Maccabean Resilience

     The Maccabees were few in number and their chances of winning were slim. Yet, they did not give up and persevered and thereby רבים ביד מעטים -the many fell in the hands of the few, against all odds. They then arrived in the Beit HaMikdash and again were devastated. All the oil seemed to have been tainted by the enemy. Alas, another miracle! They found one flask of oil enough for one mere day, again against all odds. They saw how there is only enough oil left for one day. It will take a week to make more oil. And, then again, against all odds, it lasted for eight days. 

I can imagine the conversations among them.  “Why even try? There is no way we will win against the mighty Greeks!”  “We can do it- let’s not give up! Stay hopeful! Believe!”  And, then,  “Why are we even wasting our time looking for a pure flask of oil? They are all tainted!”  “We can do it- let’s not give up hope!  Believe!”  And, then “Why are we  bothering to light the menorah? It will only last for one day!”  “Let us at least try. Miracles do happen! Stay hopeful. Believe!” 

Chanukah is the holiday of resilience- the ability to bounce back from difficulties and persist.  As I have mentioned in past years in this column, one unit we will be doing later in the year  in our 7th grade Advisory is called “When Life Gives You Lemons- Coping with Adversity in Life.”  We begin with a quiz.  Who is this?  “He ran for political office seven times and was defeated each time.” .... Abraham Lincoln.  “His first children’s book was rejected by 23 publishers.”.... Dr. Seuss. “ As a baseball player, he struck out more than any player in the history of baseball: 1,330 times.”... Babe Ruth.  Why were these famous people able to continue despite failure and rejection? What was their secret?  Why do others quit the moment they face tough times? 

We demonstrate to the students that it is the difference between an egg and a super ball. The Advisor then takes a  ball and bounces it into a container. She points out that the harder you bounce it the quicker it bounces back. Then she takes the egg and throws it into the container.  It shatters. An egg- the harder you throw it, the quicker it shatters. There are two types of people in life. Some are raw egg people- who shatter when faced with an obstacle. Then there are super ball people. When they face an obstacle they bounce back. The people above- Lincoln, Dr. Seuss etc. with every failure they bounced back.

We then speak about the story of Jim Marshall, a former defensive player for the Minnesota Vikings.  In a game against the San Francisco 49ers, Marshall spotted the football on the ground. He scooped it up and ran for a touchdown as the crowd cheered. But he ran the wrong way. He scored for the wrong team and on national television!  It was the most devastating moment of his life. The shame was overpowering. But during halftime, he thought, “If you make a mistake, you got to make it right. I realized I had a choice. I could sit in my misery or I could do something about it.” Pulling himself together for the second half, he played some of his best football ever and contributed to his team's victory.”  Dr. Carole Dweck speaks about Jim Marshall’s triumph in her book Mindset.  We discuss with the students that after a setback you can be either bitter or better. The only difference between those two words is the “I”- I have the choice to grow or sink under hardship. 

Lazer Gurkow in his article “Despite the Odds” highlights the insurmountable military challenge the Maccabees faced when fighting the Greeks. He adds an additional challenge: If this were not intimidating enough, consider the internal threat. A huge number of Jews had Hellenized—assimilated into the Syrian Greek culture. They rejected the laws and rituals as ancient relics, superfluous to an enlightened people. They viewed those who clung to religion as backwards, a cancer to be excised. They would do everything in their power, including fighting their own brethren, to ensure stability and the continuity of their lifestyle.”  

Not only were they facing the external threat, but also their own internal threat. We are often our own worst enemies. At times it is our peers or friends that discourage us. At times we ourselves have an internal self-talk (which we discuss in Advisory) which discourages us from dusting ourselves off and trying again.  “Yet, the Jewish warriors rejected this script and drew on the resilience of their soul,” says Gurkow. Resilience.  Here, he maintains, they gained that resilience from their souls- from their Emunah and belief in G-d’s salvation. (We too have discussed the power of  emunah in helping our children persist through difficulty).  

In essence the Maccabees were believers, and they were clearly optimists. They had the ability to see the cup half full and not half empty.  We also call this in Advisory the ability to see the world through “rose-colored glasses” instead of dark glasses. We apply this exercise to the ti real-life experiences.  The example I give them relates to losing power at your house during a hurricane:

During the hurricane, suddenly your power went off in your home.

