OJCS Scholastic Book Fair Continues!
The OJCS Book Fair continues! Thank you to all the parents, students, and community members that have come to visit our book fair.
It’s not too late to get your books! Come visit the fair today from 8:00-4:30pm and then on Sunday from 12:00-4:00pm.
The teachers are ‘beaming for books’ and are receiving many of the books from their classroom ‘wish lists’. Thank you! Toda raba! Merci!
Purim Carnival
Purim is coming up soon and Middle School is preparing a carnival and we are looking for small prizes to provide students. If you have any gently used toys, small gifts, “chachkas” or anything that you think a child would enjoy to choose as a prize, please send in your items to your child’s homeroom teacher. We thank you for your support and help in making this year’s Purim festival the best ever!
Family Chanukah Celebration
Last week we celebrated the fifth night of Chanukah with about 300 members of our OJCS family. It was a beautiful celebration of the holiday and a big thank you to our amazing Shinshinim, Liam and Inbar, with direction from Morah Ruthie for organizing the celebration. With every grade contributing to the retelling of the Chanukah story via News Flashes, videos, plays, songs, dances and more, the evening was a huge success. Events like our Family Chanukah Night are special occasions when all of our students, faculty, administration, and faculty come together to celebrate.
We look forward to celebrating many more happy occasions together!
Check out the weekly Hadashot newsletter or our school Twitter and Facebook pages for more pictures and news about the amazing happenings at OJCS!
Family Chanukah Celebration
Next Thursday, December 6th is the OJCS Family Chanukah Celebration!
The evening will begin at 6pm and will end around 7:15pm. We ask that all children wear shirts or an outfit that are the colours of a flame (either orange, red, or yellow). Children will be sitting with their class and teachers at the celebration to be prepared for their class presentation. We will also celebrate with all our new OJCS families this year as they are invited to the front with Rabbi Finkelstein to light the Menorah.
What does the program look like for the Chanukah Show?
- Opening words from Grade 8
- New families light Menorah
- Opening video clip with Dr. Mitzmacher and Mrs.Gordon
- Video clip by grade 7
- Skit by grade 5
- Dance by grade 1
- Video by grade 6
- Skit by grade 4
- Dance from Kindergarten
- A song by grade 3
- Dance by grade 2
- Staff video
We look forward to seeing you next Thursday evening!
OJCS ‘Community of Kindness’ Week- Hevei Na-im
From November 19-25th schools and students across Ontario participated in the Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week to help promote safe schools and a positive learning environment for all students. OJCS was no exception and held our own Community of Kindness week. Each day we focused on a different theme and our own grade 6 class prepared elementary and middle school resources and discussion questions for the school.
Monday was our Community of Kindness Week Kick-Off as we focused on the theme of Chesed/What is bulling? Why is it important to be kind? Author and motivational speaker Josee Lindsay came to speak to our school about the importance of being kind and how small acts of kindness matter. She shared her book, Super Spark, with the students and how each individual has their own strengths to celebrate. Thank you to our amazing student MC’s from Knesset, Jessica and Adam, for leading the kick off ceremony.
On Tuesday, our theme was Gemillut Chasadim ba-Kehillah/Being Kind is a Community Responsibility. Students in the middle school participated in a workshop with Sensei Domenic from Douvris Karate to learn more about our important OJCS North Star that we are each responsible for one another.
On Wednesday, our theme was Arevut/Send the Msg: Be a Responsible Digital Citizen. How to be kind to others even when using technology is an important skill to learn and discuss. We need to intentionally teach children how to engage in the online world in a positive way.
Finally, on Thursday our theme was focused on BE the Change. Our school Social Worker, Shannon LaValley, and librarian, Brigitte, started their ‘Well-being Book Series’ with our students in kindergarten to grade 4. Students will be invited to the library to hear a story linked to Stephen Covey’s Leader in Me 7 Habits and discuss strategies for continuing to develop each habit.
Grade 1 students also participated in a Kindness Workshop with Morah Lianna and Miss Coleman. They learned about the importance of filling an invisible kindness bucket that everyone carries!
Our ‘Community of Kindness’ week was an important reminder that we are each responsible for one another!
Kindness Workshop Series
This week our series of Kindness Workshops kicked off with grade 3 on Monday morning. Beginning with the end in mind (*7 Habits alert!), our workshop goal was to learn about how we are each responsible for the well-being of one another and how to think win-win (*7 Habits alert!) and work as a team. Shannon LaValley, our invaluable school Social Worker, read the book The Invisible Boy by Patrice Barton and the class discussed the importance of making everyone feel important and valued.
Afterword the students worked in groups to complete different team-building tasks. They collaborated, listened to the ideas of others, and encouraged their team members with positive comments.
The workshops continued today with grade 5 and 6 also learning about how to build healthy friendships. Grade 5 were active participants in a discussion about how to establish positive friendships and how to solve conflict, while grade 6 read and discussed the book The Three Questions by Jon Muth.
One thing that is evident from our workshops- we learn better together. The students asked questions, engaged in meaningful conversations, and learned about how to have healthy relationships- which is essential to everyone having the best school day possible!