and then doing. They should look
around, remember their experience at JCDS and go
out and do." Elie is the co-founder and
executive director of Mechon Hadar, and teaches
Talmud at Yeshivat Hadar. For more information
check his BIO
Graduation Photo CD
Available
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Our Closing All-school Assembly, Friday,
June 12, 1:00 pm
A moving, memorable Closing All-school Assembly
that featured our fifth, sixth, seventh and
eighth grade students was held on Friday, June
12, 2009. In an informal, student-centered,
communal setting, each outgoing class was
honored. Certificates of achievement were given
individually to each of the students in grades
five to seven. Eighth grade students received
their diplomas at their graduation. Special
gifts and presentations were made by lower
school grade students for their "Buddies." In
the "Buddy" program there are assigned classes
that interact with specific classes on a
scheduled basis. In addition, grade 4
interviewed the fifth graders, and framed the
interview as a gift. Most moving was when the
departing classes, along with parents and
teachers, stood under a "huppah" made of the
tallitot that were used at their first grade
siddur ceremonies and recited
the Sheheheyanu. At the conclusion, a slideshow
featuring the outgoing grades, and the entire
student body was shown. Every student is in this
special slideshow. The slideshow, as well as
other assembly photos, are posted on our school
website. Afterwards, Grade 7 and their
parents planted a peach tree.
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The View From JCDS
Head of School, Bob Sarkisian, reflects on his
first year at JCDS
'Past year hasn't been easy,' but optimism,
enthusiasm prevail.
from the
Jewish Voice and Herald, 6/26/09 by
Naomi Schorsch Stein
 Q:
What appealed to you about the JCDS
Head of School position here in
Rhode Island? What has left an
impression on you?
Sarkisian: I came here because I
believed that I could help the
Jewish Community Day School remain
an integral part of this community.
In fact, I feel more deeply about
this now than ever before.
I've been profoundly influenced by
everyone who has rallied around the
school and has wanted to show their
support. What I've also found
impressive is how many people have
said they wouldn't have moved to
this neighborhood had it not been
for JCDS. That tells me that this
school is as vital to the community
as the community is to the school
target audience.
MORE
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SINGING Mazel Tov to Our PreK Graduates Thru
the Year
Graduation Kol
Hakavod to PreK! Tamar
Weil, Simcha Rachover, Abigael Tyrrell, Daniel
Bilik, Noah Medina, Julia Pomerantz, Jodd Sheer,
Eliora Woods, Evan Schenkman and Yishai Alon
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CLICK BOX
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Candle Lighting
July 3, 8:06
July 10, 8:04
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Calendar
Highlights
9/8 FIRST
DAY of CLASSES
9/1 PreK & K Oreintation
9/2 Staff Day
9/3 Staff Day
9/4 Office Closed
9/7 School Closed
9/18 Erev Rosh
Hashanah-EARLY 11:30 am DISMISSAL
9/23 OPEN SCHOOL NIGHT
9/28 NO SCHOOL YOM
KIPPUR
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New
Babies
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JCDSRI on TWITTER!
 Another
way to stay connected to the JCDSRI community!
Check us out!
JCDSRI on TWITTER
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DVDs and CDs Available
Guys and Dolls
CD Fabulous PHOTO DVD available
through Gary @ Prime Time Video ( 941-1202)
Graduation CD 120
photos-$15.00
Check with Vicky in the
lobby. |
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SUMMER OFFICE HOURS
Summer office hours will be June-July 3, 8
a.m.-4 p.m. July 7-August 7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m
On August 11, we will resume the 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
hours of operation.
2009-2010 Calendar is
ON-LINE
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Todah Rabah to the PJ Library and
Nicole Katzman, Director, for their
outstanding programs, support and
accomplishments.
PJ website
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Summer Reading Program
 Hundreds
of studies confirm the importance of
reinforcing reading skills. A study by the
Evaluation and Training Institute found that
students who participated in a summer
reading program were more likely to read at
their grade level or above than their
nonparticipating peers, and those reading
above grade level were more likely to retain
those skills into the next school year.
Incoming Grades 1-5 received Summer Reading
List (s) and Assignments. We hope our
students will Read, Read, Read! This
material and more reading resources are
available on our school website.
