Heilicher sixth graders enjoyed the outdoors last week with a walk to Cedar Lake to celebrate Earth Day! |
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Lag BaOmer is TOMORROW!
We've been counting the Omer for 32 days now, which means that ... you guessed it ... Lag BaOmer, the 33rd day of the Omer, is on Friday (tomorrow)! You can read about Lag BaOmer here.
Within the Heilicher community, we have a wide range of ways of celebrating this holiday. For some in the community, the 49 days of the Omer are a time when we don't celebrate, frolic, shave, have parties, listen to live music, etc, so the arrival of Lag BaOmer releases us from a solemn time. You may notice some haircuts next week among our community, and perhaps some of you will attend weddings, via Zoom or in person.
Many people around the world celebrate Lag BaOmer by getting outside; in Israel, it is common to have a bonfire literally in the streets and hang out with the neighbors ... sort of a Jewish National Night Out.
This year at school, we will celebrate Lag BaOmer on Friday in two groups.The middle school students will have a Zoom scavenger hunt, and the grades K-4 students will play fun, physically-distanced games, outside on the field, organized and led by our grade 5 students.
As for counting the Omer, we still have 19 days left to count before Shavuot on Sunday evening, May 16. During the Omer, the time from Pesach to Shavuot, we count each day. This year our all-school t'filot (prayers) have focused on a few of the blessings of the Amidah, the central personal prayer, which is in all three daily weekday prayer services. Grades 1-5 have been illustrating these prayers (for thanks - Modim; for the righteous among us - Al ha-tzadikim; and for the seasons - Barech shnateinu).
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Mark Your Calendars!
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Friday, April 30 - Lag BaOmer
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Monday - Friday, May 3-7 - Teacher Appreciation Week
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Monday and Tuesday, May 17-18 - Shavuot - NO SCHOOL
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Thursday, May 27 - Annual Meeting, 7-8:30 p.m. (invitation to follow)
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Wednesday, June 9 - Heilicher 8th Grade Graduation, 4:30-6:00 p.m. (details to follow)
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Teacher Appreciation Week
Teacher Appreciation Week is next week May 3- 7!
Our Teacher Appreciation Week Committee has come up with some great ideas to show the teachers how much we love and appreciate them. Here are some ways you can help!
Please use this link to make a short video thanking teachers! We will send out the videos to teachers on Friday, May 7. Here's how to do it! When you open the link, you'll see the following: "Are you a family member or guest? Enter your guest password." Click on that option, and enter the password "Heilicher." Please make these videos over the next few days and submit them so we can send them to teachers.
We are encouraging students and parents to write notes to all their teachers, sharing something they appreciate about them. Please send them with your student(s) to school for them to pass out by Thursday, May 6.
If you want to help chalk the front sidewalk and parking lot on Sunday, May 2, please email Alissa Abelson.
We hope to be able to send home a challah or challah knots with all the teachers on Thursday, May 6. If you are interested in making challot to contribute, please contact Sharon Rosenblum
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"Spring Forward" with Heilicher's Annual Fund!
As the school year nears its end, we wanted to reach out one more time to say thank you.
During this current school year, our Annual Fund has raised over $560,000 from parents, grandparents, alumni families, and the broader community. Thank you all for everything you do, every day, to boost and strengthen our school.
This year has brought many challenges, yet we are thankful for our incredible community. We also appreciate the support of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, which provided the school with a generous grant through the community Kadima campaign.
From May 1-11, Heilicher will be joining nonprofits across the state as a participant in SpringForwardMN. Starting on Sunday, visit the Heilicher page on the GiveMN.org site and make a donation. Not only are you helping the school, but you are providing the potential for us to win one of the $1,000 "Golden Tickets." Thank you in advance for your support!
Best wishes for a wonderful end to the school year.
Michael Zis and Deborah Olkon
Parent Annual Fund Co-Chairs
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Mask Reminders From Nurse Katie
Students and teachers get an A+ for wearing their masks all year!
With the warm weather and the students increasing their activity outside, I have noticed a lot of kids with wet masks. Wet masks decrease the protection from germs getting through the mask and make it hard to breath. I have also noticed that some kids have outgrown their masks so they have to frequently pull them up over their nose. Please make sure your kids have at least 5, clean, well-fitting masks at school at all times!
