Local News
Parents of Gray Academy students offer praise for “Gray Away”
By BERNIE BELLAN
At the end of my conversation with Lori Binder, Rob Dalgliesh, and Andrea Ritter about how Gray Academy has adapted to online learning, I asked Andrea whether she could suggest the names of some parents who might be willing to offer comments about how their children have taken to online learning.
Andrea sent me names of three parents: Tara Kozlowich, who has children in Grades 3 & 6; Sophie Gaulin, who has children in JK & Grade 2 (and who has been in Guadaloupe since before the pandemic due to her husband’s work); and Marla Levene, who has children in Grades 6 & 9.
In addition, I also contacted Jonathan Strauss (who was actually the individual who had suggested that I do a story about how well Gray Academy is doing with online learning.) Jonathan has boys in Grades 4 & 7.
Following are the questions I posed to Tara, Marla, and Sophie: (I simply asked Jonathan to offer some capsule comments about his impressions of “Gray Away”.)
1. How much time do both of your children typically spend doing online learning in a given day?
Tara Kozlowich: We have two daughters at the Gray Academy. One is in Grade 6 and the other in Grade 3. They spend most of their school day in a balance of live online classes and independent work. Our older daughter has dedicated times where she can attend a google meet to ask her teacher questions about assignments or to go over something in a personalized setting, similar to what you would expect in a classroom. Our younger daughter has smaller group breakout sessions which has been very helpful in teaching different concepts and providing 1 on 1 attention. They also participate in a range of other subjects such as French, Art, Gym and Music.
Marla Levine: Our children (grade 9 and grade 6) spend between 5 1/2 to 6 hours a day learning. There are also breaks in the morning and afternoon as well a lunch break.
Sophie Gaulin: Our son, Samuel is in Gr. 2 and spends in average 4 1/2 hours in total online, learning, between zoom classes and homework.
Our daughter, Charlie in JK spends about two hours total, mainly on zoom.
2. Does it vary much from day to day?
Tara: One of the great things about Gray Away is that there is consistency and structure, which is such an important part of their school day – especially in the situation we all find ourselves in. The schedule can differ by day but expectations are always clearly communicated to the kids.
Marla: Each day the amount of time spent on computer as opposed to working alone changes.
For our daughter in grade 6, there is a “meet” with her general studies teacher first thing in the morning. They spend the morning with a combination of instruction from the teacher and independent time to do the assigned tasks. At the end of the morning they have a check in before lunch. The afternoon is a similar format with the Judaic studies teacher. In addition, the other itinerants (French, art, gym, debating/public speaking, music, etc.) are spread at different times within the morning or afternoon throughout the week.
For our son in high school, the week is divided into his various classes. For any given class they may have a live meet with instruction, time to work on posted assignments with the teacher available on a meet for questions, or a combination of both. There is also small group advisory with a designated teacher to check in on the kids and how they are doing.
For elementary, the itinerants vary from day to day. The content / format for main subjects in General and Judaic studies also vary depending on what they are working on at that time. In high school, it varies from day to day (depending on what each teacher is doing in that subject on that day) as well as from class to class.
Sophie: It doesn’t vary much from one day to another.
3. How are they reacting to it? (For instance, did they adapt to it quickly? Was there a novelty aspect to it at first? Are they feeling the same way about it now as they did to start?)
Tara: They have both adapted well to the Gray Away program. Although they miss their teachers and classmates, the school has done a great job keeping them engaged and supported and they are able to connect digitally with their friends and teachers daily.
We are in a good routine with the program. Our older daughter who is in Grade 6 is independent and does not need assistance from us throughout the day. Our daughter in grade 3 needs some help each morning getting organized for the day. The structure of the program has allowed us to both work from home with minimal interruptions to our workday. Although the higher grades were already well versed in turning in assignments electronically, it’s amazing how quickly our younger daughter has picked up submitting assignments online, or taking her weekly spelling test online.
Marla: When Gray had to stop in school instruction, there was a huge unknown for everyone as to what to expect. Starting from the first day of Gray Away, our kids have been busy, engaged, happy, at ease. They are excited to see their peers and teachers. They are happy to remain connected to school. These are very uncertain times for everyone and Gray has given the kids a sense of normalcy, schedule, purpose to their day
Sophie: Our situation was a bit complicated at first because we are away in Guadeloupe. My husband was doing a locum at the hospital in NICU and PICU. We were supposed to stay on vacation only 10 days and come back mid-march but because of the COVID, he was asked to stay and help for an extended period of time.
