HAA welcomes newcomers to Calgary’s Jewish Community

by HAA staff

(Calgary) – Walking into Halpern Akiva Academy on any given day, you are almost guaranteed to hear English, Hebrew, and Russian being spoken—possibly even by the same student in the same sentence. Akiva is grateful to have helped many recent newcomers from Israel adjust to the broader Calgary and school communities by offering an inviting and safe environment for all students to receive top-quality secular and Judaic education.

Helping to integrate new immigrants and their children has always been an important school value. Post-October 7, many more new Israeli families have moved to Calgary, and there has been an even greater need to embrace and welcome newcomers.

In order to go from good to great, staff participated in a training session on teaching EAL (English as an Additional Language) students during our last Professional Development Day. It was gratifying to learn that Halpern Akiva Academy was already implementing several important EAL strategies.

When you enter the school, signs greet visitors in both Hebrew and English. For younger students, there are picture clues in the hallways, and teachers use language boards with basic Hebrew and English vocabulary. In the school library, readers will find a selection of books and games in various levels of Hebrew and English text. For older EAL students, text-to-speech and digital translators are available to ensure they can socialize with their peers and make new friends.

In the classroom, many school teachers are bilingual and are better able to make new students feel comfortable and confident. Being a new kid in a new school is challenging, but not being able to communicate with a teacher or classmate makes it much harder. Akiva staff are able to converse with students in the language the student is most comfortable with, and over time the students get more confident in their new language skills.

Classmates are also an integral part of the welcoming of newcomers. Students at Halpern Akiva Academy are often paired with a buddy, often in a different grade. Older students read to younger students and are able to practice their reading out loud skills to a receptive younger audience. For children who may lack confidence in their reading skills, this can be a way to challenge themselves in a safe environment.

Additionally, our upcoming Chanukah show on December 16, will feature the students singing songs in Hebrew and English, a student-created Hebrew language slideshow of Chanukah riddles, and more. Coming together at Chanukah-time is also a wonderful way for new families to meet community members. For more information on the Chanukah concert, please contact the school office at office@akiva.ca or call 403-258-1312.

The staff and students at Halpern Akiva Academy wish the entire community a Chanukah Sameach!