Step into the vibrant halls of Austin Jewish Academy’s middle school, where every corner hums with energy, curiosity, and learning. Walking down the hallway today, let’s peek into their schedule and see what makes AJA such an extraordinary place to be.
8:00 AM: Arrival
The school is bustling with energy as students arrive, backpacks slung over shoulders and smiles on their faces. In the hallways, there’s a buzz of morning greetings and quick chats about last night’s homework or the latest basketball game.
9:00 AM: Diving into Math In the Pre-Algebra class, students review their Chapter 2 material on Ratios, Proportions, and Similarities. Ms. Dana’s class is all about prepping for an upcoming test. Down the hall in Algebra 1 with Dr. Robinson, students are deep into Rates, Ratios, and Proportions—essential math skills that they’re putting into action in their problem-solving. Meanwhile, in Algebra 2 and Calculus with Ms. Cera, students are tackling linear systems and derivatives. To top it off, today there are extra smiles: Ms. Cera brought in foster kittens for some much-deserved cuddles.
10:00 AM: Science in Action In science, 8th graders are delving into the intricacies of the human body. Recently, they dissected kidneys and crafted origami nephrons to understand kidney function. The younger 6th graders are wrapping up their study of matter, building atoms and calculating densities. Next, they’ll dive into force and motion, and, judging by their enthusiasm, they’re ready to take on the challenge. In the engineering lab, students are busy designing 3D prototypes and inclusive playgrounds, bringing their ideas to life one prototype at a time.
11:30 AM: Humanities and History Come to Life In American History, 8th graders are exploring the Reconstruction era through an immersive learning platform, Reconstruction 360. They’re diving deep into the novel Stella Stands Alone, which brings this historical period to life with rich storytelling and meaningful characters. Down the hall, the 6th graders are in ancient Mesopotamia, learning about Sumer, cuneiform, and ancient temple design through hands-on projects and Readers Theater, where students act out scenes from The Golden Bull, stepping into the roles of ancient characters.
12:30 PM: Language Adventures in Hebrew and Spanish In Hebrew class, students discuss weekends in Israel, surprise parties, and Israeli music festivals. The Spanish class is alive with clay animals and creative vocabulary activities. Sixth graders practice words like hacer (to do/make) and tener (to have) while the 8th graders are building their Spanish vocabulary through storytelling and interactive exercises.
1:30 PM: Jewish Studies Jewish Studies today brings rich discussions and hands-on projects. Sixth graders recently led a tashlich ceremony, symbolizing casting away mistakes, for younger students, and they’ve just finished building a Sukkah as a team. Eighth graders created multimedia projects based on the story of Jonah and led discussions about repentance and responsibility.
2:30 PM: Physical Education Today’s PE session is all about movement and technique. Students head outside to practice throwing and racquet skills, and some lucky ones get to go swimming at the JCC. They’re mastering both accuracy and distance in throwing objects like softballs, frisbees, and rhino balls. It’s a great way to end the day with a burst of energy and teamwork.
By the time the final bell rings, AJA’s middle schoolers have explored, learned, created, and bonded. From fostering kittens to learning about Reconstruction, they’ve made each moment count in a school day full of discovery.
