{"id":35443,"date":"2020-09-25T03:59:13","date_gmt":"2020-09-25T10:59:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/?p=35443"},"modified":"2020-09-23T09:43:02","modified_gmt":"2020-09-23T16:43:02","slug":"school-year-has-begun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/2020\/09\/25\/school-year-has-begun\/","title":{"rendered":"School year has begun"},"content":{"rendered":"

Head of school Russ Klein welcomes back King David High School students.\u00a0<\/strong>(photo from facebook.com\/kdhsvancouver<\/a>)<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Metro Vancouver\u2019s five Jewish day schools are officially in session \u2013 student orientation began the week of Sept. 8. But, while the schools are working hard to create a \u201cnormalized\u201d and consistent atmosphere for learning, the new procedures set in place by the Ministry of Education\u2019s Back to School program will likely take a bit to get used to.<\/p>\n

In July, the Ministry of Education announced new guidelines for class sizes and safe attendance as it prepared to return students to the classroom. Elementary and middle school cohorts are limited to 60 persons each, while high school learning groups are capped at 120 students. The province requires masks to be used at middle and high schools whenever social distancing cannot be maintained.<\/p>\n

King David High School\u2019s head of school, Russ Klein, acknowledged that having to wear a mask at school may be awkward for many. As well, the two-metre social distancing requirements will, at times, be difficult, forcing students to study on their own, rather than buddying-up for group assignments. That means, said Klein, \u201cyou are also then reducing opportunities for group work. You\u2019re not facing the kids together, you are not sitting them in bunches,\u201d methods that have often proven to be effective approaches in large classrooms. Teachers, he added, \u201creally like to help their kids and needing to stay six feet away from them at all times changes how you help somebody and how you interact with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many schools began implementing changes to classrooms, common rooms and lesson plans last school year when it became evident that social distancing would affect how classes were taught. Rabbi Don Pacht, who oversees the Vancouver Hebrew Academy daily operations, said the move to a brand-new building last spring helped with that transition.<\/p>\n

The larger building, he said, \u201cgives us a very desirable ratio of space per student. Keeping distance between learning groups and allowing for distance between desks will be easily achieved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like other schools in the area, VHA has also implemented see-through \u201csneeze guards\u201d and other preventive measures to reduce chances of transmission. \u201cWe have also invested in Plexiglass screens and additional hand sanitizing stations throughout the school,\u201d said the rabbi.<\/p>\n

Vancouver Talmud Torah began making changes to the curriculum last school year as well. Jennifer Schecter, who serves as the communications and admissions director for VTT, said the speed with which the school began implementing changes to address the coronavirus threat appears to have paid off.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur retention was at an all-time high this past year because I believe parents value our product and the sense of community we provide more now than ever. This is a testament to our faculty\u2019s superb skill in pivoting and offering a robust remote learning program last spring,\u201d Schecter said.<\/p>\n

Technology plays an oversized role in teaching modules this year. All of the schools the Jewish Independent<\/em> spoke with said they are prepared for a return to remote learning, should it occur.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery single faculty member has a VTT-issued MacBook Air to use at school and at home and each classroom is equipped with screencasting technologies,\u201d said Schecter. \u201cOur IT department is incredibly responsive, knowledgeable and stays ahead of the curve with respect to tools that can facilitate instruction, especially if VTT needs to go remote again.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast year, we put a solid infrastructure in place that allowed us to pivot quickly to remote learning,\u201d she said. \u201cWe will be able to lean on this structure this year. Teachers are planning in anticipation of a potential shift to remote and will be acquainting their students with many of the same tools they did last year, such as Google Classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meira Federgrun, who runs Shalhevet Girls High School, said students are outfitted to work either in-class or at home, when necessary. \u201cAll our students have personal laptops \u2026 and, in case students are self-quarantining\/isolating, they have that as a resource to Zoom into classes on their regular schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n

KDHS\u2019s Klein said teachers and administration are also preparing for increased absenteeism. \u201cBecause, when people are not feeling well, they are supposed to not come to school. And that could be the student or the teacher,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

According to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, children in this province have a lower rate of infection than adults. Still, preparing for the chance that some students may have to study from home while they are quarantining has required some out-of-the box thinking when it comes to lesson planning.<\/p>\n

\u201cManaging to keep the educational program uninterrupted and keep students that are absent in the educational flow, I think that\u2019s going to be the challenge,\u201d Klein said.<\/p>\n

Pacht said parents will be expected to keep the school informed about students\u2019 health status on a regular basis. \u201cWe know that there is stress on the parents as well,\u201d said Pacht. \u201cThere will be questionnaires, waivers and health checks. If a child has as much as a sniffle, they will not be allowed to attend school until seen by a healthcare professional.\u201d<\/p>\n

Provincial COVID-19 health and safety guidelines require schools to maintain daily health checks for all students, staff, administrators and visitors, and parents\u2019 participation with that process helps reduce the chance of an accidental infection at school.<\/p>\n

