Kehillah Fund
Our partner schools have continued to provide students with innovative learning opportunities and a culture that inspires growth. From new artist-in-residence programs, to experiential gardening projects, to programs that support teachers, here’s what’s been happening at our schools.
At Shaarei Chinuch Day School, the community’s only Montessori school, students were empowered to make their own class rules through the Class Constitution Project. “The children came up with the rules and consequences and agreed on them. It was amazing,” said Daniella Adar, Co-Director.
The exciting new kriah program at Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov (JDBY) is built on a skills-based curriculum that includes multi-sensory and phonemic awareness. The new program, under the guidance of Kriah Coordinator Esther Mina Katz, aims to help all students, regardless of their abilities, to grasp the material and gain the skills needed for reading Hebrew confidently.
Torah Academy of Buffalo Grove is teaching Chumash in a dynamic and skill-based way. The approach creates connections with words in the Siddur, Chumash, Bentcher, and Hagaddah. According to Elisa Zehnwirth, Principal, “The goal is to make the learning meaningful and memorable through context and cross-connections, and it has been a tremendous success.”
Yeshiva Ohr Boruch is constantly working to ensure optimal teaching practices in the classroom. One focus this year has been on developing the students’ independence in learning. “Our ultimate goal is to teach skills so that the child can learn on his own,” said Rabbi Heshy Forster, Menahel.
At Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School, environmental and Torah values came to life through the Joseph Kirshner Grow Torah Garden Program. This experiential gardening program gave kindergarten to 4th-grade students the opportunity to learn about Shemittah, the weekly parsha, recycling, and other related topics through immersive, hands-on activities.
Arie Crown Hebrew Day School’s robust professional development program continues to support their teachers and enhance the school atmosphere. The theme for this year was student relationships. “I am trying to be more cognizant of what I am about to say and how it impacts children,” said Meira Schur. Another teacher, Roni Lichtman, explained, “I really try to see each child as an ‘olam bifnei atzma’ and to guide and nurture her accordingly.”
Keshet is back with a renewed focus on their Literacy Program. The school’s newly assigned literacy specialist has been working directly with students while also guiding their teachers. Dr. Melinda Remaly, Director of Education, explained, “Supporting literacy provides access not only to the broader picture of language and curriculum, but also to the world of literacy and general knowledge.”
Akiba Schechter Jewish Day School has launched an initiative called the Artist-in-Residence Program. The workshops include Percussion, Improv, Design& Construction, and more. “It’s allowed our students and staff to lean into some of the soft skills we want to focus on, like empathy and listening skills,” said Miriam Kass, Principal.
Once the students at JCFS Knapp Yeshiva were able to return full-time, they fully benefited from the school’s programs. Rabbi David Rosenberg, Coordinator of Jewish Educational Services, shared, “It has been gratifying to see the success the students have had this year as they make tremendous progress, with some children feeling a sense of ownership of their learning for the very first time.”
REACH, a professional development and resource program under the auspices of the Associated Talmud Torahs, has begun an offering called Collaborative Problem Solving. The program gives parents the tools to be proactive rather than reactive when dealing with parenting challenges and has been a great success.
One of the many exciting programs at Cheder Lubavitch Hebrew Day School this year was the Shemittah Fair. After the 8th-grade girls learned about Shemittah in detail, they put together an experiential fair with workshops, skits, posters, audiovisual presentations, and more to educate the rest of the school. “The girls were so proud! It was an empowering opportunity for our 8th graders to use their talents to provide this excitement and learning for our entire school,” said Elkie Wolf, Judaic Principal.