We decided to stay together as a family but the kids didn’t have their school material and we didn’t have a printer, books… nothing. So at first it was a very stressful situation. But right away I saw why Gray is often described as a family: from Joyce Kerr, to Lori Binder, to the teachers, to Ira… we were shown an extensive solidarity that enabled us to continue their education abroad. They were sending the material every day. When we couldn’t find the material to do an activity (because we had restrictions to go out of the house for the first 6 weeks), they made sure my children didn’t feel left out.
They were amazing at providing a structured day so that the kids didn’t feel like they were on holidays but at the same time, my children feel empowered by the new learning experience. When the teacher says that they have a 30 minute break, they put their timer and go off. The system put in place is extremely organized and doesn’t require much of my time. And I have to admit it suits me fine because I work long hours remotely with my colleagues in Manitoba.
4. Do you think they are learning as much as they would be in a physical class room setting?
Tara: Although it’s hard to replicate the class room environment, they are not only learning academically, but also have the benefit of learning so many other skills such as resilience, kindness and the importance of community during difficult times. The school has done a great job of also continuing to make connections through online events whether it be for Yom Haatzmaut or a weekly Shabbat Assembly. It has been amazing to see families come together online.
Marla: We are incredibly pleased with how much our children are learning. Whether it is “as much” is easier to assess with our daughter as we can compare with what our son was learning in grade 6. It appears to us that they have not missed a beat … the teachers have modified lessons and brought in new innovative teaching, allowing the kids to flourish.
Sophie: I don’t know if they are learning as much but what I can say, is that they have not felt disconnected from school thanks to the amazing program put in place. I couldn’t believe how fast Gray was able to respond to the crisis. Within a couple days, we felt they had things under control and I felt really guided through this experience.
I feel that my children are still learning a lot. Yet they miss the real interaction with their friends and teachers.
They are also learning different skills. For instance, my 7 year-old son started writing his own emails to his teachers. So he learnt how to be responsible for sending his work or sending an email explaining why he couldn’t do it.
5. Lori mentioned that they actually have recess breaks built into the program? Do your children go outside during those recess breaks?
Tara: Our kids will often take their breaks outside for short walks or connecting with friends virtually. It’s nice to be able to spend ‘lunch recess’ with them and hear how their morning went.
Marla: The kids definitely take breaks. Sometimes that involves an outside activity and sometimes it involves an inside activity. It depends on the day and how much time they have. For example, with our son, if he happens to finish an assignment early he will often go for a walk or a bike ride or do some other type of exercise.
Sophie: Yes the schedule is very balanced. They have recess breaks and my children put the timer on and go off. Sometimes they go swimming in the pool, sometimes they go in the yard chasing lizards and caterpillars!
I invited each of the respondents to add a final comment.
Tara: Overall, our family has been so happy with Gray Away – in a short period of time the school came together quickly to launch a program that has been so well received.
It is important to mention how committed our teachers and Administration have been throughout this time – they have shown a tremendous amount of dedication to their students. Special touches like surprising the Grade 6 students with an early delivery of the coveted Gray Academy Raiders sweatshirt, or sending a personalized letter (received through regular mail!) to our younger daughter letting her know how much they miss her was such a nice surprise. These gestures have gone a long way towards our children’s happiness.
Well done Gray Academy!
Marla: We cannot thank the Gray team enough. They were able to create in a matter of days an online learning platform that should take years to launch. The administration, teachers and all staff adapted to create a learning environment that is truly remarkable. They also have gone above and beyond to check in to ensure each of our kids (and our family as a whole) is coping well with all that has come with this pandemic. We are so fortunate to have people so dedicated to our children and their well- being – educational, mental and physical. (As an aside, I should add that we have had conversations with many of our peers who are parents and our peers who work in the various educational systems. We can say confidently that there is no other private or public school that compares on any level to what is going on at Gray from an educational perspective, a connection to teachers/classmates and overall concern for emotional and physical well-being.)
Finally, here is what Jonathan Strauss had to say:
“Our family has been very impressed with how quickly Gray Away was developed and launched.
“The daily structure means that our kids are working without the need for us, as their parents, to be involved in their day to day work. From what we hear from other parents this is not the same as many other schools.
“The boys are spending much of their school day on their computers. While it is more than normal, we are happy that they are being engaged with their education for more than just a couple of hours per day.
“Seeing their friends every day on video calls means a lot to our kids. Having been separated for so long from their friends they look forward to this regular connection via Zoom.
“We can’t say enough about how pleased we are with Gray Away. Lori, her leadership teams and all of the teachers have done a tremendous job in transition quickly to online learning.”
I would really have liked to talk with individual children, and I might still do that – but I think I’ll save that for a future article.
