PARENTS: PLEASE REMEMBER MASKS ARE REQUIRED
WHEN DROPPING OFF AND PICKING UP YOUR CHILDREN IN THE CARPOOL LINE
FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR FACULTY.
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Head of School Message
Heather Moore, Head of School
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Dear Parents,
As we prepare to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, we take the time to reflect on the past and consider changes or goals for the future. As such, I think it is a great time to share our goal for this school year, which is to provide in person instruction for all SIA students while ensuring the health and safety of our entire school community. This is quite a lofty goal and requires ongoing communication and transparency. Throughout the summer we sent newsletters regarding what to expect when SIA opens and today I want to share what to expect if SIA experiences a positive COVID case.
1. If a student or staff member in your child’s class is diagnosed with coronavirus you will be notified through ParentSquare. The notification will indicate whether or not your child’s class or cohort will be closed and if so for how long. We will NOT disclose the identity of the individual diagnosed with COVID, as this is confidential medical information which we are not at liberty to share.
2. We will work closely with the Virginia Beach Public Health Department to identify anyone who had close contact with the person diagnosed. If your child is identified as having been potentially exposed, the Virginia Department of Health will contact you with further instructions.
3. If your child’s class or cohort is asked to stay home for any period of time we will transition to distance learning during this period.
4. The entire SIA school community will be notified through ParentSquare of the positive COVID diagnosis within the school. This communication will include instructions with regard to the rest of the school remaining open or closing.
5. If a class or cohort is closed, a terminal cleaning will take place before students and staff return to the classroom.
SIA continues to utilize guidance and recommendations from the CDC and VDOE to reduce viral transmission and keep our children and school personnel healthy and safe at school. We ask that our Parents and families continue to partner with SIA by promoting healthy behaviors and practices outside of school.
Below you will see some reminders for next week.
Wishing you a Happy New Year of good health, happiness, peace and prosperity today and all through the year! L’shanah Tovah!
Heather Moore
Head of School
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YCALENDAR
9/15 SIA Golf Tournament
9/18 Erev Rosh Hashanah/ No School/ Fullcare & JCC Holiday Camp Open until 4pm
9/28 Yom Kippur/ No School/ Fullcare and Sundown Closed
10/2 Erev Sukkot/ Noon Dismissal/ Fullcare & Sundown Open until 4pm
10/9 Erev Shmini Atzeret/ Noon Dismissal/ Fullcare & Sundown Open until 4pm
10/12 Columbus Day/ No School/ Parent-Teacher Conferences/ Fullcare Closed/ JCC Holiday Camp Open until 6pm.
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School Pictures are Cancelled this Fall
Fall pictures, which were scheduled for September 21 and 22 with Creative Images, have been cancelled (See the school calendar). The company has closed for the Fall season due to Covid 19 restrictions. They plan to reopen in the Spring and we will revisit the opportunity for taking school pictures at that time.
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Rosh Hashanah at SIA
Rashi Brashevitzky, Judaic Studies Director
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Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year is in the air at SIA! Our primary year students have been learning all about Rosh Hashanah in their Judaic studies classes. Students have been hard at work creating Shana Tova (Happy New Year) cards using their Chromebooks and have pretended to blow the Shofar as they review the number of blasts in each of the Shofar sounds. Students can be heard singing Avinu Malkeinu, the traditional prayer where we ask G-d to fill our year with all sorts of wonderful blessings. Hebrew words related to Rosh Hashanah can be heard in our classrooms, and apples and honey, a traditional food for the new year, are certainly a popular topic. Primary year students have heard Rosh Hashanah storybooks and decorated crowns, symbolizing that G-d is the King of the world.
At SIA we pride ourselves on providing fun and engaging activities as we prepare for the Jewish holidays. On Wednesday, our students in grades 2-5 will paint a beautiful Rosh Hashanah painting as they follow the lead of an instructor from Pinot’s Pallete in a virtual “paint party”! Students in Kindergarten and 1st grade will get ready for Rosh Hashanah through a birthday celebration for the world! Students will enjoy cupcakes, a storybook and make their very own Rosh Hashanah puzzles.
As your family celebrates Rosh Hashanah this year (in ways that are certain to be different than usual), I encourage you to allow your child to help lead the way! I know each of our students will bring home songs, stories and the “know how” to help your family celebrate in a meaningful way!
May the Jewish year 5781 usher in a year filled with good health and happiness, an abundance of sweetness, a treasure trove of blessings, and peace to all of the world!
