The Leffell School Experience: Snapshots

The Responsibility for Learning and Growth Leffell School In and Out of the Experience: Classroom LOWER SCHOOL Snapshots Beyond the Classroom HIGH SCHOOL

The High School prepares students for college and beyond with a KINDERGARTEN 1ST GRADE 2ND GRADE 6TH 5TH 3RD 7TH 4TH 11TH 9TH GRADE GRADE GRADE GRADE focus on students’ thinking independently, exercising confident decision 12TH GRADE

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Buddies program, where each Senior Experience (WISE), engaging in anleaders, activity that reflects their presentations, first graders learn about Yetziat Mitzrayim (exodus from Egypt) and classic.

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Annual visits in peers in student government, students growand by trying new activities on an individualized project such asof writing illustrating achanting community thrive.

Then students write the which together makerspace chance types Torah and to relax of enjoy at and schools a with tefilah invite a few their appeal families service days classmates to to attended food them. learn and outside about fun before a graphic Chesed Israel Experience Trip Growing Independence future years allow their friendships to continue. and by leading student-run clubs.

There are more than forty clubs offered, novel or restoring a summer. grandparent’s antique car to working aby book about the helpers, they museum Native the parting their school Americans families. for environment. the during a which third-grade night. condition. including the Culture Club, the robotics team, and the Friendly Fridge share classmates and families at bar/bat a A AsMiddle highlight awith communal of tenth celebration grade the of the Chesed toyear Washington, The School experience features community service club, amongisothers — increased andTrip each students DC. create celebration of community.

After mitzvah learning process, about the homelessness, eighth-grade poverty, class spends and food insecurity academic choice and independence within a new clubs to meet the ever-expanding interests of our student body. in two their memorable Sophomore Seminar, in Israel. students Students spend explore two days nurturing structure weeks of personalized support.

Elective participating the country’s in development political advocacy from the andbiblical lobbying classes in engineering, art, foreign languages, music,on Capitol Hill and eratheater through working modern directly with day as various they organizations cities, and give an opportunity to tour pursue newhikeaimed at serving those in the less desert, fortunate. visitexplore museums Somelong-held ofand the time historical is devoted to Street interests or further passions.

Torah, sites, and during participate which students in hands-on turn the volunteering.

Jewish texts about social Students begin to learn self-awareness and selfLev responsibility This much-anticipated into action highlight by meeting of the and Middle speaking with v’Nefesh DC’s advocacy, as they reflect on their work and participate City Planning Publishing Parties Fifth-Grade Shuk Activities Block Holiday Celebrations Greeting The Day School years population. firmly establishes There is also a lifelong time for sightseeing and funexperience of a Leffell School in homeless yearly parent/teacher/student conferences.

The capstone Purim Celebration Chagigat HaChumash during connection this memorable with the land and ofSecond meaningful Israel. the year, students are After creating angraders in-class economy Starting NYC in Shabbaton ninth grade,trip. theemerging Activities ShabbatThroughout and holidays offer Students open their day education is the transformative Lev v’Nefesh trip

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High School

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Middle School

holiday-themed costume.

Lower School

learn about how people with authors who write, edit, Students create interactive games where students can earn and spend Block ensures that all students have Third graders learn to navigate the opportunities for campusMifgash Boker (morning tononPoland and Israel that truly touches the heart adapt to life in rural, suburban, and revise pieces for andtime puzzles through which to teach class currency, the fifth grade holdshave on their schedules for Chumash, including locating parashiot, Chagigat Sefer Shemot By eleventh Adapting grade, to students Middle School the wide celebrations.

Parents, meeting), aallocated time designed Community Service Engineering & Entrepreneurship (E2) student. Twelfth graders spend and urban environments. “publication” that are shared Shabbat Assembly their peers and family about Megilat aAmerican Shuk orand Market Day. Students and soul of each academic pursuits.

Students join Mock perakim, pesukim (portions, chapters, maturity and skill level tomay participate in Revolution grandparents, and younger to build classroom community.

