PARENT HANDBOOK 5777 2016-2017 0
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TABLE OF CONTENTS I. PROGRAM A. INTRODUCTION: JEWISH EDUCATION for the SPECIAL STUDENT... 6 B. PHILOSOPHY... 7 C. CURRICULUM EMPHASIS...8 II. SCHEDULING A. CALENDAR...10 B. FEE SCHEDULE...12 III. PARENT INFORMATION A. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES...14 ATTENDANCE...14 EARLY ARRIVAL...14 DISMISSAL...14 EARLY DISMISSAL...14 LATE PICKUP...14 SCHOOL CLOSINGS...15 SAFETY AND EMERGENCIES...15 MEDICATION...15 PHONE: SUNDAY MORNINGS...15 B. THE CLASSROOM AND BEYOND...16 MATERIALS...16 CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT...16 TEACHER TRAINING...16 STUDENT PROGRESS REPORTS...16 C. HOW YOU CAN HELP...17 LAST PAGE IS A FORM FOR YOU TO SIGN AND RETURN...18 2
IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS Rachel Delman Turniansky Principal, Gesher LaTorah (410) 735-5022 Center for Jewish Education Front Desk (410) 735-5000 Reena Roshgadol Administrative Assistant, Gesher LaTorah (410) 735-5024 Gesher LaTorah Site - Sunday a.m. Park Heights JCC -5700 Park Heights Avenue (410)-735-5022 3
BS"D Dear Parents: B'ruchim Ha'Baim (welcome) to the 5777/2016-2017 school year! The Gesher LaTorah teachers and I look forward to our partnership with you in the Jewish education of your child. The education of a Jewish individual has always been the responsibility of both the parents and the Jewish community. Working together will enhance your child's Jewish education, strengthen his/her Jewish identity and create positive and connected Jewish experiences. Through your cooperation, that includes providing us with information and documentation about your child's learning needs, Gesher LaTorah can ensure education of each student "al pi darco" - using the learning mode most effective for him/her. In addition, Special Needs Programs at the Center for Jewish Education can support your child, your family and other families in the community in many other ways. Disability and Inclusion Services is your first stop in search of information and referrals about educational options, community services, and legal issues concerning education, summer programs and other opportunities for your child. Disability and Inclusion Services staff provides information, referrals and resources on a wide variety of special education topics. Our partnerships with other ASSOCIATED agencies and our relationships with local, state and private special education agencies offer a wide network of assistance for you. We also maintain a large selection of print and video resources as well as equipment available for loan from the Resource Center at the Macks Center for Jewish Education. (To reach the Resource Center, please call 410-735-5000.) MD S.N.A.P.: Special Needs Advocacy Project offers free educational advocacy and consultation for Jewish children with special needs. Parents can get assistance in seeking assessments, preparing for IFSP/IEP meetings, accompaniment to meetings and information, resources and referrals. Please call Martha Goodman at 410-735-5012. JADE - Jewish Advocates for Deaf Education conducts workshops for the Deaf community as well as support for Jewish Deaf/hearing-impaired individuals to have access to community programming and events. JADE also maintains a list of Jewishly-knowledgeable interpreters and administers a fund for providing interpreters within the Jewish community. For more information please call Yael Zelinger at 410-735-5023. If you or another family can benefit from these services, please call me at 410-735-5022 or feel free to contact the above listed CJE staff members directly. We look forward to sharing this Gesher LaTorah year with you and your family and hope it proves to be a rewarding and Jewishly enriching experience. Rachel Delman Turniansky Principal, Gesher LaTorah and the Gesher LaTorah Faculty P.S. Please sign and send back the form on page 16 letting us know that you have received, reviewed and agree to abide by the provisions in this handbook. 4
