Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Answers:
1. Madison and the cities around it have excellent public schools—why should I send my children to a private school?
There is a difference between a private school and a Jewish Day School. In a Jewish Day School, the core values of Judaism affect all aspects of the educational environment from play time to classroom instruction to organized athletics. For example, a play ground argument can be mediated using Jewish values and text. If Jewish education is important to you, why not incorporate it into your child’s daily routine instead relegating it to occasional afterschool activities that also limit their free time and options for extracurricular pursuits?
2. What about supplementary Jewish education? Isn't Talmud Torah or Sunday school enough?
Talmud Torah and Sunday school lay a strong foundation for Jewish knowledge and practice. However, a Jewish Day School education allows students and families to delve more deeply into Jewish texts, daily rituals, history and Hebrew language. A Hebrew immersion program creates an environment in which Hebrew becomes a second language instead of a foreign language. Finally, in a Jewish Day School, Judaism becomes a natural part of your child’s day.
3. Who will teach at the day school? What kinds of qualifications, certification and experience will the faculty have?
Professional educators with appropriate qualifications and experience will be your child’s teachers. We will recruit the Jewish studies faculty from accredited institutions of higher learning such as the Brandeis University Hornstein Program, the William Davidson School at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at Hebrew Union College and the Yeshiva University's Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration. Our general studies education teachers will meet or surpass the quality of teachers in Madison’s public schools.
4. What will the curriculum consist of? Who will design it?
The Planning Committee is currently investigating established Day School curricula. With input from parents and local professional educators, the Board of Directors and Day School Administrator will select the curriculum that best fits the needs of our community.
5. With a dual curriculum, will the school have the time and resources to serve children with special educational needs?
We anticipate that the resources available in the Madison public schools will be available to our students. We will be exploring all options as we seek to make our school as inclusive as possible to the Jewish community of Madison.
6. Where will the school be housed?
We are investigating several possibilities at this point. All needs of elementary school children including safe outdoor and indoor play spaces, roomy classrooms, natural light, etc. will be met.
7. What will tuition be?
We anticipate that yearly expenses for the school in the first year will be $300,000 including two teachers, one administrator, space and supplies. We plan to subsidize tuition and hope to keep costs to $10,000 per student per year.
8. Will the day school be run under the auspices of a Jewish umbrella organization? Will it be connected to a specific denomination?
Our school is not directly affiliated with any denominational movement and will reflect the diverse Jewish beliefs and practices of the Madison Jewish community.
9. Our family isn't very observant. Will my child feel comfortable in a day school?
A major goal of our school is to create knowledgeable Jews. The religious practices of our students are the responsibility of their parents and, if they so choose, the rabbis and synagogues with which they affiliate. Our community runs the gamut of religious affiliation and observance. Whatever your religious observance, your family will be welcomed and valued.
10. Members of our family are not Jewish and we are concerned about how this will reflect on his/her relationship with our child in terms of respect and acceptance. Also, would a child with a non-Jewish parent feel comfortable in a day school environment?
Our goal is to instill in our students a strong sense of self and a strong sense of security in their Jewish identity. This self confidence will allow students to become comfortable with and respectful of differences even within their own families. Since core values of our school include respect and tolerance, this strong sense of personal identity becomes an important tool for how each student functions in the world as a whole. Respect for others is an integral part of this.
11. I love the idea of a day school, but I'm concerned about things like continuity and staying power. Does Madison have a large enough Jewish Community to make this work long-term?
Our planning committee has researched other successful Day Schools in small Jewish communities such as Ann Arbor, Michigan, Durham, North Carolina and Peoria, Illinois. These schools have flourished, as have their graduates. We expect the same success and support from our school, community and students.
12. What about lunch? What if my family doesn’t keep kosher?
Our school will value and respect the varied approaches to the laws of kashrut that exist within our community. Our observance of kashrut will be guided by the concerns that all members of our community feel comfortable eating at school functions. Therefore, any food brought from home should be dairy and any food for communal consumption (such as birthday treats) should be marked with an acceptable hekhsher.