Local News
Cheryl Hirsch Katz, Jewish Child and Family Service’s longest serving staffer, set to retire at end of the month
By MYRON LOVE “I loved working at Jewish Child and Family Service,” says Cheryl Hirsh Katz, who is due to retire at the end of June. “I have always appreciated the warm and welcoming atmosphere here. I feel that the people working here are my extended family. I am going to miss my colleagues”.
“I have derived great satisfaction over the years to have been able to help many people in our community of all ages through my work at JCFS,” she continues.
After 44 years at the agency, Katz, the longest-serving member of the staff, was given an appreciative send-off at the JCFS’s recent (June 23) Annual General Meeting at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue.
The daughter of Art and Bess Hirsh, Cheryl grew up in Garden City. She attended Peretz School, then Jefferson Junior High and Garden City Collegiate. She joined the staff of JCFS in 1981, shortly after receiving her Bachelor of Social Work degree.
She earned an MSW in 1990.
“I chose to become a social worker,” she recalls, “because I always wanted to be able to help people.”
Katz was originally hired by JCFS to work with newcomers. After a couple of years, she was given responsibility for looking after the needs of older adults.
“I really enjoyed working in older adult services,” she says. “That is where I spent the bulk of my time at JCFS.”
After ten years as a case worker, she was promoted to a supervisory role. Later, she was also given responsibility for mental health and addictions programming and settlement services, while keeping the older adult files under her purview.
“As a supervisor, I wasn’t directly involved with individual clients,” she points out. “I was more involved with programming. Among the programs for seniors we organized were – for example – sessions on elder abuse, digital storytelling and memory loss.”
She notes that one of the trends she has seen over the last 44 years is that people are living longer and living in their homes longer. A lot more of our clients are living well into their 90s,” she observes. “We have had to continually expand our staff and the services we provide in order to accommodate the growing demands of an aging population.”
She also spoke of the mental health needs of seniors and aging Holocaust survivors.
She says that she has mixed feelings about leaving JCFS. “After so many years working full time, I am going to have to create a new routine,” she comments.
She notes that, now that she is retired, she will have more time to spend with her parents – who are in their 90s.
And then, there are the two dogs to look after. “I will have time now to try new activities,” she says. “ I might learn to play mah-jong.”
She speaks about maybe doing some traveling – although her husband, Murray, is still working full time.
(She and Murray have one daughter, Farah.)
“Retirement may also include some volunteering,” she adds.
It is quite likely, she will be continuing her association with JCFS but in a volunteer capacity.
Local News
Gray Academy students shine in provincial, national debating competitions
By MYRON LOVE It has been another good year for Gray Academy’s high school students who participated in provincial and national debating competitions. The best results were recorded by Grade 9 student Noa Mednikov, who finished fourth overall nationally, fourth in interpretive reading, and fifth in persuasive speaking at the junior National Public Speaking Championship in early May in Vancouver.
Last October, in the Junior Provincial British Parliamentary Championship – which was held at St. John’s-Ravenscourt – Noa and her partner, Raya Braunstein, finished third as a team while Raya placed third in individual debating.
Their fellow Grade 9 student Maxim Moscalenkov tied for first in persuasive speaking in Vancouver, while the Gray Academy team of Gabe Tapper and Aaron Koplovich finished fifth. Aaron also finished fifth in his individual debate.
Earlier, in March, Maxim finished fifth in the Provincial Juniors debating competition, which was held at Balmoral Hall He and his debate partner, Nate Shenkarow, finished seventh among the teams entered. Last November, he and partner, Ethan Tenenbein, finished seventh in the Junior Prepared Tournament – just behind the Gray Academy team of Nate Shenkarow and Jack Kay.
At the senior high level in that competition, the team of Jacob Tenenbein and Jonah Novoseller finished fourth and Jacob was recognized as fifth best in an individual capacity. Jonah and Jacob also paired up to win the Asper Cup, which was held at their home school.
Jacob represented Manitoba at the Junior National Speech Championship in Vancouver in May and, last October, he and Grade 12 Gray Academy students Julie Krozkin and Daniel Bokser represented Canada at an international debating tournament in Bermuda.
Gray Academy’s debating program was introduced by Linda Martin in 2003. She also led the debating teams at Balmoral Hall. In 2011, Martin was succeeded by Gray Academy high school English teacher Andrew Kaplan.
“Andrew has done a wonderful job with the debating program” says Martin, who has a debating trophy at Gray Academy named in her honour, as well as a provincial trophy for best individual junior debater. “Over the years, Gray Academy students have done very well in many local, national and international competitions,” she adds.
