What is it like to be Jewish at VA/DC Independent HS?
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Anonymous
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We are beginning the HS search for our oldest. We are a Reform Jewish family and are fairly observant (though do permit Saturday sports for kids).
The Rosh Hashana holiday yesterday got me thinking about what it is like to be Jewish at an independent HS. I know Field and GDS either have the day off or don't give homework. Are there other schools that are more friendly/accomodating to those of us who are observing the high holidays? Since we are in N VA, we are keeping our search to VA and DC only. Feedback of what your HS does (or doesn't do) around the high holidays would be greatly appreciated. |
Anonymous
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Burke also has the day off for High Holidays.
Sidwell has a no new assignments/no homework due/no tests policy, both for High Holidays and for the first day of Passover. Absences are excused. |
Anonymous
I would bet almost all schools would accommodate religious holidays, even if no day off. I think that is common practice today. |
Anonymous
| Holton has excused absences but that is it. My daughter (not Jewish) had lots of homework and an actual test in foreign language yesterday. And it is Spirit Week. |
Anonymous
| Maret has no homework and an excused absence policy |
Anonymous
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``We are a Reform Jewish family and are fairly observant (though do permit Saturday sports for kids). ''
I'm surprised that's even an issue for Reformed Jews. Totally blows up my concept. I assume the vast majority of Reformed Jews don't even keep kosher. |
Anonymous
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NCS has an excused absence policy and teachers have always been very supportive of my DD's need to take off. Having said that, she had a chemistry test scheduled for yesterday and had to give up a free period today to take the test. As high school gets tougher she is very reluctant to taking the day out of school for the holidays, so it is not easy.
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Anonymous
| St. Andrew's has an official "no test" policy for the Jewish holidays (and quite a few Jewish teachers who take the day off). The teachers may not always remember that a student will not be doing homework on the day of a religious holiday so assignments should not be due the day immediately after, but they always adjust the deadline when that is pointed out to them -- always. But, like 14:21, they became reluctant to take off for some holidays but I think that is more of a function of liking school and their friends more than they like services. I was the same way when I attended public schools that did not close on the Jewish holidays in another area. On the flip side, the Jewish students organize a high holiday chapel every year for the entire school at St. Andrew's between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur |
Anonymous
| Langley gave no homework since Wed. this week. |
Anonymous
| GDS is very understanding. (It is sometimes referred to as "JDS.') |
Anonymous
GDS is predominantly Jewish, so no surprise there. GDS also respects Christian holidays as does Barrie School |
Anonymous
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Not a high school, but Norwood had
No homework or tears, but still had class. |
Anonymous
| It really comes down to the percentage of students who are Jewish. They will give the day off if there will be too many students absent. (Contrary to other thread, it has nothing to do with "respecting" Judaism.) So that can be a kind of proxy for number of Jewish students, if thats the sort of thing you care about. All schools say that they will excuse absences and give a lighter load on those days but the Cathedral schools violate that in the upper grades by having tests and heavy homework on those days so that by junior and senior year many of the Jewish students don't take the days off. |
Anonymous
GDS is NOT predominantly Jewish. Less than 40% of the students at GDS are Jewish. People of all faiths and atheists thrive there. |
Anonymous
So they are allowed to cry on non-jewish holidays? |