JPPS-Bialik Board of Directors votes on future of the school - 100-year old Jewish Day School announces new direction Français
MONTREAL, Feb. 5, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - The Board of Directors of JPPS-Bialik announced today that a vote was passed at their most recent meeting, supporting the new direction for the future of the school. In an environment where most private schools have been challenged to keep enrolment numbers in growth mode, the additional component of a diminishing Jewish population in the Montreal area has been a major concern for the Board for some time. However, after evaluating the results of stakeholder surveys and interviews, the community made it very clear that it not only wanted JPPS-Bialik to remain vibrant and relevant, the community in fact needed JPPS-Bialik to fulfill a niche that no other school in Montreal can.
In response to the community's request to draw on the strengths of the school, the Board is proud and excited to confirm the following:
At JPPS elementary school:
- S.T.I.M. program at JPPS (Sciences, Technologie, Inginiérie, Mathématiques), a fully-integrated multi-disciplinary pedagogical approach to building on the school's exceptional science/robotics/math curriculum. Since S.T.I.M. is to be taught in French, the students will be even better prepared to move on to the strongest programs of any school.
At Bialik High School:
- International Baccalaureat Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) to be introduced at Bialik in 2014-2015 for Secondary 1 and 2.
- Reform of the Judaic Studies curriculum at Bialik to strengthen students' Jewish identity and connection to Israel.
- In support of the school's core value of graduating fully bilingual students who can work, study, live and thrive in Québec, several enhancements will be introduced to the French program.
- A continued commitment to provide academic support services to JPPS and Bialik students to ensure they attain their fullest potential.
''Curriculum enhancements such as these are very attractive to Jewish families seeking the right balance of academics, athletics, Jewish values and a variety of exceptional extra-curriculars,'' commented Jamie Ross, current parent of two JPPS-Bialik students, and a member of the Board of Directors.
Judaism at JPPS-Bialik
''One of the most important factors that concerns the community, according to the responses received in our stakeholder survey, is the need for our students to develop a strong Jewish identity, and deep connection to Israel,'' explains Mr. Ross.. ''Our students will gain an enhanced appreciation and understanding of the relevance of Jewish values in our contemporary society. ''
''On behalf of the Board, I am really proud of the tremendous journey we have taken together over the course of the past months. We identified a niche that is not being met by any other school in Montreal, and we are very optimistic that this will bring Jewish families back to our schools to ensure their Jewish identity is honored, cultivated and celebrated,'' he added.
- The teaching of Judaism as inclusive, pluralist, diverse, and intellectually open where we actively explore, debate, articulate and draw on shared Jewish values for inspiration and influence.
- The core Jewish studies curriculum will focus on topics, issues, and themes relevant to contemporary life. It will engage our students in debate, discussion and critical thinking about central concepts and challenges in current-day Jewish life in the modern world. It will strengthen our students' Jewish identity and develop their connection to Israel. We will aim for basic competency and comprehension in Hebrew.
- School life will be enhanced by drawing on the school's heritage of Yiddish culture and enriched by the vibrancy of Sephardic culture.
Tuition Reduction Program
In response to the many requests from families who wanted to join the JPPS-Bialik school system but, especially in the early education years, would really appreciate a financial break, the Board is very proud to confirm that, as for the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 school years, there will be a:
- Tuition REDUCTION at Kindergarten and Grade 1 levels.
- Tuition FREEZE on grade levels Grade 2 through Grade 11.
Why choose a Jewish Day School?
"Jewish Day Schools develop and nurture a sense of community that reflect the diversity that exists within the Montreal Jewish community at large," said Professor Sara Weinberg, Director of Early Childhood and Elementary Education at Concordia University and JPPS-Bialik Board member. "JPPS-Bialik's Board, Administration and Teaching Staff are working very hard to rebuild a strong, vibrant Jewish Day School that offers core values which, I believe, will really resonate within our community."
About JPPS-Bialik
The school's mission is to graduate students who :
- Are excited about being Jewish and committed to Israel
- Have the language and cultural skills to live and work in Quebec
- Have acquired an exemplary knowledge base in all academic areas
- Have developed critical thinking and sound decision-making skills that will enable them to take their place on the world stage
Its core values are centered around the following four pillars:
- Academic excellence
- Jewish Identity
- In Québec
- In the 21st century
SOURCE: JPPS-Bialik
For interview requests or more information, please contact:
Mona Aubin
Director of Communications and Marketing
JPPS-Bialik
514-731-3841, ext. 220
514-688-9992
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