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A INTRODUCTION: JEWISH EDUCATION for the SPECIAL STUDENT Disability and Inclusion Services of the Louise D. and Morton J. Macks Center for Jewish Education was established in 1967. Gesher LaTorah, a Bridge to Torah, is the Jewish education program maintained by our office. The program embraces all ideological movements in Judaism and serves children and adults with significant learning challenges, emotional or behavior disorders, developmental disabilities, sensory impairments, physical challenges, health impairments and multiple disabilities. Students in the program primarily attend self-contained classes in public or non-public special education facilities during the week. The program is designed to serve children who do not learn effectively in the general Religious School classroom because of their special needs. Gesher LaTorah classes meet at the Weinberg Park Heights JCC, 5700 Park Heights Avenue. Gesher LaTorah teachers come with a wealth of formal training and life experience in Jewish education and special education. Assistant Teachers are responsible and intuitive professionals who bring a great deal of enthusiasm, creativity and skill to the classroom. Each staff member is a loving individual committed to the success of the students and their own professional growth through Professional Development programming. The principal of Gesher LaTorah is Rachel Delman Turniansky. She returned to Gesher LaTorah after previously working as a sign language interpreter/tutor. She has a Master s degree in multiple disabilities from Gallaudet University and a Bachelor of Science degree in speech language and hearing handicapped education from Long Island University. She has worked in a variety of special education settings including the Gateway School and as a certified special educator in the Baltimore City public school system under the auspices of Care Resources. 6
B PHILOSOPHY Disability and Inclusion Services of the Center for Jewish Education and Gesher LaTorah endeavor to enable every Jewish individual to take his/her rightful place as a proud and selfassured member of his/her Jewish family, school and community. Each student should feel valued as a Jewish individual and be guided to value others. GESHER LATORAH believes that: Learning Torah is the right of every Jewish individual; All people can learn; Learning should be an active process; Learning is best accomplished in a supportive and nurturing Jewish environment; Learning develops from a logical sequence of individualized instructional objectives and strategies; and Learning should be structured to include families and strengthen Jewish home life whenever possible. 7
C CURRICULUM EMPHASIS The two major goals of our program are: 1. To instill in each student a positive sense of self-worth as a Jew and a feeling of belonging as a member of the Jewish community with rights and responsibilities; and 2. To prepare each student to participate actively and to the best of his/her ability in the Jewish community. In order for any individual to become a participating member of the Jewish community, that young person minimally needs: 1. To identify himself/herself as a Jewish individual; 2. To develop the knowledge and skills to invest his/her home life with Jewish concepts, traditions and practices; 3. To develop the knowledge and skills to feel comfortable at synagogue services; and 4. To understand the nature and structure of his/her local and distant community, i.e. synagogue, Baltimore, Israel, and world Jewry. While striving to impart such background information and capabilities to our students, the program is designed to help each child realize his/her full individual potential. This is at all times regulated by the student's abilities to learn and absorb. Gesher LaTorah employs a three-year rotating curriculum focusing on Torah, Jewish Community and Jewish Life Cycle. The 5776/2015-2016 year will focus on the Jewish Community. In addition, students will participate in other areas of study including Hebrew reading, prayer and synagogue skills, Jewish customs and ceremonies, holidays, Israel, and current events. Gesher LaTorah s unique teaching strategies provide students with enjoyable and challenging learning opportunities through which they can succeed. 8
Several programs are integral to the school: 1. Beit K'nesset: All-school joint prayer service periodically throughout the year. 2. TAMMAR: Technology, Art, Music, Movement and Rhythm is a multi-media program in which students will be guided by a media specialist and their own classroom teachers to participate in Jewish sensorial experiences that take into account students' special needs. The phrase TAMMAR was chosen to reflect the ; verse -פסוק תמר יפר צדיקכ - A righteous person will blossom and thrive like a date tree. 3. TAG - Torah, Avodah and Gemilut Hasadim - Bible study, prayer and service, and acts of kindness and goodwill: The TAG program is designed specifically for the adult student who may not otherwise be able to participate actively in the Jewish community. TAG includes Torah study, prayer, and community involvement at sites with Jewish ideals and values. While Gesher LaTorah is the bridge to Torah for the school-aged student, TAG is the bridge to the Jewish community for the adult student. 