JCDS Brochure

N U RT U RI N G C U R I O U S E X P LO R AT I O N CRITICAL THINKING AND ETHICAL HEARTS

A M E S SAGE F RO M O UR

HEAD OF SCHOOL

In today’s world, information is available to children at the click of a button, so schools must be places of learning that provide more than the transfer and memorization of content. JCDS students experience excellent and innovative academics, while being inspired to persevere with challenges; to apply knowledge and strategies to creatively solve problems; to collaborate effectively with peers; and to live joyous, meaningful, integrated Jewish lives. I welcome you to walk through our school yourself so you can fully appreciate this warm and vibrant community that nurtures and challenges our children to thrive each day.

Dr. Susie Tanchel, Head of School

MISSION JCDS cultivates knowledgeable, passionate Jewish learners with the capacity and confidence to question, listen, understand, and change the world. We partner with parents and our broader community to raise children who move through the world with inquisitive minds borne of deep knowledge and understanding; an ethical core; a humble confidence; and a joyful Jewish spirit.

PR E PA R I N G S T U D EN TS TO LI VE LI VES FILLED WITH PURPOSE AND MEANING

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY Integrity and Ethical Living ‫יושרה‬ Multiple Perspectives and Empathy ‫מבט אופקי‬ Perseverance and Resiliency ‫התמדה והתמודדות‬ Curiosity ‫סקרנות‬ Desire to Solve Problems ‫פתרון בעיות‬ Capacity for Reflection ‫הערכה עצמית‬ Rigorous Appreciation for Evidence ‫שימוש בראיות‬

HABITS OF HEART AND MIND Our Habits of Heart and Mind inform our educational program, guide participation in our community, and prepare us to live lives of purpose and meaning. Pluralism is the frame through which we help our children develop these habits, allowing them to engage across difference, build self-awareness and reflection, cultivate curiosity and empathy, and foster 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.

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 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, 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, and a more open and sophisticated mind and a welcoming and discerning heart.

DUAL LANGUAGE L EA RNING 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 annually assessed 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 in and outside of the classroom, enabling our students to experience their language and culture in an authentic way.

STEM-FOCUSED LEARNING ADVENTURES As part of our strong STEM program, students in every grade participate in Learning Adventures, week-long interdisciplinary units developed around a real-world challenge. Classroom teachers collaborate with one another and outside experts to create these units using frameworks such as Design Thinking, Jewish Engineering, and Computer Science. Projects include creating a school mural, designing a mikveh, and developing new systems to make our school more environmentally sound. Learning Adventures give our students the opportunity to authentically put into practice many of our Habits of Heart and Mind.

MINDFULNESS AT JCDS JCDS is one of three Jewish day schools selected to participate in the Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s “Educating for a Jewish Spiritual Life” program, a groundbreaking initiative that brings mindfulness to students, faculty, and community. This three-year grant provides training, support, and curriculum for integrating mindfulness into a Jewish K-8 setting. The goal of this initiative is to help the entire community implement mindfulness in their own teaching practices and classroom routines.

SP EC I A LTY SUBJ ECTS Engaging the whole child extends to all aspects of our day, including specialty subjects, electives, and sports. Students engage in weekly art, music, movement and physical education classes. Beginning in 5th grade, our students choose elective courses ranging from sushi making to photography to yoga. Middle school students may also join a variety of academic and athletic teams, including speech, 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, clinical social worker, and lower school and middle school learning specialists —is committed to meeting each child’s needs by partnering with teachers and families to differentiate, accommodate, and modify our educational program.

7:1

1995 year founded

student to teacher ratio

155

STUDENTS enrolled

8:00 am till 3:30pm (M-Th, F 8-2) (MS until 4:30 T&Th)

After School:

3:30-6pm

20

Sports and After School clubs

KINDERGARTEN through 8TH GRADE

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

22 TOWNS represented

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

CO N TAC T JCDS, Boston’s Jewish Community Day School 57 Stanley Avenue, Watertown, MA 02472 www.jcdsboston.org • 617-972-1733 info@jcdsboston.org