Lion's Share - January 2016

January 2016 Tevet-Shevat 5776

Curriculum Study of Literature

College Make Summer Count

Community Hillel Alumna & Parent

Juda and Maria Diener Lower School | Samuel and Henrietta Scheck Middle School | Ben Lipson Upper School

LION’S SHARE

Welcome to Lion’s Share: Scheck Hillel Community School’s Grade 6-12 bulletin covering news about curriculum, college counseling and our community. Connect with the names, faces and initiatives that make Scheck Hillel a college preparatory school that develops global citizens with enduring Jewish identity and values. For more school information, please visit eHillel.org.

Curriculum

Depth and Diversity Mark Literature Curriculum The study of literature plays a significant role within Scheck Hillel Community School’s overall Program of Studies. By the time students graduate, they will have tackled literary works using multiple skill sets, from basic decoding and vocabulary building to higher-order thinking, which involves complex analysis, interpretation and criticism.

Craig Carpentieri points out how faculty develop a special connection with the works they teach. This, in turn, drives rich classroom conversations.

Critical analysis ramps up further in AP Literature classes; to prepare students for this challenge, English teacher Gerry Cirulnick assigns How to Read Literature Like a Professor as a summer reading selection.

To cultivate these abilities, Grade 6-12 teachers expose students to a range of literary genres, including poetry, short stories, novels, plays and biographies, to name a few.

Exemplars of each are chosen to target key learning goals and foster versatile reading tastes. Some of the titles that make up class reading lists may vary from year to year, while others endure as permanent selections thanks to their status as major literary works. (See side bar.)

In the Beit Midrash track, students read from primary and secondary sources in history, Tanach and Rabbinic literature. As Rabbi Avi Greene, Upper School Judaic Studies Department Chair, points out, “...the goal is to stimulate critical thought and help students find personal relevance in all the literature they encounter.”

Literature study takes place in both General and Judaic Studies. Grade 6-12 Curriculum & Instruction Director

As a tool for learning, transmitting culture and nurturing personal and spiritual growth, literature will continue to play a prominent role in Scheck Hillel’s classrooms.

What Students Are Reading: Sample Titles Grade 6 The Giver The City of Ember Things Not Seen Walk Two Moons Grade 7 Chernowitz!

The Outsiders Star Girl Five People You Meet in Heaven Tuesdays With Morrie Grade 8 Phoenix Rising The House on Mango Street Animal Farm The Chosen Maus/Maus II Grade 9 Night Romeo and Juliet Lord of the Flies A Separate Peace Grade 10 Call of the Wild Fahrenheit 451 The Scarlet Letter The Great Gatsby Grade 11 1984 Beowulf Othello AP Literature A Streetcar Named Desire The Invisible Man Hamlet Judaic and Israel Studies Bamidbar Book of Ruth Talmud: Tractate Megilah The Case for Israel

College

Making the Most of Summer Break

Michal Paniry (Grade 12) spent a month at Brandeis University, where she took a World Religions course. She gained a new perspective on religious differences through her interactions with students of many backgrounds.

The summer months are the ideal time period for students to explore interests, improve skills, take a college-level class or step out of their comfort zones to explore possible careers.

Vanessa Donaher, Director, and Dennis Eller, Associate Director of the Office of College Counseling, strongly believe that students who engage in meaningful summer activities continue to grow as people. Those activities can take many forms: a job, volunteer work, travel with a service component or summer camp.

Uri Epelbaum (Grade 12) describes his participation in the Ramah Israel Seminar last summer as an intense blend of cross-cultural, physical, intellectual and spiritually fulfilling experiences.

Keep in mind that some of the best summer experiences can be found around the corner from where students live; colleges value a genuine commitment to learning and growing regardless of where opportunities are located.

For guidance on summer options, feel free to contact Mrs. Donaher or Mr. Eller at donaher@eHillel.org, eller@eHillel.org, or in the Office of College Counseling.

Planning early is recommended.

Now is the time to gather information, send inquiries and check application deadlines, as some internships, jobs and programs do fill up quickly.

Class of 2016 College Acceptances American University Babson College Clark University Florida Atlantic University Florida Gulf Coast University Florida International University Florida State University Full Sail University Hofstra University Indiana University Laboratory Institute of

Merchandising Long Island University Lynn University

Miami International

University of Art & Design Michigan State University New York University Northeastern University Parsons School of Design Savannah College of Art & Design Stern College Suffolk University SUNY Binghamton Syracuse University Tulane University University of Colorado at Boulder

As of 1/15/16

University of Alabama University of Arizona University of Central Florida University of Denver University of Hartford University of Miami University of Massachusetts University of Michigan University of North Florida University of Pennsylvania University of Texas West Virginia University Yeshiva University Yeshivat Ashreinu

Community

Q&A With Jassi (Lekach) Antebi (‘00) Name of your business: J Group Events Type of business and length of time in business: Event design & planning - 11 years with a 5-year maternity pause One key quality someone in your field should possess: Resilience

Courtesy of Jassi Antebi

One major mistake and what you learned: Accepting to work with a client that I knew would be extremely difficult. It was not worth our time and sanity, and I learned to trust my gut.

One major success and what you learned: The first event I did on my own was for a celebrity in another country. I worked day and night with my brother and the team we put together, and we ended up producing a highly successful event and product launch. Even though I had been nervous about accepting this huge responsibility, I learned not to place limitations on myself. I’ve been pushing boundaries and creating new things ever since.

As a Scheck Hillel alumna and parent, your perspective on what has changed through the years and what has remained the same: Mr. C is still around, Pam Burd is in the office, my former classmates are still walking the halls… it’s the same Hillel! The biggest change is that we now have the amazing Athletic Complex that I wish we had had when I was a student.

Essential skills/tools you received from attending Scheck Hillel: Confidence and kindness

Share with us! Please email your comments, questions and ideas for future editions of Lion’s Share to news@eHillel.org.