Dear Parents, 

This week, as we process another school shooting, we grieve and pray for peace for the Covenant School Community in Nashville, TN. Knowing that another horrific shooting has taken place on a school campus is unsettling. Our crisis team will reassess, reaffirm, and practice our safety and communication protocols. SIA conducts lockdown drills in the fall and in the spring. All families will be notified in advance of our spring drill which will take place in late April. We will make ample space and time to support the wellbeing of those in our school communities. And we continue to educate our students on safety practices in school.

I am looking forward to our Passover celebrations this week and next week. More information regarding all of our Passover Plans can be found in Parentsquare.

• Primary Years students will be enjoying a family Passover Celebration with a story trail on Friday, March 31, 2023 @ 1:15pm and a student model seder on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. 
• Early Years Toddlers will enjoy a Family Passover experience on Friday, March 31, 2023
• EY2-EY4 students and families are invited to a Passover experience on Monday, April 3, 2032. 

Wednesday, April 5, 2023 begins our Passover break and EY Fullcare, Sundown and JCC SDO is closed through Friday, April 7, 2023. Passover break continues Monday, April 10, 2023 through Friday, April 14, 2023. 

Please see Passover School Celebration schedule below:

• EY Fullcare Passover Session Open Monday, April 10 - Friday, April 14, 2023
• JCC SDO for registered PY students Open Monday, April 10- Friday, April 14, 2023
• School Resumes Monday, April 17, 2023

Chag Sameach, wishing you a happy and healthy Passover. We look forward to seeing everyone when school resumes on Monday, April 17, 2023.

Below you will see some reminders for next week.  

Heather Moore

Head of School

Upcoming Dates:

March

3/31 SIA PY Family Shabbat Celebration, 1:30pm

April

4/3 EY Seder Experience, 9am - 11am

4/4 PY Passover Celebration, 2:30pm

4/5 - 4/14 Passover Break

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• 4/5 - 4/7 EY Fullcare Closed, Camp JCC SDO Closed
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• 4/10 - 4/14 EY Fullcare Open; Camp JCC SDO Open

4/28 Student Led Conferences, No School (EY Fullcare Closed, PY Camp JCC SDO Closed)

4/30 Israel Fest at the Sandler Family Campus, 12pm - 4pm

5/5 SIA Family Pizza Night, 5pm - 7pm

5/7 SIA's Team Tiger will participate in the JFS Run, Roll and Stroll (more info coming soon!)

Click here for our 2023-2024 Year at a Glance.

Dates are subject to change.

SIA Family Beach Clean Up

Sign up to run with SIA's Team Tiger on May 7!

Field Trip to Historic Greenbrier Farms

Primary Years students celebrated Rosh Chodesh Nissan (the first day of the Jewish month of Nissan) with a spring field trip to pick tulips and play outside!

March is Women’s History Month! At Strelitz International Academy, girls in grades 2 and 3 participated in the STEMinist Club, spearheaded by Allena Anglen, third grade teacher at SIA. STEMinism promotes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to girls. Currently, women only make up 30% of the scientific and mathematical workforce.

For the club’s provocation, we began by drawing scientists. Interestingly enough, most of the girls drew a male. This led to an inquiry on the contributions of female mathematicians and scientists at NASA. Students ate lunch with head of school, Heather Moore, who discussed ways she uses STEM in her job daily.

To wrap up the month students learned about STEM superpowers and drew themselves as a STEM superhero.

At SIA, we see a wonderful connection as Women’s History Month corresponds with the holiday of Purim. Queen Esther, the Biblical Heroine, was the one who ultimately was able to save the Jewish people from Haman’s schemes. 

Through STEM and History, we want to ensure that all students feel empowered to take on anything that they set their mind to do.

Last week, SIA students enjoyed meeting world renowned Roie Galitz - Nature and Wildlife Photographer featured in the JCC's Leon Family Gallery. The students' knowledge of animals — and how to say many of them in Hebrew — impressed Roie!

Recently we held our Parent and Faculty Campaign to raise funds for our Annual Donor Fund. The SIA Annual Donor Fund is the primary vehicle for financially supporting Strelitz International Academy (SIA).

SIA depends on support from current and alumni parents and grandparents, faculty, trustees along with friends in the extended community who believe in SIA’s mission, to meet the school’s operating expenses, enrich the student experience, and ensure financial sustainability.

By making a tax-deductible donation to Strelitz International Academy, you will be joining with others to make a difference in the everyday lives of Strelitz’s students and faculty.

To donate online: https://strelitzinternationalacademy.org/support-us/donate/

We are proud to announce that our very own strings teacher, Alexandra Marlins will be performing with Symphonicity of Virginia Beach on Sunday, April 2, 3:00PM at the Sandler Center. 

Mrs. Marlins performs professionally throughout the year. This is a great event for our families who love a variety of musical performances and for some of our budding musicians.

Tickets available at Symphonicity.org

Masterworks IV: “Pines of Rome”

Music Director & Conductor: Daniel W. Boothe

Guest Artist: Clare Longendyke, Piano

Concert Description: The final masterworks concert of the season will conclude with musical presentations that reflect the beauty of earth’s diverse flora from rich evergreen trees to plush gardens. The concert will include Galbraith’s “A Festive Violet Pulse,” Respighi’s “Pines of Rome,” and a special presentation of de Falla’s “Nights in the Gardens of Spain” by Clare Longendyke.  

JCC Tee Ball

Take me out to the (Tee) ball game!

The spring Tee Ball season kicked off last week but it's not too late to join the fun. Open to all children ages 3-6, our youth league teaches basic baseball skills and includes a super cool JCC team jersey.

Participants will practice and play a game once a week each Monday though May 1st. All parents are encouraged to participate with their youth players. Sign up: JewishVA.org/TBall

JCC Kids Classes- Spring Registration is Open



Choose from Soccer Shots, Lil Ninjas and Self Defense, and Yoga. Patrons with a family membership qualify for a 20% discount. Use discount code jcc123 when checking out. If a class needs to be cancelled for any reason, another class will be added to the end of the season. 

Register here for Spring Classes



Pop Up Shabbat: A New Young Adult Experience Comes to Tidewater!

Thanks to a generous gift from the Richard S. Glasser Family Foundation, the Young Adult Division of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is launching a new, ongoing Shabbat dinner series called “Pop Up Shabbat.” Young Adults are invited to visit the website and click to either HOST a Shabbat dinner or attend a Shabbat dinner. (Hosts will be reimbursed for a portion of food costs.) Jake and Jessica Glasser will host the first Shabbat dinner on March 24. While spots are limited, anyone can click to sign up to host a dinner — and slots will open up for guests as more hosts sign on. 

Please bookmark the webpage and stay tuned for future Pop Up Shabbat dinner events. JewishVA.org/PopUpShabbat