Mrs. Chavi (Haber) Abramson, OCA parent and teacher, wrote this letter in response to “Why do you love teaching at OCA?”

‘Mrs. A’ explains, “While I spend most of my time in room 205 I know all the students in grades K-6 by name, and they know me. Every time I witness a public speech or performance by a student I can’t help but notice the sincere encouragement by their peers.  Often, it is the unlikeliest candidate who receives the most thumbs-up and cheers. As teachers, we take an active role in teaching our students the importance of lifting each other up with positivity and belief in each other.  We not only teach this through literature and lesson plans, but through modeling these behaviors among our colleagues.  The teachers’ room banter is often full of collaborating on ways to better reach a student, to better tailor lesson plans to suit a child’s needs, and to integrate more creativity into our lessons.  We do not accept mediocrity from our students, and we do not tolerate it for ourselves.  We strive! We set goals! We get discouraged, and we try again! And we share these struggles and moments of pride within our own classrooms.”

Mrs. Abramson is a very dedicated teacher. She goes above and beyond to meet her students’ needs. Whether it is doing the hair of a little girl who is experiencing stressful mornings, identifying hearing loss as the source of a student’s challenges, or it is dancing with children during brain breaks, Mrs. A exemplifies the OCA philosophy by literally getting on her knees and being at eye level with her students to contribute to their success. She embraces traditional classroom tactics while embracing modern technology. She believes in building strong relationships with her students and maintaining these relationships in and outside of  school.

Hello, my name is Morah Henia. This is my second year at OCA, and I know there’s something different and special about this school. I have been an educator for 36 years and have worked in many wonderful and excellent schools. With that said, OCA is different. There is a uniquely positive energy that creates an exceptional learning environment.  From the administration to the teachers to the parents, everyone works together as a team, to prepare our children for success and model a passion for Jewish life. Now our school, staff, and students are thriving - and that is why the success of Tuesday’s OCA200K campaign is critical.

Rabbi Moshe Margolese, our creative and dedicated principal, constantly stretches out his arms to take care of all the needs of OCA. We can always count on him to come in costume to enhance our lessons and on his ‘can do’ attitude.  Mrs. Randi Orshan elevates the overall learning and has instituted progressive educational policies and programs including a no-homework policy, school-wide electives, and a Vegetable/Fruit of the Month program. Without Rabbi Margolese or Mrs. Orshan, OCA would not be the school it is today--their vision, persistence, and dedication are the backbones of this amazing school.  

Mrs. Lasson, our building manager, is so dedicated that she  makes herself available both in and out of school. She always has a smile on her face and makes it all look so easy. Mrs. Reeves, our recruitment coordinator, often shares with me how much she loves going into the classrooms with prospective parents at any given time. She explains that the teachers are always exhibiting excellent qualitative lessons and interact with their students so kindly and successfully.

This past summer, every class was given a new computer and  projector to set them up for success. Teachers  can now use technology to elevate their lessons. On Veterans day, Mrs. Shar made a video with the First Graders about our veterans. She gave them their voice. Their self-confidence was so uplifting because they didn’t even realize they had a voice. Mrs. Aliza Mann has a stage in her classroom to promote the concept of each student having a voice and to build confidence in her students. Each classroom is set up for success, because the OCA teachers understand what it means to create a successful learning environment.  

Mrs. Abby Barnoy makes sure our interactive Ivrit curriculum is top notch. She meets with all the teachers to make sure that the curriculum is meeting the students’ specific needs. Mr. Dear takes care of educating the students in technology. His loving approach and kind demeanor makes him a special educator. Mrs. Einbinder who is head of our Resource room works to make sure our students’ educational needs are being met with her fabulous team. On Motzei Shabbat, Rabbi Bennett, our fourth and fifth grade rebbe, leads SNL--Saturday Night Learning. The halls are filled with smiling faces of both parents and children learning together, as a community. Our STEM, art, physical education, and weekly electives classes are often favorite parts of our students’ days.

Recently, OCA opened its Early Childhood Center, and just this year, started a middle school program when called on by parents to extend beyond the elementary school. The dedication and creativity of the teachers in these programs are not only living up to, but exceeding the expectations of the parent body.

As you can see all the teachers at OCA are all  so very special. They each have something unique and extraordinary that makes their class successful and are valued for their contribution to the whole. What does success look like? Happy children wanting to come to school daily and learn.

OCA is only 5 years old and has proven to be an outstanding educational environment in my opinion. We are a family!  So today, we ask the community: Contribute to the continued success of Ohr Chadash Academy, of one of the newest members of the great Baltimore Jewish Day School family. Tuesday, Nov. 15, we aim to reach our most ambitious fundraising goal ever: $200,000. All donations will be matched for 24 hours. www.causematch.com/oca.