About three weeks ago, this writer had the opportunity to sit down with Andrew Kaplan and six of the school’s top debaters while they discussed the benefits of learning how to debate. According to Noah Strauss – who competed in the Junior Provincials at Balmoral Hall in March, public speaking leaves him with a feeling of accomplishment.
“It’s a good skill set to have,” he observes. “It builds confidence.”
“A benefit of being able to debate is that you learn how to convince people that you know what you are talking about,” adds Maxim Moscolenkov.
Raya Braunstein notes that being able to debate is a skill that she expects to be helpful in many university courses which she may choose to take.
As Andrew Kaplan notes, the ability to express yourself has a great impact in whatever career you choose to pursue.
He points out that debating is compulsory at Gray Academy for all Grade 7 and 8 students – and students can continue debating as an option in the higher grades
Of course, competitive debating is not for everyone. For those students who opt to take that path, the journey begins with internal school debate competition – with the top debating teams and individuals qualifying for local tournaments and – potentially – beyond.
Andrew Kaplan reports that a small number of high schools in Winnipeg and southern Manitoba have active debating programs – including St. Johns Ravenscourt, St. Paul’s High School, St. Mary’s Academy, Garden City and Maples Collegiates in the Seven Oaks School Division, St. Maurice (a Catholic School), as well as Morden Collegiate and Dasmesh, a Sikh private school.
Kaplan expresses his appreciation to the Asper Foundation and an endowment spearheaded by the Kives Family for providing funding for the Gray Academy debating program – as well as the Andrew Slough Foundation – which was established by his friends in memory of the outstanding former Ravenscourt student debater and lawyer who passed away suddenly two years ago at the still young age of 38.
I am confident that our Jewish community can look forward to the continued success of Gray Academy’s star debaters and to the continual emergence of future stars as the times goes by.
Local News
Antisemitism has crept into grade school in Canada
Antisemitism in Canada has moved beyond protests and politics; it is now entering classrooms and altering how Jewish children see themselves functioning within them.
A a university student I have observed the experience of my younger brother in grade eight as a Jewish student. Over the past few months, his school has been at the center of several deeply troubling incidents that have made him feel unsafe in our parks, community, and even his school. Swastikas were drawn around the community, in parks and ponds. Additionally, an older man, who claims to be a pro-Palestinian influencer, stood outside his predominantly Jewish school wearing a keffiyeh, filming a video which then circulated between students on TikTok.
This same man later showed up to our local Jewish community center in keffiyeh to allegedly watch his son play basketball where my brother and many of his classmates go for their lessons, basketball games, and Jewish events. These moments made him and his peers feel watched and targeted just for being Jewish. Local political representatives condemned the incidents and raised awareness about antisemitism, but the fear among students didn’t go away. The feeling of being targeted for simply existing has been taught to my brother, something my parents had tried their hardest to escape from.
Most recently, my brother was chosen to represent his school at a regional science fair. When one of the judges arrived wearing a keffiyeh, he froze. For many, including my brother after the incidents he has faced, the keffiyeh represents a political message. But even more so for my younger brother, it is tied to the fear and intimidation he had already experienced. He felt nervous, distracted, and unsure of how to act.
This is not about silencing political expression. It is about a child who came to share his ideas and left feeling uncertain and afraid. It is about the atmosphere forming in Canadian schools, where Jewish students are being made to feel targeted and unwelcome.
His school made an effort to address the incidents, but the impact is lasting. Posts on social media, much can be very vague at times about inclusion cannot fully undo the feeling of being singled out. A kind word from a teacher does not erase the fear that builds when threats are left unspoken but deeply felt.
I am writing this as a sister who watched her younger brother lose a moment that should have been filled with confidence and pride. He deserved to feel safe. So do all Jewish students in this country.
Moving forward, schools must take concrete steps to protect all students. Antisemitism cannot only be addressed when it becomes violent or overt. It must also be recognized when it appears as intimidation, symbolic targeting, or political messaging that creates fear among students. Children should never have to question whether they are safe in their own classrooms or community spaces.
Events that are meant to support and celebrate students must remain focused on them. Individuals who feel the need to bring political symbols or messages into school grounds or children’s events should not be welcomed in those spaces. Schools must make it clear that their environments exist to support learning, safety, and inclusion, not to host agendas that can intimidate or isolate students.
Administrators and educators must develop clear guidelines for identifying and responding to antisemitic behavior in all its forms. This includes strengthening security measures, offering ongoing staff training, and engaging directly with Jewish families to understand their concerns. Inclusion is not a one-time statement. It is a responsibility that must be reflected in everyday decisions and actions. No child should ever feel unsafe or unwelcome because of their identity.
The author is a Campus Media Fellow with HonestReporting Canada and Allied Voices for Israel who lives in Toronto.