Rose colored glasses perspective: 

“It was so much fun when the power went off in my house during the hurricane. We all got to sleep in the same room and my father didn’t have to go to work.  We stayed up late telling ghost stories- it was like one big campfire!  We stayed up all night playing games and having fun by flashlight.  I will never forget that night!”

Dark colored glasses perspective: 

“It was the worst night of my life. There was no power so we all had to squish into one room.  And, all I really wanted to do was to go to sleep in my own room, but my siblings were playing and making so much noise!  It’s so boring with no TV to watch, and I knew my teacher would be angry at me for not doing my homework. I wish we had a generator!” 

Gurkow focuses on the  a message that stems from Chanukah that we can hold onto during any times of challenge:

   The miracle of Chanukah was not just that the light lasted for eight days; that is a rather small miracle for G‑d. If He could split the Reed Sea, He could refill an oil jar. The miracle is that human beings, fallible and imperfect, overcame their doubts and found a new script. They rejected the odds and charted a new future. They refused to live in darkness and found their internal light.

The miracle of the eight-day light is merely an expression of the miracle wrought by the Maccabees. G‑d wanted the world to know what the Maccabees had achieved and made it a clarion call for generations. Don’t accept the script of darkness no matter the odds. You have a light inside you that refuses to be extinguished, and that one little light can banish a great deal of darkness.

When you kindle the Chanukah lights this year, stop and think about resilience and endurance

When we focus on the light within we can persevere. What is that light? (All of which we cover in Advisory)

1. Positive “self-talk”- encouraging messages we tell ourselves, similar to what we would tell a friend who is struggling.

2. Grit- holding fast to a goal despite failure.

3. Upbeating thinking- seeing the cup half full.

4. Resisting negative thoughts- i.e. I am a terrible student! Nobody likes me because I am not “cool” enough. 

5. Positive coping statements- before, during and after stressful situations encouraging oneself with statements like “It’s going to be okay.” “I can handle this.”

6. Mindful self-compassion- being aware of what you are going through without judgment and then having the ability to comfort, self-sooth and encourage ourselves when we suffer or fail. 

7. Affirmations- statements that we make about ourselves that we affirm and say over and over until we believe them. 

8. Emunah- trust in G-d and belief that what is happening is good for us. 

Chava Shapiro, in  her article “The Opportunity in Adversity” agrees and states “the miracle of the oil teaches us a critical life lesson: how to find light in the midst of what seems like utter chaos and darkness.”  Shapiro continues that adversity can be viewed simply as an obstacle to overcome or part of life from which we emerge better, stronger and wiser. After facing a challenge we understand ourselves better and are better.  We need to remember the little oil within us that we can set aflame when we are ready. 

Chana Weisberg in “Eight Chanukah Lessons That Teach an Enlightening Perspective on Life” focuses on another lesson regarding facing difficulty that we glean from the oil lasting for 8 days. “Don’t fight darkness; enlighten it by shining the light of truth and purpose. Don’t dwell on negativity or failures; instead, focus on positive change.” 

Sarah Chana Radcliffe in her article “Lighten Up: You can bring light into your home by toning down the negativity” reiterates the importance of shining that light instead of focusing on negativity. Through constant criticism, lecturing, nagging and complaining we introduce darkness into our homes.  We focus on the negative and do not equally focus on the positive. We need to work more on finding the good, judging all for the good and focusing more on the blessings in our lives. 

In the article following Radcliffe’s article, various authors write personal stories they call “The Last Flask”- “They were a tiny band of brave warriors who had defeated the powerful Greek army.  And now, they wanted to renew the service in the Beit HaMikdash, to kindle the menorah that would light up the world.   But the oil they needed was desecrated, dribbling from shattered vessels, unsealed and contaminated. And then they found it- the last flask, the small bottle that would enable them to start anew.  12 writers share the last flask that lit up their own lives…”  We all have those difficult times and those “last flasks” that we can find deep within ourselves. 

Let us encourage our children to look for that last flask within them, even when they feel that all is lost.  We raise them with the encouragement that they can do it despite the challenges they face. 

Advisory Update:

Sixth Grade:  Students discussed bar/bat mitzvah etiquette and appropriate behavior at a simcha.

Seventh Grade: Our students are preparing for their visit to the homeless shelter as part of their Operation Respect empathy unit. 

Eighth Grade: Based on the Dennis Prager film “For Goodness Sake” students discussed- why do we do good and what are the benefits for not only others, but for ourselves? 

