Learn More About JCDS

NURTU RI NG NURTU RI NG C URI OU S EXPLORATION CUR I O U S EXPLORATION C RI T I C AL THINKING C RI T I C AL THINKING AN D E T H I CA L HEARTS AN D E T H I CA L HEARTS

A MESSAG E FROM OUR HEA D OF SCHOOL

At JCDS, we understand that our students are growing up in an increasingly interconnected world.

Diversity and difference in all realms of experience will shape our students’ lives in powerful ways. We are committed to providing the necessary tools to navigate such richness and complexity, as Jews and citizens of the world. School must be a place where students can safely be their whole, undivided selves and feel a radical sense of belonging — no matter each individual’s particular identity. Learning at JCDS is a joyful experience, and it is enabled by our community’s commitment to, and acceptance of, each student’s authentic self. JCDS students grow up within an educational environment which intentionally cultivates both ga’ava ‫( גאוה‬pride) in who they are as individuals, and anava ‫אנוה‬ (humility), which ensures space and curiosity for difference. I invite you to explore how such a sophisticated way of being is nurtured in our special school across our curriculum and community.

Shira Deener, Head of School

M I S S I ON The mission of JCDS, Boston’s Jewish Community Day School, is to provide a premier education that: • Nurtures each student’s capacity for intellectual discovery and decision-making within a respectful, pluralist, bilingual Hebrew-English environment.

• Gives our graduates the ability to create their futures informed by Jewish values, texts and culture, and to make a difference in their communities and in the world.

• Kindles the flame of lifelong learning in all its constituencies and serves as an inspirational model of innovative, effective and joyful teaching, and learning beyond the school.

PREPARING STUDENTS TO LIVE LIVES FILLED WITH PURPOSE, JOY, & MEANING

EDUC A TI OIONA N A L PLH I LOSOPH Y EDUCAT PH I LOSO PH Y HABITS OF MIND AND HEART Problem Solving ‫פתרון בעיות‬ Reflection ‫התבוננות לאחור‬ Multiple Perspectives & Empathy ‫הבטים שונים‬ ‫ואמפתיה‬ Curiosity & Humility ‫סקרנות וענוהנ‬ Integrity ‫יושר‬ Evidence ‫הוכחה‬ Perseverance & Resiliency ‫התמדה ועמידות‬

Our Habits of Mind and Heart inform our educational program, guide participation in our community, and prepare us to live lives of purpose, joy, and meaning. Pluralism is the frame through which we help our children develop these habits, allowing them to engage across difference, build selfawareness and reflection, cultivate curiosity and empathy, and foster a strong identity. We teach these habits explicitly in all studies so they become part of the natural language of our students. We strive to ensure that our students can identify opportunities in which they can employ the habits successfully and intentionally. JCDS students are academically prepared, self-aware, and have the confidence to succeed in high school and beyond.

GROWTH MINDSET At JCDS, we believe that effort and strategies improve performance over time. Thus, we encourage our students to engage positively with challenges, persevere through frustration, and develop skills and strategies to overcome obstacles. This growth mindset is foundational to a rigorous JCDS education, as it helps our students experience true joy in learning and become more resilient, persistent, and reflective.

PLURALISM OF ENGAGEMENT We embrace pluralism as an underpinning of teaching and learning throughout the curriculum, from the math classroom to the Tanakh lesson, and from our playground to our Beit Knesset (synagogue).

Our students learn to navigate the nuances and complexities of difference from a very young age. By the time students graduate, they approach the world with a humble confidence, a more open and sophisticated mind, and a welcoming and discerning heart.

DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNING Hebrew language is an integral part of our students’ Jewish identity and is acquired through the Proficiency Approach to Hebrew Language Acquisition. Each student is assessed annually in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Based on this performance data, teachers design age-appropriate and culturally relevant materials that prepare students to function spontaneously and comfortably inside and outside of the classroom, enabling them to experience their language and culture in an authentic way.

STEM WITH A JEWISH LENS (JSTREAM) As part of our strong STEM program, students in every grade experience interdisciplinary units that combine STEM with Jewish learning. Examples include utilizing Virtual Reality technology and coding in Middle School t’fillah (prayer) electives, and a yearly environmental unit in 6th grade integrated with Jewish texts and values. These unique lessons give our students the opportunity to authentically put into practice many of our Habits of Mind and Heart.

MINDFULNESS AT JCDS In 2016, we were a pilot school with the Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s “Educating for a Jewish Spiritual Life” program.

JCDS continues to interweave mindfulness practice through a Jewish lens into our curriculum and classrooms. We have a Mindfulness team, comprised of teachers and staff, that meets once a week to work on a toolkit of Jewishly-grounded mindfulness practices to teach students. Additionally, we are working on a schoolwide initiative to use Jewish mindfulness meditation to help bring deeper awareness, connection, resilience, and joy into our lives. This year, we are thrilled to be part of a New England day school cohort that works to bring mindfulness to teachers and students while coming together as part of a wider Jewish community.

SPECIALTY SUBJECTS Engaging the whole child extends to all aspects of our day, including specialty subjects, electives, and sports. Students engage in weekly art, music, dance, and physical education classes. Beginning in 5th grade, our students choose elective courses ranging from current events, to scrapbooking, to coding, to yoga.

Middle school students may also join a variety of academic and athletic teams, including math, robotics, soccer, and basketball.

SUPPORT SERVICES JCDS aims to provide the conditions for each child to grow and thrive. Our robust Support Services Department — which includes a full-time Director of Support Services, a School Counselor, a Dean of Student Culture, Lower School and Middle School Learning Specialists, and Hebrew Learning Specialists — is committed to meeting each child’s needs by partnering with teachers and families to differentiate, accommodate, and modify our educational program.

1995 year founded

191

KINDERGARTEN through 8TH GRADE

S T UD E N TS enrolled

8:00 am till 3:30pm (M-Th, F 8-2)

After School:

3:30-6pm

20

Sports and After School Clubs

90% of students attain intermediate or advanced Hebrew levels by graduation

20 TOWNS represented

partners with Tufts University Robotics Program, MIT Libraries, & Museum of Science

CO N TACT JCDS, Boston’s Jewish Community Day School 57 Stanley Avenue, Watertown, MA 02472 www.jcdsboston.org • 617-972-1733 info@jcdsboston.org