4. Middot Social Skills Program: Group social skills lessons led by our Middot Rebbe help instill Torah-based social skills that reflect Jewish values and relate to Parsha or upcoming holidays. 5. Mercaz: Resource Center allows for individualized attention to focus on Hebrew reading remediation or acceleration as determined by the Mercaz teacher and the parents. 6. The Lawrence Braverman Computer Lab: Reinforcement and enrichment of concepts taught in the class take place via technology, including Judaic software and adaptive hardware. One mitzvah (responsibility) that all of us can fulfill successfully, regardless of learning abilities or disabilities, is Tzedakah (the giving of money or goods to the poor). An important aspect of Jewish tradition is helping and caring for others. It is our responsibility as individual Jews, to make Tzedakah a continual part of our Jewish lives. Each Sunday, teachers and students are asked to bring in a small sum of money (preferably from their personal allowance) that is collected in class. Students themselves decide to which worthy causes the money should be donated. The emphasis is educational, and every student is expected to participate to the extent that he/she is able. In addition, families may choose to mark a special occasion with the donation of a Jewish book to the Gesher LaTorah library. A special sticker will be placed in the book, indicating the family s name and the occasion marked by the presentation. You can create other opportunities for your child to be in the role of a giver at home, synagogue or at family celebrations. Designate your child as the Challah Distributor at the Shabbat table or the Grace after Meals Chazzan. You can also invite another Gesher LaTorah family over for a Shabbat meal. Judaism has many opportunities for all children to be givers, and we encourage you to involve your child in as many of these as possible. 9
2016-2017/5777 CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 2016 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 5 Labor Day 11 Gesher LaTorah Opening Day 18 Gesher LaTorah 25 Gesher LaTorah FEBRUARY 2017 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 5 Gesher LaTorah 12 Gesher LaTorah 19 Presidents Day Weekend 26 Gesher LaTorah OCTOBER 2016 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2 Erev Rosh Hashanah 3 Rosh Hashanah 9 Gesher LaTorah 16 Erev Sukkot 23 Erev Smini Atzeret 30 Gesher LaTorah MARCH 2017 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 5 Gesher LaTorah 12 PURIM All Classes Begin at 10am 19 Gesher LaTorah 26 Gesher LaTorah NOVEMBER 2016 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 6 Gesher LaTorah 13 Gesher LaTorah 20 Gesher LaTorah 27 Thanksgiving Weekend APRIL 2017 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 2 Gesher LaTorah 9 Passover Break 16 Passover Break 23 Gesher LaTorah 30 Gesher LaTorah DECEMBER 2016 MAY 2017 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 4 Gesher LaTorah 11 Gesher LaTorah 18 Gesher LaTorah 25 Chanukah Weekend 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 7 Gesher LaTorah 14 Gesher LaTorah 21 Gesher LaTorah 28 Memorial Day Weekend JANUARY 2017 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 New Year s Day 8 Gesher LaTorah 15 Gesher LaTorah 22 Gesher LaTorah 29 Gesher LaTorah JUNE 2017 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 4 Gesher LaTorah 11 Gesher LaTorah Last Day In the event of any changes in schedule or errors, you will be notified as soon as possible. 10
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GESHER LATORAH 5577/2016-2017 FEE SCHEDULE REGISTRATION RECEIVED: Before August 1, 2016 After August 1, 2016 SUNDAY SESSION 2 HOURS $510 $525 SUNDAY SESSION 3 HOURS $685 $700 These fees include tuition plus deposit, materials fee and late registration fee if applicable. Monthly billing will be in equal installments. All other payments are due by the first of the month. Textbooks, workbooks, worksheets and all materials are included in the above schedule of fees and will be issued by the teacher to the students as needed. FEES MUST BE PAID IN FULL UNLESS APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE. BILLS THAT ARE NOT PAID IN A TIMELY MANNER WILL RESULT IN YOUR CHILD S TERMINATION AT GESHER LATORAH. ALSO, ALL OUTSTANDING MONIES MUST BE PAID BY MAY 31, 2017. Parents seeking deferral of payment or scholarship aid should check off the appropriate place on the registration form and/or call the Gesher LaTorah office at 410-735-5022 for information. 12
