20 Elul 5779 | September 19, 2019
Bais Yaakov e-Newsletter
Upper Elementary
Parshas Ki Savo
WELCOME BACK TO BAIS YAAKOV
With the new school year underway, Bais Yaakov Elementary is proud to welcome back our returning faculty, staff, and students. We welcome each new student and faculty to our Bais Yaakov family and wish everyone much hatzlocha as we start this year in the Upper Elementary division .
PLAYGROUND AND LIBRARY RENOVATIONS
The girls returned to school this year to find some very noticeable changes to our facilities. During the summer, Bais Yaakov cleared away debris and shrubs, and planted grass to expand the play area for our Third and Fourth Grade students. As part of our security grant, we were able to expand the fencing as well around the play area and the girls are enjoying the wider space available for them during recess. In addition, the school installed a basketball court, two funnel-ball activity centers, and placed benches, chairs and fresh water stations around the playground so the girls can enjoy the outdoors.

Our library underwent a major facelift as well. Under the initiative of our new lead librarian, Mrs. Shira Lange r, all the internal, old bookshelves were replaced with sleek, child-friendly shelving, seating, and book baskets that have made all who enter feel excited about reading in such a beautiful space.

We thank Mrs. Sara Scheller and Mrs. Shoshana Schmell for their insights and advice that contributed to the look and feel of these two areas of improvement.
INCREASED SUPERVISION DURING RECESS
Recess and transition times are always prime areas for students to grow in their social skills and develop great relationships. To help promote this and allow every student to have a familiar adult available to her during recess as well, we increased the number of faculty members on our playgrounds, and created a schedule of our teachers so that every child has one of her moros /teachers on the playground during recess.
KRIAH PROGRAM IN THIRD GRADE
During the past two years the school has promoted a highly effective Kriah program to improve Hebrew reading in our Lower Elementary. Under the guidance of Mrs. Leah Wenger from Lakewood, we have expanded her Kriahbility program into our Third Grade to ensure continuity of success in fluency and accuracy for each student. Each of our third grade moros and assistants joined Mrs. Wenger on Sunday, September 8 th to learn how to apply the program in this next phase. Mrs. Chaya Hoffman , our Coordinator of Limudei Kodesh , introduced an amazing incentive program to provide immediate recognition for each girl who participates in the program as they earn Kriah-Kash that they can spend on fun prizes throughout the year.
PREPARING FOR ROSH HASHANA
The Yomim Noraim are approaching and all the classes are preparing in their special ways. Many moros in the fourth grade implement a collaborative activity to engage the girls in various stations to learn about Rosh Hashana . The girls move in groups teaching each other about the various names of the Yom Tov , the minhagim , each of the simanim , and all about the Shofar . Each girl had a chance to blow a real Shofar and connect to each of the names of the Yom Tov in a purposeful way. What a great way to begin the year with echos of the sweetness of the Torah emanating from the classrooms.
CURRENT EVENTS
To increase focus on applying reading skills to informational texts as well as promote social awareness of current events through a Torah lens, we have purchased participation in a weekly current events magazine coming out of Lakewood, NJ called World News on the Run . The publication highlights interesting stories, written on various reading levels, for the students to interact with in fun activities as they learn about world, national and local news. The students receive this newsletter during their reading group each week and have opportunities to apply reading strategies to the stories they review.
WISHING MR. KEITH WELL
After 16 years of supporting the various maintenance and custodial needs at the Park Heights campus Mr. Keith will be shifting to work at the Smith Avenue campus. During our faculty orientation, we celebrated his work and gave Mr. Keith a nice ovation and gift in honor of his service. We are so grateful to all of the men who dedicate themselves to supporting our school under the leadership of Mr. Binny Margolese . They really make our school shine!
LOST AND FOUND
In order to organize and try to return all items that are lost on our campus, we instituted a successful system last year where anything found throughout the Park Heights Campus is brought to the main lobby and placed in a bin near the front door. Each week, any unclaimed items get moved to another bin identified as Week 2, Week 3 and finally, after Week 4 the unclaimed items are donated to a worthy cause either locally or in Eretz Yisroel. Please take a moment to check these bins as already there are many unclaimed items in our Week 2 and Week 3 bins.

Stay Up-To-Date on PTA Events
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*Did you know that the PTA Provides crucial funding for the following:
Elementary School - Library books, Science Program, Lag Ba'omer programs, Yom Tov projects, Grade wide trips, Birthday pins, Summer homework prizes, School wide Middos Program... and More!
Middle School - Library books, Nursing Home Trips, Purim Chagiga, Yom Tov projects... and MORE!
High School - Library books, Technology Program Trip, Read-A-Thon... and MORE!
Sept 25 Back To School Night Grades 7 & 8*
Sept 30 Rosh Hashana (School Closed)
September 17/ 17 Elul
לזכר נשמת
גילה רבקה רחל בת יחיאל שמחה ע"ה
Geela Rivka Rochel bas Yechiel Simcha A"H

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