Being B.R.A.V.E.

     This past week we engaged in an Advisory lesson in the 8th grade we call a “Quality Circle.” A quality circle is based on BRAVE (Bully Reduction/Anti-Violence Education)- part of a bullying prevention program created by Dr. Rona Novick,  for which Yavneh was part of the research study when it was first created. Dr. Novick described how  automotive companies sit and evaluate as a team each car as each one is produced- which they call a “Quality Circle.” So too, we at Yavneh,  as a group, every so often evaluate how we are doing at Yavneh with our product- which is an atmosphere where people are respected.  Are we accomplishing that? Are we creating a good "product”? The crux of the lesson is to have the students discuss how we are treating each other and have we created an atmosphere where all feel respected?  We consider whether there was “bullying” and what do we as bystanders do when witnessing it.  

        The BRAVE curriculum discusses that the goals of this Quality Circle are:
C- CARING-  to build a caring student community
A- ACTION-  to speak about how our actions communicate powerful messages to bullies. 
R- RESPONSIBILITY-  asking “who else was present” demonstrates how we all share responsibility when bullying is happening, and it is up to all of us- adults and students, to create a safe environment. 
E- EMPATHY- we can support a victim even after an incident has occurred. 

Each time we do a Quality Circle I base it on a trigger- something in either current events or in the media that relates to the topic.  This time the beginning of the lesson was a discussion about how a few weeks ago Governor Hochul signed legislation in New York called the Jack Reid Law aimed to protect students attending private schools from bullying, discrimination and harassment at school, online or at a school event outside of school. The law requires that private schools have clear anti-bullying policies, reporting procedures and follow-up procedures. The law was named after Jack Reid, a 17- year old who died by suicide after suffering bullying in the school he attended. 

Some topics the students discussed were:

1. Whether they think the school should be responsible for bullying that happens outside of school. 

2. Which is worse- online bullying or face to face bullying? Why do some resort to online bullying over in-person? 

3. If someone bullies another, how can the bully make it right? Do bullies change? 

In this past Shabbat’s parasha Vayishlach, Yaakov confronted the “bully” Eisav for the first time in many years. How will he deal with Eisav?  Nesanel Safran, in his article “Dealing With Bullies” writes, “To get home, they must first pass through the land of Esau, Jacob’s violent brother. As Jacob well knows, Esau has been plotting to kill him for many years. So Jacob prepares a brilliant three-part plan that teaches us how to deal with bullies like Esau. First, Jacob prays to God to protect him and his family. Second, Jacob sends messengers to Esau with pleasant words and valuable gifts, to let Esau know that he wants peace. Third, in case all else fails, Jacob prepares to fight his brother if he has to.”  We all know that in the end the “bully” Eisav accepts the gifts, even offers to travel with Yaakov,  and peacefully continues on his way. 

And, while Eisav may not literally be a “bully” the techniques that Yaakov used reminded me of a workshop that I attended this year, presented by the Wellness Institute in October, (I encourage you to join their monthly workshops that Yavneh is co-sponsoring!!) , by Izzy Kalman, author of Bullies to Buddies: How To Turn Your Enemies Into Friends. Mr. Kalman presented strategies that I had never considered before. Mr. Kalman, who happens to be religious, has two versions of his book- one for the general public and one written for the Jewish community. In the Jewish community version he writes on the the back: And even better, you will learn to be a winner, all by yourself, by understanding the secret power of ve’ahavta lere’acha kamocha…Everyone will like and respect you more when you learn to use the hidden power of ve’ahavta lere’acha kamocha.

Kalman maintained that he does not want to solve people’s problems for them. He wants to teach “victims” to  solve their problems for themselves. He states (and I quote)  “that “V’ahavta l’reacha kamocha” teaches us what to do to someone when they are mean to us. We should be nice back to them. We should be nice to them even when they are mean to us.”

Really?!  It is very hard to be nice to people when they are mean to us because it is  against our nature. He explained that social creatures are biologically programmed for reciprocity. When someone is mean to you you feel like being mean back. Reciprocity is a good strategy in nature. In nature if you are mean to me I had better be mean to you or you will kill me. But, today we do not live in nature, but our biological program has not changed- we are biologically programmed for reciprocity as if we live in nature. So, I am mean back to you and you are mean to me and back and forth. So, let us change that reaction, proclaims Kalman. Even if you are mean to me, I will be nice to you and eventually you will be nice to me- as you are programmed for reciprocity. 