Students discuss and debate at each class’s publishing Siddur Assembly Esther and the story of Purim at theThe form their own businesses and are Trial, an American Sign Language class, and verses).

Their study of Parashat Vayera all types of telifah services. eleventhSefer Shemot provides Throughout the year, an executive siblingsChagigat are invited to join Students engage in discuseight weeks walking in the footsteps of Jewish The Leffell School fosters a lifelong The renowned E2 on program which institutions (such as party, aproducing tradition that is At Chagigat HaShabbat, Chagigat Megliah v’Simcha.

Ascolonial part of responsible for and the Scuttlebutt weekly news broadcast, theis a multi-year and Parashat Chayei Sarah focuses grade Shabbaton takes place eachstudents year families and students with asions unique functioning class provides Fourth graders travel back to us monthly to experience the and fun activities that commitment to chesed and compassionate design, innovation, entrepreneurship, and history and discovering their own paths as schools, hospitals, and continued in later grades. kindergartners proudly As they build their repertoire the celebration, students also engage marketing their handmade products.

Lion’s Roar newspaper, or another exciting family relationships and hachnasat orchim on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, which has opportunity to learn together with with strategies to manage the increased times during a visit to the Stony Point energy and festive ruach (spirit) strengthen active listening and kindness through our curriculum’s management course.

Students are encourstadiums) they think are most showcase the prayers, songs, of tefilot, first graders are in the other mitzvot of Purim: matanot On theproblem-solving day of the Shuk, students option.

Activities Block gives ninth (welcoming guests), so it is and only appropriate an active and diverse Jewish community, Leffell’s Limudei Kodesh (Judaic expectations responsibilities of Battlefield, where they learn about the of our entire Lower School creative skills.

Jewish leaders of the future. four-year service program. to real-world important for modern living and traditions they have always excited to their l’evyonim (gifts toaged those inapproach need), can buy the goods offered by their graders areceive chance to learn with and form welcome families to the Chumash and during the Shabbaton students can engineering Studies) faculty, exploring theto middle school.

These organization and American Revolution, see how soldiers together at an community All-School Whether volunteering at alearned food pantry, problems fearlessly and to use their skills and toofdesign about throughout very siddur (prayer book) alived seudah (festive meal), and giving classmates with the money they connections to students from Assembly, where each third grader receives explore minyanim with a range of different narrative themes the Bookown time management skills will prepare during wartime, and watch aacross Tefilah.

Not collaborate only will families an animal shelter, or a senior living facility, and creativity to solve them, building their and build model city. the year. during their Chagigat HaSiddur. tasty mishloach manot treats.and made in their class economies. all very High School grades. their own Chumash. customs and practices. of Exodus. them for success in nails. the years to come. blacksmith forge iron hooks daven (pray) withaour students students support worthy causes with inventions in our three makerspaces, our but they may even get to their time, FabLab, and our outdoor Exospace. see our Head ofenergy, Schooland in a talents.

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Core Values

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

COMMUNITY

Empowering every student to think critically and creatively while instilling a lifelong passion for learning

Building enduring connections, instilling a sense of shared responsibility, and promoting engagement with diverse perspectives

‫ללמוד וללמד‬

‫קהילה‬

CHARACTER

‫מידות וגמילות חסדים‬ Cultivating a sense of obligation to act with kindness, respect, integrity, and the recognition that our tradition regards every individual as having been created in the divine image CITIZENSHIP

JOYOUS JEWISH LEARNING & PRACTICE

‫תלמוד תורה ומצוה‬ ‫בשמחה‬

Nurturing joyful, meaningful commitment to observance, tefilah, text study, and Hebrew language, within an anchoring framework of halachic practice

‫אזרחות‬

Developing engaged citizens who participate thoughtfully in the civic discourse of our local area, the United States, and the broader world

LOVE OF ISRAEL

‫אהבת ישראל‬

Fostering a connection with the people, land, and State of Israel, and recognizing their centrality to Jewish identity

The Leffell School Experience We are pleased to share a few highlights of the Leffell School experience from kindergarten through twelfth grade.

