What's Going on at Wornick?

We invite you to join us for an evening of

wonders, elegance, and philanthropy!

 

Sunday, March 9th at 6 pm

Burlingame Community Center

Honorees Who Inspire Awe and Wonder!

 

Sarah Blake

AchrayutAwardSocial Responsibility

אחריות

 

Annie O’Donnell

Arevut AwardCommunity-Mindedness

ערבות

Tickets sales will close on March 6th unless we sell out!

HAPPENINGS AT WORNICK

8th Grade Antisemitism Program

8th Grade students led a community learning event about the history and evolution of antisemitism. The program included roundtable discussions led by the 8th graders and several guest speakers including a Wornick alumni parent, Wornick alumni student, and the mayor of Foster City. The presentations also provided tools for standing up and taking action.

Click here to watch the video.

Multigrade Connections

At Wornick, students often have the opportunity to collaborate with students in other grades. These interactions foster a sense of community, strengthen understanding, and create a dynamic learning environment where students support and learn from each other in meaningful ways. To see examples of some of these connections, watch the video.

Israeli Pen Pals

Students in 5th-8th Hebrew classes are forming connections with students in Israeli through an exciting Pen Pal project. This experience not only enhances their Hebrew writing skills, but broadens their perspectives and fosters friendship and understanding. To hear about the program in their own words, watch the video.

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT

Andrea Duran - Music Teacher

 

Andrea Duran considered herself an "accidental" teacher until realizing that she has been teaching for more than 20 years. She started her career in social services working with adolescents and their families but music remained a foundational part of her life. She began accepting private piano and vocal students and soon had a thriving home studio in Burlingame. After having her children, she began working as a Music Specialist/Substitute Teacher with several schools and school districts in the Bay Area.

 

In the fall of 2019, Andrea started working with Wornick as the music specialist and is currently in her second year as a full-time music teacher. She has found deep joy and inspiration working closely with the Jewish Studies and Hebrew departments. She is most passionate about finding ways music education can elevate student engagement and leadership and has enjoyed working closely with the Tefillah Leadership Program that Morah Rina started as part of her Teacher Leadership Initiative with Brandeis University.

 

This past summer, Andrea started her own journey with Brandeis University and is currently working with an especially dedicated group of Wornick’s educators on an initiative that focuses on student leadership, particularly as it relates to our Mission Statement and Guiding Principles.

 

Andrea is incredibly proud of the evolving musicianship at Wornick and enjoys seeing young students develop into dedicated and passionate members of the various student bands. She is particularly fond of the newly formed Student Music Club which was brought to her by eighth graders Amit and Kohl. But she is equally proud to see how music has enhanced math, science, and ELA lessons and loves to hear students connect what they are learning in other subjects to what they are learning in music class.

 

When she is not teaching, Andrea is often traveling between her two children who are in their third or fourth years of university or trying to remain calm while her 16 year old practices his driving or Jazz trumpet licks.

SPREAD THE WORD

Community Babysitting Resources

If you or your teen is interested in making themselves available to Wornick families as a babysitting resource, please complete this form that is maintained on our secure portal for enrolled families. Please note that this a community resource only, and families should do their due diligence when hiring any babysitters. This list is not owned by Wornick and Wornick is not endorsing any individual on the list.

 

Alumni! Come Have Fun and Get Paid to Work in Gesher!
Gesher is looking for a couple of people who would love to join Ms. Wagshul in Gesher. Gesher runs from 3:30-6 pm Mondays through Thursdays, and on Fridays from 3-6 pm. If you would be interested in volunteering or working 1-3 afternoons per week please let us know with an email to gesher@wornickjds.org.

 

Calling All Alumni!

If you (or your child) are a Wornick graduate, send us your updated contact information to stay in touch and for upcoming Wornick events. Please email alumni@wornickjds.org and let us know how and what you are doing here. We would love to hear from you! And if you (or your child) are currently a student in college, please send their email and mailing address to alumni@wornickjds.org.

 

Growing Wornick's Alumni Network

"What you know" is very important but "who you know" doesn't hurt! Please be sure to connect with fellow alumni on LinkedIn. Log in and find us at Wornick/North Peninsula Jewish Day School.

 

Help Someone Begin Their Wornick Journey

If you know someone who is interested in learning more about how our challenging academics and timeless Jewish values set Wornick Jewish Day School apart, please visit https://www.wornickjds.org/admissions/begin-your-wornick-journey to learn more or email admissions@wornickjds.org.

We are proud to have been awarded

Bay Area Parent'sBest PrivateElementary School andBest PrivateMiddle School on the Peninsula for the 3rd year in a row!

©2025 Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

HAPPENINGS AT WORNICK

Generations Celebration

We were so excited to have more than 275 parents, grandparents, and community members join us for our annual Generations Celebration!Our special guests were welcomed with inspiring words from Head of School Adam Eilath, a message from our student council representatives, student performances, and classroom visits. To view photos from this event, click here.

3D Design Printing Elective

As an elective,Middle School students had the opportunity to learn about 3D design and printing. After modeling shapes in clay, students learned how to create designs for the 3D printer using Tinkercad software.Then they completed several challenging assignments and a final project. To hear more about their experience, 

click here to watch the video.

2nd Grade Project Based Learning(PBL)

In 2nd grade, students explored the driving question “How can we spread our love of reading to our community?” They discussed their love of reading and how they can share this with the community, which led them to think of products they could design such as a Little Free Library, and hosting a "Book Love" party. To learn more, click here to watch the video.

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT

Ethan Roberts-Middle School Humanities Teacher and Advisor

 

Why did you decide to become a teacher,and what do you like most about teaching?

I became a teacher because I believe that education is the key to changing society. I was inspired by my friend Matt, who works in early childhood education. I have many family members who have taught in higher education as well, so it also feels like I'm participating in a family tradition. There are so many aspects that I like about teaching -- it's a very creative activity, and one of service, too. But my absolute favorite thing is when a child gets "that look" in their eye, a certain gleam where I can see the gears spinning inside their mind as they make new connections and insights.

 

What are some of your hobbies and interests?

I play guitar and mandolin, and like to do obstacle course races and long distance runs.I have run several Spartan Races and half-marathons, and I do a 10K five days a week.I read lots of SciFi and Fantasy, and new fiction, too. I have three children -- one in college, and two in secondary school. I'm from Boston so my two favorite baseball teams are the Red Sox and whoever is playing the Yankees!

 

Where did you teach before you came to Wornick?

I worked at secular, progressive independent schools in Berkeley and Santa Cruz for 21 years in a variety of roles before coming to Wornick. I've primarily taught English,History and an integrated Humanities class, as well as been an advisor and taught various electives, from rock band to drama to game design. I've also taught math and PE, and coached flag football and basketball. And I've held many different roles as an administrator too!

