We believe that Judaism contains answers to the challenges and questions confronting each person in modern society and that Jewish education is the key to discovering these answers. Part of the school’s mission is to support Temple B’nai Chaim in its role as Beit Tefillah, Beit Midrash, and Beit Knesset (a house of prayer, education, and community). In this effort, it is our responsibility to provide an encouraging educational environment and a comprehensive spiritual, cultural, ethical and historical educational curriculum in order to strengthen our children’s faith in God, love of Torah and identification with the Jewish people.
Your attendance is important to the progress of our students in their Jewish Studies. Please support the work of our school by ensuring that students attend class regularly and on time. If your child is going to be absent, it is imperative to call the office at 544-8695 ext. 15 and leave a message. You may leave information where homework can be sent either via snail or email.
Absenteeism is a detriment not only to the student but also to the class and the teacher who counts on each individual child’s attendance and class participation. Lesson plans are carefully thought out and constructed around maximum attendance levels. Therefore, commencing with fourth grade, students shall attend a minimum of 80% of all scheduled sessions for that year including both the weekday and Sunday sessions.
We expect your child to be on time. Late arrival disrupts classes and puts the tardy student at a disadvantage as well. If punctuality is a consistent problem, e.g. due to secular school dismissal time, please inform your child’s teacher. This year, teachers will note students who arrive more than five minutes late. If this tardiness becomes habitual over time, we will call and try to work out ways to ensure that your children arrive on time. Students who need to leave early must have a note from a parent to that effect.
In the event of the possible closing of school due to inclement weather or any other emergency, information can be found on the web at CTWEATHER.COM or TBC-CT.org. You can sign up to receive emails about school closings via this website. A message will also be left on the answering machine in the synagogue office. Inclement weather forms are kept on file in the office in case weather deteriorates during class time. Be sure to inform the school office of changes of phone numbers (cell, office, home) so that we can remain current.
| Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: |
1:00pm - 6:30pm |
| Sunday: |
8:30am-1:30pm |
| Sunday Early Session |
9:00am - 11:00am |
| Sunday Late Session |
10:30am - 12:30pm |
| Wednesday/Thursday Hebrew School |
4:20pm - 6:00pm |
| Grades 8, 9, 10 on Thursday (check TBC calendar for dates) |
4:20pm - 6:00pm |
Teachers do assign homework. Responsibility lies with every student to practice reading aloud Hebrew assignments a minimum of 10 minutes, 3-4 times per week at home. Religious School assignments may require more than half an hour per week. When larger projects are assigned, students are given an appropriate number of weeks for completion. It is the absent or early-departing student’s responsibility to contact his/her teacher to receive homework assignments and make up any missed work.
Parent-teacher conferences are encouraged when necessary. To schedule a time for a conference, please call the school to make an appointment. You may also use our email addresses: (Judy Klamka) EdDirector@tbc-ct.org or (Jennifer Haynos) EdAdmin@tbc-ct.org
Religious School report cards are issued two times per school year — mid-winter and at the end of the year. These report cards evaluate the student’s progress in Hebrew and Judaic studies. Should you wish to confer with the teacher(s) about any area of concern, you may schedule an appointment by calling the school office.
Children will NOT be permitted to bring any food to Religious School classes unless medically necessary. This policy will be strictly enforced. Challah and apple juice will be served to students arriving for Hebrew classes on Wednesday and Thursdays. Accomodation may be made for children who are allergic to ingredients in either of these 2 foods (egg-free challah or alternate beverage may be brought from home for the child with prior approval from RS director). Chewing gum is not permitted. Snack will not be served on a regular basis during school hours on Sunday. There will be occasions when food will be served to the children as part of a holiday celebration during school hours on Sunday or during the week. Parents will be informed of these occasions well in advance to make accommodations for an allergic child.
We strive to be a nut-free school. Temple B’nai Chaim is not, as yet, a nut-free facility. On occasions when food will be served in a classroom, we will ask parents in a particular class to accommodate a very allergic child by not sending in food that may contain allergens that are problematic for that child. We will make every effort to accommodate the allergic child, classmates and parents in a way that will keep the allergic child safe yet minimize the disruption to others. A letter will be sent home to the families in the Religious School to communicate these sentiments.
We ask that all parents of children in the Religious School be aware of the potential for life-threatening situations that arise from the presence of certain ingredients. This can, at times, extend beyond peanuts to all tree nuts and numerous other products including (but not limited to) dairy, soy, egg, or wheat. Be aware of the situation in your child’s classroom and respect the efforts of teachers, staff and parents to keep all children attending Religious School classes safe.
We strongly encourage your child to attend worship services. In addition to complementing religious education and Hebrew studies, attendance at services enhances your child’s sense of belonging to both the Temple B’nai Chaim community and to the greater Jewish community. During the year, we urge you to encourage your student(s) to attend a number of services at least equal to the grade he or she is in school, e.g. a fifth grader should attend services at least five time during the school year.
Students in K - 3rd grade will have a short service on Sundays. We will do a separate service for each session for the younger students. Students in Grades 4 -7 also have the opportunity to participate in a 20 minute service each week during Hebrew School. Here they will become more familiar with the elements of prayer that they are required to know.
