Back to school at Bnot Shulamith

Issue of August 29, 2008

Bnot Shulamith Middle School is excited to welcome 145 girls into grades five through eight this year, a 20 percent increase in enrollment over last year’s 120 students.

“We are Baruch Hashem experiencing explosive growth in the school,” said Principal Rabbi Nosson Schreiber. “We also have a wonderful retention rate for staff, with a balance of veteran teachers returning to the school and several new teachers joining us this year.”

One new faculty member is Mrs. Itti Chazan, who previously taught at the Shulamith campus in Brooklyn.

“She is a master teacher who will be integrating a study skills time management curriculum into the limudei kodesh classes that she is teaching,” said Rabbi Schreiber, explaining her role. “As kids transition from lower grades to departmentalized schedules, we want to give them the tools to do so successfully.”

Mrs. Chazan will also be conducting development seminars for fellow teachers, “to reinforce and sharpen their skills, and to be a think tank for the best practices,” said Rabbi Schreiber.

Another new face will be Mrs. Ariella Fein, formerly of Ramaz, who will teach limudei kodesh in the fifth grade and is a “SMART Board master, who will incorporate that into her curriculum,” said Rabbi Schreiber.

This year, the middle school will be participating in JNTP, the Jewish New Teacher Program, a teacher-mentoring program subsidized by the United Jewish Agency federation. Mrs. Yaffa Schreier, a teacher at Bnot Shulamith, will be trained in the program by attending workshops and observing classes to enable her to act as a mentor for new teachers.

Outside the realm of academics, the Bnot Shulamith Torah Bowl team, under Rabbi Schreiber’s guidance, looks forward to defending their title this year after winning the Metropolitan league championship in 2008.