Jewish Day School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had a really horrific experience with the admissions folks at JPDS and I know of other families who had the same. I know families that are very happy with the school, but they really are caught up in the prestige thing at the admissions level, and have done awfully heartless things (can't share identifying details).

We are certainly not a prestigious family by any stretch and had a wonderful experience with JPDS.

[Anonymous]

I was referring to admissions and how they treat different families differently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was referring to admissions and how they treat different families differently.

And we had a great experience with the admissions process, despite not being prestigious at all.

[Anonymous]

I don't doubt the folks who had a good experience. but for some of us, it was really ugly.

[Anonymous]

My kids are at JPDS. We love it. Excellent secular education (some fabulous teachers), strong Jewish education. Phenomenal Hebrew teaching. Couldn't be happier.

[Anonymous]

Enrollment is significantly lower at the CESJDS for 2010. IS this true for the other Jewish Day Schools and is this just a response to the economy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Enrollment is significantly lower at the CESJDS for 2010. IS this true for the other Jewish Day Schools and is this just a response to the economy?

Last I heard, Gesher Kindergarten is up from 23 (in two classes) last year to 27 projected. Don't know about the other grades. There are cross-currents; more parents struggling economically, but more parents worried about public school cutbacks.

[Anonymous]

Sorry for this side question but how do the schools handle an applicant for an upper grade (e.g., 3rd or 4th) who does not have a solid foundation in Hebrew language? Is he/she not just not admitted or is the child put in a Hebrew class with a lower grade and expected to get a tutor to catch up? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

bump

[Anonymous]

The schools have kids coming in and out, so at least the ones I'm familiar with try to groups kids with Hebrew deficiencies together, and try to catch them up. That said, if I were going to send my little one to a Jewish school starting in 3rd or 4th grade, I'd try to get a tutor or some software or both to catch them up over the Summer, so they could be in the "regular" class.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the information. My daughter is at a very intense MCPS school and is having a hard time socially with all of the competitiveness. I am going to give it one more year and hope that next year is better for her (we are getting her help as well). She'll also be starting Hebrew School at the synagogue. If things don't improve for her, I will look into Day School. Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

Day schools generally work with kids who dont have a hebrew/jewish background to set them up for success. It may mean they are in a lower level or lower grade even, for hebrew or judaic studies, but they will work with you to catch them up.

[Anonymous]

We also did not have a good experience with JPDS admissions, very unprofessional and misleading at times. Our child was admitted but we decided to look elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Is JPDS the same school as Primary Day? Or are they two separate schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is JPDS the same school as Primary Day? Or are they two separate schools?

Two separate schools. JPDS is Jewish Primary Day School located on upper 16th St in the District - its only elementary school.
JDS is the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School with campuses in Rockville and both elementary and high school.