 

What subjects and grades do you teach at Wornick?Do you have any favorite projects/units?
I am currently teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade History.In 6th grade we study prehistory, and then early civilizations including Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, Ancient China, Greece, and Rome. In 7th grade we develop map skills and then dive into Mesoamerica, West Africa, the Silk Road, Medieval Japan, Medieval Europe, and the Renaissance. And in 8th grade we cover the arrival of European colonists in North America, the American Revolution and founding of this country, Jacksonian democracy, the Civil War, and the eras of Reconstruction and the Industrial Revolution up to World War One. I truly love all of these areas because we get to look at big themes like "What is my place in history?", "How did technology and trade connect or isolate cultures?", or "How do we reconcile the intertwined legacies of independence and slavery?", and the ideas spiral on each other year over year. In terms of specific projects, I like to do simulations and research presentations, and the Silk Road Simulation and Warlords of Japan activities are especially fun in 7th grade. In 8th grade we also learn to read primary source documents, which is an important skill to acquire.

What lessons/skills do you hope students will take with them as they graduate?

History sometimes gets pigeon-holed as names and dates, which is the most inert part of the discipline. Factual information can always be looked up; learning to think critically and abstractly about how and why people made the choices they did, and the social forces they were navigating at the time, is a much deeper and lasting goal. Also,I want students to develop their metacognition, which is awareness of their own thinking; that's a key step in learning to learn. We do lots of reading of informational text, and writing too, and those literacy skills are so important.

What do you think makes Wornick special?
Being part of a collaborative and collegial professional team is a great benefit. I adore my colleagues, there's so much love here! I also appreciate that there's space for prayer, reflection and spiritual growth, regardless of our personal religion.

SPREAD THE WORD

Community Babysitting Resources

If you or your teen is interested in making themselves available to Wornick families as a babysitting resource, please complete this form that is maintained on our secure portal for enrolled families. Please note that this a community resource only, and families should do their due diligence when hiring any babysitters. This list is not owned by Wornick and Wornick is not endorsing any individual on the list.

 

Alumni! Come Have Fun and Get Paid to Work in Gesher!
Gesher is looking for a couple of people who would love to join Ms. Wagshul in Gesher. Gesher runs from 3:30-6 pm Mondays through Thursdays, and on Fridays from 3-6 pm. If you would be interested in volunteering or working 1-3 afternoons per week please let us know with an email to gesher@wornickjds.org.

 

Calling All Alumni!

If you (or your child) are a Wornick graduate, send us your updated contact information to stay in touch and for upcoming Wornick events. Please email alumni@wornickjds.org and let us know how and what you are doing here. We would love to hear from you! And if you (or your child) are currently a student in college, please send their email and mailing address to alumni@wornickjds.org.

 

Growing Wornick's Alumni Network

"What you know" is very important but "who you know" doesn't hurt! Please be sure to connect with fellow alumni on LinkedIn. Log in and find us at Wornick/North Peninsula Jewish Day School.

 

Help Someone Begin Their Wornick Journey

If you know someone who is interested in learning more about how our challenging academics and timeless Jewish values set Wornick Jewish Day School apart, please visit https://www.wornickjds.org/admissions/begin-your-wornick-journey to learn more or email admissions@wornickjds.org.

We are proud to have been awarded

Bay Area Parent'sBest PrivateElementary School andBest PrivateMiddle School on the Peninsula for the 3rd year in a row!

©2024 Ronald C.Wornick Jewish Day School

ANNUAL REPORT

It is with great pride that we share our

2023-24 Annual Report,which showcases our programs and accomplishments during the past year. Throughout the report,you will see the ways in which we are living out our Guiding Principles.

 

We invite you to learn about our successes,highlights of our curriculum,and the impact that your gifts are making.

HAPPENINGS AT WORNICK

Donor Gratitude Circles

We deeply cherish our donors,value their generosity,and admire their dedication to our school. Each donor to our annual campaign becomes part of one or more gratitude circles. These circles celebrate our donors through special events and tailored communications,enhancing our broader Kehillah community. Click here to learn more.

Community Shabbat Dinner

Over 400 community members joined us for our annual Community Shabbat Dinner. Thank you to our PTO and Wornick professionals for planning and organizing the event,Chef Rachel and Shiri for cooking delicious food,all of the parent volunteers,and the 8th graders who helped with babysitting. Click here to view photos.

Wagshul Wonders

We are excited to announce the 4th edition of Wagshul Wonders,an annual publication featuring student's art and writing. The theme for 2023-24 was "Imagine the Future." The entries thoughtfully explored topics such as caring for the environment, the impact of Artificial Intelligence, life on Mars, and how fantasies can also become realities with a 

growth mindset and hard work. Click here to view the publication.

Vote for Mr. Meron!

Congratulations to Roy Meron, Wornick’s Co-Director of Jewish Studies on his nomination for the Z3 Bridge Builder award! The award is to honor remarkable efforts by an individual within the Jewish community that bridge divides through dialogue, projects, and initiatives that foster unity and understanding.

Please VOTE for Mr. Meron here!

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Zack Berger '14 attended Wornick,along with his brothers Jordan '16 and Gabriel '19. After Wornick,Zack attended Hillsdale High School where he excelled academically and was on the soccer team,participated in improv,and played piano in the Jazz band and percussion in the Wind Ensemble. He also used his musical skills by volunteering with other musicians to play concerts at retirement homes.

 

Zack went on to UCLA and graduated with a degree in Computer Science. While he was there,he helped design the curriculum and taught a seminar called Demystifying Computer Science,which helped explain CS principles for students from all different majors. Zack was excited to provide an approachable end-to-end understanding of how computers work. He also had the opportunity to participate in research on computer vision and stereo matching networks which laid the foundation for applying to graduate school to continue this work.

 

During college Zack held summer internships at Tesla and Amazon,and then worked as a software engineer at Google after graduation. This year Zack moved to Boston to start a PhD program at MIT in Computer Science focusing on healthcare applications using AI and machine learning.

 

During college,Zack got very involved in sport of cycling and raced competitively with the Alto Velo Racing Club in Palo Alto. Before leaving California,this summer Zack completed a cross country bike trip along the West Coast from Canada to Mexico. He camped along the way and rode about 75 miles a day,for a total of just over 2,0 miles!

 

Zack stays connected to the Jewish community through organizations such as Hillel,which is where he met his girlfriend Emma at UCLA. And he still keeps in touch with many friends from Wornick. One surprise connection with Wornick was while Zack was attending a club fair at UCLA and reconnected with a classmate who had attended Wornick for a couple of years,and ended up becoming one of his best friends and is also now studying at MIT with him.

SPREAD THE WORD

Community Babysitting Resources

If you or your teen is interested in making themselves available to Wornick families as a babysitting resource, please have them complete this form that will be updated regularly and maintained on our secure portal for enrolled families. Please note that this a community resource only,and families should do their due diligence when hiring any babysitters. This list is not owned by Wornick and Wornick is not endorsing any individual on the list.

