Yellow Room teacher Emily helps Lilia and Maya trace a world map as the classroom was transformed into an airport this week.

 
We are honoring some amazing people this year at our annual fundraiser on March 31: Sharon Vadeboncoeur ( Legacy in Education Award), Peter and Sara Price ( Professional and Community Leadership award) and Jason Loeb (Distinguished Alumni Award - Class of 1997).  They represent what is great about our school, and the true honor is ours to have them as part of our community. We are honored in the many ways they support us. People like our honorees make us the school we are and the people who attend, sponsor and donate to the event ensure we can remain the school we are.

Each year at Akiba-Schechter we provide significant scholarship dollars to ensure broader access to our school, and each year we improve our product and increase our ability to reach each child. This is not possible without your support. Our total budget this year is $3.9 million and only 67% of our income comes from tuition. We count on financial support from the Kehillah Fund, JUF and other foundations (amounting to 6% of our income), but it is our annual fundraiser that secures the remaining and necessary 27% of our income.

This year our theme for the event is "Past, Present, and Future." When it comes to making your meaningful gift, please think of all that we have been, are and will be. Give something meaningful for you. We ask that whether you are a parent, grandparent or friend of the school, that Akiba-Schechter be one of the top three recipients of your giving. We all have different abilities to give and whatever that is for you, we appreciate it. 

Please take the time to make a meaningful contribution by clicking here. I hope to see you on March 31 when we will celebrate together with our community all that is beautiful about Akiba-Schechter.

Shabbat Shalom! 
Dr. Eliezer Jones
Head of School  
From the Preschool                
Honoring Longtime Preschool Teacher Sharon Vadeboncoeur
by Carla Goldberg, Preschool Director
 
Sharon on one of her many visits last year.
On Sunday, March 31 we will be celebrating Akiba-Schechter's Past, Present and Future at our Annual Fundraiser Brunch. Tuition does not cover our costs at Akiba - so we rely on fundraising to close the gap. In case you were wondering whether you should attend the Akiba Fundraiser Brunch, the answer is yes!

Representing Akiba's past, we are honoring Sharon Vadeboncoeur. Sharon is a beloved preschool teacher, who taught at Akiba for 20 years. Quite often, Sharon was a child's first teacher, helping parents and children through the difficulty of separation. Sharon has never been afraid to give advice to parents and provide insights into their child. Many of us got to know our child in a different way through Sharon's eyes. It's difficult to describe her teaching in words, but a few do come to mind: lots of humor, love and respect for children. Sharon has inspired so many of us over the years, and you can see her influence in teaching and Akiba's culture in all of the classrooms.

Since Sharon taught at Akiba for 20 years, we thought we'd share a picture from the past; this one was taken in 2005.

             Sharon has always been a tremendous supporter of Akiba in every way. As a staff member Sharon was always present, at every event, parade, run, graduation, benefit and party. She would never miss a chance to celebrate. She believes strongly in the work we do at Akiba-Schechter, and the role we play in the Hyde Park community and across Chicago. Sharon's has often been Akiba's loudest cheerleader and biggest advocate.

             Please join us on March 31 to honor Akiba's Past, Present and Future and to celebrate with Sharon. It is not often that teachers receive this type of recognition, and I would love to see a full room to show support for all three of these wonderful educators. There are many ways to get involved: attend the event, become a sponsor, and place an ad. I hope that you will participate as fully as you can to make this a successful event for Akiba.

Words of Inspiration                 
 
Words of Inspiration from Rabbi Cohen: All You Need Is Love
Words of Inspiration from Rabbi Cohen: All You Need Is Love
Preschool                  
Examining and making ice in the 
Green Room

Bringing the Outside in: Ice
Ice is so cool! The Green Room brought some of the outside into their classroom. On Monday the teachers carried in a block of ice from the playground. The children enjoyed playing with it so much that they decided to mak e our own ice block by filling a tub with water, adding some toys from their room, then dragging it outside to freeze overnight. The next morning the children set to work trying to get the toys out of the ice. The children had so much to say about the ice block; the ice felt cold, slippery, wet and hard. Getting the toys out of the ice sparked animated discussion:
"We need a hammer."
"Try cutting it on the top."
"It's breaking."
 
The Purple Room has been exploring bread. The children loved using real flour sifters and seeing what they could do with the flour.
  
