Martin J Gottlieb Day School

Alumni Spotlight:
At the age of 1 I was enrolled into DuBow Preschool. I then started elementary school at Durbin Creek Elementary, before coming to Martin J. Gottlieb Day School in 3rd grade, later graduating from there in 2019. I am very grateful that I attended the day school; not only did I meet some of my best friends who I’m still close with, but I also got to better understand my Jewish identity. At the day school students are able to experience a one-on-one learning experience with the teacher and that would not happen at any other school. In the Jewish Studies classes you learn skills that are not always taught in “normal” classes. You learn about mitzvot, how to apply it to your daily life, and how to give back to your community. -Ava J.

Alumni Spotlight:
I graduated from Martin J. Gottlieb middle school in 2018 and am currently a senior at Stanton College Prep. Middle school is a tumultuous time for most people, but I was one of the lucky few able to attend Martin J. Gottlieb Day School during this time. In such an intimate school environment, I was able to be myself without fear of bullying, something that helped me develop into the confident person I am today. I had teachers who knew me personally, to whom I was not one of a hundred and some odd students they had to “deal with,” but one of few valued pupils. For college next year I will likely be attending a small college, a choice influenced strongly by my time at Martin J. Gottlieb Day School. -Jack H.

Alumni Spotlight:
I am a current junior in the AICE program at Mandarin High School. I have been walking these floors of the Jacksonville Jewish Center since around age 2. Therefore, the Martin J. Gottlieb Day School was not just a middle school to me, but a community. By having such a strong and tight-knit group of hardworking, dedicated, and intelligent students and teachers it shaped me into the student I am today. As a result of the direct one-on-one help, I learned to be comfortable with asking questions and speaking up during my high school classes of up to thirty people. After three years at a public high school, I can honestly say that the Martin J. Gottlieb Day School was the strongest foundation I could have imagined for my current education. -Daisy H.

Alumni Spotlight:
I started at DuBow Preschool when I was 1 year old and graduated from Martin J. Gottlieb Day School in 2019. I think students should attend the middle school for several reasons. The small class sizes allowed each of us to have individualized attention and learn at our own pace. I also always felt the teachers not only cared but truly knew and understood us. Lastly, I want to mention Jewish Studies. Although I didn’t appreciate it when I was in middle school, the critical thinking skills I learned in Jewish Studies classes were helpful when analyzing texts and passages in my high school AP classes. -Danny B.

We hope you will join us Thursday evening and hear some of our amazing alumni speak!

Join us on March 24th to hear alumni speak!

In September, the Middle School students partnered with TI-Tech (Teacher Tech Institute) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for a yearlong project-based program. They were charged with creating a meaningful and practical space to pray and host their mitzvah program and named the space “Moadon”.

Moadon: Noun-
A space designed by middle school students.
A place to pray and host mitzvah programs.
A learning lab

The students are required to successfully complete a variety of projects using design thinking. One of the completed projects was to create digital art that had a connection to a prayer. Prayers were analyzed, interpreted, and transformed into works of art using Google Draw. The digital prayers were professionally printed onto canvas and are proudly displayed in the Moadon.

“My digital art was special to me because it represented one of my favorite prayers which is basically saying in my own words thank you G-d for creating the beautiful sunsets and sunrises!” - Eden

Enrollment is open at Martin J. Gottlieb Day School for the 2022-2023 school year!

Kitah Alef students participated in the “Haggigat HaSiddur” ceremony (receiving one’s prayer book). This ceremony acknowledges and celebrates the beginning of one’s Jewish educational journey. The students celebrated this life cycle event with their families on Friday and then again with the community on Saturday morning during services. The students received their first Siddur Shabbat with a personalized cover created by their parents.
The theme for this year’s program was time! The students led prayers and taught the audience in Hebrew and in English about all facets of Jewish time, like Shabbat, seasons, holidays, etc. Mazel tov to our first grade class!

What are we learning about?
In Parashat Tetzaveh God instructs Moses to make special clothes for the kohanim (priests) and for the Kohen Gadol.
In order for the students to realize how elaborate the clothing was, one of the students wears the clothes of the Kohen Gadol.

