Mission Statement

The goals of the Ida Cook Hebrew School are to teach the student to read, write, and comprehend elementary Biblical Hebrew, and to explore Jewish values as they are embedded and expressed in the Hebrew language.

Philosophy

Hebrew is basic to our Jewish identity. Knowledge of Hebrew provides us access to our sacred texts, enables us to study them in their original form, and provides us with a tangible sense of community.
Upon completion of our four-year program, students will be familiar with prayers and blessings in Shabbat evening and morning services and in important home rituals. They will be able to read elementary Biblical Hebrew and to recognize key words that help them understand the themes of what they are reading. Learning Hebrew helps our students to be competent involved members of the synagogue community.

Rev 11/10/2003/HSAC

Parent Orientation

An orientation will be held for parents. The orientation is an opportunity for parents to meet teachers, to learn about the curriculum and to find out about programs for the upcoming year. Class rosters are distributed to assist families in contacting classmates and their parents.

Parent Volunteer

The Ida Cook Hebrew School thrives on the efforts of its volunteers. The Hebrew School seeks parent involvement in many areas: assisting with special class projects, substitute teaching, providing snacks for holiday celebrations, helping with school-wide programs and fundraisers, running the Wednesday dinner or helping in the Resource Room. Annually, parent room representatives are established for each class to help coordinate parent involvement within the classroom. Parents are also encouraged to volunteer to serve on the Hebrew school Committee or one of its sub-committees.

The Youth Education Committee

The youth Education Committee advises the Director of Youth Education in respect to: policies and procedures, curriculum development and budget. The committee meets 4-6 times during the year and welcomes new members.

School Policies

EARLY DISMISSAL

If your child needs to be picked up early from Hebrew School, you or your designated alternate must come into the student’s classroom to sign the student out. THIS IS FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR CHILD. No child will be allowed to leave without following this process.

VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL

We welcome parental involvement both in the classroom and behind the scenes. Parents should feel free to visit classes. However, we ask parents to comply with the following guidelines

1. If possible please arrange your visit in advance.
2. Parents are asked to arrive before class begins in order to minimize distractions.
3. Student visit: Student visitors are generally not allowed. However, if there are extenuating circumstances, please contact the Director of Youth Education prior to the desired visit.

SNACKS

Drinks, gum and other snacks are not allowed in classrooms, or in the sanctuary. Snack’s brought to school are to be eaten during break and only in the room designated as the “snack room”, or if they choose on the playground. We encourage healthy and kosher snacks. Special snacks may be prepared in class to celebrate Jewish Holidays.

RESOURCES

Our library has resources available to the Hebrew School for both educational and leisure-time needs. Our school children will have opportunities to visit the library to check out books, share stories and learn how to use the library for class work. We also have a computer lab to assist students in learning blessings, prayers trope and vocabulary/grammar. Also available on each computer is a Hebrew word processor, Power point and Jewish games. High speed Inter-net will soon be available for student use, however parental permission will be necessary for inter-net access.

CONFERENCES

Families of children in grades Aleph – Dalet will be notified of student conference days. The conferences will be held after Hebrew School hours. Classes will be held on conferences days. Parents and students are expected to meet with the teachers. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to check in with your child's teacher. If you or your child’s teacher feels that a conference is needed prior to the regular scheduled conference, one may be set up.

Ida Cook Hebrew School encourages open communication between parents and teachers throughout the year. If you have questions, concerns or feedback, please contact your child's teacher or the Director of Education, or a member of the Hebrew School Committee.

REPORT CARDS

Report cards are issued twice a year. The report card is one of the communication tools used to advise parents about the student's academic and social growth. The Hebrew School staff is always available to answer your questions about these reports. Your questions, comments and suggestions are welcome throughout the year.

TEXTBOOKS

1. Textbooks are included in school fees and are distributed the first day of class.
2. Students are responsible for the textbooks issued to them.
3. If a textbook is lost, a fee will be assessed for its replacement

ATTENDANCE

Regular attendance is essential for a successful Hebrew School experience.

1. When sickness or occasional extenuating circumstances cause a student to be absent, the parent or child should contact the teacher to be informed of make-up work and/or homework assignments.
2. Excessive absences may prevent a student from completing the year.
3. Students are also expected to demonstrate an 80% mastery of materials presented over the course of the year, failure to do this likely result in the student repeating the same grade the following year.
4. We strongly encourage student attendance at services, our recommendation is:
  a) Aleph & Bet at least two times a month (Evening or Morning)
  b) Gimel & Dalet at least three times a month. (Evening or Morning)

Service attendance provides an opportunity to practice prayers, blessings and reading skills that your child is learning in school. We will attempt to coordinate a ride share program for those occasional times when you are unable to bring your child. Please contact the Director of Education when rides are needed.