Grades 1-8                  

Miss Friedman's 1st/2nd graders have been celebrating Dr. Seuss Week. Students have been busy dressing up all week wearing crazy hats, all one color, pajamas/comfy clothes, and mustaches, each on a different day in order to correspond to a Dr. Seuss book that they read in class. They also enjoyed working on special Dr. Seuss word searches, story problems, and math graphs. Questions of the Day were related to Dr. Seuss as well. What a fun week they had!
 
3rd/4th graders and their Kindergarten buddies work on "designing" the President they researched.
 
What Makes a Good Leader?
Mrs. Leonard's 3rd/4th graders wanted to know, so they each chose American presidents to learn about. They were inspired by the book,  What Presidents Are Made Of by Hanoch Piven. The children researched their presidents' early life, time as president and their life after the presidency. They designed their president using 3-dimensional objects to represent him the way Hanoch Piven did in his book. They also wrote about their presidents. They were so lucky that their Kindergarten buddies were able to join them in creating their presidents. The 3rd/4th graders loved teaching their buddies about them as well.
 
 
   
Kol HaKavod to our Chidon HaTanach group: Yaakov, Toibeh Sarah and Avi, and their consummate teacher Mrs. Schinasi! They did very well in the regional Chidon HaTanach exams and are going on to the national competition in New York!

 
Students in Dr. French's 6th grade Language Arts class wrapped up their poetry unit this week making Blackout Poems by creatively redacting the New York Times.

8 Questions for an 8th Grader: Avi Zeller         
We continue our series of featuring an 8th grader in each Kibitzer; today it's Avi Zeller:  
  1. Since when have you been at Akiba? 
    Avi Zeller
    I have been at Akiba since 2nd grade.  
  2. What neighborhood are you from? I live in West Rodgers Park.
  3. Is being an 8th grader different from your previous grades at Akiba? I hope to be able to learn a lot of math so I can pass my algebra test for high school. Being in 8th grade is different because I am the oldest in the school and younger kids look up to me.
  4. What is your favorite subject at Akiba and why? 
    My favorite subject in school is math because I have always loved math from the time I learned how to count using dollar bills when I was 3 years old.
  5. What do you think is special about Akiba? 
    I think the community is special. I like the way everyone accepts each other regardless of what someone's background is.
  6. What can you tell us about your experience taking a lead role in this year's musical? Who are you playing? Why did you want to be part of the musical?
    I enjoy having a lead role in the school play. I am Grandpa Joe. I always loved being in the plays.
  7. When you're not at school or doing homework, what do you like to do? 
    I like to read, play sports, hang out with my friends, and watch quality television. 
  8. Do you have any idea yet of what you want to be when you grow up? 
    I want to be an investment banker or an actuary.
Art with Debbie                  

1st and 2nd grade artists created patterns and optical illusions by filling tessellation-patterned templates with dramatic, experimental color. These patterns can be made to appear deep or as though they telescope out. They can be made to appear rounded or flat, all depending on the choices each artist makes and in how they apply color.

Library Update                  

The 1st and 2nd graders are reading biographies this year. Miss Friedman's students voted to read about Abe Lincoln. They were very interested to discover how much young Abraham enjoyed reading and learning, thanks to the encouragement of his stepmother. They were also really proud when they realized how well respected Abe was.

Upcoming #akibacommUNITY Events neighbor

 
 
 
Register for our Summer Program!


Save the Date
Annual All-School Musical
Friday, April 5 
Sunday, April 7
 
ATT Summer Program
Registration is open for the Nathan & Shirley Rothner ATT Summer Program. Register before March 15 for the Early Bird Bonus Discount. Have your child experience an awesome summer. Make new friends, learn new skills with sewing, sports, art, science, rocketry, dance, cooking, magic, robotics, self-defense, daily trips and more. First session 7/1-7/19; second session 7/22-8/9. For more information call Susan Feuer/Shelley Stopek at 773-973-2828, www.att.org to view brochure and apply online.




Dates to Remember
 
Wednesday, March 20
Erev Purim (Taanit Esther)
No late bus, no after-school programs, no kids club. Only late pick-up is in session.

Thursday, March 21
Purim
12:00 noon Dismissal for Grades 1-8
No late bus, no after-school programs, no kids club.

Friday, March 22
Shushan Purim
Grades 1-8 Rollerskating Field Trip

Shabbat, March 22 & 23
All Middle School Shabbaton
@ Akiba-Schechter

Sunday, March 31
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Congregation Rodfei Zedek
5200 S. Hyde Park Blvd.
 
March 8, 2019  
Volume 15, Issue 12
Candle Lighting: 5:29 PM
Parasha: Pedukei



Affiliated with the Associated Talmud Torahs and supported by the Kehillah Jewish Education Fund

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