MARCH 4 • 2021 | 13

Gratitude
at FJA

Frankel Jewish Academy (FJA) 
has been learning in-person all 
year, except when high schools 
were closed briefly in November 
and December. In order to limit 
in-person interaction, the school 
day was adjusted, and classes 
now run from 8:30-1:20, with 
only 60-minute classes. 
FJA Director 
of Advancement 
Shana Kantor 
said, “This limits 
instructional time 
and makes projects 
and science labs 
harder to do in 
short periods of 
time. Teachers have to quickly 
disinfect the desks and sur-
faces between each class. FJA 
is known for very interactive 
lessons, and teachers have had 
to adjust their lessons to account 
for 6-foot separation between 
students.
”
Deeply aware of how hard the 
teachers are working and how 
dedicated they are to their stu-
dents, FJA has also made teach-
er appreciation a priority. 

FJA Director of Community 
Engagement Julie Ohana said, 
“FJA has always had a culture 
of gratitude … but during these 
trying times, everyone has felt 
even stronger about showing 
appreciation.
”
Early in the year, a group of 
parents, FJA
’s “Parent Liaisons,
” 
together with Ohana, decided 
to focus on faculty and staff 
appreciation. They have been 
planning parent events monthly 
that focus on this goal.
Some projects have included 
making beaded mask chains, 
giving out personalized can-
dy-grams and distributing chal-
lot from Dakota Bread to the 
teachers and staff.
FJA social studies instructor 
and department 
chair Melanie Sesi 
says these small 
gifts make her feel 
supported and 
contribute to the 
overall learning 
environment at 
school. “Keeping 
our masks clean by providing 
chains and keeping our bellies 
and hearts full with delicious 
food and thoughtful words 
brings so much light to an 
otherwise difficult time in the 

world,
” she said. 
The spirit of extra appreci-
ation has even seeped to the 
students, who are 
also more grateful 
for their teachers 
than ever before. 
FJA math 
instructor 
Christine 
Chadwick said, 
“Our students are great about 
thanking us for teaching 
during this crazy time and 
make an effort to say hello 
as they pass by my class-
room. One student even 
emailed me during the 
summer just to say hi!”

Christine 
Chadwick

Melanie 
Sesi 

ROCHEL BURSTYN
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

W

hen everything 
shut abruptly last 
March, schools 
everywhere scrambled to 
figure out how to continue 
educating their students, with 
teachers quickly learning and 
adapting to new technology. 
Even for those learning in 
person, the pandemic poses 
many challenges. Everyone 
has to wear masks, which 
muffles their voices, fogs 
their glasses and doesn’t 
allow for students to see their 
teachers smile. They also 

must socially distance and 
disinfect surfaces between 
uses. Still, teachers have truly 
risen to the occasion. 
Dr. Darin Katz, head of 
school at Hillel Day School, 
declared: “Our teachers are 
truly our frontline heroes,” a 
sentiment echoed by Jewish 
day schools around Detroit. 
Each school is so grateful 
for their teachers that they 
have been coming up with 
new and creative ways to 
express their hakarat hatov 
(appreciation).

Thank You, Teachers!
An appreciation of our day school 
educators during this pandemic.

Todah 
Morim!

Shana 
Kantor

“OUR STUDENTS 
ARE GREAT ABOUT 
THANKING US FOR 
TEACHING DURING 

THIS CRAZY TIME.”

— FJA MATH INSTRUCTOR 
CHRISTINE CHADWICK

OUR COMMUNITY

ation has even seeped to the 

students, who are 
also more grateful 
for their teachers 
than ever before. 

Chadwick said, 

“Our students are great about 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FJA

Joe Bernstein, FJA social 
studies instructor and parent, 
enjoying his candy-gram.

FJA English teacher Nicole Kahn 
wears a mask chain made by 
the Parent Liaisons on her class 
Instagram page.

continued on page 14

