Friday June 2nd 2023
The annual 5th Grade “Moving Up to JHS” Night took place on Monday, May 22. Students and their parents gathered to learn about life in Junior High School and tips to successfully make the transition to 6th Grade.
The evening began with Rabbi Landsman addressing students and parents in the Multi-Purpose Room. Rabbi Landsman introduced the evening and shared words of wisdom from the world-renowned Psychiatrist, Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski zt”l. Rabbi Twerski once taught a powerful life lesson from an unexpected source, a lobster.
Rabbi Twerski explained that a lobster lives in a rigid shell, and as it grows, the shell becomes too small for the animal. The lobster feels uncomfortable, sheds the shell, and eventually produces a new and larger one. Rabbi Landsman noted that the moral of the story is that times of potential stress are actually prime opportunities for growth. Junior High School can sometimes be a challenging time in a student’s development, but we do our best to help each student grow and mature into successful students in YCQ and beyond.
After Rabbi Landsman’s introductions, parents and students split into 4 groups and attended different sessions in a round-robin style. Throughout the rest of the night, they heard from Judaic Studies faculty, Mrs. Melissa Cohen and representatives from the General Studies department, YCQ’s Counseling department led by Dr. Elana Dumont and Mrs. Elana Joffe, and Mr. Jacob Grossman, the JHS Director of Student Life and Activities.
Teachers spoke about the 6th grade curriculum in all the different subjects in Limudei Kodesh and Chol, and the various academic goals they have for the students. Dr. Dumont, Director of Psychological Services, encouraged parents and students to have serious and thoughtful conversations about the upcoming year, and also described the Social Emotional Learning Curriculum that is in place for next year. Mrs. Joffe spoke about the importance of being properly organized, and provided valuable tips and suggestions for how to do so.
During Mr. Grossman’s talk, students watched a brief video of some of the highlights of the Student Life experience. Mr. Grossman then described in more detail about all the events, teams, clubs, and experiences that students will have the chance to participate in during their time in JHS. YCQ strongly believes in the pairing of a strong academic program with education outside of the classroom, and there are ample opportunities for experiential education in Junior High. These opportunities enable students to develop a healthy sense of self-worth and confidence that will help them mature into successful Bnei and Bnot Torah.
We can’t wait to welcome the Class of 2026 to Junior High School!
