2 nd and 3 rd Grade Aleph Bet Presentation

2 nd and 3 rd Grade Aleph Bet Presentation R a b b i R e b e c c a R e i c e, C o n g r e g a t i o n B e t h T o r a h S a m a n t h a H a m m o n t r e e, V i c e P r e s i d e n t M i c h a e l G i n s b e r g, B o a r d o f T r u s t e e s S h i r a Z i g l e r, P r o g r a m D i r e c t o r A a r o n N i e l s e n s h u l t z, W e i n e r R e l i g i o u s S c h o o l

NATE-Accredited Weiner Religious School Overview Grade Educational Program Description Pre-K Religious School, Sundays 9:30-10:00 am Family Worship 10am-noon in class K-4 Religious School, Sundays 9:30-10:00 am Family Worship 10am-noon in class 5 Religious School, Sundays 9:30-10:00 am Family Worship 10am-noon in class 6 Religious School, Sundays 9:30-10:00 am Family Worship 10am-noon in class 7-9 TAG, Wednesdays 7:00-8:45pm in class 10 TAG, Wednesdays 7:00-8:45pm in class Students attend every other week. Specialists: Art, Music, Library, Hebrew In-class and experiential learning Specialists: Art, Music, Library, Hebrew In-class and experiential learning Specialists: Art, Music, Library, Hebrew Aleph Bet Tutoring In-class and experiential learning Bar/Bat Mitzvah Tutoring Torah, Avodah, G milut Chasadim Torah, Avodah, G milut Chasadim Confirmation

Community-Building Programs Grade Just about 4 years old-3 rd Grade Available Program PJ Library at Beth Torah (2 nd Fridays) Just about 4 (Variable Schedule) FamJam (2 nd Fridays) Religious School Family Socials (Variable Schedule) Sunday School starts at PreK (2x/month) Sunday School is weekly starting at K Youth Choir starts in 3 rd Grade (Weekly) 4 th 6 th Grades Youth Choir (Weekly, before Sunday School) 4 th /5 th TWYG: TWeen Youth Group (Monthly) 4 th, 5 th, 6 th Grade Mitzvah Clubs (Variable Schedule) JYG: Junior Youth Group, 6 th -8 th Grade Religious School Family Socials (Variable Schedule) 7 th -8 th Grades JYG: Junior Youth Group, 6 th -8 th Grade 9 th -12 th Grades BTTY: Beth Torah Temple Youth NFTY: North American Federation of Temple Youth All Ages Nosh on Friday nights Tashlich Erev Sukkot Picnic Mitzvah Day Chili Cook Off Purim Erev Shavuot Picnic & Camp/High School Farewell

Alef Bet and Hebrew Overview Aleph Bet: Is a partnership. Offers improved print-to-sound Hebrew learning. Delivers 1:1 teaching. Provides flexibility in scheduling. Supports digital education. Keeps Keshet (Hebrew School) costs flat. Is seamless for younger grades. Begins on June 1st, 2014.

Alef Bet Logistics Students will be matched with a professional tutor. Alef Bet begins at least 18 months prior to B nai Mitzvah date. Aleph Bet is nine months of weekly 35-minute sessions focusing on Hebrew reading skills. Aleph Bet is followed by nine months of B nai Mitzvah tutoring: weekly 35-minute sessions focusing on Torah and Haftarah portions and leading from the Siddur. Where? Locations may include CBT, HBHA, the Jewish Community Center, the Student s home and the Tutor s home, etc.

Aleph Bet Finances Grade 2013-2014 Costs 2014-2015 Costs Difference in Cost to Families New Yearly Total PreK RS $210 RS $210 $0 $210 K-3 RS $420 RS $420 $0 $420 4 RS $420 + Keshet $420 =$840 RS $420 ($420) $420 5 RS $420 + Keshet $420 =$840 RS $420 + AB $1310 tuition =$1730 ($420) + $1310 =$890 $1730 6 RS $420 + Keshet $420 + BM $750 =$1590 RS $420 + BM $750 =$1170 ($420) $1170 PreK-6 Total $5160 $5210 $50 $5210

Aleph Bet Finances Aleph Bet costs are flat. Payments will be made directly to HBHA up front, quarterly, or monthly. The Sunday School and B nai Mitzvah fees do not change. Education Services Accounts are available through many Education Services Accounts are available through many banks.