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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES A. COMING AND GOING 1. ATTENDANCE Consistent attendance is necessary for your child's growth and achievement as well as for the progress of the class. Therefore, it is imperative that every effort be made to have your child in school for each session. In order to best utilize time to the advantage of our students and to ensure continuity of instruction, students are expected to arrive in their classrooms promptly at 9:00 a.m. for the three-hour class, 10:00 a.m. for the two-hour class. 2. EARLY ARRIVAL Students may not be dropped off prior to the start of class, as there is no supervision. If you arrive early, please remain with your child at school until the appropriate time. 3. DISMISSAL As a safety precaution, if you plan to have someone other than yourself pick up your child from school, please send a note with that person's name. If this is an ongoing arrangement, please include that information in your note. For the safety of your child, he/she will not be released to a person who does not regularly pick up him/her without your written permission and without proper identification. Also, teachers should not be asked to provide transportation for your child because they are not contracted and do not carry insurance for this purpose. 4. EARLY DISMISSAL Should an occasion arise warranting early dismissal, you must send a brief note stating the time and reason. You must then pick up your child at his/her classroom. Students will not be allowed to wait outside alone. Please try to help us make the most of our class time; avoid removing your child early unless it is absolutely necessary. 5. LATE PICKUP Parents arriving late will be billed $10.00 per each additional ten (10) minute segment that they are late. In an emergency situation, parents are urged to notify Rachel Delman Turniansky by calling Sunday at 410-735-5022. 14
B. SCHOOL CLOSINGS Should it become necessary to close our school on a Sunday, an announcement to that effect will be made on the following radio stations: WBAL and WCBM. In addition, classroom staff will notify parents and/or caregivers by telephone. C. SAFETY AND EMERGENCIES Gesher LaTorah takes the safety and well-being of your child very seriously. We will use every reasonable means to keep your child safe and healthy. Your cooperation and support of our efforts to provide a safe learning environment for your child is needed and appreciated. Please call Gesher LaTorah immediately (410-735-5022 or 410-735-5000) in the event of any changes to the emergency information included on your Registration Form. This includes health information, medications, dietary needs, changes in doctors, etc. We consider this information as we plan our activities. In addition, this information is vital to us should an emergency arise. D. MEDICATION Medications may not be administered by Gesher LaTorah staff. If your child requires medication during school time, a parent or guardian must administer it. E. PHONE: SUNDAY MORNINGS On Sunday mornings, you can reach GESHER LATORAH by calling the CJE at (410) 735-5022. Please do not call the JCC front desk. Messages through the front desk will NOT be received in a timely manner. 15
THE CLASSROOM AND BEYOND A. MATERIALS 1. Kippot (yarmulkes) are to be worn by all male students during school classes and activities. 2. Supplies - Please make sure to provide any materials requested by the teacher (pencils, notebooks, crayons, etc.). 3. Donations - GESHER LATORAH teachers often use scraps of material, empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls, old books of wallpaper, cleaned-out plastic containers, plastic lids, etc. Please save these materials and ask your child s teacher if they could be of use. 4. Kashrut - If you bring any food or drink for parties at GESHER LATORAH, please make sure it has a heksher - a symbol authorizing it as a kosher product. If you are unsure of the appropriate hekshers, contact 410-735-5022 for information. B. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT Every attempt is made to ensure that GESHER LATORAH is a safe school where learning can occur and attachments to Judaism can develop. Each classroom has standards and rules to assist in creating a healthy school climate. Various methods are used to ensure a Jewish environment in our classrooms including positive reinforcement, emphasis on Jewish values and behavior modification. GESHER LATORAH does not condone and will not sanction the discipline of students by physical or corporal means. If your child has a behavior management plan in place at his/her weekday educational placement, please make sure we have a copy of the plan and the name and number of a contact person at the placement for our files. C. TEACHER TRAINING GESHER LATORAH teachers and assistant teachers participate in Professional Development programming offered by the Center for Jewish Education for its affiliated schools. Our teachers also have the opportunity to attend workshops specifically for teachers of children with special needs and other community education programs including workshops sponsored by Shemesh, Baltimore Hebrew Institute courses and CAJE workshops in order to learn about the newest materials and methodologies. D. STUDENT PROGRESS REPORTS Written progress reports are sent to parents during the year. These reports: 1. Inform parents of the subjects and activities in which students have been involved 2. Assess each student's progress. As a follow-up to the mid-year report card, we will send you information about a parent-teacher conference to review your child's program. Throughout the year, additional parent-teacher conferences can be arranged at a mutually convenient time by calling the Center for Jewish Education s Special Education Services at 410-735-5022. 16
HOW YOU CAN HELP Your child is with us for only a few hours each week. We must be partners in helping him/her develop positive feelings toward the Jewish tradition and the Jewish way of life so that he/she will acquire a sense of belonging to the Jewish community. We offer the following suggestions for your consideration: 1. Make formal religious education relevant to the life of your child by celebrating the Shabbat and holidays at home and at the synagogue. Make Friday night a "family night". Light Shabbat candles and recite the blessings over the wine and the Challah. Encourage your child to help with the preparations. He/she studies a unit on Shabbat each year with increasingly complex concepts and skills. 2. Note special days on the Jewish calendar with your child. The major holidays are important family times. Visit the Resource center, packed with suggestions for how you can celebrate. Minor holidays can be joyous or serious: they reinforce that Judaism pervades all aspects of our lives and all times of the year. Your child will be hearing the names and learning the meanings of these special days at school. 3. Have Jewish ceremonial objects and Jewish books in your home. Display a Jewish calendar. Your child will learn to use one in school. 4. Encourage your child to tell you what he/she has studied. Let him/her know that his/her Jewish education is very important to you. 5. Help your child understand the importance of "Mitzvot" by reminding him/her to bring money for Tzedakah to class and by designing a plan for your family that will stimulate your child to perform commanded good deeds. Keep a Tzedaka box at home as well. 6. Discuss current events of Jewish interest at home. Help your child become aware of the larger Jewish community by drawing his/her attention to articles, newscasts and special events. 7. Enrich your child's educational experiences in Gesher LaTorah by sharing information pertaining to his/her special needs with the principal and your child's teacher. 8. Convey to your child the importance of attending Jewish education classes regularly by arranging prompt transportation to and from Gesher LaTorah. 9. Instill in your child a positive attitude toward Gesher LaTorah by supporting its special events through your own personal attendance and participation. Always feel free to discuss any aspect of the program, positive or negative, with the teacher or principal. We are dependent on feedback from you. Together, we can enable your child to live proudly as a Jew. Rachel Delman Turniansky, Principal, can be reached by calling 410-735-5022. 17
CENTER FOR JEWISH EDUCATION GESHER LATORAH 5777/2016-2017 SCHOOL YEAR THIS FORM MUST BE SIGNED AND RETURNED PRIOR TO THE FIRST DAY OF CLASSES. Mail to: CENTER FOR JEWISH EDUCATION GESHER LATORAH Special Education Services 5708 Park Heights Avenue Baltimore, Maryland 21215 I have reviewed, read, and agree to abide by the provisions in the Parent Handbook. (Check the following if needed.) Please contact me to discuss the information on p.. STUDENT'S NAME PARENT SIGNATURE DATE 18