Yeshiva Day School of Your Dreams
Ridiculously high tuition aside, I'm very happy with my kids' school.
This, of course, makes me feel like a terrible parent since nearly every parent I speak to (whether they send their kids to my kid's school or any other school) seem to have PLENTY to complain about.
So here's a chance for all of us to dream big:
If you were designing an all new Superior Jewish Day School (SJDS) what would be important to you? Tell me about things you've seen and liked in other schools or any brand new innovations you've come up with.
Having trouble getting started?
Here are some line items to consider:
- Curriculum
- Hashkafa
- Scheduling (daily, yearly)
- Co-ed vs Single Sex
- Teachers/Administration
- School budget
- tuition/scholarships/fundraising
- Admissions
- Athletics and other extras (music, arts, etc...)
- Chesed
- Discipline
- Dress Code
This should be a fun exercise, I look forward to see what great ideas everyone has bottled up from their own school days and their joys and frustrations with the schools they send their children to now.
posted by Shifra @ 8:15 AM
25 Comments:
You know you've arrived when you start getting blog spam!
On second thought maybe that wasn't spam. We certainly do all need to make A LOT MORE money NOW to afford yeshiva for our kids.
All kidding aside this is a great topic and I hope to submit a substantive response later.
I just read this about a certain girls' school. i think its impressive. What do you think?
The Hashkafa of "School Y" is very distinctive. Along with instilling our girls with a deep love for Eretz Yisroel and Am Yisroel, "School Y" exists to give our girls a Jewish and General Studies education they can readily use wherever they choose to go within the parameters of Halacha, al pi Shulchan Aruch.
“School Y" prepares girls so regardless of what they choose to pursue, or choose to go—whether that’s going to Harvard, or moving to Mea Shearim—they will always have the background, knowledge, educational experience, personal maturity and self-confidence to readily make and implement that decision.
It is all-important to the administration and Board of Directors of "School Y" that every graduate reaches adulthood knowing who she is, what she stands for, and her innate value as a Jewish woman.
We are happy with our kids school.
We like the extras that they provide the kids, like music, art, science, Ivrit, and gym.
I am not crazy about the admissions policy, which will accept almost any kid at any grade, without providing or requiring that child have a hebrew tutor. A lot of times this wrecks the Ivrit B'Ivrit classroom environment, and forces the teacher to teach in English.
Still Wonderin' -
It sounds wonderful, but it also sounds like PR.
On Rosh Hasahana, I was using a machzor that was sent out by my elementery school back when I was a student about 20 years ago. In the front they had a PR description of the school that made it sound perfect. Looking back, it was not so great, at least compared to some of the schoold my high school classmates attended.
With my own children, we have visited multiple potential schools and were always told what we wanted (or what the administration thought we wanted) to hear. Doing further investigation proved that it was a bunch of fluff.
In your description of the school, there is nothing concrete. For example, it says it prepares them for Harvard. Has anyone from the school actually been accepted or attended Harvard?
Does anyone else agree, or am I being too cynical?
SW: I love the message. Whether they carry it out or not, it shows that they are focused onthe right things.
guns
there just are not enough ;)
OK, here's my rather eclectic view on your list of characteristics:
* Curriculum: Solid in both the Judaic and Secular studies. Avoiding any kind of expressed or implied message that only one of them is really important
* Hashkafa: Based on the Torah U'Mada concept, targeted at the students staying strongly religious while not hiding from the world. Tolerant and unafraid of, while not being defensive or intimidated by, hashkafic views to the right or left. Solidly pro-Israel but not treating Yom Haatzmut as a religious holiday with hallel.
* Scheduling (daily, yearly): Daily: 8:00 - 4:00 in 1st-6th grades, 8:00-5:30 in JHS and HS. Yearly: Like most Orthodox day schools today: Off on US secular holidays (Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, etc.) but not religious ones (Dec 25th); Winter break one week in January, summer break 10 weeks from late June through Labor Day.
* Co-ed vs Single Sex: Co-ed through third grade. Separate thereafter but in the same building, with lunch/assemblies etc. together, 4th-6th. Separate with separate buildings in JHS and HS.
* Teachers/Administration: Only accredited secular studies teachers. Limudey kodesh teachers must agree with school's hashkafa or at least commit not to express different views to their classes.
* School budget: Unlimited :-)
* Tuition/scholarships/fundraising: Scholarships provided for academic excellence as well as poverty. However, tuition would be much lower than other schools because the school would run a thrift shop, kosher store, or other real full-fledged business as the major funding source. Parents would be expected to volunteer time to support this business in lieu of higher tuition.
* Admissions: I'm torn on this one so I will leave it out.
* Athletics and other extras: (music, arts, etc...): Physical fitness emphasized; school sports teams supported and encouraged. Field trips to classical music concerts and art museums.
