LETTER FROM OUR HEAD OF SCHOOL

This past week, a teacher brought a child's forgotten lunchbox to

the office. Even though it had no identification, we knew that it

belonged to a middle school student. A quick glance at the food

left inside gave us a good idea of to whom the lunchbox

belonged. I was about to go find the student when an inner voice

caused me to pause. I had recalled my summer reading

of Conscious Discipline by Becky Bailey. In it was an entire

chapter on consequences and helping children to learn from their

mistakes.

Bailey describes the importance of the Power of Intention behind

giving consequences to children. She outlines three:

1. The intent to punish: The goal is to make children feel

guilty, wrong or bad about themselves or their behavior.

2. The intent to save: The goal is to save children from intense

feelings of discomfort, generally because they are uncomfortable

for us.

3. The intent is to teach: The goal is to help children to feel,

reflect and be responsible for their choices.

As both a parent and a teacher, I admit that I have engaged in all

three. I imagine most of us have at one time or another slipped

into the lecture mode, which is more about making a child feel

unworthy than reflecting on the inappropriate action.

The intention many struggle with is that of rescuing. I see this at

AJA and have been guilty of the same. Parents bring in forgotten

homework, permission slips and lunches.

Teachers extend deadlines or call the parent to

bring in the required permission slip so that a

child can go on a field trip.

The Monthly Roar 12 of Tishrei, 5776

September 25, 2015

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Save the Date .............. 3

Advancement ............. 4

AJA Happenings.…..5-6

SPECIAL POINTS OF

INTEREST

Save the Date for the

Middle School

Information Night

Bailey states, “Trying to rescue children from the feelings created

by their choices is a means of control. This rescuing says that

feelings of disappointment are bad, that they will overwhelm you.

It sends the message, ‘You are inadequate.’ Allowing children to

feel and reflect on their choices gives them the opportunity to be

responsible for past actions and given them the freedom to choose

healthier options in the future.”

Jim Fey, founder of Love and Logic Discipline, urges that we not

rob children of a real world experience. In order for children to

learn from their mistakes, they need to experience both empathy

and consequences.

I do hope that next time your child forgets to bring their

homework to school, you will send the message that although it is

upsetting, he/she will survive.

By the way, I saw the forgetful student at pick up and asked if she

had misplaced her lunchbox. I then let her know that it was in the

office. And......that, for me, is progress.

Wishing everyone a Chag Sameach for the upcoming Sukkot

holiday.

Praised are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has

sanctified us through His commandments, commanding us to live

in the sukkah.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach,

Cheryl Hersh

“Trying to rescue children from the feelings created by their choices is a means of control.”

LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL CONTINUED...

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Middle School Information Night!

We invite fifth grade parents and students to learn about the exciting offerings of our

middle school program. You don’t want to miss this!

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

7:00 - 8:30 PM in the AJA Library

SAVE THE DATE!

Monday, September 28- Tuesday, September 29 Sukkot - School Closed

Wednesday, September 30

Flag Football games at AJA from 4:30 - 6:30 pm

Volleyball games at AJA from 5:15 - 7:15 pm

Thursday, October 1 Shalom Austin’s Annual Sukkah Fest from 5:30 - 7:30 pm on the JCC

lawn

Friday, October 2 Volleyball game at the Austin Waldorf School from 4:00 - 5:00 pm

Monday, October 5- Tuesday, October 6 Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah - School

Closed

Wednesday, October 7

5th grade Community First Service Learning Adventure from 8:30 - 11:30 am

Flag Football games at St. Francis from 5:00 - 7:00 pm

Thursday, October 8 Flag Football game at Brentwood from 4:00 - 5:00 pm

Thursday, October 8– Friday, October 9 Consultant for Middle School Hebrew

Curriculum NETA-CET is visiting.

Monday, October 12 Prospective Parent Event at the Levy’s home at 6:30 pm. *See attached

invitation for more information*

Word of mouth is the single most powerful tool in school recruitment … invite your friends with school

aged children to attend this Prospective Parent Evening and learn more about the AJA difference or

make an appointment with Risa Ferdman for a private tour. 512-735-8370.

Admissions@austinjewishacademy.org

Tuesday, October 13 Parent Association meeting 8:00 - 9:00 am in the Library

Monday, October 19 - Thursday, October 22 Middle school trip to Camp Young Judaea for

the Nature’s Classroom Institute

Tuesday, October 20 Board Meeting from 7:00 - 9:00 pm in the Science and Innovation

Center

Monday, October 26 Student Learning Conferences - Early release at noon. Congregation

Agudas Achim Social Hall. Sign Ups available Friday October 9, 2015!

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Annual Campaign Donation Updates:

The Annual Campaign Kickoff was a ROARING success! The entire school gathered to celebrate and support AJA's

Inspire Annual Campaign. Through generous donations and pledges, we have already raised $71,102!

Want to know how you can support AJA’s Inspire Annual Campaign? Visit with Robin Littrell, AJA Development

Associate, to make your pledge.

Another way you can support AJA is by signing up with Smile.Amazon.com and Target.com. By shopping with

Smile.Amazon and Target.com, you will be donating between .5% - 1% of your dollars spent to our amazing school.

Click on the following to start donating:

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/74-2572246

From here you will login to your account and go to account settings. At Account Settings click on “Change Your

Charity” and type in Austin Jewish Academy as your charity. From this point on, every time you shop Amazon you

will donate 0.5% of your amount spent to AJA!

https://www-secure.target.com/redcard/tcoe/home

This works with Target Debit and Target Credit cards. Log into your account and manage your Red Card. You will

be given an option to select the charity of your choice. Type in Austin Jewish

Academy, and select it when prompted. Every time you spend, Target will

donate 1% of your amount spent to AJA!

