Back to Day School

By Cindy Mindell

Connecticut is home to nine Jewish day schools and two (pre-college) yeshivot, all working to provide a high level of education in both secular and Judaic studies. As the new school year approaches, the Ledger checked in with the schools to see how they’re gearing up for their students. With the exception of the high schools, all the day school include nursery school through eighth grade.

Jewish High School of Connecticut

Science class at Jewish High School of Connecticut.

360 Amity Road, Woodbridge

(203) 907-0055

jhsct.org

Dr. Yonatan Yussman, Head of School

Randie Weseley, Board President

2013-14 enrollment: 40

New and noteworthy:

JHSC is proud to announce that the school is now fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

Solomon Schechter Academy

Music at Solomon Schechter Academy

660 Ocean Ave., New London

(860) 443-5589

ssa-newlondon.org

Karen Rosenberg, Head of School until November 2013

Tracy Todd, Head of School starting November 2013

Peter Marcus, Board President

2013-14 enrollment: 30

New and noteworthy:

2013-14 will be a year of transitions for SSA. We have new families, a new art teacher, new organization of classes, and in November, will have a new Head of School.

Southern Connecticut Hebrew Academy

Chess club at Southern CT Hebrew Academy.

261 Derby Ave., Orange

(203) 795-5261

schacademy.org

Rabbi Sheya Hecht, Headmaster

Rabbi Enan Francis, Principal

Moti Sandman, Board President

2013-14 enrollment: 230

New and noteworthy:

SCHA is about to embark on an exciting new program, “The Leader in Me.” The core of the program is centered on The 7 Habits of Happy Kids by Sean Covey. Based on timeless principles, the 7 Habits become hands-on tools students will learn to use every day. Faculty, staff, and administration will receive ongoing training to teach students how to achieve their own personal leadership goals. Every student from preschool to high school will take part in the process. We are very excited to have the opportunity to take part in this successful program.

Bess and Paul Sigel Hebrew Academy

53 Gabb Road, Bloomfield

(860) 243-8333

sigelacademy.org

Rabbi Eliot Feldman, Head of School

Elana Doron, Board President

2013-14 enrollment: 85

New and noteworthy:

Hebrew Academy will introduce a five-unit project-based learning program in middle school this year, addressing the environment, civics, social justice, science, and a fifth area to be determined.

Read an interview with the Hebrew Academy’s new head of school on page 19

Hebrew High School of New England

Hebrew High School of New England Honor Society.

300 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford

(860) 231-0317

hhne.org

Rabbi Daniel Loew, Head of School

David Rosen, Board President

2013-14 enrollment: 61

New and noteworthy:

This year, HHNE will be offering numerous additional courses and activities including AP Calculus AB, AP Comparative Government, Terrorism/Counter-Terrorism, Statistics, Computer Science/Web Design, Krav Maga, and Pilates. The school also is welcoming new faculty in the Science, Hebrew, and Judaic Studies departments.

Carmel Academy

Carmel Academy Girls’ Basketball Team.

270 Lake Ave., Greenwich

(203) 863-9663

carmelacademy.org

Nora Anderson, Head of School

David Messer, Board President

2013-14 enrollment: 245

New and noteworthy:

One of the upcoming year’s highlights will be a Festival of the Arts, an all-school event that will feature Carmel Academy’s visual, theater, and music arts. On display during this event will also be students’ creative writing, which will showcase Carmel’s innovative cross-curricular writing program. Carmel’s STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) program continues to grow. Introduced last year were new state-of-the-art science and technology facilities and a portable iPad lab. In addition, Carmel Academy offers Middle School E2K, an innovative program to teach math and science to gifted students, and a SET3 2020 engineering program. Both programs have garnered multiple local, national and international awards. Carmel Academy’s Judaic Studies department has become known nationwide and its teaching methodology is now being used to train Jewish educational leaders from all denominations. The Jewish Theological Seminary and the AVI CHAI Foundation recently chose Carmel Academy as the focus of a case study, which is currently being used to train new heads of schools and leaders in best practices for teaching Jewish text. In addition to new offerings, which also include an innovative values-based character-development program and the installation of a new Gaga pit, Carmel Academy is excited to continue with some of its long-standing traditions, including the school’s annual Seder Plate Basketball Tournament for day schools throughout Connecticut, an Innovation Convention, and its “Together We Can Make a Difference” chesed program in conjunction with Jewish Family Services of Greenwich, and other social-action projects.

Yeshiva of New Haven Elementary

Rabbi Avi Hack gives student a lesson about Sukkot at the Yeshiva of New Haven.

765 Elm St., New Haven

(203) 777-2200

yeshivanewhavensynagogue.org

Rebbetzin Sarah Greer, Principal

2013-14 enrollment: Not reported

Yeshiva of New Haven Boys’ Mesivta

Learning at the Yeshiva of New Haven Mesivta High School

765 Elm St., New Haven

(203) 777-7199

yeshivanewhaven.org

Rabbi Avi Hack, Rosh Yeshiva

2013-14 enrollment: Not reported

Ezra Academy

Celebrating Sukkot at Ezra Academy.

75 Rimmon Road, Woodbridge

(203) 389-5500

ezraacademy.net

Dr. Melanie Waynik, Head of School

Evan Wyner, Board President

2013-2014 enrollment – 86

New and noteworthy:

We have been fortunate to receive a major grant form the Morris and Sylvia Trachten Family Foundation for excellence in Day School Education. With this grant we have been able to purchase Macbooks for the 6th-8th grade students, for one-on-one use during the entire school day. We have also received funding to purchase both programs and apps to use on all of our digital equipment, including laptops, iPads, and smartboards. Our wireless network is being upgraded to provide the necessary capacity to enable the efficient functioning of all of the new and older devices. Additionally, we have been able to purchase all of the digital Singapore Math program for K-4th grade and the E2K Stem Program, which is an enrichment program in both math and science, which will be used in the classroom and as after school enrichment. We are now able to pilot a new Mishnah program that will be used in fifth grade this year and could be extended into all of the upper grades in the future. And finally, this grant has allowed many of our teachers to take courses over the summer to learn and reinvigorate themselves to be the most effective teachers that they can be. We are very excited about our new after school enrichment program, Ezra Beyond the Bell! In addition to our regular sports program that includes both boys and girls soccer, basketball and tennis, we will be offering Lego robotics, math and science enrichment, art and cooking.

Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Hartford

26 Buena Vista Road, West Hartford

(860) 561-0700

ssds-hartford.org

Rabbi Elliot Goldberg, Head of School

Robert Kessler, Board President

2013-2014 enrollment: Not reported

New and noteworthy: Solomon Schechter Day School continues to move forward on a number of curriculum- evaluation and renewal projects with a focus on science, social studies, Bible, Hebrew language and our Early Childhood Program. We continue to invest in extracurricular activities including the Scorpions Robotics Club, Schechter choir, soccer, basketball and track. During the year, our 6th grade will visit New York City and the outdoors with Teva Learning Alliance, the 7th grade will go out into the field to conduct experiments, and the 8th grade will travel to Israel.

Bi-Cultural Day School