New this year, is the library
blog, which you can check for additional
books and the latest book news! The lists
were sent to area public libraries and book
stores. For further information contact the
Summer Reading Program Coordinator, Karolyn
White. kwhite@jcdsri.org 751.2470 voice
mail 82.
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JCDSRI Community Book
Club-Adults
 Now
that the kids have their summer reading
assignment, here is yours! Our summer read
for our Community Book Club is The
School of Essential Ingredients
by Erica Bauermeister. "A gorgeously written
novel about life, love, and the magic of
food that is reminiscent of Chocolat
and Like Water for
Chocolate. Ingredients follows the
lives of eight students who gather in
Lillian's Restaurant every Monday night for
cooking class. It soon becomes clear,
however, that each one seeks a recipe for
something beyond the kitchen." (product
description) The book is available in
hardcover, audio download, audio CD and
Kindle.
Our Book Club is open to adults in the
community. Tell your family and friends. We
plan on incorporating the theme of food into
our meeting in September and are considering
the possibility of a cook-off or another
fundraising effort. We are looking for
committee members to help us with this
endeavor. Contact Karolyn White
kwhite@jcdsri.org
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JCDSRI Alumni Facebook Group
 If
you know any school alumni, ask them to join our
Alumni Facebook Group and see who they will
find! Over 160 alumni have joined. See who you
know!
Alumni Group
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 LOOK
WHO WON!
Best of Jewish Rhode Island -chosen by the
readers of the Jewish Voice and Herald
Best Kosher Caterer
Accounting for Taste-Deb Blazer!
who also won
Best Noodle Kugel,Best Brisket,
Best Matzah Ball Soup, Best
Knishes & Best Latkes!!
Best Place to
Learn Hebrew
JCDSRI Honorable
Mention
Best Jewish Educator (tie)
Esta Yavner and
Rabbi Alvan Kaunfer
Honorable Mention
Eliana Seltzer, Notable Marcia
Kaunfer
Kol
Hakavod to all!!
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ANNUAL MEETING
At the JCDSRI Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 3, Doris
Feinberg, President of the Jewish Federation of Rhode
Island presented greetings.The Charles Samdperil Award
was given by Ruth Samdperil and Karyn Samdperil
Rosenfield. The award was given to Sharon Sock and
Nicole Katzman. Sharon created Shalom Friends,
a program for very young children, and Nicole is the
Director of PJ Library. Special musical presentations,
Beatle Torah by grade 4 (directed by Marcia
Kaunfer) and Guys and Dolls by middle school
(directed by Lisa Bergman) delighted the audience.
The Governance Committee has consisted of: Elisa Heath,
Bonnie Steinberg Jennis, Dan Lowinger, Ivy Marwil, Deb
Shuster, Cheryl Teverow, Mindy Wachtenheim, and Hershey
Rosen as chair.
Nominations for the Board:
Trustees Whose Terms End in June 2010: Daniel Gamm, Hope
Hirsch, Hershey Rosen, Jay Strauss, and Joe Mann
Trustees Whose Terms End June 2011: Gloria Feibish,
Rachel Friedberg, Arthur Sheer and Deb Shuster
Current Board Members Who Are Eligible for Another Term
- all for 2012: Sheila Alexander, Ben Kimia and Bruce
Wolpert
The Senior President of the PA Guy Bermel
Persons Nominated for a term ending June 2011: Rabbi Amy
Levin and Steve Blazer
Persons Nominated for a term ending June 2012: Barbara
Fields and Laurence Kotler-Berkowitz
Nominations for Officers President: Bruce Wolpert, Vice
President: Gloria Feibish, Treasurer: Joe Mann,
Treasurer-Elect: Dan Gamm, Secretary: To be determined
School Volunteers
Special recognition to Laura Mernoff-classroom
volunteer, garden committee member-initiated tree
planting on the school grounds, scenery for plays,
artistic enhancement of fence on Taft Avenue, and
more! Thank you Laura Mernoff!
PA Co-Presidents: Guy Bermel and Lori Lowinger
Regular PA Attendees: Judy Westrick, Marissa
Garber, Robyn Goldstein, Marilyn Katz, Susie Hamin,
Karen Hammarstrom, Deb Blazer, Laura Mernoff, Nicole
Katzman and Mara Tyrell, both of whom also chaired
the Shabbat Dinner in March.