Tributes

In Memory of Philip Strull

Gregory Sapire

In Memory of Irv Kroot

Cheryl Hersh

In Memory of Stephen Gerald

Joni Lee Jones

In Honor of Helen Gilbert’s

Birthday

Jennifer Greenblum

Tracy Solomon

In Honor of Noa Levy

Robin Littrell

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ADVANCEMENT AT AJA

Library Tributes:

In Honor of Charlie Faris’s Birthday

Marissa Faris

In Honor of Marissa Faris

Aron Wolinetz and Leah Fredman

Jonathan Kaplan and Deborah Pardo-Kaplan

In Honor of Giselle Hidalgo

Shelly Fleishman

In Honor of AJA Library

Alexis Berson

Natasha and Dimitri Chamitoff

Leah Garel

Gali Levy

Joey Ross

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Bee Keeping Kinders

Integrating with our Jewish Studies

focus of apples and honey created

many opportunities for learning

across the curriculum. We will

learn about Johnny Appleseed, do

apple seed counting, plant seeds,

start a fall garden, use emergent

readers about apples, add apple

songs and poems to our Song and

Poem Binders, experiment with

dehydration, make applesauce,

take a trip to Central Market to

find many different kinds of apples

with each child purchasing,

weighing and measuring their

apples, graphing the results of taste

testing, and having our technology

teacher, who is also a beekeeper,

do a presentation about bees and

honey for us.

FIFTH GRADE ROARING IN SEPTEMBER

Fifth grade has been having

an awesome time this

month! Our first few weeks

were spent gaining a

foundation in resources,

including the difference

between renewable, non-

renewable and perpetual

resources. Students did

various simulations and

labs to focus on the key point of

how resources can be used and

misused and honed in on the

point that it is up to us to make

sure we are both conserving our

resources, and making good

choices for the generations to

come! At the Nature’s Classroom

Institute at Greene Family Camp,

our students played hard at the

same time as they learned about

the environment, science, and the

beautiful world around them.

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GO LIONS!

The Lions volleyball team

has been rocking this

season!

Win 2-1 against Texas

School for the Deaf

Loss 2-1 against Redeemer

Win 2-0 against St Louis

Win 2-1 against St Francis

# lionpride #AJAproud

FIRST GRADE FUN

First grade is rocketing into a

fantastic new year! Students

have been getting to know each

other in Social Studies, working

to establish their classroom

expectations, and learning

about their classroom

jobs. First graders are reading

lots of books to help them

make text-to-self and text-to-

world connections about what

they are learning. Mrs. Bryan

visited our class to share her

‘Counselor’s Tool Box’ with us

as part of our ‘3 Things You

Might Not Know About

Me’ share and tell project

(pictured below).

KNESSET ELECTIONS

At AJA, students put in hard work to

develop their public speaking skills

through events such as Portfolio Day

(coming up on December 4th), and

wow, did their work pay off at this

year’s Knesset elections. Students

gave speeches with poise and style!

Knesset, AJA’s student government

organization, is a fabulous

opportunity for middle school

students to practice Tikkun Olam,

bettering the world around them.

Here are the election’s results:

President Roy Klein

Secretary Liora Susswein

Officers

Jessica Woskow

Lue Coplin

Abby Baldwin

Shira Seigal

Ben Caplowitz

Aiden Horwitz

Katie Hendler

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THIRD GRADE FIELD TRIP

AJA Third Grade took

their first field trip to

the the Austin Nature

Center Program -Wild

About Wildlife. It was

ssssssssso much

slithery fun!

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SukkahFest 2015! Thursday, October 1 5:30 - 7:30 PM Front Lawn of the JCC

Sukkot is a festival of harvest, when we give thanks, gather and

share together in temporary shelters. Visit a dozen plus sukkahs and enjoy the holiday celebration. Event will include Sukkot activities, arts and crafts, nature and

crafts projects, music by MazelTov Kocktail Hour, sukkah decorat-

ing, Stories for children ages 4 and up plus activities from the PJ

Library. Mini educational topics by clergy in their sukkahs. Everyone is invited to use the Sukkahs to eat their meals in during

the holiday of Sukkot.Location: Front Lawn of the JCC!

Austin Jewish Film Festival

Saturday, October 24 - Friday, October 30

Regal Arbor Theater

The Austin Jewish Film Festival (AJFF) promotes the love of Jew-

ish films to the Central Texas community by screening movies and

programming other events related to movies.

To learn more go to www.austinjff.org

SNOUT BY SNOUTWEST Dog Festival

Sunday, November 8 12:00 - 3:00 PM

JCC Fields

Raise the woof! While dogs are not typically allowed on the campus

(other than service animals), this special event welcomes all friendly

pups on leashes with current vaccinations.

• Obedience demonstrations

• Live music

• Dog treats

• Doggie wading pools

• Complimentary pet photos

• Rescue groups and local shelters will have dogs available for

adoptions.

• Food & Snacks for purchase

Interested in volunteer opportunities or Sponsorship Opportunities?

Contact Kaci Scott at 512-735-8214.

Your $5 entry goes toward the 2015 beneficiary. Kids free.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS

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On behalf of the staff at Austin Jewish Academy,

we would like to wish you and your families a

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!

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