These snapshots can help you to understand the journey our students take as they progress through the school and will illuminate the many milestones to look forward to along the way. They touch on science and art, sports and Torah, engineering and nature, and travel and chesed. And though the specific programs mentioned may change as our faculty comes up with new ways to engage students, what always remains consistent is Leffell’s focus on preparing the next generation of leaders to live thoughtful, values-based Jewish lives in the ever-changing modern world.

See each division’s Curriculum Guide for a comprehensive look at academic goals and course offerings by grade.

KEHILAH AND COMMUNITY Leffell School connections last a lifetime, for students and their families. Leffell students learn and grow together from kindergarten through twelfth grade, and the new students who join each year are warmly welcomed and enrich the already tight bonds between classmates. Alumni often share apartments after college, attend each other’s weddings, and travel Israel and the world together. Our active PTO keeps the community engaged with volunteer opportunities and parent social events throughout the year. The Leffell School families support each other during life’s challenging times and celebrate together at simchas.

ONE SCHOOL While we are located on two beautiful campuses, The Leffell School truly is one school. We come together for schoolwide events like the back-to-school BBQ and the snow day Challahthon. High School student ambassadors greet kindergartners at the incoming students’ welcome picnic, Lower School students visit the Upper School campus for special programs, and, in a full-circle moment, the entire Lower School cheers on our seniors as they parade across the Lower School campus in caps and gowns before their graduation ceremony.

LOWER SCHOOL

Beyond the Classroom Learning at Leffell extends beyond the formal classroom to the art studio, the vegetable garden, the nature trail, the media center, and the makerspace, where kids explore, experiment, build, and tinker.

Greeting The Day

Shabbat and holidays offer opportunities for campuswide celebrations. Parents, grandparents, and younger siblings are invited to join us monthly to experience the energy and festive ruach (spirit) of our entire Lower School together at an All-School Tefilah. Not only will families daven (pray) with our students but they may even get to see our Head of School in a holiday-themed costume.

Students open their day with Mifgash Boker (morning meeting), a time designed to build classroom community.

Students engage in discussions and fun activities that strengthen active listening and creative problem-solving skills.

Lower School

Holiday Celebrations

KINDERGARTEN

Buddies Program Kindergartners and fifth graders love our Buddies program, where each kindergartner is matched with a fifth-grade mentor. The buddies bond through activities like climbing on the playground, reading books together, and sharing meals in the sukkah. Annual visits in future years allow their friendships to continue.

Shabbat Assembly At Chagigat HaShabbat, kindergartners proudly showcase the prayers, songs, and traditions they have learned about throughout the year.

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1ST GRADE

Community Helpers By conducting interviews, reading nonfiction books, and watching video presentations, first graders learn about the many community helpers — such as firefighters, mail carriers, doctors, store owners, and more — who together make a community thrive. Then students write a book about the helpers, which they share with classmates and families at a celebration of community.

Siddur Assembly As they build their repertoire of tefilot, first graders are always excited to receive their very own siddur (prayer book) during their Chagigat HaSiddur.

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2ND GRADE

Passover Assembly Studies in Limudei Kodesh (Judaic Studies) come to life as second graders reenact Yetziat Mitzrayim (exodus from Egypt) onstage in a performance for their families.

City Planning

Publishing Parties

Throughout the year, students learn about how people adapt to life in rural, suburban, and urban environments.

Students discuss and debate which institutions (such as schools, hospitals, and stadiums) they think are most important for modern living and collaborate to design and build a model city.

Second graders are emerging authors who write, edit, and revise pieces for “publication” that are shared at each class’s publishing party, a tradition that is continued in later grades.

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3RD GRADE

Lenape Museum History, geography, science, and literacy all come together as third graders learn about the Hudson Valley region. After studying local waterways, plant and sea life, and the Lenape people, as well as taking field trips to local museums and regional sites, students create their own artifacts in the makerspace and invite families to learn about Native Americans during a third-grade museum night.