 

Alumni! Come Have Fun and Get Paid to Work in Gesher!
Gesher is looking for a couple of people who would love to join Ms. Wagshul in Gesher (our aftercare program) next year. Gesher runs from 3:30-6 pm Mondays through Thursdays,and on Fridays from 3-6 pm. If you would be interested in volunteering or working 1-3 afternoons per week please let us know with an email to gesher@wornickjds.org.

 

Calling All Alumni!

If you (or your child) are a Wornick graduate,we would love your updated contact information so we can stay in touch and invite you to upcoming Wornick events. Please email alumni@wornickjds.org and let us know how and what you are doing here. We would love to hear from you! And if you (or your child) are currently a student in college, please send their email and mailing address to alumni@wornickjds.org so we can stay connected.

 

Growing Wornick's Alumni Network

"What you know" is very important but "who you know" doesn't hurt! Please be sure to connect with fellow alumni on LinkedIn. Log in and find us at Wornick/North Peninsula Jewish Day School.

 

Help Someone Begin Their Wornick Journey

If you know someone who is interested in learning more about how our challenging academics and timeless Jewish values set Wornick Jewish Day School apart,please visit https://www.wornickjds.org/admissions/begin-your-wornick-journey to learn more or email admissions@wornickjds.org.

We are proud to have been awarded

Bay Area Parent's Best Private Elementary School and Best Private Middle School on the Peninsula for the 3rd year in a row!

©2024 Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 2024-25

HAPPENINGS AT WORNICK

Congratulations to the Wornick class of 2024!

We wish our newest alumni well as they move on to attend to high schools including Aragon, Crystal Springs, Design Tech, Hillsdale, Kehillah, Lowell, Mills, San Mateo, and TIDE Academy. We are so proud of you and can't wait to see what you do next!

Congratulations to the Wornick Class of 2020 who graduated from high school this year!

We wish them all the best on the next steps of their journey. In addition to alumni opting for gap year experiences and service in the IDF, some of the colleges they will be attending include: Duke University, Reed College, Tufts University, Tulane University, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Illinois, and Washington University in St. Louis.

Wornick wins for the third year in a row!

We are very excited to announce that for the third year in a row Wornick has won gold medals in Bay Area Parent's magazine Best of the Best contest as both the best private elementary and best private middle school on the peninsula! Thanks to all of our dedicated professionals, our supportive families, and everyone who voted! 

Meet Our New Shlichim and Shinshinim!

This year we are welcoming two new Shlichim (teaching emissaries) Tali and David Gurfinkel, who are coming from Israel with their family, and will be joining our Hebrew and Jewish Studies team. 

We also have two new Shinshinim, joining us this year, Ayala and Ori (pictured), who are young adults from Israel who are volunteering to teach in our community for a year before joining the IDF.

An important part of the Shinshinim experience is the relationship with host families. If you are interested in hosting for part of the school year (up to 3-4 months) or if you want to speak to previous hosts about their experience, please contact Morah Rani at rsolomon@wornickjds.org.

Save the Date! If you are interesting in joining us for coffee on Tuesday, September 3 at 8:15 am to meet these new members of the Wornick team, please email info@wornickjds.org.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Wornick Alumnus Paul Lazarow ('02) is excited to be returning to Wornick as a member of our Board of Trustees, based on his own experience as a student and his belief that in order to have a strong Jewish community you need to have strong Jewish schools. He attended Wornick from Kindergarten through 6th grade, and was part of the first middle school class. Paul left after 6th grade and upon completing middle school, went on to graduate from Kehillah Jewish High School. 

 

Paul attended Dartmouth College in New Hampshire where he majored in History with a concentration in International Relations and a minor in Government. He stayed connected with the Jewish community as the co-president of the Dartmouth Chabad's student board. During college, Paul felt very fortunate to have an internship with former Wornick Head of School Mervyn Danker at the American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) San Francisco Regional Office. He also spent a term working as an intern at UN Watch in Geneva, Switzerland, an organization that monitors the UN and combats anti-Israel bias. His experience at UN Watch included the opportunity to present a statement to the UN Human Rights Council's special session on Syria near the beginning of Syria's civil war in 2011.

 

His interests in international law and litigation led him to pursue a J.D. degree at New York University (NYU) School of Law. After graduation, Paul worked as an associate at his current firm Sullivan & Cromwell and he also spent two years working at the California Attorney General’s Office as a Deputy Attorney General focused on antitrust matters. In addition to his current position as a litigation associate at Sullivan & Cromwell, Paul serves on AJC San Francisco's ACCESS Steering Committee.

 

Some of Paul's fondest memories as a Wornick student include Ms. Wagshul teaching him how to read, Mr. Danker teaching cricket skills, Chef Rachel's lunches, and Lag B'Omer field days at Beresford Park. He still keeps in touch with Wornick classmates. Paul lives in San Francisco with his wife Meghan, their young daughter Poppy, and their dog Daisy.

SPREAD THE WORD

Community Babysitting Resources

If you or your teen is interested in making themselves available to Wornick families as a babysitting resource, please have them complete this form that will be updated regularly and maintained on our secure portal for enrolled families. Please note that this a community resource only, and families should do their due diligence when hiring any babysitters. This list is not owned by Wornick and Wornick is not endorsing any individual on the list.

 

Alumni! Come Have Fun and Get Paid to Work in Gesher!
Gesher is looking for a couple of people who would love to join Ms. Wagshul in Gesher (our aftercare program) next year. Gesher runs from 3:30-6 pm Mondays through Thursdays, and on Fridays from 3-6 pm. If you would be interested in volunteering or working 1-3 afternoons per week please let us know with an email to gesher@wornickjds.org.

 

Calling All Alumni!

If you (or your child) are a Wornick graduate, we would love your updated contact information so we can stay in touch and invite you to upcoming Wornick events. Please email alumni@wornickjds.org and let us know how and what you are doing here. We would love to hear from you! And if you (or your child) are currently a student in college, please send their email and mailing address to alumni@wornickjds.org so we can stay connected.

 

Growing Wornick's Alumni Network

"What you know" is very important but "who you know" doesn't hurt! Please be sure to connect with fellow alumni on LinkedIn. Log in and find us at Wornick/North Peninsula Jewish Day School.

 

Help Someone Begin Their Wornick Journey

If you know someone who is interested in learning more about how our challenging academics and timeless Jewish values set Wornick Jewish Day School apart, please visit https://www.wornickjds.org/admissions/begin-your-wornick-journey to learn more or email admissions@wornickjds.org.

We are proud to have been awarded

Bay Area Parent's Best Private Elementary School and Best Private Middle School on the Peninsula for the 3rd year in a row!

©2024 Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

Wornick professionals look for ways that students can connect and engage with things happening in our community and world. Curiosity is encouraged and students are introduced to unique experiences throughout their time at Wornick. Our goal is for curiosity to flourish after their time on campus and lead to limitless opportunities for our alumni. Every issue we share unique student experiences on-campus, as well as spotlight an alumni who exemplifies Wornick's values. 