Mr. Kalman role plays with the “victim” and teaches him/her: When you are insulted, react by agreeing with the bully. Don’t allow the other person to get you angry or upset. So, when he sees he cannot upset you, he will stop. One example he shared was if someone makes fun of your warts. Most people respond by getting upset and responding, “No I don’t have warts!  You’re so mean!” The perpetrator will just continue as it is “fun” for him to make you upset.  But, if you respond, “Yes. I have warts. It’s so hard to have warts. You’re lucky you don’t have warts,” you have taken all the “fun” out of bullying you and he will stop.  Or, another example, if a bully calls someone “Bad at sports” the victim should respond, “I wish I was good at sports like you. What’s your secret?” Treating a bully like a “friend” and agreeing with him is disarming and the bully is left without any ammunition. 

Mr. Kalman asked for volunteers from the audience to practice this technique, by acting like a bully. Kalman (the victim) first responded like the typical upset child, and the bullying continued. But, then Kalman responded by agreeing with the bully, and it took all the wind out of his sails and he stopped.  It really worked. 

Full disclosure- I have not read the research on whether this actually works, but it does make sense. Of course, one must understand the players before making recommendations. But, somehow Mr. Kalman learned from Yaakov Avinu’s second step “Jacob sends messengers to Esau with pleasant words and valuable gifts, to let Esau know that he wants peace.” Fighting against Esav would have made it worse. (And, let’s remember, as Yaakov reminds us, Tefillah helps too!) 

Advisory Update:

Sixth Grade: Our sixth graders had a check-in on their adjustment to middle school, by watching real-life scenarios acted out by Yavneh teachers pretending to be students and discussing possible solutions. They also began the “Hey Dude, Don’t Be Rude” unit on manners. 

Seventh Grade: Students discussed how we often judge “a book by its cover” and how we judge those around us. We need to work harder on the skills of empathy to imagine what it is like to live the life of the other. 

Eighth Grade: Students finished off a lesson on the “Attitude of Gratitude” leading up to Thanksgiving and participated in a Quality Circle discussed in the column this week.

Parent Teacher Conferences- Being Thankful For "Not Yet Success"

             Parent teacher conferences and Thanksgiving are usually in close proximity to each other.  What is the subliminal message? Some cynics might say,  to be thankful we only have to go through it twice a year?  That we are so exhausted so we need two days off soon after? I rather see it as being a positive connection as we are thankful as teachers and parents for our students and all their hard work, participation in class and their unique personalities.  We are thankful for the time our teachers put into our children and the time parents spend at home helping the students manage their work. So, parent-teacher conferences should be a “high-five” session of - good for you! You worked so hard and you are appreciated. 

But, what if there are areas that your child needs to work on or he has not succeeded in every area?  Gratitude is again the answer.  Research shows that employees are more motivated to work hard when their bosses show appreciation. And, vice versa. Employees are prone to work less when their bosses are too demanding or they fear losing their job.  But, how do you show gratitude to a child?  I would like to reframe gratitude and view it as “praise”- which is more effective.  Yes, each day in the Amidah, as we teach our children, we say בקשה , שבח and הודאה- praise, requests, and thanks. We know that thanks comes after we have received the “requests.” And, while there is value in that thanks, perhaps there is greater value in the “praise” that is not dependent on the results. Praise is when we show how thankful we are that they are our children- independent of whether they have achieved all that we have hoped for. 

Some years ago our teachers were privileged to hear several presentations by Dr. Tom McIntyre (Dr. Mac) at a Faculty Inservice Day.  Dr. Mac is a professor of special education at Hunter College of the City University of New York where he directs the graduate program in the education of students with mental health and behavior disorders.  He is the author of four books and his informative BehaviorAdvisor.com, is the world's most visited classroom behavior management website. Dr. Mac presented practical and easy to implement research- based positive techniques and communication tips for teachers to help promote motivation and cooperative behavior, solve problems (or better yet, prevent them), promote self- control and strengthen their positive relationships with their students.   

One area of focus for Dr. Mac was the area of praise.  Dr. Mac stressed, unbeknownst to many, that there have been thirteen types of praise studied in research and only two have been shown to work, and some are even counter-productive and harmful.  Teachers spent time learning how to praise our students effectively.   And along with praise, how do we utilize criticism that teaches and motivates?  As we leave parent teacher conferences today, how can we as parents utilize some of Dr. Mac’s tips to most effectively praise and share critique? 

