Kol HaNeshamah

Children’s Education

Handbook 2019‐2020

 

 

Nelson Mandela

Kol HaNeshamah

6115 SW Hinds St Seattle, WA 98116

(206) 935-1590

 

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WelcometoaNewYearofLearning!

Table of Contents Page #

Out of Box! Curriculum Overview 4

Something For Everyone! (class descriptions) 5

Hebrew School Curriculum Overview 6

B’nai Mitzvah Class 6

8th Grade Experiential Social Action 7

9th - 12th Grade Madrichim 7

Family Learning and Holiday Events 8

2019-2020 Calendar 9

Important to Know - the Nuts and Bolts! 3

ImportantContactInformation

For any questions, please contact:

Elizabeth Fagin, Director of Children’s Education

khneducator@khnseattle.org (425)765-6971

For more information, as well as the school calendar, visit the education page of our website:

https://khnseattle.org/education/education/

Our Director of Children’s Education and our teachers are counting on you to let us know anything about your child that will enhance their participation, such as speci ic learning styles or challenges, as well as allergies and food restrictions.

DereckEretz

DereckEretzliterally means “the way of the land” but what it really means is good manners. In order to provide a good learning experience to all of our children, it is important to have a classroom environment that is free of distraction and disruption. During the irst week of school you will be receiving a Dereck Eretz contract that will need to be signed by both you and your students.

 

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WhenYouArriveatSchool

There will be signage in the lobby to let you know which classrooms your students should report to, and directions on how to get there. Each classroom will have a sign that lists the students in that classroom, as well as the teachers name and contact information. We hope that new students will soon feel comfortable, but parents are more than welcome to spend time in the classroom with your student.

TheNuts&Bolts

SnackProcedures

We have snack time for both our Saturday Out of the Box classes and our Tuesday Hebrew classes. For Saturdays you will be assigned a snack date. A schedule for the year will be sent in September, and you will receive a reminder the week before it is your turn. If the date you are assigned doesn’t work for you, just let the Elizabeth know and she will arrange a trade.

For our Tuesday classes, a portion of the tuition will go toward snack, so snacks will be provided without parent involvement. Generally, the students start the afternoon in the Parlor (to the left of the front doors) for a ten minute snack time, and then go to their classrooms. Again - it is important to let us know of any food allergies or sensitivities. We keep a variety of snacks available and want to be sure to have something for every child

PickupProcedures

It is our policy that, following the end of classes, all students remain inside the building until picked up by a parent or appointed guardian. For both legal reasons and out of care for your children we are unable to release students from the building unless they are in the company of a responsible adult. In the event that your child needs to leave early, please send a note with the child, or email the director or teacher prior to class. When you pick up your child, please be sure to let the teacher know.

ParentExpectations

We understand Jewish education as a family endeavor. We want to work as partners with you to provide your children with a constructive and memorable experience. Communicating a positive attitude about Jewish learning, practices, and worship to your children will go a long way to enhance your child’s Jewish identity. Homework: We expect our Hebrew students to practice reading between classes. Our goal is that students be able to luently read Hebrew, understand the concept of the prayers, and be able to translate key words for each prayer. Reading practice homework will be emailed home as students work their way through each prayer. Every Homework Packet will include a “Parent Page” with the Hebrew transliterated (spelled out in English letters), so that parents who don’t read Hebrew can still help their student practice. It really doesn’t need to be a lot. 10 minutes a day will greatly improve their success. Volunteer: We depend on parents to volunteer, especially with special events and ield trips. Plus - it’s really fun and a great way to get to know other families!

 

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OutoftheBox!CurriculumOverviewPre-K - 7th Grade 1st and 3rd Shabbat weekend of each month Saturday, 9:30 - 11:30 am Out of the Box! is designed to provide experiential and integrated Jewish learning. Our community has multi-age classrooms and seeks to ful ill our educational vision to inspire:

A framework for families to create their own personal Jewish observances including TikkunOlam(repair of the world) and g’milutchasadim(acts of loving kindness)

The ability to participate meaningfully in community Shabbat services and observances

An understanding of our Jewish past in order to embrace our place in the Jewish present and future

Skills to study Torah in order to integrate Torah into our daily lives

Experiences which help create life-long memories

A sense of belonging to the Jewish people as a whole

Respect for learning and for those who learn

A commitment to the values of menschlichkite(decency as a human being)

Our program includes participation by our students and their families in regular Shabbat morning t’ ilah(worship). We strongly encourage you to join your student in the Sanctuary for the remainder of the morning service.

