MJHS Cuts Ribbon & Unveils Technology Platform
Thursday, August 17, 2006
MEMPHIS JEWISH HIGH SCHOOL CUTS RIBBON AND UNVEILS TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM
MEMPHIS, TN. (8/17/06) -- In a meaningful and moving dedication that comprised the hanging of Mezuzot and the cutting of a blue and white ribbon, the Memphis Jewish High School (MJHS) began its first day on Monday, August 14 at 8:30 a.m.. Ms. Adrian Weissman, head of school, presided over the dedication ceremony in front of some 70 well-wishers, parents, faculty and students and expressed her feelings concerning the historic day. She expressed her gratitude to founders Marilyn and Jack Belz, Jan and Andy Groveman, and Sally and Mark Wender for their dedication and generosity which helped to establish MJHS for the Memphis Jewish community and referred to a Talmudic verse which states that "we are all commanded to teach our children." Mrs. Weissman went on to say that “Memphis Jewish High School will ultimately be a model for many Jewish communities around the country to emulate.”
Andy Groveman, president of MJHS, spoke representing the school founders. He thanked all of those in the Jewish community at large and its leadership for their dedication, commitment and support in seeing the Memphis Jewish High School become a reality. Groveman said, “From the very beginning this school has been about maximizing each student’s potential and providing an educational environment that is second to none, both from a Jewish and a General Studies perspective. Our parents and students along with the faculty and administration are in a position to leave a legacy that will endure in the Memphis Jewish community for generations to come,” Groveman said.
Groveman singled out the commitment and perseverance of individuals who have made a difference and without whose help the school could not have happened. Dr. Helene Cohen who was hired in August 2005 was instrumental in instilling the confidence to the founding group that enabled them to put together an educational institution that they feel is the finest in the region.
Groveman thanked Anise and Ron Belz for their support and involvement, as well as Jack Bearden, director of Belz Enterprises’ construction and architecture department, who oversaw the construction of the school’s space. Memphis Jewish High School, located at 1203 Ridgeway Road, has 10,000 square feet and was constructed and received their Certificate of Occupancy from the city, county and state in a record-breaking eight weeks from the time demolition began. “Our contractors and sub-contractors worked as a team and were committed to seeing the Memphis Jewish High School open on time," said Groveman.
As exciting as the ribbon-cutting ceremony and the hanging of the Mezuzot was, one of the highlights of the first day was seeing each child sitting at the Harkness Table opening their Apple MacBook Pro computers. Ms. Weissman said, “The founders have made a profound commitment to seeing that MJHS has the latest technology available to its students and faculty. The school has adopted Apple’s one-to-one program providing each student the use of a laptop computer. In addition, each faculty member and administration also has the use of this technology. Each classroom is equipped with an audio-visual projector that is attached to the ceiling. Every classroom has an interactive electronic pneumonic board that will allow teachers and students alike to create, participate and activate lesson plans, problem-solving, and note-taking, all of which will be able to be saved on each child’s computer. The entire school is a wireless broadband internet environment. Every student will have access to the internet through their laptops in any location within the school which literally will give each student and the faculty access to databases and lecturers from around the world.”
“Distance learning via the internet will be a breeze, as well as videoconferencing with the technology that we have at our school,” continued Weissman. “We have hired as our consultant Mr. Bobby Ireland who is the IT Director of St. Agnes School which was the first school in the country to adopt Apple’s one-to-one computer program. St. Agnes has over 1,000 laptops within their school. We could not be in better hands with this critical piece of our educational infrastructure than with Bobby Ireland. The need for technology and its ability to open and give our students access to databases, lectures and classes by Rabbis wherever they may be on this planet is instrumental in our school’s achieving its mission.”
Soon, Ms. Weissman will be announcing a schedule of dates that will allow the community to experience the Memphis Jewish High School intimately by sitting in on classes, touring the school, and experiencing its technology firsthand.
For more information, contact Adrian Weissman at 901.767.4818.
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