Mask tips:
- Change masks daily or more often if they are soiled or wet.
- With the mouth wide open, the fabric of the mask should start at the top of the bridge of the nose and extend under the chin.
- A metal strip across the nose can help with securing the mask.
- Loose masks can be tightened by tying knots in the elastic straps.
- If there are gaps in the side of the mask, you can “accordion” fold the sides of the masks from top to bottom and sew or staple them together.
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Grades 6-8 Biking Agreement
We have begun to allow students in Grades 6-8 to bike unaccompanied to/from Heilicher with parent permission.
Younger children may not bike to school with siblings or friends in Grades 6-8. Bikes should be properly locked on bicycle racks by the fitness entrance to the Sabes JCC (east side of the building). After locking their bikes, students should walk up to the north side of the building and enter through Door 9 (the standard morning entry door for Grades 6-8).
At the end of the day, all bikers will be dismissed together and will be responsible for walking down to the bike rack by themselves and biking home.
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Kabbalat Shabbat
We're looking for five more families to "lead" us through Kabbalat Shabbat during the remaining weeks of this school year. This entails making a video of 5-8 minutes going through the blessings and leading a song or story or Torah study. Email Wendy Goldberg if your family is interested!
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Library Reminders
The last day to place a hold on library books for check out is Friday, April 30.
In order to shelve all library books and prepare the library for inventory, ALL library books, unless being used for a school project, are due Friday, May 14.
Books not returned by Wednesday, May 19, will be charged to the family's Heilicher account. All books used for a school project that are not returned by Tuesday, June 1, will be charged to the family's Heilicher account. We greatly appreciate your help encouraging your students to return their library books promptly.
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Online Hebrew Classes for High School Students
Talmud Torah of St. Paul will once again offer online Hebrew classes for high school students in the fall. Students may be eligible to receive high school language credit. Please check with your local high school for information about transferring Hebrew credits. Information on the program and registration are included in this flyer: Talmud Torah of St. Paul Online Hebrew Classes.
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Mindy and Dan Ribnick Family Tuition Grant for Community Volunteers
Reminder there is still time to apply for The Mindy and Dan Ribnick Family Tuition Grant Program.
The Mindy and Dan Ribnick Family Tuition Grant Program for Community Volunteers makes possible grants of 18% of total tuition (Chai) for approximately four Heilicher students per school year. Any parent or guardian of a newly-enrolled or re-enrolled student(s) for the 2021-2022 school year is invited to submit an application communicating their current Jewish community volunteer roles and involvement.
Applications must be completed and submitted by Friday, May 14, 2021 to be considered for the coming grant cycle. ONE application will be accepted per family. Awards will be communicated to recipient families by Friday, May 28, 2021. Awards will be credited against owed tuition for the 2021-2022 school year, and will be in addition to any need-based financial aid awarded.
Fill out the application here.
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Covid-19 Updates from Nurse Katie
New COVID Testing Recommendations from MDH
Heilicher continues to have no positive Covid-19 cases. However, the week of April 17, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported a record 1,088 cases of Covid-19 among pre-K-12 students. Even though only 10% of the cases produced severe illness, children are often asymptomatic and can spread the virus to vulnerable people.
With those rates and the addition of the coronavirus variants, the MDH has added another prevention measure. It advises Covid-19 testing for middle and high school students every two weeks and if they are on an athletic team, it recommends weekly testing. The state has offered many ways to obtain tests. If you are interested, there are home tests available through Vault Health, and many pharmacies and health care facilities provide tests for people of all ages. The type of test that is most accurate for a current Covid-19 infection is the molecular test, also known as PCR or NAAC.
Heilicher is not requiring this intermittent testing, but we do want to make you aware of this MDH recommendation which is intended to prevent the spread of infections from asymptomatic students.
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MAZEL TOV!
Mazel Tov to Micah and Laila Schoenberger on their upcoming B'nai Mitzvah on Saturday, May 1, via Zoom (Beth El Synagogue)
Mazel Tov to Solomon Lamin on his upcoming Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, May 1, via Zoom
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Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School
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