Weekly Classroom Volunteers: Pre-K- Barbara Sheer
(also Honorary Grandparent Chair for Special
Visitors Day) and Mara Tyrell (also co-chaired
Shabbat Dinner in March) K- Rochelle Rosen, Willa
Perlman, and Julie Rabinowitz, 1st- Galit Raz, 2nd-
Marilyn Katz and 3rd- Laura Mernoff
Middle School guest lecturer:Dr. Rami Kantor
Consistent library volunteers for book fair: the
Usher family, our alumni, current students, and Max
Rothemich, for bringing "life" to Clifford
Community Garden Committee: Jamie Woods, Ang Sheer,
Rochelle Rosen, Nechama Rackover, Andrea Katzman,
Laura Mernoff and Karolyn White
Theater productions:Donna Goldin, Nora Kobrin, and
Giselle Corr
Math Tutoring:Sally Rotenberg
Bobbie Herzog and Bonnie Steinberg who participated
in the Recruitment Phonathon.
Deb Blazer for many events for the admissions office
including Visitors Day with Cheryl Blazar.
For ongoing efforts in outreach and
recruitment:Sheila Alexander, Alisa
Kotler-Berkowitz, Nicole Katzman, Rochelle Rosen,
Mara Tyrrell, Alison Walter and Jamie Faith Woods
FACULTY/STAFF RECOGNITION
Faculty Leaving: Lucille Andolfo, James
Hockhousen, Elana Riffle, Betsy Singer Cable,
Lisa Bergman, Ronit Shapira, Linda Francis,
Joyce Simeone, Bill Dilworth, Nicole Dunn,
Steven Jablow and Lila Winograd
Faculty/Staff Anniversaries: Bill Dilworth -5
years, Sue Sugerman-6 years, Peter Smith-6
years, Nicole Dunn-11 years, Harshita
Lakhiani-11 years, Eileen Ellis-16 years and
Karolyn White-16 years
Special Recognition: Steven Jablow-20 years and
Lila Winograd-22 years
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JCDS Planting Day: Sowing Seeds and
Relationships
 Dr.
Penney Stein, former head of Alperin Schechter Day School,
and a master gardener in her own rite, graciously returned
to JCDS to help all lower school grades with their much
anticipated Planting Day as they created their revolutionary
garden. What began as a dream truly began with the sowing of
seeds and transplanting of plants into raised beds at
JCDSRI. The metaphoric seeds for the JCDS edible school
garden and Garden Education Program were planted in the
fall, when Head of School, Bob Sarkisian, genuinely listened
when I pitched the idea of an edible school garden. Funding
from the Ruach Grants was key in helping the dream further
along. Stu Nunnery, head of the Children's Garden Network,
www.childrensgardennetwork.org, was also an instrumental
resource, and a Feinstein Grant has been extremely helpful.
The Garden Team, consisting of JCDSRI parents and faculty
is: Andrea Katzman, Laura Mernoff, Nechama-Lea Rackover,
Rochelle Rosen, Ang Sheer, Karolyn White, and myself, Jamie
Faith Woods. We planned thoughtfully and sweat thoroughly
as we built the beds and created the space in late April,
but to have the entire lower school together on Planting Day
was really something special. The morning ended with a
Shehechiyanu Blessing, recited and sung, by students in
grades Pre-K through fifth grade encircling the raised
beds. The beautiful simplicity of that moment cannot be
underscored. In the coming years, as our garden flourishes
and our Garden Education Program becomes another vital
structure of the school, while JCDS is looked at as a model
in the Jewish Day School world, those of us who stood there
during that blessing will remember the children's voices and
how we were blessed to be a part of something so
exceptional. Jamie Faith Woods
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Visual & Performing Arts Celebration
ART SHOW-Bohnen Vestry and
GUYS & DOLLS!
Mazel Tov to all our students for the magnificent art
work that was recently on display in the Bohnen
Vestry. Every wall was covered in student creativity as
well as tables with 3D art. Kol Hakavod to Linda
Francis, art teacher. Special thanks to everyone who
helped set up the display.
Congratulations to the middle school for their
phenomenal performance of Guys and Dolls! They
brought house down! Thank you to Lisa Bergman and
crew! Kol Hakavod to all!
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Beatle Torah, 4th Grade Musical-Kol Hakavod to all!