Dr. Mac quoted the research of Dr. Carol Dweck on praise, which we have mentioned in this column before. We often praise our children “You’re so smart!” or “You’re an amazing math student!”  This simply sets them up for negative feelings about themselves as they are more fearful of “messing up,” more prone to giving up and not working hard, and less confident in the long-term.  On the other hand, praising children for their effort- their perseverance, strategies, and improvement, leads to greater self- confidence.  “You worked so hard. You took amazing notes with bullet points, and then tested yourself using your flashcards.” And, even when they don’t achieve the grade, they still get praise for their effort, “ You worked so hard on this. I am so proud of your effort. Let’s see what we can do together to figure out what you do not understand.”  We should never praise the product, but rather the process.  Again, this is שבח- praise and not הודאה- thanks, as it is not results based. 

But, what if it is not all praise and we need to critique? How we critique has to do with the mindset of the “critiquer.” Dr. Mac spoke of symptom separation- when it comes to speaking with our children about areas they need to improve, we need to remember we are frustrated with the behavior and not the child. This reminds us of the Gemara in Berachot 10a, as Bruriah says to her husband Rabbi Meir: 

 אָמְרָה לֵיהּ בְּרוּרְיָא דְּבֵיתְהוּ: מַאי דַּעְתָּךְ — מִשּׁוּם דִּכְתִיב ״יִתַּמּוּ חַטָּאִים״, מִי כְּתִיב ״חוֹטְאִים״? “חַטָּאִים״ כְּתִיב

..Rabbi Meir’s wife, Berurya, said to him: What is your thinking? As it is written: “Let sins cease from the land” (Psalms 104:35), Is it written, sinners cease?” Let sins cease, is written. One should pray for an end to their transgressions, not for the demise of the transgressors themselves.

The  pasuk in Tehillim 104:35 says:יִתַּ֚מּוּ חַטָּאִ֨ים | מִן־הָאָ֡רֶץ “Sinners will be destroyed from the earth.” Note that it says "חטאים” sins and not “חוטאים” - sinners. In truth, it is the sins that we want to disappear, not the sinner himself. We need to separate the child from the behavior. Rather than perceiving it as a child who is irritating me with not following through on what he is supposed to be doing, it is a difficult situation and he needs my caring and empathy.  The manner in which we react to their “failure” to either do the work or behave, will determine how they react. We are the thermostat for adjusting the temperature in our homes, so we need to manage our own emotions first.  

Dr. Mac shared with use the Chinese symbol for crisis: 危机. It is composed of two symbols- one that means danger and one that means opportunity.  We need to be careful that when we critique our children we are not just focused on the “danger” but also on the “opportunity” ahead for change.  We need to exude calm, make it clear what you need the child to do- but avoid “You” statements”  and focus more on “I” statements. No, “You are always forgetting your homework.’ Rather, “I need homework done first before…”   Just make sure a “you message” is not embedded in an “I message” like, “I need you to stop acting lazy.” Most importantly, we do not want to predict a negative future when critiquing, “You will never get into high school with these grades!” “You are going to fail the test!”   We want to show them that we are hopeful that they can do it.  We need to be careful not to use an accusatory tone. And, there needs to be a belief statement that you believe he/she can do better, “I know if we put this plan into effect you can…” And, whatever you do, do not reminisce and go back to the past. “Remember when you didn’t take notes  last year and you failed?”  That child knows you don’t believe in him/her and are predicting failure again. 

Additionally, children are willing to take criticism if they believe you believe in them.  Dr. Mac quoted research that states that in life we probably hear three positive things to one negative.  Our morale starts lowering when we hear only 2 positives to 1 negative.  That led Dr. Mac to speak about the criticism sandwich which he calls “emotional health food.” Criticism is digested better when it is delivered in a sandwich of positives. You start off with a praise, then the critique and then the encouragement that you know he can do it. 

As we leave parent teacher conferences today and decide how to share the good and not so good news with our children, may Dr. Mac’s advice regarding praise and criticism, like the sandwich,  be “food for thought.” 

Advisory Update;

Sixth Grade:  Sixth graders learned more about scheduling their evening as part of their time management unit. 

Seventh Grade: As part of their unit on Empathy students discussed how we often judge others.

