From the Head of School

FROM THE HEAD

OF SCHOOL

רפסה תיב שארמ

“Building the plane as you fly it” has become an increasingly popular expression across the field of education. In this unprecedented year, it has taken on a profoundly new meaning for me personally, as I embarked upon my new role as Head of School in the midst of a pandemic.

“Building the plane as you fly it” is an apt description of an educator’s experience in the classroom. Encouraging students and teachers to research, explore, and use all the tools at their disposal to uncover something new; to consider multiple ways of looking at problems and solving them; to employ higher levels of thinking to solve complex problems — all entail some level of risk, planning, and flexibility. A good educator knows this, and with eyes wide open is prepared to adapt and to respond to the unanticipated bumps in the road, the needs of students, and the requirements of the organization. At JCDS we fly our proverbial planes every day, while building, adjusting, and perfecting them in real time.

And then came a viral pandemic and a year like no other. I, along with our administration, faculty, students, and families, had to quickly pivot and learn to fly this plane while building it in ways I could never have imagined. Leaning on our creativity, unfiltered love, and commitment towards our community, we buckled our seatbelts and took off.

After making adjustments to our physical facility — walls came down, tents went up — together we launched a year of learning and discovery. We discovered that our community was stronger than the forces that threatened our cohesiveness. With students in both our Babinyan (in the building) and Mekuvan (online) programs, our faculty worked doubly hard to keep classes connected. We celebrated our learning with our Milestones on Zoom, enabling family and friends from far and wide to participate. We unearthed our capacity to grow gardens and to grow emotionally, to dance outdoors and to deliver Shakespearean soliloquies in the parking lot. We beautified our Jersey barriers by turning these concrete slabs into works of art. We listened to engaging stories passed down from generation to generation and sang Kabbalat Shabbat prayers at our weekly allschool Zoom celebrations.

Dare I say that in some ways our community was even strengthened because of our challenges. Volunteers joined forces monthly to provide nourishment to our faculty and staff and single handedly drove meals to the homes of our Matters of Taste guests. Our Generations program brought grandparents and special friends together to be inspired by the stories we carry. Our intrepid medical task force guided us safely through our journey and our doors remained open the entire school year. While our innovative spirit pushed us to embrace the unknown, what also helped us survive last year was our commitment to each other. Our pledge to uphold the value of Areyvut (communal responsibility) placed the common good above all else. We trusted you, and in turn you entrusted your children to us. Perhaps the greatest lesson from this unprecedented experience is that when we lean into the unknown and on each other, we emerge stronger. I am incredibly proud to be a part of this gritty and valiant community. In this special edition of Nitzotzot, we celebrate the many wonderful aspects of JCDS that make our community special. Join me in sharing the enormous pride I feel for our school.

B’shalom,

Shira Deener, Head of School