* Chesed: Part of each student's requirement each year. Tuition surcharge on students who do not fulfill this requirement.
* Discipline: Zero tolerance for drugs, alcohol abuse, or physical or verbal abuse/belittling of other students. Otherwise atmosphere relaxed, with individual creativity and sense of humor encouraged.
* Dress Code: Uniforms for both boys and girls!!
Elie-
Well done!!
Maybe you should consider a career change. I'm especially interested in the business supporting a school concept. I have a friend who lives in Brooklyn and is a member of a co-op grocery store that sounds similar to what you are describing (with all members required to volunteer) but it only supports a discounted grocery bill for each of them not a whole school.
We'd have to crunch those numbers and see...
Still Wonderin' - While I think that description is nice in theory there is something about it that bothers me. I think it's the part about "whereever they chose to go al' pi halacha."
I don't know...
It's like you can do anything you want... but not really...
To live the way the frum world expects a Jewish woman to live is defacto limiting. To tell a young Jewish girl otherwise is just wishful thinking at best.
Mea she'arim or Harvard? I really doubt it.
(whew... the rarely seen super-skeptical side of Shifra emerges!)
"I think it's the part about "whereever they chose to go al' pi halacha." It's like you can do anything you want... but not really..."
Don't you think too many schools say "we encourage our students to everything within the confines of our petty social hang-ups, perceived prejudices, subjective religious perspective, and random minhagim we were brought up to view as essential at the expense of those we were not?"
Al Pi Halacha seems a lot more of a tangible, realistic, goal to demand.
"Mea she'arim or Harvard? I really doubt it."
Well, it is true. however, the heimish oylim does look down on this school because frum, intelligent, well educated, confident, and ambitious girls pose a threat to their medieval, self-limiting world-view.
I had a hard time believing that Me'ah sharim types would want their girls mixing with the (potentially) harvard bound.
Also you have to actually LEARN something to get into harvard I'm not sure how well that would go over with the seamed stocking set...
The point is the school mentioned here describes and adheres to a built-in method of preparing students for all possibilities.
The curriculum goes great lengths to prevent shutting kids off from a great diversity of religious experience. Rather it opens them up to ideas, perspectives, and the full diversity of what Judaism consists of.
I doubt they have more than a handful of Mea Shearim-bound, but more than a few Ivy leaguers.
Shifra, I agree with SW. How can you expect anything more flexible from an Ortho school than "al pi halacha"?
"We prepare our students to live wherever they please, whether it be meah shearim or a free love nudist commun."
When i was yeshiva Torah Mitzion (A small place in Great Neck that eventually split apart) one of the Rosh yeshiva's decided he was going to open a business to support the yeshiva. Not only that, but all students and alumni would have an opportunity to work in the yeshiva-owned business.
I should add that the yeshiva had shuirim in the morning and night seder in the evening, and all students were expected to go to college in the afternoon.
Anyway, he wrote up a business plan, met with investors, scouted locations, and was ready to open a retail-style Damark, where they only sell refurbished goods.
The other Rosh Yeshiva was tolerant of the plan for a while, but for some reason (I was not privy to why) it fell apart.
From that point on, the entreprenurial Rosh Yeshiva focused all his energies on starting a business to support the yeshiva, which led to a break up of the two rosh yeshivas, and eventually, the school closed down.
"Co-ed vs Single Sex" well, co-ed sex, but they should wait until at least high school.
First Improvement: No need to call it a "day school" -- just leave it at "Yeshiva."
After all, what real Yeshiva wouldn't encourage secular studies so as to ensure the students will be able to get jobs when the enter the real world?
Unless the Rambam learned in a day school...
Here in Israel we have sorts of additional fun topics:
Orange - which shade? (ie, attending only seperate standing hafganot, pros and cons of getting arrested for passive civil disobendience)
IDF -- Nachal Chareidi, Hesder, Merkaz-Hesder, Mechinot, Regular, None, Sherut Leumi, What if girls want to go to the IDF?
Oops - hav to close my laptop..meeting started,
I think Elie's got some great ideas. Send them in to the Jewish Press...so everyone can talk about it, not just bloggers. :)
I should add that I don't want co-ed schools for my kids, however... And I think starting school at 8:30 or 9am is early enough.
I certainly don't want a tuition surcharge for unfilled chessed hours. But chessed hours should include helping your mommy at home, esp. if you're an older child with lots of younger siblings. My school only counted time out of the house as chessed hours...you can get hours for being a mother's helper for someone with four kids under age 5, but not for helping your own mom with 5 little kids.
Tova- just try switching "oldests" with your neighbors every so often! There might be less fighting that way (I find my oldest is often much kinder to children who she is not related to...)