HAPPENINGS AT WORNICK

Yom HaShoah and Yom HaZikaron

We observed Yom HaShoah V'HaGevurah (Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day) and Yom HaZikaron (Israel's Memorial Day) with very moving student-led ceremonies that featured monologues, prayers, dances, and songs. For Yom HaShoah, we focused on the theme of "Childhood in the Shadow of the Holocaust" and participants met in small groups to discuss stories of heroism displayed by children during the Holocaust. On Yom HaZikaron, we held a special memorial run in honor of fallen soldiers of the IDF and victims of terrorism.

Yom HaAtzmaut

We had a fun-filled celebration of Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel's Independence Day) including a delicious falafel lunch prepared by Chef Rachel, Shiri, and PTO volunteers. All students participated in decorating colorful canvas squares for the World Zionist Organization's "Wall of Hope" project. Then our Hebrew team, Shinshinim, and Wornick professionals led students through a variety of games and activities such as Israeli folk dancing, a simulated El Al flight to Israel, decorating t-shirts, and face painting. We concluded with everyone singing and dancing together to the song "Noladeti La'Shalom (Born to Peace)."

7th Grade Tzedakah Project

Our seventh graders recently completed their Tzedakah project, a year-long course facilitated by the team of Jewish Studies, English, and Humanities teachers. Each student identified a specific world problem through the lens of their own Jewish values. Then they researched organizations that addressed these problems, and gave formal presentations to their classmates and other community members. Finally they fundraised together and presented checks to their selected organizations, which totaled over $23,000!

5th Grade "Night at the Museum"

For their Artist Report project, each fifth grader researched a fine arts or visual artist, wrote a biography, and even created their own original artwork in the style of that artist. Then the students displayed their reports and artwork at a special "Night at the Museum" event for parents and community members.

Kabbalat HaSiddur

At their Kabbalat HaSiddur ceremony, first graders confidently led prayers and songs during the Tefillah service, as well as shared their personal thoughts about the meanings of the prayers. Each student was presented with their very own Siddur with a beautifully decorated cover and special message from their parents. And then as a group, they received a special blessing from parents and the community.

8th Grade Portfolio Presentations

As one of their final projects, 8th graders presented their portfolio projects to parents, teachers, and community panelists. Students selected a skill such as perseverance, critical thinking, growth mindset, or public speaking and identified examples from their assignments throughout middle school that represented their growth in that area. 

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Adam Lipson ('16) has been involved in musical theater since performing with Bay Area eTc,

a local educational and family-oriented theater company, during 2nd-8th grades. He started taking additional dance classes and voice lessons in middle school. Adam was always particularly drawn to dancing, getting even more focused during high school at Sequoia where he took an advanced dance class while also training at a dance studio, ultimately dancing six days a week. He performed in many dance shows and competitions, and was scheduled to perform in Broadway by the Bay's production of The Sound of Music during his senior year in March 2020, but the show was shut down before it opened because of COVID.

 

When it was time to look at colleges, Adam was interested in both Biology and Theater, so he looked for a school that was strong in both of these areas. He chose to apply early decision to Northwestern University, which had a Theater program that was also open to non-Theater majors. But after receiving his acceptance letter, Adam saw Dear Evan Hansen on a trip to New York City with his family and decided to contact Northwestern about changing to a double major of Theater and Biology (which he later switched to Neuroscience). Because of COVID, all of Adam's class were online during his Freshman year. His first performance at Northwestern was part of the ensemble in Something Rotten during his Sophomore year. At college, Adam is also part of a dance group and an a cappella group.

 

As part of his senior year program, Adam spent a quarter preparing for Senior Showcase where theater students travel to New York City and have the opportunity to audition for only 90 seconds in front of agents and casting directors. Afterward he was contacted by an agent, submitted some additional material, and was excited to be signed by Avalon Artists Group to represent him. Adam has already been auditioning for several productions, including some regional theaters, Broadway shows, and national tour casts. After graduation, Adam plans to move to New York City and find a flexible job to support himself while he is auditioning, as the typical Broadway show has eight performances per week.

 

Adam has many fond memories from his time at Wornick, and still has a close group of friends who he keeps in touch with on a regular basis. To learn more about Adam and see some short videos of his performances, visit his website at https://www.adam-lipson.com/.

SPREAD THE WORD

Help Someone Begin Their Wornick Journey

If you know someone who is interested in learning more about how our challenging academics and timeless Jewish values set Wornick Jewish Day School apart, please share our Begin Your Wornick Journey page to learn more or email admissions@wornickjds.org.

 

Alumni Updates

Alumni and alumni parents - we would love to hear from you. Please click here or email us at alumni@wornickjds.org and let us know how you are and what you have been doing recently. We're always looking for ways to kvell and connect with you! 

 

Growing Wornick's Alumni Network

"What you know" is very important but "who you know" doesn't hurt! Please be sure to connect with fellow alumni on LinkedIn. Log in and find us at Wornick/North Peninsula Jewish Day School.

We are proud to have been awarded

Bay Area Parent's

Best Private Elementary School and Best Private Middle School on the Peninsula!

©2024 Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School 

Wornick professionals look for ways that students can connect and engage with things happening in our community and world. Curiosity is encouraged and students are introduced to unique experiences throughout their time at Wornick. Our goal is for curiosity to flourish after their time on campus and lead to limitless opportunities for our alumni. Every issue we share unique student experiences on-campus,as well as spotlight an alumni who exemplifies Wornick's values. 

HAPPENINGS AT WORNICK

Black History Month

Students in various grades participated in projects researching influential African American figures in honor of Black History Month. They learned about the lives and legacies of significant individuals who have shaped history through their contributions, and then these students got together to share this information with each other. To learn more, click here.

6th Grade - King Herod Project

Together with their Jewish Studies, Math, and Peleh Lab teachers, 6th graders learned about King Herod and re-created some of his colossal building projects. They worked in small groups to research four of these famous projects, and then applied math and building skills to create realistic scale models. To learn more, click here.

Shinshinim Games

Our amazing Shinshinim Lia and Naor organized a special all-school spirit week. Students in all grades were divided into four teams: Blue, Green, Red, and Yellow. They worked together on fun activities with a different theme each day such as Sports, Music, Israel, and Hebrew to earn points for their team. To watch the slideshow, click here.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

After graduating from Wornick in 2018, Malia and her family moved to Reno, NV where she attended public high school. Although it was a big transition to a new city and school, she felt well prepared in terms of having good study habits and time management skills, as well as experience with group project work and public speaking. During high school, Malia was involved in creating the yearbook as the co-editor during her junior year, and then chief editor during her senior year. 

 

Before starting college, Malia chose to spend a gap year in Israel, which she said was a life changing experience and inspired by her 8th grade trip to Israel. Malia participated in the Young Judaea Year Course and spent the first semester in Tel Aviv which included an internship at a digital marketing company where she gained experience working in an office setting while practicing her Hebrew language skills. The second semester was spent in Jerusalem where she participated in a leadership program which also included classes in Hebrew and Jewish Studies. During her time in Israel, Malia had the opportunity to travel around the country, go camping near Eilat, and volunteer on an army base. 