With wishes for a Shana Tova U’mituka, (good and sweet year)
-Rashi
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Mirror Mirror on the Wall
Elyssa Brinn, Assistant Preschool Director
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Our Infant room is divided into two groups based on developmental level - from our youngest group we call Wees starting at six weeks old to our Wobblers who are ready to move.
Below our Wobblers are beginning to recognize and discover their own reflection! This is a big step in building self-awareness and helps our babies with their overall social and emotional development.
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SIA Virtual Honey Cake Bake |
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Health Reminders:
Susan Schartzman, SIA School Nurse
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1) All students, EY2 thru 5th Grade, need to have two clean masks with them every day. If you are finding that your child chews on or licks or sucks their mask and needs more frequent mask changes, kindly send extra.
2) Shoes… this is more for our little learners…Consider keeping an extra pair in the car or at school for those times that they manage to arrive shoeless.
3) Daily Screen on Parent Square: Everyone is dong awesome with this, thank you! If I send a reminder, it will usually because we also want to know if there are glitches with Parent Square or you’ve missed a couple days. We will all forget at some point but, overall, we are doing great with daily responses.
4) Clarification on Illness and Siblings: we have updated our policy, so check it out on the Parent Square link. In a nutshell, siblings of sick children should remain home if the sick student has a fever, multiple symptoms of illness and, of course, if they have been tested for COVID-19. Please reach out to me and ask about sending siblings, if you are not sure.
5) Cold & Flu Season is coming… yes, your child may have to stay home, even if it is “just a cold,” depending on the symptoms & severity. While we respect our local health care providers, a note from them, saying “ok for school” may not cut it, again, depending on the symptoms and severity.
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Aftercare Terminology at SIA |
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We want to clarify the names of the various aftercare programs at SIA:
Fullcare - Early Years Program for students staying at school from 8am - 5pm or 9am - 6pm. Fullcare students are enrolled in the 10 month program with no care over breaks or 12 month program where breaks are covered. Please refer to school calendar for days off.
Sundown Program - NEW SIA aftercare program for our Primary Years Students. Open from SIA dismissal until 6pm unless otherwise indicated.
JCC School Day Out Program - JCC Program which provides care for SIA students in grades K-5 on days that SIA is closed unless otherwise indicated.
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Parent Volunteer Organization |
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Thank you to everyone who has signed up to be a room parent!
Look out for a Room Parent Kick off Meeting coming soon.
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Harris Teeter will automatically give a percentage to SIA everytime you show and use your VIC Card!
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Download the ALL-NEW Box Tops app, shop as you normally would, scan your store receipts to find participating products. The app will automatically credit your school's Box Tops earnings online.
Twice a year, your school will receive a check and can use that cash to buy whatever it needs!
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Lulav and Etrog orders for Sukkot |
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Show your SIA Pride on Wear it Wednesday at SIA! Every Wednesday, our students and faculty show their school pride by wearing a Strelitz International Academy t-shirt.
We have adult and child sized SIA T-shirts and onesies for sale for $15 each. Please place your order, and items will be delivered to your child's classroom.
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Cardo Cafe through the Simon Family JCC |
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** Please remember to order or cancel your child's lunch order by 9am** |
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The program is ready to take orders now. Please sign-up or check your Orgsonline school lunch account to make sure it is active. Early Years lunches are $3.30 and Primary Years lunches are $5.50. Once you have completed your ordering, print and post at home so you remember which days you ordered.
The lunch program is not offered to infants & wobblers.
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During Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, it is traditional to eat round challah to signify the cycle of the year.
The Cardo Cafe at the JCC will be taking Challah Preorders for the holidays. Plain and raisin round challah options are available for you to order for $5 each. Orders will be delivered to your child's classroom on 9/17 for Rosh Hashanah and 9/25 for Yom Kippur.
Orders for Rosh Hashanah must be made by Tuesday, September 15 for delivery on September 17. Orders for Yom Kippur must be made by Tuesday, September 22 for delivery on Friday, September 25. Click here to order.
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Challah is available for $5 (cash only) at the JCC front desk during morning drop off on Fridays. |
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Birthday cupcakes or cookies can be ordered through the Cardo Cafe on campus. Please use this form and attach payment and cupcakes will be delivered to your child's classroom. Parents can send form and payment in at student drop off or take directly to Cardo Cafe at the JCC.
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