Chagigat HaChumash Third graders learn to navigate the Chumash, including locating parashiot, perakim, and pesukim (portions, chapters, and verses). Their study of Parashat Vayera and Parashat Chayei Sarah focuses on family relationships and hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests), so it is only appropriate to welcome families to the Chumash Assembly, where each third grader receives their very own Chumash.

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4TH GRADE

Torah Reading Students deepen their connection to our traditions by learning the ancient skill of leyning (chanting) Torah with trope, the melody used in synagogues around the world. At the grade’s Chagigat Bereshit, fourth graders demonstrate what they have learned by chanting Torah at a tefilah service attended by their families.

American Revolution Fourth graders travel back to colonial times during a visit to the Stony Point Battlefield, where they learn about the American Revolution, see how soldiers lived during wartime, and watch a blacksmith forge iron hooks and nails.

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5TH GRADE

Shakespeare Play The entire fifth grade takes to the stage to perform an age-appropriate version of a Shakespeare classic. Acting out the Bard’s play is an effective — and fun — way to deepen students’ understanding of his work.

Fifth-Grade Shuk After creating an in-class economy where students can earn and spend class currency, the fifth grade holds a Shuk or Market Day. Students form their own businesses and are responsible for producing and marketing their handmade products.

On the day of the Shuk, students can buy the goods offered by their classmates with the money they made in their class economies.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL

Growing Independence The Middle School experience features increased academic choice and independence within a nurturing structure of personalized support. Elective classes in engineering, art, foreign languages, music, and theater give an opportunity to pursue new interests or further explore long-held passions.

Students begin to learn self-awareness and selfadvocacy, as they reflect on their work and participate in yearly parent/teacher/student conferences.

Middle School

6TH GRADE

Renaissance Faire The sixth graders step back in time for the annual Renaissance Faire. The Faire showcases student performances and projects about prominent artists, leaders, and scientists of the era. The students’ preparation helps them understand innovations of the past and the impact they have on society today.

Chagigat Sefer Shemot

Adapting to Middle School

Chagigat Sefer Shemot provides families and students with a unique opportunity to learn together with Leffell’s Limudei Kodesh (Judaic Studies) faculty, exploring the narrative themes of the Book of Exodus.

Throughout the year, an executive functioning class provides students with strategies to manage the increased expectations and responsibilities of middle school. These organization and time management skills will prepare them for success in the years to come.

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7TH GRADE

American History Trip Whether touring Capitol Hill and the National Archives in Washington, DC or walking the Freedom Trail in Boston, students enrich their understanding of US History during their seventh-grade class trip. Visits to museums and cultural sites illuminate our country’s past, and fun evening activities give students the chance to relax with their classmates outside the school environment.

Purim Celebration Students create interactive games and puzzles through which to teach their peers and family about Megilat Esther and the story of Purim at the Chagigat Megliah v’Simcha. As part of the celebration, students also engage in the other mitzvot of Purim: matanot l’evyonim (gifts to those in need), a seudah (festive meal), and giving tasty mishloach manot treats.

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8TH GRADE

Israel Experience As a communal celebration of the bar/bat mitzvah process, the eighth-grade class spends two memorable weeks in Israel. Students explore the country’s development from the biblical era through modern day as they tour cities, hike in the desert, visit museums and historical sites, and participate in hands-on volunteering.

This much-anticipated highlight of the Middle School years firmly establishes a lifelong connection with the land of Israel.

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HIGH SCHOOL

Responsibility for Learning and Growth In and Out of the Classroom The High School prepares students for college and beyond with a focus on students’ thinking independently, exercising confident decision making, and taking responsibility for their own learning and growth.

The challenging academic curriculum is supplemented by our Advisory program, with each grade discussing topics relevant to their mental well-being and social development.

Students take responsibility for their growth outside the classroom as well.

Whether competing as a Leffell Lion on the sports field, participating in a minyan (prayer service) that fits their spiritual style, or representing their peers in student government, students grow by trying new activities and by leading student-run clubs. There are more than forty clubs offered, including the Culture Club, the robotics team, and the Friendly Fridge community service club, among others — and each year students create new clubs to meet the ever-expanding interests of our student body.

