Did you ever anticipate that you would know so much about public health? These times of anxiety open our world to new understandings, and also help us define our values. The same is true for organizations. I often joke that we are educators who have been running a health care agency this year. But the fact that we are educators is exactly what helps us define what we believe. |
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We believe in science.
As educators, we are passionately dedicated to evidence and data. We have been running the school all year, with minimal cases and (so far) no quarantines of a class cohort because of the data-based policies we’ve put in place.
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When CDC or county guidelines change suddenly, we turn to our medical advisory team. Mirowitz is so fortunate to have daily access to an esteemed pediatric infectious disease specialist who is updated almost hourly on new understandings of coronavirus. All of the doctors on our team are constantly helping us separate politics from evidence-based science. They interpret the data for us, and point out when it is not in sync with the news or published guidelines. When I get anxious about the safety of our school community, I turn to this team, and they turn to the data. |
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We believe in
kavod (respect).
We respect your time, your opinions, and the sacrifices you are making to ensure in-person learning is possible. We know it’s a stressful line to walk, and that we’d all like to know for certain what is safe and what is not.
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Next week, we will send you some guidelines and data-based decisions for our school community that will help you prepare for winter break. We greatly value your suggestions, and appreciate everyone who cares so deeply about ensuring the safety of our community when we return from vacation in January.
We believe in a community of
chen va’chesed (graciousness and loving kindness).
We ALL want Mirowitz students to remain in school together. If we know that to be true, we will assume that others have the best intentions in making that possible. We have empathy for one another, and understand that family circumstances might impact a person’s fear of the pandemic. (Within our community, we have grandparents fighting cancer, a grandmother who has ALS, and a grandfather in critical care.) Mostly, we care deeply about one another and discuss our differing opinions in a respectful way, just as Mirowitz teachers teach your children to do.
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We are a family, and we will get through this era of anxiety together!
Shabbat Shalom,
Cheryl
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December 7: Prof. Development - No School
December 8: Middle School Open House
December 10: Light Up the First Night Chanukah Celebration @ 5 p.m.
December 19: Winter Break begins
January 4: School Resumes
January 15: Teacher recording day - No School
January 18: Martin Luther King Jr. - No School
January 28: Tu Bishvat
February 12: Professional Development - No School
February 15: Presidents Day - No School
February 25: Erev Purim / Feast of Esther
February26: Purim |
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Dear Friends of Mirowitz,
Thank you for being such great role models for your children. Sixty-eight families stepped up on #givingtuesday, and collectively donated $11,623 to defray our reopening costs. (Those added up to $275,000!)
If you meant to give but did not, or if you'd like to make a year-end donation, you can click the button below or contact Marianne.
With gratitude,
Cheryl and Marianne
P.S. Take a sec to watch our (very short) video! You'll be smiling, too!
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A few words from Mr. Schmidt,
Middle School Coordinator |
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Ready or not, your child will one day enter adolescence!
As you may remember from your own youth, middle school years are especially delicate ones. Adolescents undergo rapid physical, cognitive and social transformation. They begin to think abstractly, cement attitudes about learning, and look to their peers to shape their values and self-worth.
Mirowitz Middle School delivers top-tier academics, but also to respond to the emotional, physical, spiritual and social needs of young teens. We created our program with these factors in mind:
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Independence: Middle school students thrive when they are given choices, opportunities to interact across grade-levels, and to show leadership. The Middle School schedule allows them to choose electives courses, art classes and
t'fillah chugim (prayer services twice a week). |
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Power: In early adolescence, children seek ways to use their words and actions to influence others. At Mirowitz, we purposefully integrate opportunities for our students to exert their power to do good. We begin the year with a social justice trip with a rotating theme: hunger and poverty, civil rights and the environment. The lessons of each trip are carried forward through student-led projects. We light a fire in them to fix a global problem, and give them support to affect change. |
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Leadership: Middle School students serve on
Va'ad Chesed (our student council), on school committees, act as counselors on elementary overnights, and lead all parts of t'fillot regularly. |
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They are exposed to all the academic subjects as well as to the arts and Judaic studies, so that they can find their passion.
Do you have a child in 4th or 5th grade, or a friend who is curious about Mirowitz for their child? We've planned a moment of exploration for parents and children on December 8 @ 7 p.m. Please join us! You can RSVP here. |
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We're joining forces with our neighbors at B'nai Amoona (and Mirowitz dad Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham) to have a safe and FUN Hanukkah celebration:
Thursday, December 10
5 p.m.
From Your Own Car
In the Mirowitz Parking Lot
We'll kindle the first Hanukkah lights together! We'll enjoy live music broadcast through your FM radio...sung by Mirowitz mom and dad Nati and Itay Marmor! (Did you know they are rock stars in Israel?)
