Literacy talks engage girls at Shulamith School

The Shulamith School for Girls’ Middle Division celebrated literacy with a week of special programming.

On Tuesday, storyteller Gerald Fierst, of Encore Performing Arts, inspired the girls to “Think It — Write It!” Wednesday featured spelling bees, which had all on the edge of their seats as sixth grader Haley Rosenberg and eighth grader Eliana Eichler spelled their way to victory. Thursday featured a Presidents-Day-themed Poetry Slam.

Special presentations to middle-schoolers included a visit by Chaim Schneider, of Judaica Press, who spoke about how books move from “Concept to Consumer.” Sixth and seventh graders attended a session called “Getting Your Message Across” in which Celia Weintrob, advertising director of The Jewish Star, taught the girls all about news and advertising, and had them compose headlines about Shulamith’s Literacy Week activities.

A week-long Book Fair was attended by all.

Shulamith’s Lower Division students enjoyed a visit from renowned children’s author Johanna Hurwitz.

The first-through-fourth graders enjoyed read-alouds, while students in grades three and four formed book clubs.

From “New Shoes for Silvia” to “Busybody Nora” to “Class Clown” to “Teacher’s Pet,” students enjoyed Johanna Hurwitz’s  books and meeting the author, learning how she works, and hearing her ideas.