 

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SomethingForEveryone!PleasenotethattheShabbatmorningclassesandservicestakeplaceonthemorningafterthe

1stand3rdFridayofthemonth.

18months‐3years:KHNKids3rd Shabbat morning; 9:30 - 10:30 am.This parent/child class focuses on music, crafts, and stories, helping to create a Jewish identity and connection to the community.

Pre‐Kto2ndGrade:OutoftheBox!1st & 3rd Shabbat mornings; 9:30 - 11:30 am While learning Jewish values, history, Torah, and holidays, students create memories that will become building blocks of their Jewish identity. Our small, student-centered classrooms provide the perfect setting for making life-long friends.

3rd‐6thGrade:OutoftheBox!andHebrew1st and 3rd Shabbat mornings; 9:30 - 11:30 am & Tuesday afternoons; 4:45 - 6:15 pm Along with Jewish studies on the 1st and 3rd Shabbat mornings, 3rd -6th graders attend Hebrew studies every Tuesday afternoon. Our Hebrew education starts with the alef-bet, through fun hands-on learning in 3rd grade. Continuing through 6th grade, our semi-self paced program enables learners of all levels and abilities achieve our goals: to read luently, be able to translate key words for each prayer, and understand the concept of each prayer. We focus on concept to help make the prayers relevant and meaningful to the students.

7thGrade:B’naiMitzvah1st and 3rd Shabbat mornings, 9:30 - 11:30 am & Tuesday afternoons at 4:45 - 6:15 pm Our B’nai Mitzvah students attend the Out of the Box! classes with a focus on Holocaust History taught through the lens of the heroes and resisters of the Shoah(Holocaust). They also meet on Tuesday afternoons with Rabbi Zari to prepare to become Bar/BatMitzvah (Son/Daughter of the Commandments). Guided by Rabbi Zari, the students come to understand the profoundness of becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah and the meaning and responsibilities of becoming an adult in the Jewish Community.

8thGradeExperientialSocialActionEvery other Tuesday at 4:45 - 6:15 pm Students meet with a teacher/mentor and determine what project they’d like to take on to experience affecting change in the world, based on Jewish values and ethics. Depending on what the students decide to do, there may be additional class meetings.

AmanutL’DorV’Dor, (Arts Through the Generations), is an intergenerational experience of learning through a focus on the arts. Amanut L’Dor V’Dor will be an intergenerational arts program that develops meaningful relationships between families with Jewish children up to age 8 and Jewish seniors who would love to connect with a young family. Amanut will be meeting on 8 Sunday afternoons through the school year. Free and open to all, no membership required. (Made possible through an Ignition Grant through the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.)

Our Out of the Box! classes are held on Shabbat intentionally. Shabbat observance is one of the central tenets of Judaism. Coming together as a community to learn and worship on Shabbat is also one of the most wonderful aspects of the Kol HaNeshamah community. We ask you to come with your children on Shabbat morning and stay for AdultTorahStudyat9:30am,then join the community for

 

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Hebrew is called LaShonHaKodesh, (The Holy Tongue). It is the language in which the Jewish Bible (Tanach)is written, as well as the language of many of the prayers and poetry that have been passed down through the centuries. It is the key to accessing many of the sacred texts of Jewish Tradition.

In our Hebrew Program, our students gain an appreciation for the important place Hebrew holds in the life of the Jewish People. Our small classrooms, and the semi-self paced curriculum make it possible for all of our students to succeed. We offer one-on-one support when needed. Our primary focus is prayer-book Hebrew. We give them tools to access the basic prayers and blessings, to read with comfort and luency, as well as to understand their meaning.

Students are expected to attend the Tuesday afternoon classes, as well as the twice monthly Out of the Box! classes. Students are also expected to spend time between classes practicing Hebrew to become luent readers.

HebrewSchoolCurriculumOverview

3rd‐6thGradesTuesdays

4:45 - 6:15 pm 

B’naiMitzvahClass7thGrade

Tuesdays 4:45 - 6:15 pm 

Bar/BatMitzvahmeans Son/Daughter of the Commandments. B’naiis the plural. It is a rite of passage which marks the transition from a child to an adult within the Jewish Community. Taught by Rabbi Zari, students learn prayer leading skills, Torah Chanting, and the meaning of becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Students also meet individually with Rabbi Zari to prepare their D’varTorah(words of Torah) that the students will present at the service when they are called to the Torah.