A 10 foot menorah awaits, as well as a personal (electric) light for each family to help us light up the night. You'll leave with a bag of materials to make the rest of your Hanukkah celebrations meaningful. |
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TAMCHUI AND THE
MEANING OF CHANUKAH
Baby Tom and Baby Huey showed up at Mirowitz today. The costumed Coach Gary and Morah Shannon thought we were introducing Tom and Huey, but we really meant to introduce Tamhui, our school's Chanukah tzedakah collection. Good sports that they are, Baby Tom and Baby Huey learned a few things about our project!
Your children are diving into an exploration of their own passions through the Chanukah Tamhui project. Each family is encouraged to donate to the collective Tahmui (tzedakah pot). Many families choose to give up a night of Chanukah presents in order to give rather than receive. Some will empty family tzedakah jars, or do household chores and donate their earnings.
Over the next few weeks, your children will grapple with the challenge of determining how to allocate our collective
tzedakah. They will consider which organization seems the best investment and which pulls most at their heartstrings.
 A committee of parents chose these 5 organizations, and we will divide our group Tamhui collection based on the distribution of votes (pompom tokens) each receives. Learn more about the organizations here.
Please send your cash or check (payable to Mirowitz) donations by December ??. Consider donating the amount you would spend on one night's Chanukah gifts for your child, and dedicating one night of Chanukah to others this year.
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Hi Moms and Dads,
We could use your help planning our MLK Day Drive Thru on January 18! Please say you will!
Let Lee'at know if you will join us for our 1 and only meeting: Wednesday, December 9 @ noon.
Can't wait to work with you all!
Patty, Lee'at and Jen Lotsoff
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On Monday, you should have received an email inviting you to share your opinion about Mirowitz and the experiences your family is having this year.
We take your feedback very seriously, and use it to guide both our day-to-day operations and our longer-term strategic planning as we strive for excellence.
Please take time to complete the survey at your earliest convenience, and no later than December 18. Contact Mary if you have any questions. |
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Our school means so much to our family. It's our kids happy place, our family connection and our community. We have been so lucky to send our kids in person for the last 15 weeks but it doesn't come without costs. Mirowitz stops at nothing to provide exceptional opportunities for our kids, even through a pandemic.
Alana Minoff
Mirowitz Mom
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I cannot overstate enough how incredible Mirowitz is. Everyone there truly values educating students in their heart and mind. With a lot of work from the school staff, health officials, and parents, our children were able to go back to school in person this fall. To do so safely, however, it came with many unexpected costs (like so many other things this year!) It's Giving Tuesday and if you are considering donating to a great cause, please check this one out! :)
Danielle priest
Mirowitz mom
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Orli and
Seth
who led the lower school in Torah study.
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and to Zak, Sam and Caleb who chanted Torah in the Middle School. |
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Next Friday, Dec. 11, is our first spirit day! Students are encouraged to dress up as your teacher and teachers are invited to dress up as students. We can’t wait to see what you come up with.
-Vaad Chesed
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We are committed to making our school accessible to a diverse community of parents and children, and offer tuition assistance to families showing a demonstrated need. If you are applying for tuition assistance for the 2021-2022 school year, the time to do so is now!
In order to give returning students and their siblings priority in the process, the deadline for completing this form is January 15. Applications received after that date will not be included in the initial tuition assistance distribution, and will be considered along with new families who apply by January 31. (See more about how to apply here.)
To be considered, you must submit a financial statement form online. The Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School code is: 2272. Please also let Mary know that you have applied so she can know to download your report.
The committee recognizes that the SSS formula may not portray the whole picture of a family's financial situation. There is a text box on the site in which you may write a letter clarifying your family finances. The financial aid committee takes great care to read these notes.
If you have additional questions, read answers to Frequently Asked Questions or contact Mary. |
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Bistro Kids is now offering To Go Curbside Meals on Wednesday afternoons. Meals are cold and packaged in oven safe containers. You can pick up your pre-ordered meals at the door of the B’nai Amoona kitchen between 3:10 and 3:40 p.m. Meals will be charged to your child's Bistro Kids account. Place your order HERE. Contact AJ with questions. |
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Support Zach and FT this Sunday! |
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As many of you know, our son, Mirowitz sixth Grader, Zachary, lives in a medically unstable body. This is due to a condition called Familial Dysautonomia, or FD. We are thankful to FD Now for funding Research which makes Zach’s life better every day.
Please join our family at this concert featuring popular Jewish artists to support FD Now.
With gratitude,
Sharon and Mike Nathanson,
Mollie and Zach |
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B'nai Amoona
Light up the Lot |
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