 

Malia is now attending University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she plans to major in Journalism. Soon after arriving at college, she started training with the college radio station, learning how to run a sound board, and co-hosting a radio show called Campfire Convos. On the show, she hosts a variety of guests on various topics which has included several episodes related to Jewish life on campus. Malia also writes for the school newspaper and is a member of the Advertising Club where she is the account manager for a team of students working on advertising projects (such as social media and graphic design) for a local outdoor apparel company. 

 

Guided by Malia's Jewish education which started at Wornick,her continued connection to Judaism and Israel,and her strong sense of Jewish identity,Malia is planning to pursue a minor in Jewish Studies. On campus,Malia is very involved with Hillel and Chabad,attending Shabbat dinners and braiding challah every week. She says there is a very strong Jewish community,and this has been especially comforting to her in response to the current situation in Israel.

SPREAD THE WORD

Help Someone Begin Their Wornick Journey

If you know someone who is interested in learning more about how our challenging academics and timeless Jewish values set Wornick Jewish Day School apart,please share our Begin Your Wornick Journey page to learn more or email admissions@wornickjds.org.

 

Alumni Updates

Alumni and alumni parents - we would love to hear from you. Please click here or email us at alumni@wornickjds.organd let us know how you are and what you have been doing recently. We're always looking for ways to kvell and connect with you! 

 

Growing Wornick's Alumni Network

"What you know" is very important but "who you know" doesn't hurt! Please be sure to connect with fellow alumni on LinkedIn. Log in and find us at Wornick/North Peninsula Jewish Day School.

We are proud to have been awarded

Bay Area Parent's

Best Private Elementary School and Best Private Middle School on the Peninsula!

©2024 Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

Wornick professionals look for ways that students can connect and engage with things happening in our community and world. Curiosity is encouraged and students are introduced to unique experiences throughout their time at Wornick. Our goal is for curiosity to flourish after their time on campus and lead to limitless opportunities for our alumni. Every issue we share unique student experiences on-campus, as well as spotlight an alumni who exemplifies Wornick's values. 

HAPPENINGS AT WORNICK

8th Grade Entrepreneurship

Our 8th grade students participated in a 10 week course on Entrepreneurship. It started with an intensive 3-day boot camp, and covered topics such as product iteration, user personas, business plan and revenue modeling, client interviews, market and competitor research, prototype design and construction, and pitch deck building and delivery.

To learn more, click here.

Math Night

Students and families in TK-6th grades enjoyed our annual Math Night! This is always a popular event and includes lots of fun math puzzles, games, and interactive activities. Students in 7th grade also got involved by preparing and selling dinners to raise money for their 7th grade Tzedakah project.To learn more and view photos, click here.

Middle School Science Fair

6th and 8th grade students performed independent research for our annual Science Fair Night. Projects were then organized by categories based on the subject of their experiments, and reviewed by a group of volunteer judges. The top finishers will go on to the San Mateo County STEM Fair. To see a list of winners and project titles, click here.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

After graduating from Wornick in 2014, Joseph Blinder attended Carlmont High School. His focus in high school was on STEM since he intended to follow in his parents' footsteps and become an engineer. Joseph believes that Wornick's accelerated math curriculum helped him greatly as he was able to start his 9th grade at Carlmont with a Pre-Calculus course and end the 12th grade by completing a Multivariable Calculus course. 

 

Towards the end of high school Joseph had an internship at a medical office. While working there, he realized that he wanted to build his career working with people in a healthcare environment. This was a life changing realization. So Joseph switched gears and decided that he wanted to get his university education in the field of healthcare.

 

Upon high school graduation Joseph entered the University of San Francisco Nursing Program and graduated with a BSN in nursing in 2022. In the summer of 2022, he passed his Registered Nursing Exam and went to volunteer at a clinic in the suburbs of Peru. When Joseph returned later that summer, he found his first job as a Registered Nurse at Kaiser Permanente in the Stroke Medical/Telemetry Unit. At the same time he applied and was accepted to the Doctoral program at USF to become a Family Nurse Practitioner.

 

This January the USF faculty professors organized an amazing trip to Chogoria, Kenya, where Joseph had the opportunity to volunteer at a Pediatric/Maternity clinic helping the local community. Here are some thoughts that he shared about this incredible experience:

 

"The clinical immersion program in Chogoria was not only about profound learning experiences. It also made me realize that some aspects in my life which I take for granted, such as availability of unlimited and varied foods, advanced medical care, abundance of clothing, hot prolonged showers, and even clean water supply are not available to most people in Kenya. Upon my arrival I wasn’t sure how I was going to cope with the unavailability of some of these usual comforts. In addition, some of the peculiar experiences specific to the area, such as room visits from different insects, including extra-large locusts, made me feel somewhat homesick. As I started visiting the clinic and getting exposed to the lives and challenges of the local community, I realized how insignificant these discomforts are as compared to the challenges faced by Chogorians on a daily basis. Overall this trip tested my limits of adaptability, my problem solving skills, and has contributed greatly to both my personal and professional development. It has given me huge satisfaction and confirmed my belief that I have chosen the right profession."

SPREAD THE WORD

Help Someone Begin Their Wornick Journey
If you know someone who is interested in learning more about how our challenging academics and timeless Jewish values set Wornick Jewish Day School apart, please share our Begin Your Wornick Journey page to learn more or email admissions@wornickjds.org.

Alumni Updates
Alumni and alumni parents - we would love to hear from you. Please click here or email us at alumni@wornickjds.org and let us know how you are and what you have been doing recently. We're always looking for ways to kvell and connect with you! 

Growing Wornick's Alumni Network
"What you know" is very important but "who you know" doesn't hurt! Please be sure to connect with fellow alumni on LinkedIn. Log in and find us at Wornick/North Peninsula Jewish Day School.

We are proud to have been awarded

Bay Area Parent's

Best Private Elementary School andBest Private Middle School on the Peninsula!

©2024 Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

Wornick professionals look for ways that students can connect and engage with things happening in our community and world. Curiosity is encouraged and students are introduced to unique experiences throughout their time at Wornick. Our goal is for curiosity to flourish after their time on campus and lead to limitless opportunities for our alumni. Every issue we share unique student experiences on-campus, as well as spotlight an alumni who exemplifies Wornick's values.

HAPPENINGS AT WORNICK

3rd Grade Stop Motion Project

3rd graders recently completed an exciting Project Based Learning (PBL) unit where they learned about story telling and wrote their own fairy tales. Then they learned about illustration and animation in the Peleh Lab, and finally they built their own sets, props, and characters to create stop motion videos. To learn more, click here.

Hanukkiah Contest Winner!

We are proud to announce that Wornick won 1st place in a Hanukkiah (Menorah) contest sponsored by the World Zionist Organization's Department of Education. The theme was "Giving strength to the State of Israel and the Jewish People" and more than 100 Hanukkiot (Menorahs) were submitted by Jewish Day Schools around the world. To watch the video, click here.