HOMEWORK

Homework assignments may be given to help students review or reinforce material introduced in class. Assignments are kept brief. We recommend a minimum of 15 minutes a day. Homework assignments are not optional and are an integral part of your child’s program. We ask parents to work as partners with their children and our teachers to insure that assignments are completed. If you or your children have questions about homework, teachers are available by phone to help you.

Regular practice for learning Hebrew is essential for mastering skills. Tapes, transliterations and English translations for lessons, prayers and blessings are available on request for parental use.
The Hebrew School will also be open on Tuesdays between the hours of 4:00 and 6:00 P.M. for students needing additional assistance, or who would like to work in the computer lab. Computer use will require signing a logbook.

MAKE-UP WORK

Students are responsible for making up the work they miss when they are absent. When you know in advance that your child will be absent due to an occasional scheduling problem, please contact the teacher prior to the absence so that a make-up assignment can be given. It will be due upon the child's return to school. The teacher may send you a postcard describing the make-up assignment, which is due upon the child's return to school. Completion of make-up assignments is essential to a student's successful completion of the year.

Convenant For Learning

As staff of Ida Cook School, we realize that we have a responsibility to our students to teach the required subject matter to the best of our ability and to present it- in an appropriate way. We endeavor to make class interesting and relevant to our students. We recognize that students are individuals and need to be treated with respect. Therefore, our promise to you is to be the best teachers that we can be and to treat the students as we expect to be treated in return.

PARENTS
As parents of the students at Ida Cook Hebrew School We recognize the importance of our involvement in and support of the Jewish education provided.

1. It is our responsibility to convey to our children the importance of their Hebrew education.
2. It is our responsibility to ensure our child’s attendance, active participation In Hebrew School class work and activities.
3. It is our responsibility to ensure that our child follows behavior guidelines established for the Hebrew School.

BEHAVIOR GUIDELINES

As participants in Ida Cook Hebrew School, we have a responsibility to creating a learning environment founded on respect and concern for education. As Participants we have a responsibility to follow the behavior guidelines of the Cook Hebrew School.

As a student, I promise to follow these behavior guidelines:

1. Respect fellow students, avoiding touching or hitting another participant, even in fun.
2. Use appropriate language when addressing classmates, teachers or anyone in the school.
3. Refrain from swearing, sexual comments, and references to gender, race, fashion, physical appearance or socioeconomic level of anyone.
4. Show respect for teachers, fellow students parents and any guests who visit the classroom or building.
5. Follow directions as given by the teacher or anyone charged with the care and teaching of the class.
6. Refrain from interrupting when someone else is speaking and raise hand to be recognized in class.
7. Show respect to the school building by cleaning up, not damaging school and synagogue property, and pitching in to help when it is needed or requested
8. Respect other peoples' opinions.
9. Come to class prepared with books, notebook, writing implements, and completed homework
10. Comply with the guidelines in this Hebrew School handbook as they pertain to eating, drinking and chewing gum in the classroom.
11. Participate actively and appropriately in class and school activities.

The following consequences will result if the student does not follow guidelines

1. The teacher will speak to the student about the problem.
2. When the student understands the consequences for the misbehavior, the student may be allowed to return to class.
3. If there is another infraction of the guideline that day, the student will be sent to the Hebrew school office, and the parents will be contacted. Following discussion with the Director of Education, the student may allowed to return to class
4. Further infraction of the guidelines will result in meeting with the parents of the student, the teacher and the Director of Education to develop a personalized behavior contract.
5. If the behavior continues to be problematic, the student may be asked to not attend school for 1-2 weeks and to complete all homework assigned, or be asked to leave the school for the rest of the year.
6. If a student engages in any physical misbehavior there will be NO second warning and the parents will be notified and the student will be sent home immediately. To return to class a mandatory meeting between parents, student, The Director of Education or a member of the Hebrew School Committee is required.

I understand that by abiding by these guidelines I will be conducting myself as a mentsh and will be able to learn, and allow my classmates to learn in a positive environment. I will also be helping to make our Jewish Education Center a real Bet Shalom, a House of Peace.

