EDUCATION
IfilE41)MAS
r. Mark Smiley,
Hillel Day School's
headmaster, begins
his day not in his office, but
in the school's hallways,
wishing students "boker tov"
(good morning) and peeking
into classrooms.
While on his daily rounds
through the school, Dr.
Smiley, his boyish-looking
face wearing a grin, often
stops and asks students how
they're doing. Seeing two
Soviet girls talking at a
locker, he asks them when
they have their English
class. One of the girls eager-
ly runs to her own locker,
returns with a class schedule
and proudly shows Dr.
Smiley when her next class
is. Sometimes the conversa-
tion isn't even school-
related, but it's always
friendly.
On his way to minyan,
teachers approach him and
discuss school projects or
100 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1990
with a heart
confirm an upcoming
meeting time.
Carrying his tallis bag, Dr.
Smiley walks into the lunch
room where sixth, seventh,
and eighth grade students
have already started the
morning service. He pulls up
his shirt sleeve, wraps
tefillin around his arm, puts
a tallis on, walks to the front
of the room and begins to
pray the shacharit service.
During services, he con-
gratulates students who
have read from the Torah or
takes time out to help a boy
rewrap his tefillin.
Dr. Smiley has only been
in his office once this morn-
ing. He won't be back until
minyan is over, more than
45 minutes later. But he
wouldn't have it any other
way.
He doesn't want to sit in
an ivory tower, or for that
matter, a headmaster's of-
fice.
Whether he's
teaching or
playing a
game of
basketball,
Hillel's
headmaster Dr
Mark Smiley
would rather
spend his day
with students
than behind
his office door.
SUSAN GRANT
Staff Writer
"I make it a point to spend
quality time with students,
especially building up rela-
tionships with the junior
high students," Dr. Smiley
said. At 33, his brown hair is
slightly graying at the
temples, but his eyes shine
with the intensity of his
commitment to his students.
So when he's not busy with
administrative duties,
students can find Dr. Smiley
where they are. He plays
basketball with them, keeps
them company when classes
stay overnight at the school,
and makes sure he knows
every student by name, even
the new ones. He stops by
the school library after mi-
nyan to chat with students
in the Newcomer's Club,
which welcomes new
students to the school.
Although he gets stumped
on a few names, he already
knows most of them.
While he believes in hav-
ing fun with the children, he
doesn't hesitate to act as a
disciplinarian or role model.
As a role model, Dr.
Smiley rarely lets an educa-
tional opportunity slip by.
The morning school bell
hasn't even rung, yet during
minyan he makes sure
students learn more than
their prayers.
After the sixth, seventh,
and eighth graders finish
the service, Dr. Smiley
stands at the front of the
room and gives a lesson in
Jewish ethics. Speaking
about Kol Nidre, he asks
students to look for a prayer
giving Jews permission to
pray with transgressors.
Asking why such a prayer is
needed, Dr. Smiley gives a
few explanations including
his own; that all in the syn-
agogue have sinned and that
no one, no matter how much
they give to charity or how
many times they go to ser-