2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT

We are pleased to share our 2022-23 Annual Report, which showcases our programs and accomplishments during the past school year. Throughout the report, you will see the ways in

which we are living out our Guiding Principles.

 

We invite you to learn about how we are combining outstanding academics with timeless Jewish values

to raise the leaders of tomorrow, and the impact

that your gifts are making on our school community.

Wornick Selected for Preside Cohort!

Wornick Jewish Day School has been selected as one of 13 Jewish organizations to participate in Preside. Preside is a 15-month program designed to address virtually all aspects of the partnership between professional and board leadership, and the unique governance, and other challenges associated with their leadership, to enable the professional and board leadership to lead with Jewish values and vision-focused inquiry and to establish sustainable governance and leadership practices. Wornick is grateful for being chosen to participate in Preside.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Max Stafford graduated from Wornick in 2017 and attended Hillsdale High School. After high school, Max went to the University of Washington majoring in materials science and engineering, focusing on renewable energy and energy materials. This past September, Max founded the University of Washington Solar Decathlon Club, an interdisciplinary competition under the Department of Energy to design net zero energy homes for communities around Washington state.

 

This club reminded Max of his time during Wornick in which he volunteered for Alliance for Climate Education, a nonprofit organization focused on the strategic marketing behind educating high school individuals about the dangers of global warming, as part of his 7th grade Tzedakah Project. This was the start of Max's journey with his interest in energy solutions, as it promoted his values of tikkun olam and tzedakah to help repair the world.

 

Max continued his energy journey in 2020 when he took an Environmental Science course that introduced him to volunteering opportunities, energy generation, and environmental activism. He picked up garbage around Foster City for his volunteering assignment, finding multiple garbage bags scattered across beaches, under bridges, and more. During his time picking up trash alongside Foster City, one memory that resonated with him was the fact that there was a large rug plunged deep within the water near a Foster City beach. This experience shocked Max, as it was a perfectly fine rug, and wasting a perfectly good rug is not great for the environment. 

 

When he was introduced to college life, he participated in many opportunities revolving around energy efficiency as soon as he could, as he wanted the relevant experience to move forward with his goal of creating a sustainable future. He is a lead student at the University of Washington Industrial Assessment Center which conducts energy assessments for manufacturers across Washington State. He is also a research assistant in the Integrated Fabrication Lab, a lab focused on improving the efficiency of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicle applications.

 

Max is currently focused on research positions within the Department of Energy related to solar energy and materials science, hoping that eventually, he will be able to contribute to research that focuses on his goals of energy and sustainability. With big goals ahead of him, Max is moving forward to discover new topics and facilitate new connections to help him with his goal.

SPREAD THE WORD

Help Someone Begin Their Wornick Journey

If you know someone who is interested in learning more about how our challenging academics and timeless Jewish values set Wornick Jewish Day School apart, please share our Begin Your Wornick Journey page to learn more or email admissions@wornickjds.org.

 

Alumni Updates

Alumni and alumni parents - we would love to hear from you. Please click here or email us at alumni@wornickjds.org and let us know how you are and what you have been doing recently. We're always looking for ways to kvell and connect with you!

 

Growing Wornick's Alumni Network

"What you know" is very important but "who you know" doesn't hurt! Please be sure to connect with fellow alumni on LinkedIn. Log in and find us at Wornick/North Peninsula Jewish Day School.

We are proud to have been awarded

Bay Area Parent's

Best Private Elementary School and Best Private Middle School on the Peninsula!

©2024 Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

Wornick professionals look for ways that students can connect and engage with things happening in our community and world. Curiosity is encouraged and students are introduced to unique experiences throughout their time at Wornick. Our goal is for curiosity to flourish after their time on campus and lead to limitless opportunities for our alumni. Every issue we share unique student experiences on-campus, as well as spotlight an alumni who exemplifies Wornick's values. 

HAPPENINGS AT WORNICK

Generations Celebration

We were excited to welcome more than 250 grandparents, family members, and community members for our annual Generations Celebration! Our special guests heard inspiring words from Head of School Adam Eilath, our student council representatives, and our Shinshinim. This was followed by student performances, activities in the classrooms, and a reception in the Rose Garden. To view photos from this event, click here.

5th Grade Mystery Book Project

5th grade students recently completed a fun creative writing activity based on the illustrations in The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg. From a single illustration and quotation, students had to come up with their own fantasy stories. Then they shared their stories with classmates, parents, and Wornick professionals. To learn more, click here.

Continuing Our Support for Israel

Our community has continued to support Israel in many ways. Fourth grade students recorded a Hebrew song and sent personal letters of support to children in Israel. Our Shinshinim worked with Wornick students and professionals to organize a bake sale during Generations Celebration which raised over $2500. In addition, $3600 of the proceeds from this

year's Poker Night went to support NATAL, a non-profit that provides psychological support to Israeli children experiencing the trauma of terrorism and war.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Alexa Tarnarider graduated from Wornick in 2020 and is now a senior in high school at Crystal Springs Uplands School. Because Alexa started high school during Covid, she initially had to make friends with her classmates over Zoom. But she felt well prepared academically, including placing into a more advanced math class as a freshman. Alexa has always enjoyed math, and was part of the Math Team at Wornick. 

 

Alexa started playing volleyball in 6th grade at Wornick. Her coach, Ms. Brenner, encouraged her to join a club volleyball team to further improve her skills. This experience made Alexa better both physically and mentally as a player. She went on to become co-captain of the Wornick volleyball team in 8th grade, which finished second in the league. Alexa says that it took her some time to adjust to playing volleyball at the high school level, but joining her coach's club team helped with this transition, as well as developing self-confidence and leadership skills. She was captain of the JV team during her sophomore year, and made the varsity team as a junior.

 

This school year, Alexa's varsity volleyball team had to rebuild after some strong players graduated and many younger players joined. Alexa, as one of the three seniors, stepped up and took on a leadership role to help make the new players feel comfortable and come together as part of the team. They ended the season with a 9-2 record, including winning their homecoming game against Castilleja, one of the strongest teams in their division.

 

After the regular season, Alexa's team went on to the CCS championships where they made it to the final game where they once again faced the Castilleja team, winning in four sets. Then they went on to the Northern California regional championships where they beat Bradshaw Christian in three close sets to make it to the state championships. This was the farthest that the Crystal volleyball team had ever made it, which generated a lot of excitement at school, and Alexa was even featured in a San Mateo Daily Journal article.

 

With one day's rest, the team traveled to Orange County to play Oceanside for the state championship. During the warmups, Alexa was surprised to see her coach from Wornick, Ms. Brenner, who had come to watch the game. Through strong teamwork and determination, Crystal defeated Oceanside in five sets to claim the state championship! Alexa is so grateful to have this incredible experience during her senior year.

