Over the last few weeks high school placement results came in and I am so proud of our 8th grade students. Members of the class of 2017 were accepted to an array of competitive NYC high schools, including Jewish day schools, independent schools, selective public schools, specialized public schools, and performing arts audition schools. See the list of high schools that offered acceptances to Schechter Manhattan students below, and check out my Facebook page for a link to a NY Times article about how competitive high school placement is in NYC. Many of the students are choosing between great options and in the coming weeks we will hear where they will finally choose to attend.

For all middle school students in New York City – home to the widest possible selection of Jewish, private, and public schools – the high school placement process is an important one. At Schechter Manhattan we take a comprehensive, systematic approach to the high school advisement and placement process, which takes place over a 16-month period beginning in the spring of seventh grade. Guided by Janet Barzilay, our talented Director of Admissions and Placement, each middle school student and family follows a personal path toward defining their needs, goals, and values. Key milestones in the process include choosing high schools to apply to that meet a student’s unique profile, applying to them, being admitted to some or all of them, and deciding which of them to attend. At each step, our team  offers support and guidance to each student, each family, and the class as a whole.

While the process can feel daunting at times, we approach it as an opportunity for growth and learning. Students develop skills, such as writing essays and preparing for interviews. They think deeply about who they are as young people and Jews and what they aspire to for their futures. They support each other as members of a caring community.  In the end of the process we hope that our students not only find the right high school match but also find themselves better prepared to succeed in high school and in life.

We are coming to the end of the process for the Class of 2017, which is bittersweet for me. I am so excited for all they have ahead of them, and also sad that soon they will graduate and leave Schechter Manhattan.

Mazal Tov to the students of the Class of 2017.

Class of 2017 High School Acceptances

Private

Abraham Joshua Heschel School
Basis Brooklyn
Elisabeth Irwin High School- LREI
Friends Seminary
North Shore Hebrew Academy
Solomon Schechter School of Westchester
Trevor Day School

Public

Bard High School Early College Manhattan
Baruch College Campus High School
Brooklyn Technical High School
Clinton School for Writers and Artists
Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
High School for Math, Science and Engineering at the City College of New York
High School of American Studies at Lehman College
Millennium High School
NYC Lab School for Collaborative Studies
Stuyvesant

Benjamin Mann

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Author’s Chair

Each week we feature the written work of our students. We hope you will stop by every week and see what they are writing and thinking about.

 

Kitah Aleph

The Kitah Aleph students are experts on a variety of topics.  During Writing Workshop and in conjunction with our study of non-fiction texts, the students wrote “teaching” and “all about” books about their favorite topics.

 

Soccer

(Soccer is a fun sport.  You can never tuotch the bull with hands. But dont wery you can do other things.  But golys can use their hands.)

“Soccer is a fun sport.  You can never touch the ball with your hands.  But don’t worry, you can do other things.  Goalies can you their hands”

– Avner-Lev

 

Babies and Toddlers

(This is my sistor.  She is a totolor.  This book is abawt babys and totolors.  Totolors ore gronop babys they are 2 or 3.  They are futn to ply with And if you are good they will behave)

“This is my sister.  She is a toddler.  This book is about babies and toddlers.  Toddlers are grown up babies.  They are 2 or 3.  They are fun to play with and if you are good they will behave.”

– Hanna

 

All About Writing

(Forst I write with a pantsal. Tshway to not praykin  the top of the pantsal. I writ carfofoli.  ab sum culoars. ab sum totals)

“First I write with a pencil.  Try not to break the top of the pencil. I write careful.  Add some color.  Add some details.”

– Rona

Click here to read work by Avner-Lev, Hanna, and Rona.

 

Kitah Gimmel

Students in Kitah Gimmel are learning to write reading responses using evidence from the text to support their ideas. Here are drafts of some of their responses.

 

Calpurnia is treated unfairly in The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate.  Calpurnia wants to be a scientist, but her parents want her to be a housewife.  On her birthday her dad gives her some money and says that maybe she could save it for dresses.  Her mother forces her to knit  socks for everybody in the family.  Calpurnia gets less money given to her than her brothers.  On their birthdays, they get a dime and on her birthday she gets a nickel.  Calpernia is discriminated against because she is a girl in the 1800’s.

— Renata

 

Harry Potter is friendly and brave.  He is friendly because he can easily make friends.  On the train to Hogwarts he became friends with Ron really quickly.  Harry Potter is also brave because he doesn’t have any real family to help him in life. His mom and dad were killed by Voldermort and everyone is afraid of him. I want to be as nice and brave as Harry Potter.

— Joey

 

Everyone who likes graphic novels should read this book.  El Deafo is a graphic novel. The book is split into pictures and speech bubbles.  I have a friend that loves graphic novels and her name is Violet.  El Deafo is about a girl’s life and Violet likes to learn about people. Violet likes funny books and this book is funny.  These are all the reason Violet will like this book.

— Amelie

 

There is a lot of reason why I would like to be Ms. Sugar.  Ms. Sugar is really nice.  Ms. Sugar gives her neighbors cookies and tea.  Ms. Sugar bakes and makes the cookies herself. Ms, Sugar lives in a warm and pretty place.  She lives in California.  Ms. Sugar is a cool person.

— Maya

 

Kitah Heh

The fifth graders are studying Jewish immigration to the United States. As part of this unit, they are writing journals from the point of view of immigrants.

 

Click here to read work by Odelia, Batya, Eli,Gabby, and Jonathan.