Eighth Grade:   Before Thanksgiving, students focused on the “Attitude of Gratitude” and that being thankful actually makes a person happier.

Instead Of Screen Time

  This past week I joined a Yavneh workshop led by Mrs. Ora Bayowitz- Meier called “Film Time, Not Screen Time: Engaged Family Viewing.”  There we discussed how watching movies, or “shorts” with our families, and stopping the movies periodically and discussing life lessons that can be gleaned from the movies with our children is a wonderful way to bond with our children.  I mentioned how for years now I have been using movie clips (probably stemming from my days as a “programmer” for NCSY) as triggers for discussions in Advisory. Years ago, I had to splice out segments from a VHS tape. Now, luckily, much of that can be found on youtube!

In addition to the family bonding and the lessons we can convey to our children, more important is that these family bonding movies are taking our children away from their devices and staring at their individual screens.  Thanks to our parent-led endeavors we are hopefully pushing off getting our children phones and the use of social media, but alas, just this week I had two incidents of upset students based on chats on whatsapp with fellow classmates. (One of which was on a grade chat. Don’t start me on those!! Nothing good comes out of those chats!). 

I read a research study that just came out this week from researchers in the University of California reported in The Week in an article titled “Social media makes kids dumber”.  They reported that “preteens who spend more time on social media show poorer reading, vocabulary, and memory skills by early adolescence than those who use it little or not at all…The authors note that adolescence is a critical period for brain development, when the brain’s architecture is fine- tuned by experiences. Their findings, they say, highlight the need for policies to limit kids’ exposure to screens.”  While we already know the impact of technology on teen mental health, as noted last week, it also impacts their cognitive abilities. 

In recent discussions with Mr. Jason David, our Director of Technology, in getting our Student Technology Advisory Committee started this year (composed of 7th and 8th graders), he noted that students need more activities to replace screen time. Those movie nights are one such activity. But, we need to find more for our children to engage in other than staring at their devices. Friendship Circle, Motzai Shabbat learning programs, sports, art lessons, the Chesed Team- all good examples.  We, as parents, need to unite to help plan activities for our children to engage in instead of screen time. 

In my conversation with one of the young ladies about what happened on the whatsapp chat that upset her, I said in frustration “Why in the world are you having this discussion on a chat?! Why not in person?!”  She replied that she would never have been able to say what she said on the chat in person. (Which she viewed as defending herself).  “Yes! That’s the point”, I said to her!  We often say things we would never dare say in person- because it’s hurtful, on a chat. And, then what we said is there forever and can be screenshot.

 As it says on Common Sense Media (a great resource we use in school)

Tell your kids to think before they post. Remind them that everything they post can be seen by a vast, invisible audience (otherwise known as friends of friends of friends). With middle schoolers, it's a good idea for parents and caregivers to have access to what their kids are doing online. That way, you can be sure that what they're posting is appropriate, and help your kids avoid doing something they'll regret later.

I know it’s obvious and we have all heard it before- but two instances this week!  (And, those are the ones I knew about). 

When I was growing up we used to listen a Jewish singing group called Safam. I heard a song of theirs on Friday, connected to this past Shabbat’s parasha, called “A Song For Lot.” It talks  about how when Sedom and Amorah were destroyed, Lot and his family were not supposed to look back. Of course, Lot’s wife did not listen and turned into a pillar of salt. The song shares a metaphor:”... Ahead is a bright tomorrow,  Behind you a life of sin, Don’t ever look back once you begin.  Don’t let your mind slip away to olden times. Just look ahead…”  In life, we often make mistakes, and once we recognize the error of our ways and repent we should not dwell on the past. We should start afresh. 

However, when you think about it, when it comes to social media- there is no way to escape our past. Once we post it’s there forever.  And, the cognitive impact on our children of too much social media use is not retractable. 

So, let’s have a family movie night, where we talk to each other about what we are watching.  Let’s go out and buy our children more board games and help them take up some hobbies instead of device time! 

Advisory Update:

Sixth Grade: Students spoke about what stands in the way of their managing their time, the “glitches.”

Seventh Grade:  Students debriefed their Frost Valley experience considering what they gained, and began a new unit called Operation Respect on empathy through preparing for a visit to the homeless shelter in Hackensack. 

Eighth Grade: Students considered what they are good at and filled out a “Self-evaluation” sheet of activities they are involved in which administrators will use in filling out their recommendations for high school.