Congratulations to grade 4 for their
spectacular performance of Beatle Torah. This
musical extravaganza included 16 Beatles' songs, lots of
Torah readings, and terrific dancing and singing. It has
been a "cult classic" at our school for the past seven
years! A brief showcase ceremony followed the performance as
fourth graders got their special JCDS Tikkun booklets in
honor of their learning to read Torah.
Where did the striking backdrops for our
musical productions come from?
Yes, you are correct-Our Talented Parent, Laura
Mernoff (Rachel and Gabe)
Thank you
Laura!
From Laura: For the Guys and Dolls production, I painted
everything in the show. The backdrop I painted for a
production of "Annie" many years ago. I painted the Cafe
Cubana for Rachel's recent Bat Mitzvah and added a door way
for this show. Cafe Cubana (minus the doorway) has found a
"retirement home" at Hasbro/RI Hospital in the waiting room
for Adult Surgery. The backdrop for Beatle Torah I did about
four years ago when Rachel was in 4th grade. The backdrop
was created for her Humash Ceremony in the 3rd grade with
Rina Wolfgang, former teacher. The 3rd graders helped paint
it. I added the Beatles and Abbey Road. The art work has
been used ever since, but next year I want to do something
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Grade
3-Using Student Made Images to Tell Stories
 Image
Making Within the Writing Process is a literacy program
involving writing stories through collage. In the fall,
parents and 3rd grade students created hand-painted
textured papers using a variety of techniques including
marbleizing, splatter and straws. These papers were used
to help create and explain their stories. The words and
pictures were spiral bound to create beautiful collage
picture books. Great work!
MORE INFO
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Storytime with Mrs. White
A Special Planting
Photo Story
Once upon a time there was a 4th grader named Jasmine,
who in May planted irises from her yard near our future
garden site. During the exciting Garden Planting Day,
Jasmine dug up her plants and with the help of her
classmates, they transplanted the irises in the 4th
grade garden bed. They patted the soil and smiled. Happy
growing dearly loved irises!
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1st Annual 5th Grade Poetry Night at Blue State Coffee-Too
Cool!
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Educational Edge-YES PARENTS,
SUMMER READING DOES HELP
 IMPROVE
TEST SCORES AND COMPREHENSION!
Get Your Students to Read
During the Summer Taken from "Inservice,
The ASCD Community Blog," May 01, 2009 from Marilyn
Katz, Vice President of the Parent Association
In a study done by James Kim and Thomas White of Harvard
University, they conducted an experiment to see whether
summer reading helps improve test scores. Students who
received support from teachers and parents for summer
reading of books assigned to match their reading level
and interests improved their reading abilities. Scores
also improved on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.MORE
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In Our Community
Refuah Shlayma, Wishing a Full &
Speedy Recovery
To Trudi Adler, Sue
Adler's mother.
S'mahot /Celebrations
Mazel Tov to Emma Meharg, who recently celebrated
her Bat Mitzvah.
Mazel Tov to David Herzberg-Mayer, who will be
celebrating his Bar Mitzvah on July 11.
Mazel Tov to Eve Stein, who will be celebrating her
Bat Mitzvah on August 29.
Mazel Tov to Abby Arnica Berenson (ASDS/JCDS alumni)
on her marriage to Jess August Kuerer Gangi. Abby is
the daughter of Ruth and Jon Berenson of Providence
and Jess is the son of Barbara and Robert Gangi of
New York City.
Mazel Tov to Ami (ASDS/JCDS
Alumni) and Elana Hersh on the birth of their
son, Micah David. Leah and Kenny Hersh of
Providence are the proud grandparents.
Mazel Tov to Vicky Dziok, our
administration assistant, on the birth of
her grandson, Christian James Dziok.
Mazel Tov to Rabbi Alvan and
Marcia Kaunfer on their 40th wedding
anniversary.
Mazel Tov to Rachel Lieberman
(ASDS/JCDS alumni) on her graduation from
New York Medical College with a medical
degree. Commissioned as a captain in
the U.S. Air Force, she will complete her
internship and ophthalmology residency in
San Antonio, Texas. She is the granddaughter
of Elaine Lieberman and the late Abbott
Lieberman of Providence.
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Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island | 85 Taft
Avenue | Providence | RI | 02906
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