Your Questions

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ #1 What is changing about our model of Hebrew learning? is on Slide 10 FAQ #2 What is our Aleph Bet Program? is on Slide 11 FAQ #3 What is the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy (HBHA)? is on Slide 12 FAQ #4 Why are we changing our Keshet Program? is on Slide 13 FAQ #5 How will we maintain the sense of community built in Keshet? is on Slide 14 FAQ #6 When does the Aleph Bet Program start? is on Slide 15 FAQ #7 How does this new Hebrew program affect our current Pre-K-3 rd grade students? What are the student costs? is on Slide 16-17 FAQ #8 How does this affect our current Keshet students (4 th -6 th grade)? is on Slide 18 FAQ #9 Why are we partnering with HBHA? is on Slide 19 FAQ #10 What are the qualifications of the HBHA tutors? is on Slide 20 FAQ #11 Are our Sunday school and TAG programs changing? is on Slide 21 FAQ #12 What if I am in need of financial assistance? is on Slide 22

1. What is changing about our model of Hebrew learning? Our New Hebrew model represents a change in the way we teach and learn Hebrew at Beth Torah. Our current model focuses on the printed letter and moves from print to sound. None of us learned our native language this way. Instead, people spoke to us and then we began to speak. Only after speaking, did we begin to read. Our new model focuses on Hebrew sounds first (with Hebrew through Movement on Sundays) and then moves to Hebrew letters (in our Aleph Bet Program). Moving from sound to print is the way Hebrew speakers learn. This sound to print model will give our students years of exposure to Hebrew sounds and vocabulary, before the pressures of reading set in. We dream of our community feeling a visceral connection to the sounds of Hebrew, the sounds of our Jewish spiritual lives, the Hebrew prayers, the Hebrew Bible, and the chain of our tradition.

2. What is our Aleph Bet Program? Our Aleph Bet program is a joint venture between CBT and HBHA. Our students will receive private tutoring from an HBHA approved tutor for nine months during their 6 th grade year. Upon graduation from the program students will be prepared to read t filot from Mishkan T filah and begin an additional nine months of B nai Mitzvah training. The Aleph Bet Program will be managed by HBHA and will be offered to the students of CBT. Shira Zigler, on behalf of HBHA, will act as Program Director and will handle all of the day-to-day operations of the program.

3. What is the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy (HBHA)? Established in 1966, HBHA is Kansas City s only Jewish community day school. HBHA offers an exemplary general and Jewish education to students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. HBHA celebrates the strength of pluralism and the power of diversity, while challenging students to think critically, creatively and independently. HBHA is located at the Jewish Community Center on the Sprint Campus in Overland Park.

4. Why are we changing our Keshet Program? There are 4 main reasons driving this change: Improved Hebrew literacy. Sound to print learning will help all of our Hebrew learners to enter their B nai Mitzvah preparation with greater confidence and comfort. Hebrew phonemes will be easier to master, because children will be exposed to them early and regularly. Addressing Keshet scheduling conflicts. One third of Keshet age students currently opt for private tutoring (opting out of Wednesday s Keshet program). More families are finding it difficult to attend the Wednesday late afternoon Keshet program. Aleph Bet offers flexibility in session training. The HBHA tutors meet on your schedule! Financial Considerations. One reason the Weiner Religious School has been so successful, and received NATE accreditation is the history of innovation and evolution. The current Keshet program model is running at a deficit. By partnering with HBHA we are helping to close the financial gap, while also enhancing the Hebrew learning. NATE Accreditation Recommendation. Read about this recommendation from NATE and its implications for our Aleph Bet Program in #9 below (slide 19).

5. How will we maintain the sense of community built in Keshet? Students will still be together on Sunday mornings, as in the past. Our 4 th, 5 th and 6 th grade mitzvah clubs will continue, as long as you support them. Our TWYG program will continue, as long as you support it. Our B nai Mitzvah Family Groups will continue to form at each Pick-A-Date meeting (approximately 20 months before a Bar/Bat Mitzvah date). We will continue to support family socials, havurot, Ice Cream Onegs, and we are open to new ideas to further strengthen the sense of community for this age group. Meanwhile, the fun continues at every community gathering, whether it is Erev Sukkot, the Chili Cook Off, or Saturday morning worship. Bring your children, bring yourselves. Community starts with you showing up. In the formal Hebrew structure, as in Keshet, we will maintain and increase our celebratory Read-In nights. Students engaged in Aleph Bet will be invited to show off their Hebrew readings skills in the ulam and enjoy popcorn, prizes, and worship on a quarterly basis. Read-Ins are planned for Wednesday afternoons, between 5:00-6:15 p.m. The 2014-2015 planned dates are September 10, 2014; November 19, 2014; February 25, 2015; and May 13, 2015.

6. When does the Aleph Bet Program start? Aleph Bet starts on June 1, 2014. Our Keshet program will conclude with this year s Field Day and not reopen for the 2014-2015 school year. Our 4 th through 6 th grade students will be phased into our Aleph Bet program per the below table in #8 (slide 18).

