Pressman Academy

Our 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade students have had some exciting visitors recently! Last week, children's book author Charlotte Offsay stopped by to read her book The Big Beach Cleanup to our 1st grade classes. This book ties into the 1st graders' curriculum by discussing the impact of human trash on the environment. With practical solutions for tackling the plastic problem, the story demonstrates that a person is never too young to inspire big change. 🌊

Just this morning, author Elly Kramer paid a visit to our 2nd and 3rd grade students. Elly read from her book series The Trillium Sisters, and discussed where writers get inspiration for their books and short stories. During the discussion, Elly explained of process of storyboarding and showed the students the very board that she and her co-author developed to create the characters and settings for the The Trillium Sisters books. Our 2nd and 3rd graders asked many interesting questions, and they were intrigued to learn that Elly began writing stories when she was just a third grader herself! ✍🏻

Thank you to Charlotte and Elly for visiting our campus and engaging with our students!

In addition to celebrating with a costume contest and Megillah reading, many of our middle schoolers headed off campus to spread joy today! The 6th graders paid a visit to their friends at the Iranian Jewish Senior Center, while the 8th grade students headed to B’nai David-Judea Congregation to host a Purim Seudah.

Costume parades and Megillah readings and dance parties- oh my! Chag Purim Sameach! 🎉

The class of 2027 took Sacramento by storm! On Tuesday morning, our 4th grade students and teachers boarded a plane bound for the state capital and hit the town for a jam-packed day. First, the group headed to the Leland Stanford Mansion, a historic mansion and California State Park where the governor often entertains guests. Next, they visited the California State Railroad Museum. Then, the class traveled to the State Capitol building, where they were welcomed by California Assembly members Isaac Bryan and Jesse Gabriel! Thank you to our fantastic 4th grade teachers Ms. Halpern and Mrs. Applebee, Assistant Principal Mrs. Pardo, and to all of the parent chaperones who helped to make this exciting trip possible.

Purim is just around the corner and the Pressman gift shop has got you covered! Stop by to pick up groggers or masks to make your Purim even more festive. Need to prepare Mishloach Manot for family, friends or classmates? Grab a mishloach box or gift bag, fill it with some nut free goodies from the shop, and go! Shop in-store or on the Gift shop website for Purim, school swag and more. 🛍️

Gift Shop Hours:
M-Th 9am-4:15pm (9a-12p on Purim- Tuesday. 3/7), F- 8am-3pm

Yesterday, 4th-8th grade students convened in the Sanctuary for a Q&A with New York Times best-selling author, Kelly Yang! Kelly is a UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School graduate, who worked as a writing teacher for 13 years before penning her own award-winning novels for children and young adults. Pressman students learned about Kelly’s road to success and asked her questions about her career, her inspiration for the books she’s written, and more! Thank you to , Morah Essia, and the Lainer Library parent volunteers who made this exciting visit possible.

It’s all about eyes in ECC STEAM. For the past few weeks, our 3 and 4-year-old students have been working with Coach Farrah to learn about the human eye. To put their visual motor skills to the test, students looked at half-drawn pictures to determine if they could recognize forms and shapes that were only partially completed. Next, the students took turns playing sequential memory games, which allowed them to examine their focus and recall. Finally, the class sorted objects of various sizes and colors. This activity helped the students to practice the skill of visual form constancy. We can’t wait to see what they “focus” on next! 👀

To cap off their in-depth study of water conservation, our first graders visited Heal the Bay, an organization dedicated to the study of marine life, the protection of coastlines, and the restoration of oceans and waterways. During the visit, the class participated in a tank exploration, a lesson on local marine life, and a beach clean-up with an emphasis on human impact. To see more about what our first grade conservationists have been studying this semester, be sure to stop by Pressman Academy’s Winter Exhibition tomorrow night. Check ParentSquare for details- We can’t wait to see you there!

ICYMI: Last week was National School Counseling Week, which takes place during the first full week of February each year. This week highlights the priceless contribution of counselors working within U.S. schools, and the significant impact that school counselors have on students of all ages. At Pressman Academy, we are grateful for our outstanding Wellness Department- which includes an ECC Behaviorist, a Parent Education Specialist, and Elementary School and Middle School Counselors.