 

In addition to volleyball at Crystal, Alexa has been a part of the Student Council and co-founded the Jewish Club where she helped organize a school-wide dreidel spinning contest. Alexa plans to study Business or Economics in college, and would like to continue playing volleyball in college at the club level.

SPREAD THE WORD

Help Someone Begin Their Wornick Journey

The 2024-25 year admissions season is open! If you know someone who is interested in learning more about how our challenging academics and timeless Jewish values set Wornick Jewish Day School apart, please share our Begin Your Wornick Journey page to learn more or email admissions@wornickjds.org.

 

We also have upcoming events to share: Get Ready for Hanukkah Party with Isaac Zones on December 3 at The Reading Bug, Latkepalooza with the PJCC on December 10, Foster City Candle Lighting & Hanukkah Celebration on December 12, Science Fun with PJ Library & Jewish Baby Network on January 7, and TK/Kinder Readiness Info Session (via Zoom) on January 10!

 

Alumni Updates

Alumni and alumni parents - we would love to hear from you. Please click here or email us at alumni@wornickjds.org and let us know how you are and what you have been doing recently. We're always looking for ways to kvell and connect with you! As many alumni are off to new adventures, please don't forget to send in college addresses.

 

Growing Wornick's Alumni Network

"What you know" is very important but "who you know" doesn't hurt! Please be sure to connect with fellow alumni on LinkedIn. Log in and find us at Wornick/North Peninsula Jewish Day School.

We are proud to have been awarded

Bay Area Parent's

Best Private Elementary School and Best Private Middle School on the Peninsula!

©2023 Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

Since October 7th, the Wornick community has been praying. We have prayed with our eyes, reading the words of the Siddur. We have prayed with our hearts as we comforted our community and privately pleaded for this senseless evil to be eradicated. We have prayed with our hands as we plant blue and white flowers, write letters to Israel, and make art. We have been praying with our fingers as we type letters advocating for Israel and against antisemitism in our communities. We have been praying with our feet as we march in protest against the brutality happening against our people in Israel. There are moments when I take a deep breath or see another parent, teacher, or student take a deep breath and I am sure that those breaths are prayers as well.

 

As I reflect on the collective prayers of our community members, many of which are detailed in this newsletter, I am in awe of the way we have come together to pray for peace, the return of hostages, and the quick victory against the evil forces of the world. At the same time, I can’t help but feel a sense of despair as the situation seems to be worsening rather than improving. The number of hostages reported is increasing. The war continues to expand. Public opinion about Israel does not seem to be improving.

 

This week’s Torah portion contains two models of engagement with and prayer towards G-d. On the one hand, the Binding of Isaac exemplifies pure faith and obedience. G-d instructs Abraham to sacrifice his first born son and Abraham complies with every directive until the final moment when G-d substitutes Isaac for a ram stuck in the nearby thorns. On the other hand, Sodom and Gomorrah exemplifies a completely different model of prayer, arguing and wrestling with G-d. In this case, G-d instructs Abraham that He plans to destroy the two cities for their evil deeds. Abraham does not accept the decree and begins negotiating with Him. “Will you cast away the innocent with the wicked?” and later, “What if twenty righteous people will be found? Will you still destroy the city?”

 

In this second story, we witness a different type of faith and prayer. One that is filled with anxiety, determination, investigation, and naivety. Indeed, we can never know the ways of G-d. Trying to understand why bad things happen in the world, especially to good and innocent people, is beyond our comprehension and futile. However, this is not the time to accept the first kind of faith as Abraham did during the Binding of Isaac. Rather, we must adopt the posture of Abraham during Sodom and Gomorrah. We must wrestle with G-d and advocate for the good of humanity over the evil of inhumanity.

 

These are times of profound uncertainty. These are times when we cannot understand how people could be so cruel to children and the elderly. These are times when we cannot understand how to speak the unspeakable to our children. These are times when we cannot understand how popular opinion can shift so rapidly and huge swaths of the world, including here in America, can be blind to the pain and suffering of Israel. Yet, we must keep praying as Abraham did with his words, heart, eyes, feet, and breath. There is profound evil in this world but we must not give up the willingness to keep trying, negotiating, advocating, marching, breathing, and singing.

 

Finally, we must do our utmost to continue giving generously to Israel and causes supporting Israel. We recommend giving to both Natal and the Jewish Community Federation’s special fund for Israel. 

 

Adam Eilath, Head of School

WE STAND WITH ISRAEL

Although the world feels filled with darkness, our school continues to be a source of light for our community. Our sustained prayers, donations, and actions to support Israel are touching. The countless community initiatives led by Wornick professionals, PTO leaders, and volunteers have been strengthening our community and helping us out of despair.

We held a special Havdallah ceremony and parent gathering, 8th graders recorded a message for IDF soldiers, Volleyball teams from Wornick and Hausner held a moment of silence before their game

Students created artwork with messages of support, Israeli flags, and sent letters to IDF soldiers

Kindergarteners planted blue and white flowers in their garden

Community members painted a mural showing our support for Israel

PTO prepared and delivered Shabbat bags to Israeli families and professionals

We invited Wornick's high school alumni to gather and talk about what is happening in Israel, and support them in providing a safe space to share how they are processing their feelings

Our school hallways are filled with displays of support for Israel

Resources

 

Our community partner, the Peninsula Jewish Community Center, has collected helpful resources for supporting Israel on their website at https://pjcc.org/programs/solidarity-with-israel-resources-to-show-your-support/.

 

If you are looking to donate funds there are two places we currently recommend:

• Natal is an organization that supports Israeli children deal with traumatic events
• The Jewish Community Federation to support rebuilding critical infrastructure and supporting the people of Israel

SPREAD THE WORD

Help Someone Begin Their Wornick Journey

The 2024-25 year admissions season is open! If you know someone who is interested in learning more about how our challenging academics and timeless Jewish values set Wornick Jewish Day School apart, please share our Begin Your Wornick Journey page to learn more or email admissions@wornickjds.org. We also have upcoming events to share, including Wornick's Open House on November 5!

 

Alumni Updates

Alumni and alumni parents - we would love to hear from you. Please click here or email us at alumni@wornickjds.org and let us know how you are and what you have been doing recently. We're always looking for ways to kvell and connect with you! As many alumni are off to new adventures, please don't forget to send in college addresses.

 

Growing Wornick's Alumni Network

"What you know" is very important but "who you know" doesn't hurt! Please be sure to connect with fellow alumni on LinkedIn. Log in and find us at Wornick/North Peninsula Jewish Day School.

We are proud to have been awarded

Bay Area Parent's

Best Private Elementary School and Best Private Middle School on the Peninsula!

©2023 Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

Wornick professionals look for ways that students can connect and engage with things happening in our community and world. Curiosity is encouraged and students are introduced to unique experiences throughout their time at Wornick. Our goal is for curiosity to flourish after their time on campus and lead to limitless opportunities for our alumni. Every issue we share unique student experiences on-campus, as well as spotlight an alumni who exemplifies Wornick's values. 