7. How does this new Hebrew program affect our current Pre-K-3rd grade students? What are the student costs? In the 2014-2015 school year, our students will enjoy an active and interactive Hebrew curriculum called Hebrew Through Movement with a Hebrew Specialist as a part of our Sunday School curriculum. Just like they have music or library each week, the Hebrew Specialist will be visiting their classrooms every week to play Hebrew games and bring special spoken Hebrew activities to our students. This program will give our students years of exposure to Hebrew sounds and vocabulary (in addition to the Hebrew used in worship and other locations of exposure to Hebrew in the synagogue, at home or even in Israel), before the pressures of reading set in. We dream of our community feeling a visceral connection to the sounds of Hebrew, the sounds of our Jewish spiritual lives, the Hebrew prayers, the Hebrew Bible, and the chain of our tradition. This feeling of connection starts with exposure to Hebrew and regular use of Hebrew. Sunday morning is the start of this process of moving from Hebrew sounds to printed Hebrew. The Aleph Bet one-on-one Let s Learn Hebrew Side-by- Side program (in lieu of Wednesday Keshet) begins, not in the 4 th grade, but approximately 18 months prior to your child s Bar/Bat Mitzvah date. Some students may be in 5 th grade and others may be in 6 th grade. While Sunday School only runs during the school year, Aleph Bet runs year-round. A table comparing the 2013-2014 costs of our Hebrew Program and the 2014-2015 cost structure for Pre-K-6 th grades is on slide #7 (RS=Sunday Religious School, AB=Aleph Bet, BM=B nai Mitzvah):

7. Continued (How does this new Hebrew program affect our current Pre-K-3rd grade students? What are the student costs? ) Currently, our Keshet students pay $420 per school year for 3 years (4 th through 6 th grade) for a total of $1,260. Under Aleph Bet, families will continue to pay $1,260 plus an additional $50 (for a full and nontransliterated copy of Mishkan T filah, other materials and an on-line subscription cost), for a total of $1,310. The $1,310 will be due during the 9 month Aleph Bet program. There is a $50 difference in the total cost between our Keshet and Aleph Bet programs. Families will not have to pay the current $840 fees for their students during the 4 th and 5 th or 6 th grades. The total Aleph Bet program costs are due during the 9 month program period, which may fall partly during a student s 5 th grade year and partly in his/her 6 th grade year. Aleph Bet payment arrangements will be made between HBHA and our families. Families can discuss upfront, quarterly, or monthly payment options with HBHA. Please note that the B nai Mitzvah fees that are currently in place do not change with the Aleph Bet Program. The 7 th -10 th grade TAG and Confirmation Program fees do not change with the Aleph Bet Program (see #11).

8. How does this affect our current Keshet students (4th-6th grade)? Our current 4 th through 6 th grade students are being phased into our Aleph Bet program, so the costs of this program are being prorated for our incoming 5 th and 6 th graders (see table below). This schedule will avoid overlap and duplicate fees. 2013-2014 2013-2014 Grade Keshet Program 4 th Attends at least 20 of 28 sessions of Wednesday Keshet 5 th Attends at least 20 of 28 sessions of Wednesday Keshet 6 th Attends at least 20 of 28 sessions of Wednesday Keshet Aleph Bet Program beginning in June 2014 Will participate for 6 months, beginning 15 months prior to B nai Mitzvah date Will participate for 3 months, beginning 12 months prior to B nai Mitzvah date Participation in Project Aleph Bet prior to 9 months of B nai Mitzvah tutoring is optional 2014-2016 Aleph Bet Costs $840 + optional $15 materials fee $420 + optional $15 materials fee Optional Aleph Bet payment arrangements will be made between HBHA and our families. Please note that the B nai Mitzvah fees that are currently in place do not change with the Aleph Bet Program. The 7 th -10 th grade TAG and Confirmation Program do not change with the Aleph Bet Program (see #11).

9. Why are we partnering with HBHA? Our NATE Accreditation report came with both commendations and recommendations. In the recommendations, NATE states: Restructure Hebrew School configuration and curriculum immediately, based on current student population. Explore the possibility of identifying community partners. We have identified HBHA as the ideal community partner for this element of our new Hebrew model. HBHA is the only Jewish private school in our metro area. They offer a unique Jewish education that yields outstanding results. Particularly, through one-on-one tutoring, each tutor will be able to tailor lessons to the individual student. This personalized attention goes beyond what even the best teachers can provide in a classroom setting. We are excited to be in partnership with HBHA. The Congregation that was first to be NATE accredited in our metro area is now the first to be in partnership with HBHA for our Aleph Bet program another first!

10. What are the qualifications of the HBHA tutors? A majority of the HBHA tutors are members of the full time Hebrew faculty of HBHA. Some tutors are native Hebrew speakers and all are experienced Hebrew educators. In addition to members of the HBHA faculty, we In addition to members of the HBHA faculty, we expect several of our current Keshet teachers to join our HBHA tutor faculty.

11. Are our Sunday school and TAG programs changing? Our Sunday school program will change for Pre-K through 5 th grade students with the addition of our Hebrew Specialist joining their classes each week for a session of Hebrew Through Movement. Our 6 th graders will experience a greater emphasis on service structure and enjoy the addition of new opportunities to lead prayers. Our whole school community will benefit from additional activities to help maintain our sense of community and the friendships between our students. With our growing curricular focus on not only the words and language of Jewish prayers, but Jewish ways of praying and spirituality, we plan to introduce a Jewish Spirituality course option in our TAG program.

12. What if I am in need of financial assistance? As is our current policy, we do not turn families away from education based on affordability issues. Please contact Robin O Bryan and s/he will forward your request anonymously to our Membership Commitment Adjustment Committee for review. As is our current policy, all such requests are confidential and no names are connected with requests that the Committee reviews.