This school year has been quite unique as students have been given the opportunity to explore their interests, investigate societal issues and encouraged to think locally and globally to discover new passions in finding creative solutions to help others. Staff has kept busy also, with trips to innovative schools like High Tech High in SanContinue reading “PBL Exhibition: We Dared Greatly!”
Author Archives: Dr. Eliezer Jones
Goodbye Class of 2015
Today is the unofficial last day for our senior class. They have a senior trip to attend, some finals and then graduation, but today will be the last day of a regular schedule for them. I have not known them for four years, but I am happy I got to know them for their finalContinue reading “Goodbye Class of 2015”
Houston: Flood of Support
In a very short week lots has happened. Along with all the amazing teaching and learning that occurred, the drone club has almost completed their quadcopter builds, Sci-Tech students presented their projects in school, the debate team hosted the Spring Jewish Congress (congratulations to Mr. Benji Halprin for placing third in the competition!) and weContinue reading “Houston: Flood of Support”
The Maker Shabbaton
Last Thursday a group of VTHS students along with Mr. Joseph and myself headed up to the bay area for a Maker Shabbaton! A Maker Shabbaton you ask? Well, the main reason for our trip was to go to the Maker Faire which “is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth—a family-friendly festival of invention,Continue reading “The Maker Shabbaton”
Please don’t vomit on your test booklet
For the last two weeks there was a certain atmosphere of intensity, anxiety and mild excitement as we administered the Advanced Placement (AP) tests to our students. AP’s are a set of standardized tests to assess college-level learning of a specific discipline in high school. If a students does well they can receive college creditContinue reading “Please don’t vomit on your test booklet”
A Week In Pictorial Review
VTHS Improv Team attends ComedySportz College Show! Ok. This did not actually happen this week. It happened last Thursday, but it was awesome and I wanted to share it. I am behind the camera and the gentleman on the right is Tom Clark our ComedySportz High School League coach. Monday 4/27/15: Staff Development Day! ThisContinue reading “A Week In Pictorial Review”
Reflecting on the Principal Project
It is easy to look at a finished product and see how all the hard work was worth it. It is much more difficult to realize the benefits of one’s unrelenting effort in the middle of a process and take pride in the unfinished work. However, this week I decided to do just that. YouContinue reading “Reflecting on the Principal Project”
#PLAY4YITZI
The final score of their final game against Beth Tfiloh at the annual Red Sarachek Basketball Tournament held at Yeshiva University was 68-61. The Pack lost. In fact, they officially only won their first game. However, after this last game the true score for the pack was a tournament win for VTHS. You see, theseContinue reading “#PLAY4YITZI”
Celebrating Our Students
Schools do not celebrate their students enough. It is as simple as that. Students sent to the Principal’s office are generally asked to go for disciplinary reasons. Phone calls home are hardly ever to say your child did something great today. Even grades are less than celebratory as 60% of our primary grading system (A-F)Continue reading “Celebrating Our Students”
The power of yet
This week as I returned from the 2015 North American Jewish Day School Conference and I was asked by one of my teachers what my tolerance for change was? This question came after I was discussing some of the great things I learned at the conference, what I presented and how much of it fit into someContinue reading “The power of yet”
Student-Centered Purim
As you hopefully know by now, I believe strongly in a student-centered or learner-centered model of education versus the more traditional teacher-centered model. If you are not sure what that is click here for a comparison. However, if there was ever a recent example of a student-centered learning environment at VTHS it would have beenContinue reading “Student-Centered Purim”
Change is Exhausting
This has been wonderful week of learning. Not just for the students, but for the staff as well. We began the week with a staff development day focused on Leader In Me. We spent most of our time on our current mission and vision of VTHS and where we are headed in regard to bringingContinue reading “Change is Exhausting”
Howl Auditions
This was a jam-packed week of learning, professional development for the administration, a visit from a congressman and a beautiful Rosh Chodesh Davening with a fun and entertaining Rosh Chodesh Adar breakfast. There are so many things about this week that I want to share and will hopefully share some of it in future posts.Continue reading “Howl Auditions”
Improv and Engineering Are The Same?
This week our ComedySportz High School League team had its third workshop from our ComedySportz coach. The team meets daily as part of the Improvisational Arts and Speech class, but every other month they get coached by Tom Clark of ComedySportzLA. He is great and has taught our students amazing improv skills. This week theContinue reading “Improv and Engineering Are The Same?”
VTHS Guitar Center Guitar Club
A picture of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach holding a guitar at the Kotel hangs on my dining room wall. Why? Because it inspires me that a Rabbi picked up a guitar years ago and combined his immense Torah learning, love for Judaism and passion for music to inspire generations of Jews towards our faith. Known asContinue reading “VTHS Guitar Center Guitar Club”