Emek Hebrew Academy

9/05/08 6:55pm
9/12/08 6:45pm
9/19/08 6:35pm
9/26/08 6:25pm

WELCOME TO EMEK HEBREW ACADEMY -

Teichman Family Torah Center

WHATS NEW?

We are launching new things this season at Emek, new technology and other new ways to make interaction with the school more convenient for all, for example ordering Hot Lunch is now easier then ever! This year we are using a new program for Hot Lunch called ParentLocker. In addition to ordering lunch on ParentLocker it will be a valuable communication tool between the school and the parents as well as using it for Parent/Teacher Conferences. The Hot Lunch part of the program is currently up and running, but check back frequently to learn when more features become available. Please see the following instructions ( Click HERE ) for ordering your Hot Lunch. If you have any problems or questions, please call the office at the Magnolia campus. Hot Lunch begins Monday, September 8^th 2008 and you may order NOW for September, October, and November. Use the activation code you received in the mail. If you did not receive a bright green page with your personal activation code and instructions in the mail, please email aleibowitz@sbcglobal.net or call the front office.

Our Jog-A-Thon was successful - a big thank you to all!!
FYI: One of our successful PTA fundraising campaigns is the annual magazine sale. Overwhelmingly, the magazine orders come from businesses and individuals who are solicited by Emek school families. The funds realized go along way to support a multitude of school needs of direct benefit to our children – scholarships, library purchases, field trips, class trips, and classroom requests are but a few of the areas addressed.

The magazine sale is not without its religious challenges. As most of you know, I have spoken and written about the great care that must be exerted in monitoring the media that we and our children are exposed to. I, along with the PTA presidium, held meetings in the past with the company’s representative to express our concerns and to develop both short and long term solutions. In those discussions, we learned that there are a growing number of religious schools, covering the full landscape of faiths that are trying to address this challenge. As a result, as a start, we have eliminated the music CD component of the campaign.

ABOUT EMEK

AUG. /SEPT. / OCT. 2008
AT A GLANCE

August 25 - Teacher In Service Day
August 26 - Teacher In Service Day
August 27 - First Day of School
September 1 - Labor Day - NO SCHOOL
September 7 - Back to School Orientations
September 15 - Magazine Drive Begins
September 22 - Teacher Development Day - 2:00 & 2:15 Dismissal
September 29-30 - Erev Rosh Hashana/Rosh Hashana - NO SCHOOL
October 1 - Rosh Hashana - NO SCHOOL
October 2 - Tzom Gedaliah 2:00 & 2:15 Dismissal
October 8-9 - Yom Kippur Break - NO SCHOOL
October 13 - 23 - Sukkot Break - No School
October 29, 30 - Photo Days

TORAH OUTLOOK

Emek Hebrew Academy is dedicated to providing a thorough and well-balanced curriculum and course of study in both Torah and Secular studies to all enrolled students in an atmosphere conducive to learning and success. Our foremost goal is to enable our students to develop a direction in life that will reflect character and devotion to the Jewish heritage and values. More...

THE NEW PARENT LOCKER FEATURE

Our new ParentLocker utility will make certain school communication(s) easier for you. It allows a closer connection between you your children and the school. You will be able to arrange parent teacher conference appointments, order hot lunch and much more......

ParentLocker is being launched this season.

There is a new tab seen on the upper left of this page that allows you to log in.
You should receive information shortly on "how to" - "when to", etc.

If you experience technical difficulties you may contact me at - alevine@emek.org

Thank you for using our ParentLocker.

Mr. Avraham Levine
Network Administrator- EHA

A MESSAGE FROM OUR DEAN

PARSHAS ------- 5768
B’RACHA V’HATZLACHA
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER

Dear Emek Parents and Friends:

The academic year for our beloved Emek children has drawn to a close. Both students and teachers alike will now become engaged in the school summer vacation period. Were I to be able to change this fixture of the educational system, I would do so without hesitation. No doubt, my popularity would sink to all time lows. I might even be putting myself at risk for deportation to the international space station to establish a school at that remote location. The interest on my part to address the lengthy summer holiday is not motivated by a desire to deprive our kinderlach and faculty of well deserved rest and relaxation or to prevent families from critical bonding time together. The concern that I have stems from what I have seen in more than 35 years as a parent/educator in terms of the challenges of “summer vacation.” Without question, how the over sixty school-free days are spent make a significant difference in the full gamut of a child’s spiritual, physical, emotional, and educational development.
The week’s parsha ( last week of school ) of Sh’lach presents the mitzvah of Chalah, the requirement to take off a small portion from a certain quantity of dough to give to the Cohen. Today we still fulfill this commandment albeit without giving the portion to the Cohen. From the first of your kneading of dough shall you give a portion to HaShem.” The Chasam Sofer, when contemplating this verse, homiletically, applies it to the importance of educating our children in the paths of Hashem. “From the very beginning of raising children, be concerned about working with them and planting in their hearts the love of Torah and Awe of Heaven. Don’t push it off or loose out on any opportunity to have influence and to work with your children.”

The Chasam Sofer’s message, I believe, also has particular import as it relates to our children’s summer vacation. The lazy days of summer should have some level of structure and engagement which keeps our children's minds and souls connected to intellectual stimulation and spiritual awareness. I am therefore an advocate of summer camp experiences be they residential or day in nature. This really helps parents meet the challenge of vacation head-on. I realize that this is not always possible, but the point is that, for the best welfare of our children, they need a continuing balance of activities with a tilt toward relaxation and rejuvenation.

I have seen the negative effects upon children who spend the summer in front of the computer, TV or video monitor

CON'T...,..... in our Emek Echo (download it!!)