Pacht added that the students\u2019 sense of safety is important, too, as they adjust to this new environment. \u201cThis will be stressful for students, too, and we will focus on social and emotional support for students,\u201d he said. \u201cThey will have to adapt to a new way of experiencing school (again!), and we want to ease that transition.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that if we work together we can provide an exceptional experience for our children.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"image<\/a>
Dr. Lara Aknin says kids may need extra support this year to prepare them for new learning experiences.\u00a0(photo from sfu.ca\/vpresearch\/Research50\/abundance.html<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dr. Lara Aknin, a social psychologist at Simon Fraser University, said kids may need extra support this year to prepare them for new learning experiences.<\/p>\n

\u201cHelping kids feel safe and secure during the pandemic is important as we return to school this fall,\u201d she said, offering the following research-proven ways to help young students gain confidence in today\u2019s \u201cnew normal\u201d classroom.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Encourage gratitude. \u201cThe pandemic has exacted a large toll on many,\u201d said Aknin. \u201cWhen possible, try reflecting on what you are grateful for.\u201d Help students \u201cfocus on what\u2019s good, rather than what\u2019s lost.\u201d<\/li>\n
  2. Be kind and help others. Research has shown that we feel good when we help others. It can be as simple as donating tzedakah to a special charity or comforting another student, she said, \u201cbut finding ways to help others can make you feel grateful and boost your mood.\u201d<\/li>\n
  3. Maintain a daily routine that kids can follow. Doing so provides predictability and structure during challenging times.<\/li>\n
  4. Keep up that exercise regimen. It\u2019s a known fact that exercise helps boost serotonin and elevate mood. Aknin pointed out that exercise doesn\u2019t have to be a workout. It can be a dance party, a family stroll after dinner or a favourite game.<\/li>\n
  5. And don\u2019t forget to socialize. \u201cDistant socializing,\u201d even when it\u2019s virtually or two metres apart, reinforces kids\u2019 social connections with their friends, extended family, schoolmates and new acquaintances,\u201d said Aknin. \u201c[Ensuring] physical distance from others doesn\u2019t mean we should cut off all contact with others. Find creative ways to stay connected and have meaningful contact with friends and family with Zoom, FaceTime, or distanced visits outside.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Jan Lee<\/strong>\u2019s articles and blog posts have been published in <\/em>B\u2019nai B\u2019rith Magazine, <\/em>Voices of Conservative and Masorti Judaism, <\/em>Times of Israel, as well as a number of business, environmental and travel publications. Her blog can be found at multiculturaljew.polestarpassages.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

    ***<\/strong><\/p>\n

    New Hebrew school opens <\/strong><\/p>\n

    B.C. Regional Hebrew Schools, run by Lubavitch BC, has launched a new Hebrew school for elementary students in the East Vancouver area. The Mount Pleasant location will be Lubavitch BC\u2019s third school in the Lower Mainland.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThis program has been created uniquely for children who attend public school or non-Jewish private schools, and aims to present a comprehensive curriculum, including Hebrew language, reading and writing; Jewish pride and sense of community; Jewish holidays and customs,\u201d said a press release announcing the opening. Rabbi Dovid and Chaya Rosenfeld serve as the directors for the three schools in the Lower Mainland. Riki Oirechman will be the new school\u2019s principal.<\/p>\n

    Classes will take place Wednesdays, 3:45 to 5:30 p.m., at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, accompanied by a complimentary kosher meal.<\/p>\n

    The organization said it is abiding by all COVID-19 protocols and, as such, asks that parents understand they will not be able to accompany their children inside during classes or drop-offs. Parents can inquire about classes by calling 778-878-2025 or emailing vancouvercgi@gmail.com<\/a>. The class schedule can be found at ganisraelbc.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    \u2013 JL<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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    Head of school Russ Klein welcomes back King David High School students.\u00a0(photo from facebook.com\/kdhsvancouver) Metro Vancouver\u2019s five Jewish day schools are officially in session \u2013 student orientation began the week of Sept. 8. But, while the schools are working hard to create a \u201cnormalized\u201d and consistent atmosphere for learning, the new procedures set in place […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":35444,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[9717,9784,8426,3076,19810,19808,1559,3430,1047,19809,9856,8951,7579,7807,6467,2092,3331,4342,529,4365,3332,1558],"class_list":["post-35443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local","tag-coronavirus","tag-covid-19","tag-don-pacht","tag-education","tag-gan-israel","tag-jennifer-schecter","tag-kdhs","tag-kids","tag-king-david-high-school","tag-lara-aknin","tag-lubavitch-bc","tag-meira-federgrun","tag-parenting","tag-russ-klein","tag-schools","tag-sfu","tag-shalhevet-girls-high-school","tag-simon-fraser-university","tag-vancouver-hebrew-academy","tag-vancouver-talmud-torah","tag-vha","tag-vtt"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35443","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35443"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35443\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35443"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35443"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}