Dear ,
One of the benefits of an HBHA education is the ability to participate in multiple extracurricular offerings. Students can play varsity sports, edit the school newspaper, write and create the school yearbook and act in the school play. This month our students in Middle and Upper School will perform on stage. The Middle School students will perform Homework Eats Dog and other Woeful Tales on March 17 at 7:00 pm. The Middle School play is free and open to the public. March 24-25 the Upper School Drama Society will perform Greater Tuna, a story of life in small town Tuna, Texas. Tickets are $5.00 and can be purchased in advance in the school office or at the door.
Please invite friends and family to enjoy this fun HBHA arts event. We would love for you to come to see our students perform and look forward to seeing you there. Proceeds from the performance support the HBHA Drama Society.
Shabbat Shalom,
Howard Haas
Calendar Reminders
March 11- PTO Spring Book Fair Opens
March 11- Chag Siddur (First Grade receives their first Siddur) 6:30 pm
March 11- Upper School Spring Dance 8:00 pm
March 12- End of Quarter- No Classes
March 14- Daddy Daughter Dance 6:30 pm MAC Room
March 15- No Classes- Parent Teacher Conferences
March 15- PTO Uniform Shuk
March 17- Middle School Play 7:00 pm
March 21- Melava Malka 10:00 am
March 22- Bridges of Understanding Field Trip
March 24- Coffee and Chat with Head of School 8:00 am
March 24- Bullying Prevention Presentations, 2nd & 3rd Grade
March 25- Bullying Prevention Presentations, Kindergarten & 1st Grade
March 24-25 Upper School Play- Greater Tuna 7:00 pm
March 25- Model Seders
March 29-April 11 Pesach Break
April 7-March of the Living Begins
April 12- School Resumes
HBHA News and Events
Mark your calendars- MAP Testing Begins April 19.
2nd grade-4/19 and 4/27
3rd grade-4/22 and 4/29
4th grade-4/20 and 4/26
5th grade-4/23 and 4/30
6th grade reading- 4/28
7th grade reading- 4/28
8th grade reading- 4/28
Math 6- 4/21
Math 7- 4/23
Algebra I and II and Geometry 4/21
Morris Fingersh Scholarship Fund
Scholarship funding for Academy students is available through the Morris Fingersh Scholarship Fund. Written requests for applications must be received in the office of Kehilath Israel Synagogue by April 15th. Mail requests to KI at 10501 Conser, Overland Park, Kansas 66212. You do not need to be a member of KI in order to apply.
English Department Chair Receives Honor
After 100 hours of intensive research, writing and presentations, English Department Chair Cynthia Knight has been named a Teacher-Consultant for the Greater Kansas City Writing Project at the University of Missouri- Kansas City. Teacher-Consultants work to improve writing for all students by leading in-service programs throughout the Kansas city area. Please join us in congratulating Ms. Knight.
Admissions Office News
Parents and Friends of HBHA: Help us spread the word about our wonderful school and upcoming admissions events:
Re-enrollment for 2010-11 School Year
Re-enrollment packets for the 2010-11 school year were (snail) mailed on Wednesday, February 3. Please help us plan for next year (staffing, supplies, etc.) by completing and submitting your forms ASAP. Thank you!
Now Accepting Lateral Entry Applications for 2010-11
You are HBHA’s best advertisement! Please tell your friends about HBHA’s wonderful academics and warm community as well as our reduced tuition under the Academy Access Program (AAP). Private tours available weekly. Click here for Admissions Process & Procedures.
Go Green Shirts Now Available
Don't have a Go Green Shirt to wear on Go Green Days? New Go Green Shirts have been added to the Rams Store. Click here for a link to all the great items we have to offer. Do you have a Go Green Shirt that your child has outgrown? Why not donate it to the PTO Shuk!
Middle School Trips
The permission forms, medical forms and packing lists are now posted on the HBHA web site. Click here to access them. Permission forms are due to Laura Hewitt by April 30.
Upper School Play
Ever wonder what small town life is really like? Come be a part of the madness! From yippy dogs to reprobate teenagers, join the Upper School students as they walk you through the wacky world of Tuna, Texas. March 24 and 25th. 7:00 pm in the Social Hall. Doors open at 6:30. Tickets are $5.00. This hugely successful play chronicles the abnormal lives of the residents of Tuna, Texas. Watch the Upper School students change into and out of costume to guarantee you a night of hilarity and fun. Some of the humor may not be suitable for little ones.
Basketball Senior Night
Tuesday, February 23, was the last basketball game of the season and the last one for 5 seniors. In addition to honoring the seniors, recognition was given to all the parents and volunteers who helped make this a successful season for the players. If you missed the the senior presentations, here is what Coach Benton had to say about them.