Students may choose to become Bar or Bat Mitzvah, but are not required to do so. Students who complete our Bar/Bat Mitzvah program can apply to become madrichim(Guides) classroom assistants in the lower grades or moreiderech, Bar/ Bat Mitzvah Mentors. They can volunteer their time or be paid.

Students are expected to attend all sessions of our Tuesday classes, as well as the twice monthly Saturday morning Out of the Box! Program, and private meetings with the Rabbi. They are also expected to spend time at home practicing Hebrew.

 

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8thGradeExperientialSocialActionEvery other Tuesday 4:45 - 6:15 pm

Students will delve into Jewish texts about tzedek(justice), tzedakah(sharing inancial support), and g’milutchasadim(acts of loving kindness) and as a class create a project to apply those values to a tikkunolam(repairing the world) project.

Depending on the project chosen, there may be class meetings outside of the scheduled time. Parents may be called on to provide transportation or other support. This is a student-driven class, giving them the opportunity to put all they have learned into action.

9th‐12thGradeMadrichimThe word Madrichmeans guide. Our 9th - 12th graders have the opportunity to work as Madrichim(plural of Madrich) in our Out of the Box! classes, as well as our Hebrew Classes and as B’nai Mitzvah Tutors. It is a paid position, but more importantly, it gives our teens the opportunity to be an integral element of our education program. Our Madrichim serve as teaching assistants, giving one-on-one help as needed and supporting the teacher in any way necessary. Most crucial is that they serve as role models to our younger students.

Our Madrichim program includes training for the teens in how best to be useful in the classroom.

They have an opportunity to learn classroom management, inclusion techniques and pedagogy, including the expectation that they will prepare a lesson plan and teach a class. These are leadership skills that will serve them throughout their lives, whether they pursue a career in education, or not.

 

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FamilyLearningandHolidayEvents

KHNKids3rd Shabbat each month 9:30 - 10:30

Toddlers aged 0 - 3 yrs along with their parent, grandparent, or caregiver meet for a fun morning of music, stories, crafts, and connections! Led by a faculty member, our KHN Kids group gives families a chance to make new friends and help their little ones begin the process of forming a strong Jewish identity.

Holiday&FamilyEvents

Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa 9/29 - 9/30 Rosh Hashanah

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 10/8 - 0/9 Yom Kippur

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 10/14 - 10/21 Sukkot

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10/22 Simchat Torah

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 12/23 - 12/30 Chanukah

29 30 27 28 29 30 31 2/10 Tu B'Shvat

3/10 Purim

4/9 - 4/16 Passover

5/29 - 5/30 Shavuot

Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa

1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 1

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Parent Events:

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 First Day of School Parent

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 31 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Nosh and Study Sept. 7; 9:30 AM

December Dilemma

Dec. 7; 9:30 AM

Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30

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Out of the Box! 1st & 3rd Shabbat 9:30 - 11:30 AM First Day: Sept 7 Last Day: June 6

KHN Kids 3rd Shabbat 9:30 - 10:30 First Day: Sept 21 Last Day: May 16

Hebrew School Tuesdays 4:45 - 6:15 PM First Day: Sept 10 Last Day: June 2

Holidays

March 20 April 20 May 20 June 20

Kol HaNeshamah

February 20

September 19 October 19

November 19

School Calendar

December 19 January 20

2019-2020

khneducator@khnseattle.org

6115 SW Hinds St.

Kol HaNeshamah

Seattle, WA 98116

(206) 935-1590

Out of the Box! KHN Kids Hebrew Out of the Box! KHN Kids Hebrew

9/7 9/10 2/4

9/17 2/8 2/11

9/21 9/21 9/24

No School 10/1 (Rosh HaAhanah)

2/25

10/5 No School 10/8 (Yom

Kippur)3/3

10/15 3/7 3/10

10/19 10/19 10/22 3/17

10/29 3/21 3/21 3/24

11/2 11/5 3/31

11/12 4/4 4/7

11/16 11/16 11/19

No School 11/26 (Thanksgiving Week)

4/21

12/3 4/28

12/7 12/10 5/2 5/5

12/17 5/12

5/16 5/16 5/19

1/4 1/7 5/26

1/14 6/2

1/18 1/18 1/216/6

No School 1/28 (SSD Off)

2019-2020

KHN School Calendar

No School 12/24/19 to 12/31

No School 2/18 & 2/22 - Mid-Winter Break

No School 4/14 & 4/18 - Spring Break