Engineering & Entrepreneurship (E2)

The Leffell School fosters a lifelong commitment to chesed and compassionate kindness through our curriculum’s four-year community service program.

Whether volunteering at a food pantry, an animal shelter, or a senior living facility, students support worthy causes with their time, energy, and talents.

The renowned E2 program is a multi-year design, innovation, entrepreneurship, and management course. Students are encouraged to approach real-world engineering problems fearlessly and to use their skills and creativity to solve them, building their inventions in our three makerspaces, our FabLab, and our outdoor Exospace.

High School

Community Service

9TH GRADE

Fall Shabbaton and Spring Tiyul The ninth-grade experience is bookended by a fall Shabbaton and a spring Tiyul (trip). The fall weekend gives students who have been at Leffell for years and those who are new to the school the chance to spend time together and build new friendships. During the spring Tiyul, the grade can reflect on their first year of high school together and enjoy a few days of food and fun before parting for the summer.

Activities Block Starting in ninth grade, the Activities Block ensures that all students have time allocated on their schedules for nonacademic pursuits. Students may join Mock Trial, an American Sign Language class, the Scuttlebutt weekly news broadcast, the Lion’s Roar newspaper, or another exciting option. Activities Block gives ninth graders a chance to learn with and form connections to students from across all High School grades.

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10TH GRADE

Chesed Trip A highlight of tenth grade is the Chesed Trip to Washington, DC. After learning about homelessness, poverty, and food insecurity in their Sophomore Seminar, students spend two days participating in political advocacy and lobbying on Capitol Hill and working directly with various organizations aimed at serving those less fortunate. Some of the time is devoted to Street Torah, during which students turn the Jewish texts about social responsibility into action by meeting and speaking with DC’s homeless population. There is also time for sightseeing and fun during this memorable and meaningful trip.

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11TH GRADE

Beginning College Exploration The college counselors get to know each student individually so that they can advise them throughout the process and ultimately help students matriculate at a school that matches their learning and living preferences. A trip in the spring includes visits to multiple colleges and allows students to see campuses of various sizes and settings, so it is a great way for students to determine which types of schools appeal to them.

NYC Shabbaton By eleventh grade, students have the maturity and skill level to participate in all types of telifah services. The eleventhgrade Shabbaton takes place each year on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, which has an active and diverse Jewish community, and during the Shabbaton students can explore minyanim with a range of different customs and practices.

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12TH GRADE

WISE During the spring, seniors participate in the Wise Individualized Senior Experience (WISE), engaging in an activity that reflects their career or personal interests. Guided by their own self-motivation and under the direction of a faculty mentor, students can opt to work an internship, conduct intensive research on a particular topic, or take on an individualized project such as writing and illustrating a graphic novel or restoring a grandparent’s antique car to working condition.

Lev v’Nefesh The capstone experience of a Leffell School education is the transformative Lev v’Nefesh trip to Poland and Israel that truly touches the heart and soul of each student. Twelfth graders spend eight weeks walking in the footsteps of Jewish history and discovering their own paths as Jewish leaders of the future.

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Leffell School Students

Acquire the fearlessness to take on challenges with confidence and the curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking skills to solve them Develop a strong personal identity and learn to interact kindly, comfortably, and respectfully with people whose beliefs and worldviews are different from their own Demonstrate a commitment to chesed, the responsibility and compassion to serve the community in ways big and small Thrive in the modern world while also engaging in traditional Jewish life in joyful, meaningful, and fulfilling ways Develop the historical knowledge and nuanced understanding of multiple perspectives that are necessary to become strong and effective advocates for Israel, on campus and throughout their adult lives Build cherished, lifelong friendships with peers and establish enduring connections with the caring adults who serve as transformative mentors Leffell School graduates are prepared to act as leaders in their generation and to serve as examples for the generations that follow.

leffellschool.org

Lower School Campus 30 Dellwood Road White Plains, NY 10605 914-948-3111

Upper School Campus 555 West Hartsdale Avenue Hartsdale, NY 10530 914-948-8333