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Signature

General Curriculum Flow

ALEF

Texts: Behrman House Shalom Uvrachah

Goals: To teach decoding skills from key cultural words and concepts

1. Introduces Hebrew letters from Aleph to Tav as well as key words and shoreshim (Roots)
2. Vowels and sounds are systematically introduced in small manageable increments
3. Students learn visual discrimination skills
4. Students practice letter-sound and vowel sound drills
5. They learn both block and cursive writing skills
6. Students also learn selected readings of key prayers and blessings including

a. Shema
b. Ve’ahavta
c. Aleinu.

7. Conversational Units:
8. Classroom,
9. Numbers 1-10,
10. Basic colors
11. 1st person singular pronouns
12. Holiday words,
13. Days of the week
14. Event: Chanukah

BET

Texts: Behrman House Hineni The New Hebrew Through Prayer

Goals:
1. Students learn 70 key prayer words and 17 roots, prefixes and suffixes
2. Mastery of letter recognition and reproduction
3. Mastery of script writing
4. Improvement of decoding recognition (accuracy & speed)
5. Introduction to personal pronouns
6. Introductions to Verbs:

a. Masculine
b. Feminine
c. Singular/plural
d. Present tense verbs

7. Brakhah Formula and Blessings

a. Shabbat: Candle lighting, wine and bread
b. Havdalah, Wine, spices and lighting the Havdalah candle

8. Holidays

a. Hanukkah: Candles, blessing for the seasons
b. Shehecheyanu
c. Pesach: Wine, green vegetable, Matza, bitter herbs
d. Kiddush and other occasions: Wine, Sanctification,

9. Prayers: Shema & Her Blessings

a. Barechu
b. Ma’ariv Arivim
c. Yotzer Ohr
d. Shema
e. Ve'Ahavta
f. Mi Chamocha

10. Class Event: Sukkot

GIMMEL

Texts: Texts: Behrman House Hineni The New Hebrew Through Prayer
Book two continues with the Shabbat morning Amidah and selected prayers for Friday night

Goals:
1. Students will learn over 90 key prayer words and 30 roots (shoreshim) prefixes, and suffixes.
2. Develop additional skills in decoding recognition (accuracy and speed)
3. Form simple sentence structure, identify parts of sentence
    and sequence correct verb/subject agreement.
4. Students will also learn:

a. Personal pronouns
b. Introduction to possessive pronouns
c. Introduction to past tense verbs

5. Shabbat Prayer: The Amidah

a. Avot
b. Avot V’Imahot
c. G’vurot
d. K’dushah
e. Hoda’ah
f. Birkat Shalom
g. Oseh Shalom

6. Friday Night Prayers and Songs

a. L’Chah Dodi
b. V’Shamru
c. Shalom Aleichem

7. Students will also explore related Jewish values that underlie each of the prayers
    and are also taught to use critical thinking skills related to the prayers.
8. Torah Trope training:

a. Etnachta clause
b. Sof Pasuk clause
c. Keton clause

9. Class event: Sukkot

DALET

Texts: Behrman House: H/H New Siddur Series, Book 3,Torah skills, Honors.
Jewish Calendar Book, Holiday Machzor and Haggada.

Goals:
1. Increase and refine reading accuracy and speed.
2. Continued development of language grammar skills (e.g. present, past and future tense)
3. Increase vocabulary and comfort with use
     (prefixes, suffixes, particles, roots, possessive pronouns, object pronouns).
4. Familiarity with the order of the prayer service
5. Identify prayers by themes.
6. Identify and correctly use vocabulary associated with prayer.
7. Analyze and discuss prayer liturgy including:

a. Mah Tovu
b. Ahavat Olam
c. Yoster Or
d. Gevurot
e. Birkat HaHodesh
f. Mizmor Le David (Psalm 29)
g. Hallel
h. Kaddish
i. Birchot HaHaftarah
j. Yigdal
k. Piyyuts from the Machzor
l. Al Chet
m. Hineni
n. Sh’ma Kolanu

8. Selections from the Haggadah
9. Explore Jewish ethics through Tradition Stories
10. Learn the four primary haftarah phrases of trope that will give 70% – 80% of the skills necessary for b’nei mitzvah (will apply to students haftarah directly if date of bar/bat mitzvah is known)
11. Events:

a. All School Hanukkah party
b. Nursing home visits at Purim
c. Chocolate Seder
d. Graduation Celebration