One week and counting… Students in Kindergarten through 8th grade are busy prepping for Winter Exhibition 2023! Next Thursday, February 16th, families are invited to visit classrooms in the Elementary School and Middle School to see what our students have been working on this year. From colorful artwork to 3D models to live performances- We can’t wait to show you all that our students have accomplished!

Our first graders have spent the last few weeks learning all about water. The students have taken stock of the many ways that we use water and learned the importance of conserving this incredibly valuable resource. Last week, the class created colorful and informational posters to hang in the ES bathrooms that remind their fellow students of ways that they can save water. Thank you to our first grade students for sharing these tips, and beautifying our campus at the same time!

Scenes from a very festive, very green and brown Tu Bishvat!

In 2nd grade STEAM with Mr. S., students have been learning all about plants and the way that they reproduce. As the students wait for their bean sprouts to grow in the school garden, they expanded their understanding of plant life by creating their own model pollinators! First, the group discussed what makes an animal a pollinator, as well as the important role pollinators play in our world. (Did you know that 75% of the world’s flowering plants and about 35% of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollinators to reproduce?) After their discussion, each student sketched the pollinator that appealed to them most, and used paperboard and brads to create a model of the pollinator that they drew. 🐝

Have you PartyBooked yet? PartyBook events are a great way to build community and have fun, all while raising funds that support our school! Swipe to see some photos from last week’s events, and check out HaShavua for a link to sign up for upcoming parties! There are PartyBook events happening this Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, so be sure to register today!

Last week, the Anavim learned all about how to properly clean and care for their teeth! With the help of pediatric dentist (and Pressman parent) Dr. Adi Genish, students learned to brush, floss, and keep those sugar bugs at bay. Thank you to for paying our students a visit! 🦷

Each Wednesday afternoon, Middle School students participate in elective classes. This semester, students could choose to take classes in Broadcasting, Robotics, Sports & Games, Arts & Crafts, Board Games and more! In the Magic elective, taught by our very own ES Music teacher, Moreh Stephen, students learned the secrets of performance magic and mastered fun and mind-bending tricks to share. Yesterday, it was time for our MS magicians to show off all that they’ve learned! The elective students performed for a group of 2nd graders, wowing the crowd with their impressive tricks and illusions. Kol HaKavod to these budding magicians. We can’t wait to see what exciting elective class options are in store for semester 2!

Tech Team appreciation post! Yesterday was a big day at Pressman Academy, as our 3rd-5th and 6th-8th grade students participated in their respective spelling bees! These exciting events were photographed, live-streamed and recorded by a team of talented and dedicated Middle School students who work closely with our Director of Educational Technology, Erica Huls, to ensure that all of Pressman’s most significant celebrations are captured and shared with our community. Thank you to our Tech Team (and Miss Erica!) for all of their hard work! Stay tuned for more details about yesterday’s bees, and Kol HaKavod to our ES and MS bee champions!

In preparation for their Winter Exhibition projects, 3rd graders have spent the last few weeks studying the location of the iconic LA landmark, Dodger Stadium! The class has been learning all about the layers of history “buried” under the stadium: from prehistoric fossils to native Tongva land, to the communities of Chavez Ravine, to the eventual reshaping of the hills and building of Dodger Stadium itself. Last week, the group took a drive through the areas that were once the neighborhoods of the Chavez Ravine, and then toured the stadium to learn even more about its history. Be sure to join us for next month’s Winter Exhibition to see all that they’ve learned! 🌆

Did you hear?! This Wednesday, January 18th, our very own 7th Grade JV1 Boys basketball team will compete for the Jewish Day School Basketball Championship against Hillel Hebrew Academy! The game will take place at Yavneh Hebrew Academy (5353 W. 3rd Street) at 5:30pm. Come cheer on our Bulldogs! We can’t wait to see you there. 🏀

It’s been a rainy week in California, and what better time for the Megalim to begin their unit on the water cycle? First, the class learned that there are four parts to the cycle: collection, evaporation, condensation and precipitation. Then, they reinforced their learning by conducting their very own water cycles! The class collected water from outside, using droppers to “evaporate” the water and place it into “clouds” (cotton balls). The students felt their “clouds” get heavier and heavier, and eventually drip water like rain!

