In This Issue
	DRS Athletics Update Middle States Comes To DRS DRS Hosts Career Fair Rabbi Stern's 9th Grade Shiur Visits with Gadol Pre-Shavuot Shiurim Continue @DRS

Middle States Comes To DRS

On Tuesday, May 11th, DRS was pleased to have as its guest for the day Dr. Susan K. Nicklas, Executive Director of Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. Dr. Nicklas came to DRS in response to our application for accreditation by the Middle States Association. The Middle States accreditation process allows schools to reflect on their roots, philosophy, pedagogical and administrative staff, curriculum, goals, extra curricular activities and most importantly focuses the school on ways to bring the educational level of the school to a higher level. Middle States provides the vehicle to analyze every aspect of a school and find ways to improve the educational process. Middle States accreditation is a mark of excellence awarded to each school from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The process usually takes about eighteen months to complete. Mr. Stewart Rahr, Assistant Principal at DRS, will act as chairperson of our Middle states Committee in order to submit all the required material that is needed to complete the process. Many members of the staff and student body had the opportunity to see Dr. Nicklas as she toured the building and met with different groups of people. The day started with a meeting consisting of Dr. Nicklas, Rabbi Kaminetsky, Mr. Feldman and Mr. Rahr. Mrs. Rochel Schlusselberg and Mrs. Bonnie Schertz, Co- Presidents of the DRS Parents' Council joined the meeting as well. This meeting was followed by an in depth tour of the physical plant of the school. Dr. Nicklas commented on our beautiful campus and was impressed with our neat and educationally decorated bulletin boards. After a working lunch, meetings continued for most of the afternoon. Dr. Nicklas met with our guidance personnel: Rabbi Gralla, Mrs. Harary, Mrs. Hefter, Mrs. Tuck, Mrs. Sperber and Rabbi Yudin. Another meeting followed this meeting with our student activities personnel: Rabbi Brazil, Rabbi Emerson, and Rabbi Storch. The final meeting before the wrap-up session was one on curriculum with Rabbi Kaminetsky, Mr. Abramowitz, Mr. Deutsch, Dr. Peck, and Mr. Weinstein. The Middle States process is about helping a school become the best it possibly could be through self evaluation of where we started, where we are now, and where we want to be one, two, three and more years from now. Dr. Nicklas was very pleased with DRS and felt that our school has already accomplished much and is, in her words, "a rather high-achieving school". We look forward to receiving her formal approval so we may continue with the Middle States accreditation process. It was a pleasure to have Dr. Nicklas here at DRS, and her visit and professionalism as well as her grasp of school issues are impressive. We look forward to beginning the Middle States evaluation and accreditation process.

DRS Hosts Career Fair

Career Fair came to DRS this week, along with a panel of outstanding professionals, who discussed their career choices, job duties, and education backgrounds. Our students in the senior grade listened intently as members of the panel discussed the challenges and rewards of their profession and offered meaningful insight into their career. The program began with a fascinating video presentation by Mr. Keith Lane, Cameraman for Fox 5 news, who won an Emmy award for his footage of the 9-11 tragedy. The keynotes speaker was Mr. Charles Goldberg, Vice-President of Investments at Smith Barney, who spoke about the importance of getting hands on experience in the field you are interested in before choosing it. The Seniors then split into two groups for the Panel presentations. Our thanks go to Mr. Beryl Eckstein, Dr. Awi Federgruen, Mr. Allen Ganz, Mr. Morse Geller, Mr. Jeffrey Lewisohn, and Mr. George Wertheimer for articulating to the boys how they got to the successful positions they are in today, and for taking of their precious time to educate our boys about their jobs. Finally, the boys were treated to a closing presentation by Mr. Joel Mael, Vice Chairman of the Florida Marlins baseball team. Special thanks goes to Mrs. Eva Hefter, for coordinating the outstanding presentations.

Rabbi Stern's 9th Grade Shiur Visits with Gadol

On Wednesday May 12, Rabbi's Stern's shiur took a "field trip" to visit with one of the foremost Gedolim of our times, Horav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg, shlit"a. Rav Scheinberg greeted all the boys and then delivered an emotional plea to them: "Old people like me will pass on soon and the future generations will need their leaders. Who will teach K'lal Yisrael Torah? Who will educate them in the beautiful ways of Torah? Who will be the future leaders of our people? Who....if not you!" Rav Scheinberg explained that each one has to feel his obligation to fulfill this role in K'lal Yisrael. When asked how one can acquire a love for learning Torah, Rav Scheinberg replied, "When one realizes in his mind and in his heart that Torah is everything - it is what this world was created from, and what it is sustained by, one will instinctively want to pursue its study." Perhaps he was referring to what we say every night in Ma'ariv - "Ki heim chayeinu v'orech yomeinu" - "For [we realize that] they (the Torah & Mitzvos) are our life and the length of our days." "U'vahem nehgeh yomam valaila" - "And we will focus on them day and night." After concluding his message, Rav Scheinberg gave a Bracha to the students to be successful in their learning. His message and Bracha made an indelible impression on the entire shiur. The experience of meeting Rav Scheinberg and hearing his wisdom underscored the dictum of our sages, "Gadol Shimushah Mi'Talmudah," - it is greater to assist a Talmid Chacham then to learn Torah.

Pre-Shavuot Shiurim Continue @DRS

This past Thursday night, our Yeshiva family had the privilege of hearing an inspiring lecture from Rav Meir Goldvicht, Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University. Rav Goldvicht took his listeners on a torah journey complete with divrei torah, stories from his rebbe, the great sage Rav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach zatsal, and from Rav Meir's father who fought in the six day war. He also exhorted all family members to spend more quality time together, both in learning and not in learning. The shiur was part of the Eliezer Baumel Creative Learning Program at DRS, and it was sponsored by Rubin and Mandy Brecher l'iluy nishmas Hinda Bat Simcha U'devora Stern, who perished in the Shoah. Next Thursday night, we host the final of our four shiurim prior to Shavuot which will be given by Rav Mordechai Willig, Rosh Yeshiva and Rosh Kollel at Yeshiva University. Rav Willig's Topic is Simchat Yom Tov: Does Milchig Make the Grade? Men and Women are urged to attend. Our Bait Medrash will also be open for Shavuout for all davenings, and for shiurim and learning throughout the night. The community is invited. Click HERE to download the complete DRS Pre-Shavuot Shiur Schedule »