HAPPENINGS AT WORNICK

First Day of School

Last week we welcomed students back to campus for the new school year! They were excited to be together with their friends and settle into their new classrooms. We are looking forward to a wonderful year of learning, building community, and growing together. Thank you to our PTO for the coffee cart and all the decorations! Click here to see some photos from our first day of school.

Wagshul Wonders 

This annual publication honors 1st Grade Teacher Karen Wagshul's years of service at Wornick, and features student's art and writing pieces centered around a common theme. This past year's theme was "Partnership" and students from different grades submitted many creative entries. Congratulations to all the students' whose work was selected and thank 

you to Mrs. Wagshul, Ginger, and Dana for their help in creating the publication! See the current and past issues here.

Wornick Teachers in Micronesia

Wornick's Music Teacher Andrea Duran and Art Teacher Ginger Slonaker had an amazing opportunity to teach at the Akoyikoyi School on the island of Chuuk this summer. They spent a month living and working on the island with students aged 6-15. Click here to learn more about their unique summer experience.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Max Lieberman graduated from Wornick in 2012, and attended Carlmont High School. After high school Max went to the University of Colorado Boulder majoring in business, focusing on marketing and information analytics. This past June, Max completed his masters degree at University of Washington in information management with a focus on user experience, and then went on a study abroad trip to Amsterdam to learn about libraries, museums, and archives and how they relate to innovation in the public sector. 

This trip reminded Max of the library at Wornick and about when his grandfather came to speak to middle schoolers at Wornick about the Holocaust, and then visited Max's first grade classroom to read from a book that he wrote. One of the stories was about getting a library card, and that day after school Max remembers going to the Foster City library to get his first library card. Max's grandfather continues to be an important role model in his life.

After graduating from college in 2020 during the Covid pandemic, Max moved back home and freelanced as a website designer as well as doing some pro bono work for startups. He began learning about the field of user experience, which for him, is the perfect blend of technical knowledge and business acumen. Max also created a podcast during this time focusing on mental health issues, inspired by some of the challenges he faced while considering his own personal journey. Max reflected back on the values of tikkun olam and tzedakah that he learned at Wornick. He thought that the podcast was a way that he could help others by interviewing other successful people about their journeys of beginning and overcoming challenges.

Max recently started a job as a project associate in app design at Jetson, a Seattle-based startup, which developed an interactive app to help teens learn about entrepreneurship and how to start a business. Max says that this feels like a "full circle moment" for him because he remembers a classmate in high school who was developing a search engine and how Max got involved to help promote the end product. What stands out the most for him at Wornick was also the experiential projects such as the bridge project in middle school. Now he now enjoys helping teens explore ways to develop their own creative ideas.

In his free time, Max enjoys pickleball, yoga, basketball, and hiking. He also still keeps in touch with many of his Wornick classmates.

SPREAD THE WORD

Community Babysitting Resources

We have created a list of available babysitters for the Wornick community which lives in the FACTS family portal under Resource Documents. If you or your teen is interested in making themselves available to Wornick families as a babysitting resource, please have them complete this form that will be updated regularly and maintained on our secure portal for enrolled families. Please note that this is a community resource only, and families should do their due diligence when hiring any babysitters. This list is not owned by Wornick and Wornick is not endorsing any individual on the list.

 

Calling All Alumni!

If you (or your child) are a Wornick graduate, we would love your updated contact information so we can stay in touch and invite you to upcoming Wornick events. Please email alumni@wornickjds.org and let us know how and what you are doing here. We would love to hear from you! And if you (or your child) are currently a student in college, please send their email and mailing address to alumni@wornickjds.org so we can stay connected.

 

Growing Wornick's Alumni Network

"What you know" is very important but "who you know" doesn't hurt! Please be sure to connect with fellow alumni on LinkedIn. Log in and find us at Wornick/North Peninsula Jewish Day School.

 

Help Someone Begin Their Wornick Journey

We are beginning our admissions season for the 2024-25 year! If you know someone who is interested in learning more about how our challenging academics and timeless Jewish values set Wornick Jewish Day School apart, please share our Begin Your Wornick Journey page to learn more or email admissions@wornickjds.org.

We are proud to have been awarded

Bay Area Parent's

Best Private Elementary School and Best Private Middle School on the Peninsula!

©2023 Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

Wornick professionals look for ways that students can connect and engage with things happening in our community and world. Curiosity is encouraged and students are introduced to unique experiences throughout their time at Wornick. Our goal is for curiosity to flourish after their time on campus and lead to limitless opportunities for our alumni. Every issue we share unique student experiences on-campus, as well as spotlight an alumni who exemplifies Wornick's values.

EXPERIENCES AT WORNICK

Kindergarten - Community Helpers

Kindergarteners learned about what makes a community. They each chose a community helper to study about what they do and where they work. Then they used recycled materials to construct buildings and create a city, and invited parents and community members to a ribbon cutting ceremony.

2nd Grade Heroes

Second graders learned about heroes and how they make a difference in the world. Each student chose a hero to research, and learned facts about their life including their greatest accomplishments and challenges they faced. They dressed up and presented information to the school community at the Heroes Fair.

Overnight Study Trips

Fifth and sixth graders enjoyed overnight trips to the California coast, seventh graders learned about Civil Rights during their trip to the American South, and eighth graders experienced an incredible trip to Israel, culminating their education in Hebrew, Jewish Studies, and History.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Jessica Bodin graduated from Wornick in 2014, then went to Hillsdale High School and later continued her education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In college, she studied Journalism with a focus in strategic communication, as well as Criminal Justice on the pre-Law track. 

During Jessica’s time in Madison, she was on the campus’ Chabad leadership board helping to plan events and work on outreach for the school’s Jewish community. Moreover, she worked for the University for almost three years, starting out as a Tour/Information Guide and later being promoted to be the program’s Marketing intern where she ran the visitor websites, social media, and email accounts. During her college years, she also interned at Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and UW-Madison’s Family Law clinic, serving the underprivileged local community in need of legal services. 

After her graduation in May 2022, Jessica moved to Madrid, Spain to teach English. She currently works at a public school with children from ages 3-5 teaching them the basic English vocabulary they will need as they continue their bilingual education in Spain. Although working with young children (especially in a foreign country) can be a challenge, Jessica says being a teacher has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of her life, and it has been extremely rewarding to be a part of early childhood education. Plus, living in Spain has given her the opportunity to travel the world, which has always been a passion of hers. After leaving Spain, Jessica plans to work in the legal field before deciding whether she would like to pursue a career in Family Law, or get a Masters in Early Childhood Education to continue working as a preschool teacher. 

Jessica believes one of the most important things she learned from her years at Wornick is the importance of a Jewish community. After graduating from Wornick, it became almost second-nature for her to seek out ways to stay involved in a Jewish community, especially after moving alone to the Midwest for college. She feels that her Jewish identity would not be as strong or as important to her without those nine formative years at Wornick.