SIA Weekly Newsletter

SIA School Newsletter

February 7, 2023

Dear Parents,

On Monday we celebrated Tu B’Shevat, the new year of the Trees! Tu B'Shevat is the New Year for the purpose of calculating the age of trees for tithing. The preschool celebrated Tu B’Shevat with a Walk-Through Seder Adventure. Students, faculty and parents enjoyed Tu B’Shevat themed stations in each classroom from painting branches, to planting parsley, to flower power, and so much more! The Early Years morning culminated with a community lunch in the MPR. I would like to thank Elyssa Brinn and the entire Early Years Faculty for creating such a memorable morning for our families. In Primary Years our Kindergarten and First Grade students celebrated Tu B’Shevat with a birthday party for the trees and the students in grades 2-5 had a Tu B’Shevat paint party! I would like to extend a big thank you to Mrs. Brashevitzky for organizing a fun and educational celebration.

This week Norfolk International Airport displayed artwork created by our very own SIA students! Our display will be up for the month of February, so make your way over to check it out or tell family and friends who may be traveling by plane. Great job SIA budding artists!

February 1 -15, 2023 is Re-enrollment! Please check Parent Square for important information and instructions to re-enroll through FACTS for the 2023-2024 school year. We are grateful that you have entrusted us with your children. We look forward to strengthening our partnership and to celebrating their many milestones with you. All re-enrollment contracts are due by Wednesday, February 15, 2023.

Please join us for an Evening of the Arts: How We Express Ourselves performance Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 6:00pm, Sponsered by the Benjamin Goldberg Foundation. Students in grades EY4-5th Grade will be singing songs, dancing, reciting poetry, a wax museum and so much more! We will also feature our strings classes. In addition, SIA will also host an Art Show from Monday, February 13 - Friday, 17, 2023 in the Cardo. There will be more information posted in ParentSquare in the coming weeks.

Below you will see some reminders for next week.

Wishing you all a wonderful rest of the week!

Heather Moore

Head of School

Weekly Highlights

Tu B’Shevat, the New Year of the Trees!

Children of all ages had so much fun doing activities to celebrate Tu B’Shevat. In the Early Years, the students did a special Walk Through Tu B'shevat Seder where they made bird treats, painted trees, planted seeds and many other ecology related activities.

Early Years had a great time doing various activities while

learning about nature and Spring.

Primary Years had a Birthday Party for the Trees and a special guided tree Painting workshop led by our Art Teacher, Samantha Feingold!

Upcoming Dates:

February

2/10 PY Family Shabbat Celebration, 1:30pm

2/15 SIA Student Reenrollment deadline (EY2-Grade 5)

2/16 Evening of the Arts, 6pm

2/20 Presidents Day (No School, EY Fullcare Closed, JCC SDO Open)

2/24 EY Family Shabbat Singalong, 9am

3/7 Purim; Noon Dismissal; Sundown/Fullcare closes at noon

3/13 - 3/17 Scholastic Book Fair all week

3/14 Book Fair Family Fun Night, 4pm - 6:30pm

Random Acts of Kindness Day!

February 17, 2023

On Thursday, February 2nd, Ms. Debbie Mayer from JFS came to speak to the SGA. They met to discuss plans to help and created the Week of Kindness. Check out the Kindness Week poster to find out more ways to help.

We will be celebrating Random Acts of Kindness Day on Friday, February 17th! Please stand by for more information from our Student Government Association (SGA) on how we will express kindness to our school & community.

Dr. Seuss Week

February 27 - March 3, 2023

February 27-March 3, 2023

Dr. Seuss Week!

Please join us in celebrating Dr. Seuss' Birthday all Week!

Please stand by for more information coming soon!

Screen time and the impact on our young children:

Dr. Shimi Kang, award winning Harvard-educated Psychiatrist, met with Dr. Steele an Optomologist, regarding the increase he is seeing in young children with dilated pupils. He said, “I am seeing an increase in young children with dilated pupils, the cause is stress and most likely from screens. Dilated pupils are a sign of survival/sympathetic drive, or the stress response.”

According to Dr. Kang, “ excessive use of screens is disrupting every part of our world - our eyes, our brain, our society and basic human bonding and interaction. One simple tip - take a moment to put down your phone, close your eyes, and breathe.”

For more information on Dr. Shimi Kang visit: https://www.drshimikang.com/about.

Strelitz International Academy at Norfolk International Airport throughout the month of February

We are very excited to show off some of our SIA artists' work at the Norfolk International Airport this year. Our display will be up for the month of February, so make your way over to check it out or tell family and friends who may be traveling by plane. Our featured artists for this show are:

Max Hollander

Pearl Mitzner

Niv Rubin

Willow Baker

Daniel Schaad

Molly Futerman

Calanit Warren

Micah Kass

Emma Belman

Luke Kingsland

Victoria Kerzner

There will be even more beautiful work by our SIA artists on display at the Evening of The Arts on February 16th. See you there!

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

Dates are subject to change.

Tuition Tax Documents

Tax season has begun and a many families are asking for backup documentation in order to file their taxes. To get the annual tuition amount you have paid for your child per calendar year please follow the following steps:

Login to your FACTS payment account
Click on the View details tab in the right corner.
Click on the View payment summary tab. You will find a form listing all the annual amounts of tuition paid for as many years as you have been in the FACTS system. Information also includes our school name, address and EIN number.

If you have any questions or pay annually and also need a tax document, Please contact Cheryl McAuley at cmcauley@strelitzacademy.org.

SIA Annual Donor Fund

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/

Kids Night Out

Kids Night Out takes place on "The Big Saturday Night Celebration of Jewish Film" on February 25. Don't forget that membership is not required to have your child attend.

Registration for Spring Kids Class is also officially open!

Click the links below to find out more information and to register.

These spaces won't last long!

SIA Evening of the Arts

EY Parent Coffee and Schmooze

In the Community

JCC Kids Classes- Winter 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.

Parents - Click here to register.C

Baby and Me

Simon Family JCC & PJ Library Program

Strelitz International Academy