Did you hear? Pressman PartyBook 2023 is live! PartyBook provides opportunities for our community to come together and have some fun while raising funds that support our school. This year's PartyBook calendar is jam packed with exciting activities for adults and kids. If you are a current Pressman parent, you received an email with detailed instructions for how to register and sign up for PartyBook events. The fun starts next week and parties are filling up fast, so be sure to register today! We can't wait to party with you. 🎉

Dreidel painting, latke making and sufganyiah decorating- Chag Hanukkah sameach from our fist graders! 🕎

This morning, our Kindergarten students welcomed their parents to campus for an exciting Hanukkah celebration. The Ducks and Frogs put on a lively program full of song and dance. After lighting the Hanukkiyah together, parents joined their children to complete a special project on Ziering field. Kol HaKavod to our Kindergarten students and teachers on this wonderful, meaningful celebration. Chag Hanukkah sameach! 🕎

The Anavim are gearing up for Hanukkah by focusing on the ways that they can bring light and kindness into to the world. Together, the class read the book What Does It Mean to Be Kind by Rana DiOrio, which gives some examples to help young children understand what acts of kindness are all about. The class is also collecting tzedakah for Pressman’ Adopt-A-Family program, and donating non-perishable food items to the SOVA Pantry donation bins. By incorporating Jewish values and mitzvot into their study of the upcoming holiday, the students are learning how giving generously can make the world a brighter place.

You might already be aware that our 6th, 7th and 8th grade students are currently in Israel, but did you know that our Kindergarten-5th grade students visited Jerusalem, Haifa and Tzvat today too? Well…almost. This morning, our ES students had their passports stamped and traveled to Israel by way of Corning 8. The classes were split into teams and rotated through 5 different stations- each one requiring them to complete a different puzzle, trivia challenge, or activity. The teams had to call upon their knowledge of Hebrew, Judaic studies, and Israeli history in order to complete the tasks and see which group would win “Israel’s Amazing Race!” Kol HaKavod to our incredible shinshinit, Rotem Cohen and all of the staff members and MS student volunteers who worked so hard to bring this exciting activity to fruition.

Yesterday, our 6th grade students took a trip to the Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience exhibit. In connection with their Ancient Civilizations unit, the students took a walk through the story of King Tut’s life, death, and tomb discovery. The class traveled through nine multi-sensory galleries to experience the 3,300 year-old story of King Tut. The galleries included a recreation of Tutankhamun’s burial chamber and the treasures that accompanied his mummy in the afterlife. What a day!

In ECC STEAM with Coach Farrah, students learned that yeast and sugar combine to release carbon dioxide when activated by water. First, the students observed separate bowls of sugar and yeast, and used their senses of sight and smell to note the differences between the two. Then, Coach Farrah poured the sugar and yeast into a bottle and added warm water to the mixture. (The students noticed that the mixture smelled a lot like challah!) Finally, Farrah affixed a balloon to the top of the bottle and the class watched the balloon slowly fill with CO2. This fun experiment was a big hit with Pressman’s littlest students! 🎈

In first grade math, students are studying number bonds, and learning how a pair of numbers can be added together to make another number. Last week, the classes created beautiful rainbows to represent the number bonds of 10. Swipe to see the result of this clever (and colorful!) lesson.🌈

Before Thanksgiving break, the Yanshufim got a visit from Morah Sari, who taught them all about Pablo Picasso! After viewing a slideshow about Picasso’s artistic style and most famous works of art, the Gesher students got to work on their very own masterpieces: cubist-inspired Thanksgiving Turkeys! The students used different materials to color in parts of their turkeys, and the results were colorful, beautiful, and abstract. We hope you had a wonderful holiday! 🦃