Happy 100th day of school from our kindergarten friends!

Attention families of rising kindergarteners:
Please join us on Thursday for “A Glimpse into Kindergarten” with the chance to meet our kindergarten teachers and hear what sets a Jewish Day School apart from the rest! We hope to see you there!

This week the St. John’s Riverkeeper visited 3rd and 4th grade. They talked about pollution and why it is important to take care of our beautiful St. John’s River. Thank you, St. Johns Riverkeeper for making learning fun and empowering us to take action!

Join us Thursday for Open House!

First Grade Tu b’shevat.mp4

We've been celebrating Tu B'Shevat! Check out our video!

https://vimeo.com/666091658

First Grade Tu b’shevat.mp4 This is "First Grade Tu b’shevat.mp4" by MJGDS Classrooms on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

We are so proud of our 7th grade class for completing their science fair projects, which culminated with judging, interviews, and an evening award ceremony on Tuesday, December 14th. Congratulations to the following students who will be moving on to the regional science fair competition in February:
1st place: Itamar - the effect of wing angle on lift.
2nd place: Joey - the preservation of fruit at different temperatures.
3rd place: Eli - the amount of bacteria in varying water sources.
Special thanks to our guest judges from the community, Allen Altman, Linda Andiric, Barry Efron, and Jimmy Jaffa for volunteering their time and giving students the opportunity to talk to professionals from the science field. Thank you to our science teacher, Mrs. Mendenhall, for leading this amazing group of students. Way to go, 7th grade!

Happy Hanukkah! In 2nd grade STEAM we built circuits and made light up Hanukkah cards using LEDs, batteries, and conductive tape. 🕎✡️

Yesterday our lower school students celebrated Hanukkah with songs, various activities around the campus, and of course, special Hanukkah snacks! It was wonderful to come together as a community to light candles and sing! Happy Hanukkah!

Don’t forget tomorrow is a dress down day! Wear your favorite Hanukkah gear!!!!

Over the course of the last few weeks we all joined together to help feed the hungry in our community. Our Middle School students purchased turkeys, sorted and packed all food donations, and then directly delivered to those families in need. We were able to provide more than 50 turkeys and over 100 bags of food giving so many people the opportunity to enjoy Thanksgiving this year. As you gather at your table, you can take heart in knowing that we were able to make a difference! Thank YOU for all of your support in making this project possible!

Spirit week is next week!

Save 5% by ordering now!

Chag Sameach! Today we paraded around and proudly waved our Simchat Torah flags! We went around the track seven times! Thanks to Mr. Jacob for the music and fun, to Mr. Brad for leading the way in the golf cart, to Morah Liat for organizing this event, and to all parents who were able to join us!

Don’t miss out on a yearbook deal!

This week in STEAM our Middle Schoolers used the Design Thinking Process to build a prototype of a top that spins. Students were asked to sketch and then plan a design using a pencil, tape, washers, and cardboard. Afterward, they tried to see which top would spin for the longest amount of time.

Welcome, Ms. Quante-Dulaney!

We are so excited to introduce our new staff! Please give them a warm welcome!

Honey from the Heart - Annual Rosh Hashanah Fundraiser

Place your Honey from the Heart order by July 7th for free shipping! Your purchase benefits students in the Middle School at the Martin J. Gottlieb Day School and members of the Setzer Youth Education programs at the Jacksonville Jewish Center. https://orthoney.com/JJC/ https://conta.cc/3qMfeKT

Honey from the Heart - Annual Rosh Hashanah Fundraiser Order by July 7th to receive Free Shipping Honey from the Heart Send the Sweetest of all Rosh Hashanah Greetings! Order by July 7th to receive Free Shipping We will ship a personalized package includi

Happy 4th of July🎉

This is what teachers do over the summer!!
All Day School teachers are are participating in book studies on how to create a classroom that is focused on personalization.

8th grade retreat day! Meaningful moments lesson in the morning, board game challenge, chopped competition, catered lunch, swimming, escape room in a box and an award ceremony lead to an amazing fun day!