To build an environment conducive to learning, friendship and community, respect between students and teachers is necessary. We would like our students to experience respect and honor in a warm, caring, joyful and supportive environment. As our teachers will show respect to our students, so we expect that our students will be respectful and behave both in class and during services. Disrespect will not be tolerated. In addition, students are expected to respect and care for the synagogue property and grounds.
Each teacher will discuss the rules of the classroom with the students at the beginning of the year. The teacher will send these rules home so that parents and students can be sure to review the rules together.
If a student misbehaves during class, the teacher will be in contact with parents, the Educational Director and/or the Rabbi if necessary. Swift action will be taken by the Education Committee if a student's disruptive behavior interferes with the learning process for the class.
Under no circumstances will the school allow the disruptive behavior of a student to interfere with the educational process for the rest of the students in the classroom. We expect the full cooperation of our students and parents to ensure that the religious school is a positive ongoing experience for all.
The act of giving Tzedakah is an important Jewish value and mitzvah. The Hebrew root of Tzedakah means justice and righteousness. Tzedakah is not only something that we do out of the goodness of our hearts, but rather we give Tzedakah out of our sense of responsibility towards our fellow human beings. Tzedakah will be collected by the teachers, and students are encouraged to bring money to Sunday classes each week to contribute. At the end of the year, each grade will decide where to donate these funds.
We invite parents of students with special needs to meet with our Education Director, Judy Klamka, to discuss ways the school can assist in providing an appropriate and meaningful religious education for those students. It is our practice to mainstream students with special needs, whenever possible, in our religious studies programs.
Because we believe that Jewish learning is a lifelong process, TBC’s educational program strives to provide a rich learning environment, as well as a communal worship experience. It is our opinion that Jewish education should not end with the Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
To that end, we have implemented a new 7th grade curriculum that doesn’t become obsolete once your child becomes a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Therefore, attendance is required of all 7th graders on both Sundays and during the week throughout the entire school year.
Within 12 months immediately preceding their Bar/Bat Mitzvah date, students shall attend a minimum of 16 services which consist of the following commitments:
1. Each student must attend eight (8) Friday night Shabbat services
2. Each student must attend a least five (5) B’nai Mitzvah services (including at least three (3) at our temple)
3. Each student must attend three other B’nai Chaim congregational services: Rosh Hashanah (counts as one service only), Yom Kippur (counts as one service only) Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Tu B’shevat, Purim and Shavuot.
Failure to satisfy these attendance requirements may result in postponement of the assigned Bar/Bat Mitzvah date. That determination will be made by the Rabbi in consultation with the Religious School Director.
Students new to TBC Religious School in Kindergarten-grade 3 will be consecrated at a special service during Sunday school early in the school year. Consecration is a Jewish life-cycle event, the beginning of the child’s formal religious school education. It is a special time for the children, and all family members will be invited to attend.
“You shall teach them diligently to your children.”
Deuteronomy 6.7
The Religious School of TBC offers educational programming for all children beginning at age 3 with Jr. Chai and continuing through tenth grade.
Jr. Chai:
Our preschool program meets twice a month on Sunday mornings. Children are introduced to the Jewish holiday cycle through song, stories, and arts and crafts. This class meets during the 2nd session on Sunday, starting at 11:00am.
Kindergarten – 3rd Grades:
Classes meet once per week on Sunday mornings. The curriculum focus for the four grades is based on building a foundation of Jewish knowledge and experience, including Shabbat and the Jewish holidays,Torah, Jewish values, music, worship, and oral/aural development of Hebrew skills. The letters and vowels of the Hebrew alefbet are introduced in third grade as well.
4th – 7th Grades:
Classes meet twice a week on Sunday mornings and Wednesday or Thursday afternoons. We offer both Judaic studies and Hebrew instruction. The former includes Jewish History, God, Torah, Israel, life cycle events, Jewish values, the Holocaust, mitzvot and Reform Judaism.
Machon — 8th – 10th Grades:
TBC has a wonderful post B’nai Mitzvah educational program for our students! Now that they are familiar with basic Judaic skills, they can use their knowledge to focus on a curriculum that concentrates on discussions of Jewish Ethics (8th grade), World Religions (9th grade), and Tikkun Olam (10th grade), where the students have an opportunity to learn and participate in social action projects. Classes are held twice a month; a schedule is found in the calendar. TBC students who complete this program through 10th grade are confirmed at Shauvot, in a meaningful service with the whole Temple community.
Upon completion of 7th grade, students in grade 8 - 12 can continue their connection with Temple B’nai Chaim Religious School by working as teaching assistants (Madrichim) in the classrooms. In addition to working in the classrooms, madrichim must attend the leadership training workshop led by our Education Director, Judy Klamka.
Temple B’nai Chaim’s Youth Group, for high school students, participates in community service, social and recreational activities. We are affiliated with the Reform Movement’s NFTY (National Federation of Temple Youth.) There is also a Jr. Youth Group for middle school students with similar activities including an annual “Shul In”, an all-night event in the Temple.
The goals of Hebrew instruction are fluent reading skills, understanding of the relevance and ethical values underlying the prayers, a basic foundation of prayer, some conversational vocabulary, a repertoire of Jewish values and a sense of belonging to Am Yisrael - the Jewish people.
In addition to classroom study, students and their families regularly join programs at TBC to strengthen their Study of the Torah. Both “Chai-Lites” (monthly) and “e-Chai Lites” (weekly) will have announcements for these events as well as for adult education.
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