Joel Mann has been a member of the Rams basketball team the last three years, playing varsity his senior year. He also played on the C team and JV team the previous two seasons. Joel is a player that always wants to learn and make his teammates around him better people. We are going to miss the constant smile that Joel brings to his teammates, coaches and peers.
This is what Joel had to say about his time playing basketball. “I have played basketball for 3 years. I have had the opportunity of being a starter and being on the bench. My greatest moment is not one particular moment, but rather 3 years of my observations as an HBHA basketball player. I find that as players on the court we all work together to have fun and try to win, but as a players on the bench, we work together to make the best of our time, enjoying ourselves and rooting on the team.
Ben White has been involved with Rams varsity basketball the past two years, but played all four. He was also a four year player on the boy’s varsity soccer team. Ben is a driven individual who really pushes himself to the max when he competes. Last year as a junior, he was very focused on getting all of his teammates in the weight room and conditioning them for the upcoming school year.. He takes a lot on his shoulders when it comes to competing and really always wants to do his best. We will miss his constant work ethic next season on the field and court.
Ben’s favorite Academy sports moment happened last year. “My favorite Academy sports moment I had on the basketball court was a Varsity game we played last year against East high school. We were enormously overmatched both physically and athletically, yet we kept the game close and played our hearts out. I have never seen a team play as hard as we did that night, and even though we eventually lost, it was the most satisfying feeling I have ever had after a basketball game.”
Athletic Department News
On Tuesday February 23rd, the 7/8th grade boys’ basketball team brought home the MPSL tournament championship to Hyman Brand! They had a great season and won each tournament game by over 15 points! This is also not to exclude the 7/8th grade girls who made it to the semi-finals, the 5th grade girls who played in their championship game and the remaining 5/6th grade boys and girls teams who played their hardest all season long. This season was great as we almost doubled our 5-8th grade teams in numbers. Thanks to all of the players, coaches and fans who supported Rams and Lady Rams Basketball all season long! Keep working hard in the off season and see you next year!
On March 1st, the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy Lady Rams varsity soccer team began practices for the spring season. Currently, there are 15 girls committed to the team. The first three weeks will consist of practices and conditioning while our first games of the year will take place on March 23rd and March 25th. Athletic Director Austin Benton has partnered with the Overland Park Soccer Complex located at 135th and Switzer to play all future Academy home soccer games. With games beginning at 7:00 pm, the kids will be able to play underneath the light. On the school website under soccer, you can see a video that speaks more about the Complex and what it has to offer. This past fall, the boys' varsity soccer team played more than half of their home games at the complex and enjoyed the experience! We hope to have great crowds again this spring with our girls' team and hope to see everyone come out and support us all season long. It’s great when our younger kids at the school as well as parents come out and support the team wearing Ram’s colors! It really makes our school stand out in a positive way.”
Overland Park Soccer Complex video link:
http://www.hbha.edu/s/730/index.aspx?sid=730&gid=1&pgid=1621
TEAMS Competition at DeVry
Ben White, Ethan Kaseff, Justin Rose, Jacob Mehari, Alexandra deGaray, Avery Parkhurst and Zac Picker participated in the JETS TEAMS competition at DeVry University on February 18. JETS, The Junior
Engineering Technical Society, is a non- profit organization whose focus is on developing real-life engineering teamwork and problem-solving skills in high school students in order to inform and excite them about careers in engineering. JETS hosts an annual competition called TEAMS (Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science.) TEAMS 2010 asked students to tackle the critical and global need of providing access to one of nature’s most vital resources on earth: clean water. We thank Mr. deGaray who volunteered as our resident engineering expert. He met with the team to provide some much-needed engineering guidance and quickly became the “go to” man for our many questions. The team will find out mid March how they rank.
Eitan's Money Drive
As an educator, I tend to get overly excited when a teaching moment presents itself. So, when my five year old son, Eitan, said to me, “Mommy, I don’t think I raised enough money.” I first had to catch my breath, he is so sweet, and then reply “Honey, $20.00 is a lot of money.” I never thought that his little ears were listening, and his little brain comprehending, all the fundraising discussions that filled the past six months.
My 14 month old nephew, Menashe Koppel Cohn, Koppie, passed away on June 24. It was then that my family was introduced to an incredible organization, Chai Lifeline. We knew we wanted to give back to them for all the support they showed to us during such a difficult time. My sister, Becca Wexler, and her extraordinary organization skills put into motion Team Koppie. A group of what would soon become 20 people choosing to raise money and participate in the Miami Marathon on behalf of Chai Lifeline. We had our choice, half or full marathon. Most of us chose the half, just 13.1 miles.
So, Eitan was witness to his Aunt Becca, Bubbie (Linda Cohn), and me waking up early to exercise. To read the rest of this touching article click here.