OK. I memed. You can find it at airtimedaily.blogspot.com.
Here are some comments from the non-Orthodox:
* Curriculum
Despite the insistence of Dr. Jack Wetheimer of JTS that Jewish continuity is served only by the training of Jews to be unthinking sheep with no toher thoughts but breeding, I think that teaching crtitical thinking skills is the prime objective of schools. A Jewish Day school should have a good dual curriculum with the students literate in their native language and Hebrew (for Israelis it should be Hebrew English and Arabic) at the high school levele the graduate from high school.
Secular subjects should be taught at levels appropriate to the individual capacity of the students, and high school graduates should have the required skills to be able to attend college or learn a trade.
Judaic subjects should be taught with the idea of giving the students basic familiarity with the classical Jewish texts, not expecting them to be the next gadol hador. Advanced level rabbinic curricula should be available for the few who show talent and interest (just as advanced math and science should be available for the math geeks), but studying att hat level should not be expected.
The school should also teach "Home economics" to boys and girls, which in my world includes the basics of personal finance, cooking and menu planning, and basic home and auto repair.
* Hashkafa
The school should be multidenominational, meaning that it should be accepting and respectful of Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, renewal, and Secular. Students should be taught to respect all of k'lal Yisrael.
* Scheduling (daily, yearly)
5 days per week, 7-8 hours (including lunch) per day is plenty, with early dismissal on erev Shabbat.
The legal minium number of schools days (with a few extra scheduled for inclement weather closings.) I'm a strong believer in a long summer vacation where students can gain valuable out-of-classroom educa5tional experiences (i.e camp, jobs, learning how to manage and enjoy unstructured free time.)
* Co-ed vs Single Sex
Co-ed, the girls need to learn how to deal with pushy boys, and boys need to learn how to behave with girls, especially if they expect to follow Dr. Wetheimer's advice and marry one and breed with her.
* Teachers/Administration
Teachers of secular subjects should have appropriate secular higher education, and be trained in teaching. Teachers of Judaic subjects should be properly qualified, with either secular higher education or rabbinical/seminary degrees.
The school should be run with the minimum number of professional adminsitrators, and their pay should not be significantly higher than the teachers.
* School budget
No comments, as I've never acctually seen one, and don't know what is appropriate.
* tuition/scholarships/fundraising
The school should be funded entirely by the community Federation. Any Jewish family who donates at least 2% of their gross annula income to the Federation should be able to attend tuition free. For others, the tuition charged should be consistent with the rates charged by other religious private schools in the area.
* Admissions
Open admissions to any Jewish child. Special Ed programs, if necessary for students who need it. Gentile children should also be eligible if space is available.
* Athletics and other extras (music, arts, etc...)
PE (gym)is not an "Extra!" Jewish children need to be taught to keep their bodies in shape. Music and Art should also be available. I would give the lowest priority to interscholactic athelics. Student-atheletes should be encouraged to compete in JCC amd Maccabi leagues, where the schedule of games and practice is Jew-friendly.
* Chesed
The school should pair with a distressed inner-city public school, and the students should provide assistance and mentorship to help students from the public school improve their academic performance. The students should participate in various official school tzedaka projects equally balanced ebtween the Jewish and general community.
* Discipline
Actions that result in personal injury and property damage should not be tolerated, and parents should be charged appropriate monetary damages. Students should be taught the difference between being respectful and subservient, and should be expected to behave in a respectful manner. Disruptive students should be removed from classes, but the gates of teshuva should always be open.
* Dress Code
Students should be expected to wear clothes. :)
OK, there should be no dress code, except that general American standards of propriety should be followed. Pants, skirts, jeans, white shirts, black hats, baseball hats, whatever, should all be OK. The boys need to be desenstized to the sight of the outline of the female human form (as well as the sight of human female arms, legs, necks, etc.) to better help them control their yetzer hara.
