Congregational School

The Congregational School partners with Matan (meaning “gift”) in order to serve our students with special needs. Matan supports and strengthens the efforts of families of Jewish youth and children with special needs and the Jewish educational professionals who work with them. Matan’s mission is that every Jewish learner has access to a rich and meaningful Jewish education and experience and that a child’s special needs never become a barrier to full participation in a vibrant Jewish life.

Matan helps to oversee curriculum, teacher hiring, classroom management, and intake of students with special needs to decide whether learners can be integrated into the Congregational School neuro-typical classes and programs or if they should be placed in a smaller Matan class. Matan learners take part in all special programs both during the week and on Shabbat. They are invited to join their age-appropriate group for special Kabbalat Shabbat dinners.

If you are interested in learning more about the school and the Matan program, please contact Jessie Lavintman.

Classes for Fall 2019:
Hebrew class for teens with special needs
Hebrew class for teens with special needs who have already had their Bnei Mitzvah – focused on further development of Hebrew reading skills

Class will meet once a week on Monday from 4:00-5:00 pm from September 9, 2019 through May 18, 2020
Cost for the year: $3,000

To sign up, please contact Jennifer Granowitz. 

The CSPA is dedicated to enriching the educational experience of our children and to promoting a spirit of community for Congregational School families. The CSPA supports the Congregational School by sponsoring, organizing, and volunteering at school events and by offering a communications channel between the school and families. Through programs and communications, the CSPA engages and supports parents and fosters a vibrant and welcoming school community. Above all, the CSPA encourages children and their families to develop a love and knowledge of Judaism while forging a lifelong connection to synagogue life and the broader Jewish community.

The CSPA invites all families to be active in our organization. Annual dues are $50 per family, which will appear on your invoice as part of the tuition billing process.

Please contact one of us at any time to learn about the many opportunities to participate!

Colleen Weis (CSPA Co-Chair)
Susan Winthrop (CSPA Co-Chair)

ATTENDANCE
Regular attendance is the basis of a successful learning and community experience. We know that the Congregational School and our families have a mutual commitment to providing the finest Jewish education possible within the framework of a supplementary school.

If your child will be absent, either for weekday class or our Shabbat Experience program, please notify us.

TUTORING
At times, there are situations when a learner cannot fully participate in the Congregational School program. These learners must have tutoring to compensate for the lost hours of the program. This tutoring must take place with a synagogue-provided tutor under the supervision of the Congregational School administration, with periodic check-ins with the Congregational School administration. The cost of this tutoring will be the responsibility of the family and will be in addition to Congregational School tuition fees.

ALLERGIES
The Congregational School strives to be a nut-sensitive community. We order and serve kosher foods without nuts as an ingredient. We do not guarantee that all machinery used to produce foods we order will be nut-free. Those affected by this allergy should bring their own snacks and each family should take personal responsibility for advocating for the safety of their children by checking to make sure the staff is aware of and responsive to individual circumstances. If a learner has a severe nut allergy, the school will send a note to the families of the other learners in that class communicating that there is a learner in their child’s class with a severe nut-allergy.

Because of kashrut and our nut-sensitive community, it is our policy that apart from snacks for allergic children, no outside food be brought into the Congregational School.

CELL PHONES
Children are not permitted to use cell phones or other personal electronics during class. Phones are available Monday through Thursday in the Congregational School office for children who need to call parents. You may always contact your child by calling the school office. Please do not call or text children when they are in class.

In keeping with the spirit of Shabbat, cell phones are prohibited during the Shabbat Experience.

DRESS CODE
While in the synagogue building, boys must wear a kippah, and girls are encouraged to wear one. Kippot are available in the school office. Your child is encouraged to keep his/her kippah with him/her or to bring a special kippah.