A Jewish Day School in Northampton, Massachusetts
Students at Lander-Grinspoon Academy have a new space to allow their creative sides to shine. Two former classrooms in the school’s basement have been converted to a “makerspace,” equipped with hardware tools, abundant art supplies, and plenty of counter space.
LGA has always promoted hands-on problem-solving/learning, but this year the school will take it up a notch with a state-of-the-art Makerspace that combines elements of a science lab, woodshop, computer lab and art room.
Read more in the Jewish Ledger: LGA to get Makerspace
LGA students and music teacher Felicia Sloin will be featured in an upcoming documentary about “The Lonely Child,” a song written during the Holocaust. The film’s producers recently visited the school to speak to students and record a performance of the song.
Lander-Grinspoon Academy (LGA) is partnering with Jewish Family Services (JFS) to sponsor a refugee family arriving in Western Massachusetts. A family of four, originally from Eastern Congo, arrived on Wednesday, November 28th. (Learn more!)
Sara Bedford, New American Program Director for JFS, came to LGA to help the students understand the challenges of the US refugee resettlement system. She played a dramatic game of musical chairs with students to demonstrate how the need for help outweighs the number of people seeking asylum, and the reasons why certain refugees make it through the system and others don’t. Durga Giri, now an employee of JFS, shared with the students the story of how he escaped from Bhutan when he was 5 years old.
Isabel Baxter Paris, 6th grader at LGA, asked Mr. Giri, “What was the number one thing you wanted when you first came to the United States?” He replied that he wanted a place to live, friends and community support, and food.
The school collected household items, clothing, books and toys for the family. The kindergarten class took care of grocery shopping for culturally appropriate food for the family so they arrived to a full kitchen, and older students set up the apartment with furniture, kitchen supplies, linens and other things the family will need. They also made decorations and welcome banners for the family.
As part of the school’s celebration of Thanksgiving, all students learned about the plight of refugees through hands-on activities.
Going forward, the school community will also coordinate volunteers to help the parents study for driving tests, to get to appointments, and to help them get settled.
Deborah Bromberg Seltzer, principal at LGA, said, “As Jews, we were all immigrants once, and it is our responsibility to take care of those currently suffering a similar plight. Taking care of others is an important aspect of Judaism that we seek to instill in all our students.”
Watch: LGA 5th Graders Ready Apartment for Refugee Family (WWLP 22 News)
Students at LGA
had the opportunity to learn about and make music with Khalif Neville, a keyboardist who hales from Western MA. Khalif, 21, is the son of Charles Neville and was raised in one of the most preeminent musical families in America, that of the Neville Brothers who have been together since the late 1970’s. Khalif knows the importance of being exposed to music as a young person and began playing the keyboard by the age of 4 years old. Khalif brings his passion and love of all kinds of music to his work with young people. He loves hip hop, electronic music, funk as well as jazz music. Khalif just released his second album “Wishin”.
LGA music specialist, Felicia Sloin understands the importance of not only putting instruments, like ukuleles, recorders, and drums, directly in the hands of students; she likes to ask them to make their own music through her class on songwriting and expose students to musicians to explore their own musical expression.
Felicia Sloin said, “Students are inspired when they have the opportunity to be with a musician like Khalif, who is fully engaged. His passion is contagious, and the students realize that they too are musicians.”
Teachers and staff of LGA, Gan Keshet Preschool, ALMA religious school, and the Northampton Survival Center gathered together to explore how Abundance Farm can help students learn about justice.
Read more: Farm, schools explore how to help students learn about justice (Daily Hampshire Gazette)
Lander-Grinspoon, together Congregation B’nai Israel of Northampton, Gan Keshet, Abundance Farm, Beit Ahavah, and PJ Library Western Massachusetts hosted a Sparkle Havdalah event with author Lesléa Newman, local drag queen entertainer Jenayah De Rosario and LGA music teacher and local musical edutainer Felicia Tzipora Sloin.
Read more: This Jewish day school is hosting a drag queen Shabbat ceremony
“In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., activist and musician Katryna Nields spread the message of the power of change and peace to a crowd of young children and their parents” at a PJ Pals event hosted by LGA.
Read More: Lander-Grinspoon youngsters take King’s message with music (Daily Hampshire Gazette)
At Lander-Grinspoon Academy we teach our students to be engaged citizens, and alum Jonathan Goldman, who was recently elected to the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee, is a great example. “It’s important for young people to be involved and to realize they can make policies happen through their activism,” Goldman said in an interview.
Read more: Northampton man elected as youngest to Democratic State Committee (Daily Hampshire Gazette)
Lander-Grinspoon fifth-grader Isabel started a project to knit scarves and hats for the homeless, which grew into a community endeavor with knitters from the around Valley and as far as Baltimore offering their time and knitting talents.
Read more: Northampton youngsters spread warmth with knitting project (Daily Hampshire Gazette)
Watch: Students knit scarves to help the homeless brave the cold (Western Mass News)
5th graders knit scarves and hats for the homeless (WWLP)
Becky Lederman was awarded the The Harold Grinspoon Award for Excellence in Jewish Education at the annual Teachers Awards banquet on May 3, 2017. Becky joined the LGA faculty in 2002 as the first 6th grade classroom teacher. In addition to a cash stipend, award winners receive credits towards professional development and membership at the JCC or YMCA.
Front row (left to right); Hilary Gollis, Becky Lederman, Ellen Frank. Back row (left to right); Amy Meltzer, Deborah Bromberg Seltzer, Nora Gorenstein, Yafa Chase, Jacqui Kates, Evie Glickman, Rabbi Riqi Kososke (Shana Sureck Photography).
Our upcoming PJ Pals Event – December 18 at 10:00am – will feature Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz reading a holiday story, and an opportunity to make your own menorah.
PJ Pals Preschool Pals at LGA is open to families with children ages 3-5.
The LGA community got together on December 10 for a Chanukah celebration and concert led by our amazing music teacher Felicia Sloin. Each of the grades performed, and the LGA chorus also took the stage for two songs. As you can see in the videos here, it was a wonderful night of singing, dancing, music and celebration.