7th Grade English
7th Grade English class has really stepped up to the plate with its latest essay assignment. After reading The Giver, the 7th grade class is constructing essays whose thesis statements are dealing with themes of perfection, pain, loss, and logic. All the thematic aspects of this essay were generated from class discussions and are extraordinarily mature and thought provoking. Teacher Mike Bannen is very impressed with the caliber of thinking going on in this class.
Homework Eats Dog and Other Woeful Tales
By Alan Haehnel
The Middle School play cast is being led by a sarcastic and twisted Ms. Kobekeaneski (Ellie Davis). In this delightfully entertaining play a series of students, Maximillian Obediah Unferdorfer(Jacob Katz), (who starts his own religion to get out of a project), Diane (Naomie Scharf) (who forgets everything you tell her), Jane (Linzi Oppenheimer) who just doesn’t get it, and Amanda (Lainie Kaseff) (whose homework eats her dog) come in to plead and beg for an extension on their heavily weighted, “do or die” assignment. The students are joined by fellow classmates, Lindsey Paul, Adena Goldberg, Elana Goldenberg, Alec Bratt, Maya Schreiber, and Anna Kaseff as they inquire for extension and some leniency on their science project. Please join us on March 17th at 7:00 pm for the one and only performance of Homework Eats Dog and Other Woeful Tales.
Attendance
Please note this is in the Parent Handbook
Regular school attendance is important to a student’s academic success and also promotes good work habits and self-discipline. Attendance in class is critical. Class time provides the opportunity to acquire information, interact with peers, relate to teachers and participate in the growth of the community. Students must maintain an 85% attendance rate in order to stay current in their academics. Failure to maintain 85% attendance will result in academic probation. (See page 4).
Absences will be recorded as “excused” and “unexcused.” Excused absences include doctor’s appointments and attendance at family life cycle events (b’nai mitzvoth, weddings, funerals, etc.) In order for an absence to be excused, the parent must call or send a note to the school indicating the reason for absence. Parents are required to contact the school by 8:30 a.m. on the day of the absence. Students are not permitted to make this call.
If a student misses more than one day, parents may request assignments from the teacher to be picked up at the school office. Students have one day for each day absent to make up work to a maximum of one week. For example, if a student is absent for three days, the student must complete and turn in all make up work within three days after return (regardless of the block schedule). If a test was scheduled on the day of absence, the student should plan on taking the test on the day of return either in class or at Talmid. Assignments and/or projects that are due on the day of an absence should be turned in upon returning to school.
For report cards and transcripts, absence from school is recorded by the number of full days missed (two 1/2 days=1 day). For purposes of special privileges, absences are recorded by the period. Missing one-half or more of a period is recorded as an absence for the entire period.
If absences become excessive, parents will be asked to meet with the administrator(s) to determine an action plan to improve attendance. Absences in excess of 20% will require a meeting with an administrator in order to receive credit for the class(es).
President’s Volunteer Service Awards Due Date – April 30, 2010
Reminder: Upper School students can earn the Presidential Volunteer Service Awards by completing over 100 community service hours in a calendar year. Completing between 100-174 hours earns a bronze award, 175-249 hours earns a silver award and over 250 hours earns a gold award. These awards recognize students for extraordinary service within a school year. All completed hours must be properly documented and submitted by April 30th, 2010 for any students who would like to be recognized at the spring honors assembly. Nearly 40% of students each year achieve these honors, which speak well to the level of service our students perform in many areas of the community.
Additionally, all other upper school students are reminded to complete their annual service requirements by the last day of school (June 2nd), while seniors must complete their requirements no later than May 12th. Any questions about community service should be directed to Todd Clauer at tclauer@hbha.edu.
Look what we are doing in PE!!!!!!
In the K-3 grades of lower school PE, we started a Sport Cup Stacking Unit. We are learning how to 3 stack cups. The kids have seen a video showing the National Cup Stacking champion at work and she was good!!!!!! It gave us an appreciation of the quick hand/eye coordination, balance, speed and cognitive (thinking) skills which she had to use to become the champion. 
Your child will be participating in cup-stacking relays done in a variety of ways. But why do cup stacking in PE? Isn’t your child supposed to be running, jumping, and stretching? Aren’t they supposed to be improving their muscular and cardiovascular strength? Yes, but PE also enhances and stretches our brain’s capabilities too. Cup stacking, done correctly, uses both hands, both sides of our bodies. Research has shown that the two hemispheres of our brains control the opposite side of our bodies. By practicing cup stacking we can exercise our brain’s connections to both hemispheres which affect reading skills, and much more. Plus, it is a lot of fun! One of the objectives for any good PE program is to encourage a life-long love for exercise and recreation!
What does your family need to stay healthy? Click here to find out.
Hochim Yarok, the Going Green Leadership Club, is seeking to aid in the collection of recycling paper 
in the classrooms. We are asking for any unused clean curbside bins that can be used in the classroom.