http://www.fragrance-direct.info/ original Tumulte 80ml gift sets Shopping for Lucky You 50ml compare prices Shop for diamonds perfume for women 1.5ml samples Purchase vera wang princess fragrance 0.05 FL OZ bonus Where to buy Sultane Gold 1.7 FL OZ for less original Perry Ellis 18 2.7 FL OZ reviews wholesale Mon Classique 80ml amex original alexandria fragrance lamps 2 FL OZ amex wholesale mens cologne fragrances 75ml free gifts Discounted fragrance canada 0.8 FL OZ accepts credit cards Purchase mens pheromone 50ml amex not fake sandalwood colognes 40ml accepts credit cards wholesale poison fragrance 25ml bonus Purchase nenuco 1.4 FL OZ reviews Purchase buy fragrance online 60ml free gifts best Realities (new) 3.4 US FL OZ website Get best mens deoderant 1.4 FL OZ bonus Purchase women purfume 25ml online Shop for dkny women's perfume 1 FL OZ website authentic Tea Rose Jasmine 4.2 FL OZ 125ml paypal
[b]Get the best deals on Mens and Womens Perfumes.[/b]
[url=http://cloakedlink.com/nsayuwazuf]
[img]http://fragrance-direct.info/bigarrow.gif[/img]
http://cloakedlink.com/nsayuwazuf <== VISIT THIS SITE TODAY (Up to[u] 80% Discount[/u] on select items)
[/url]
[size=1] IGNORE THIS----------------------------
[url=http://lucasbuckley157.vox.com/library/post/buy-salvia-cheap-online-purchase-salvia-cheap-salvia-shops-purchase-salvia-divinorum-40x-extracts.html] Purchase salvia product Inexpensive Online [/url]
[url=http://sites.google.com/site/buysalviacheaponline/buy-salvia-cheap-online-purchase-salvia-cheap-salvia-shops-purchase-salvia-divinorum-40x-extracts] Buy Salvia Cheap Online [/url]
[url=http://wheretobuysalvi.livejournal.com/463.html]Purchase salvia product Inexpensive Online [/url]
[url=http://buysalviacheap3.blogspot.com/2010/01/buy-salvia-cheap-online-purchase-salvia.html]Buy Salvia Extracts Inexpensive Online [/url]
teeth whitening georgia record-breaking for free Guinea arlington massachusetts teeth whitening [url=http://teethwhiteningstripsreviews.info] teeth whiteners strip reviews[/url] whitening bonded teeth consult consumer reports teeth whitening Antarctica teeth whitening richmond Guernsey and Alderney yteeth whitening portsmouth virginia teeth whitening teeth whitening lancashire Most Effective tooth whiteninvg remedies teeth whiten9ng teeth whigtening Brighton
[url=http://guaranteedheightincrease.info/]height increase[/url] - http://guaranteedheightincrease.info/
[url=http://provenpenisenlargement.info/]proven penis lengthening[/url] - http://provenpenisenlargement.info/
[url=http://provenskincareadvice.info/]skin care advice[/url] - http://provenskincareadvice.info/
[url=http://getrichgambling.info/]get rich gambling[/url] - http://getrichgambling.info/
[url=http://herpesoutbreak-gentalwarts.info/]herpes outbreaks[/url] - http://herpesoutbreak-gentalwarts.info/
[url=http://STOP-PREMATURE-EJACULATION-SOLUTIONS.INFO]cure premature ejaculation[/url] - http://STOP-PREMATURE-EJACULATION-SOLUTIONS.INFO
[url=http://3GMOBILEPHONESFORSALE.INFO]used mobile phones on sale[/url] - http://3GMOBILEPHONESFORSALE.INFO
[url=http://internationaloddities.reviewsdiscountsonline.com] international oddities reviews[/url]
[url=http://drobuds.reviewsdiscountsonline.com]dro bud reviews [/url]
like gambling? care las vegas? enquiry the all reborn [url=http://www.casinolasvegass.com]casino[/url] las vegas at www.casinolasvegass.com with on the other side of 75 chichi unstinting [url=http://www.casinolasvegass.com]online casino[/url] games like slots, roulette, baccarat, craps and more and round postponed existent notes with our $400 cost-free bonus.
we carry free unvaried safer games then the superannuated online [url=http://www.place-a-bet.net/]casino[/url] www.place-a-bet.net!
[URL=http://www.wallpaperhungama.in/details.php?image_id=13415][IMG]http://www.wallpaperhungama.in/data/thumbnails/117/Minissha Lamba-91.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://www.wallpaperhungama.in/details.php?image_id=13240][IMG]http://www.wallpaperhungama.in/data/thumbnails/117/Minissha Lamba-90.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://www.wallpaperhungama.in/details.php?image_id=13236][IMG]http://www.wallpaperhungama.in/data/thumbnails/117/Minissha Lamba-87.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://www.wallpaperhungama.in/details.php?image_id=13234][IMG]http://www.wallpaperhungama.in/data/thumbnails/117/Minissha Lamba-85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[url=http://www.wallpaperhungama.in/cat-Minissha-Lamba-117.htm][b]Minissha Lamba Sexy Wallpapers[/b][/url]
Photo gallery at WallpaperHungama.in is dedicated to Minissha Lamba Pictures. Click on the thumbnails into enlarged Minissha Lamba pictures, intimate photographs and exclusive photos. Also after exposed other Pictures Gallery recompense Expensive quality and Strong Decision portrait scans, talking picture captures, talkie promos, wallpapers, hollywood & bollywood pictures, photos of actresses and celebrities
Post a Comment
<< Home