WE ARE ROCHELLE ZELL JEWISH HIGH SCHOOL
1095 Lake Cook Road • Deerfield, IL 60015 • www.rzjhs.org
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Our Mission Our mission is to create a culture of academic excellence that inspires our students to think critically and achieve their full potential, while preparing them to live Judaism as responsible and involved citizens in the modern world. Rochelle Zell Jewish High School offers a college preparatory program that combines a rigorous general studies education with a comprehensive Jewish studies education, supplemented by strong athletic and fine arts programs, and numerous extracurricular activities and leadership opportunities. Subject areas are integrated to enable students to experience the secular world from the perspective of Jewish values and practices. Our curriculum focuses on developing the critical thinking skills that are necessary to excel in all areas of study – from the arts and humanities to the analysis of Talmud. Class lessons provide the tools to access the best of secular and Jewish knowledge and culture and integrate them into productive and meaningful lifestyles.
CRITICAL THINKERS Academic Excellence General and Jewish studies are of equal importance and are mutually reinforcing. Rochelle Zell integrates the wisdom of our heritage and values with the sciences, humanities, and the arts. The learning environment emphasizes creativity and critical thinking in both general and Jewish studies classes and the ability to question is embraced and valued. Students take general studies classes with their grade-level peers. Jewish Studies classes are tracked by Hebrew language level and ability to interpret texts. Rochelle Zell Jewish High School makes Talmud/Torah study accessible to all students by offering classes instructed in both Hebrew and English. Jewish Studies at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School has a track for students coming from a Jewish day school background and a track for those who have attended public schools. Teachers at Rochelle Zell come to know their students as multi-dimensional human beings. The close and meaningful relationships that form between them contribute to students’ confidence in their abilities to advocate for themselves and for others, in college and beyond. The school creates an environment that facilitates teacher growth and professional development, with regular professional development opportunities inside and outside the walls of the building. From the start, our school has enjoyed an impressive reputation among educators who respect the school’s commitment to academic excellence. Rochelle Zell Jewish High School prides itself on its dynamic and distinguished faculty and selects educators who are among the finest in their respective fields. As full partners in the learning process, teachers and students communicate regularly inside and outside the classroom.
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Interscholastic Athletic Offerings Fall Boys Cross-Country Girls Cross-Country Girls Tennis Boys Soccer Girls Volleyball Golf
Winter Boys Basketball Girls Basketball Bowling (Club Sport) Wrestling
Spring Girls Soccer Boys Tennis Boys Volleyball Baseball
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STUDENT ATHLETES Competitive Spirit Rochelle Zell Jewish High School’s athletic program emphasizes the importance of good character, citizenship, sportsmanship, life skills and a healthy lifestyle. Our program teaches the values of integrity, respect, a strong work ethic and teamwork while giving students of all ability levels an opportunity to participate in high school athletics. Participation in athletics is an integral aspect of the overall Rochelle Zell Jewish High School experience. Student-athletes are challenged to strive for excellence, learn self-discipline and attain a strong work ethic that help them succeed in athletics, in the classroom and in the community. Rochelle Zell Jewish High School provides student-athletes lifelong learning experiences by: • developing integrity that contributes to the physical, social, emotional and intellectual dimensions of health • encouraging change and growth through the opportunity to experience the positive impact their efforts have on their team, their school, and their community • supporting a respectful environment where all student-athletes develop trusting and dependable relationships and work together to achieve a common goal • cultivating sportsmanship by winning with humility and acknowledging defeat with dignity • promoting the value and appreciation of physical fitness for a lifetime
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The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Spring, 2016)
Fine, Performing and Literary Arts Offerings* Dance
Jazz Ensemble
Studio Art
Debate Computer Science
Literary Journal
Vocal Ensemble
Model UN
Yearbook
*Course offerings for the 2016–2017/5777 school year.
ARTISTS Creative Thinkers Small class size and differentiated instruction help students at Rochelle Zell find and develop their individual voices. They solve problems creatively and collaboratively, cultivate respect for individual differences, and develop a deep dedication to learning. Rochelle Zell Jewish High School is deeply committed to providing students with a comprehensive and wellrounded high school experience, and the fine, performing and literary arts program is an integral part of the school’s philosophy and curriculum. Our faculty members are trained professionals who strive to further students’ passion for the arts, help them realize their full artistic potential and cultivate an appreciation for the talents of their peers. Student life at Rochelle Zell is full of spirit and a tremendous sense of community. There are numerous opportunities for students to get involved socially through extracurricular activities, clubs, athletics, and leadership programs both in school and in the Jewish community. Our students participate in youth groups of every affiliation. Highlights • Model UN won first place for the second year in a row at the International Model UN Conference where 3800 high school students were in attendance from 150 schools representing 27 different countries. • Rochelle Zell musicians and vocalists are members of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, an international music honor society for high school students. • Rochelle Zell Jewish High School’s yearbook has been named a Jostens’ National Yearbook Program of Excellence. • The Prints, our literary magazine won the Certificate of Excellence from the National Council of Teachers of English.
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Senior Israel Experience The Rochelle Zell Senior Israel Experience is the capstone of a student’s Jewish education. Developing a strong and sophisticated love of and commitment to Israel is central to our school’s mission. Students study Israel in the Middle East senior year. Additionally, there is a three-week seminar following the trip to bridge the experiences in Israel with those that students will experience on American campuses. The Senior Israel Experience has been built to integrate with the Rochelle Zell curriculum. The Senior Israel Experience is designed in conjunction with our educational partner in Israel, United Synagogue, to meet the unique educational needs of our students. They provide young Israeli guides who forge a special bond with our students and experienced tour guides who understand our students’ unique background. This educational partnership bridges the strengths and vision of the Israeli and American Jewish communities.
A JEWISH COMMUNITY Jewish in the Modern World Rochelle Zell Jewish High School students become confident navigating the complexity of what it means to be Jewish in the modern world. We provide students with the knowledge, skills and leadership opportunities they need to participate fully in Jewish life as observant, passionately committed Jews. Rochelle Zell Jewish High School inspires a reverance for and critical understanding of Torah. The rich Jewish studies curriculum includes intensive studies of Talmud, Bible, Jewish thought and Jewish history. Daily tefillah provides students with an opportunity to serve as sh’lichei tzibur (prayer leaders), to have aliyot to the Torah, and to offer divrei Torah (brief discourses on the Torah). The Rochelle Zell Jewish High School calendar is built around the rhythm of Jewish life and the school year revolves around the Jewish calendar. Throughout the course of the year, students and faculty observe religious celebrations as a community so that students learn to approach life with a love and reverence for shabbat and the Jewish holidays. Kashrut is observed throughout the school and at all school events so that students may observe Jewish law and life fully. Athletic programs and extra-curricular activities never conflict with shabbat or Jewish holidays. Students and their families represent a wide spectrum of Jewish observance, attending Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist and post-denominational congregations. While religious practices vary widely among the student body, Rochelle Zell works hard to ensure that students welcome and respect each other’s levels of observance. Rochelle Zell Jewish High School is committed to preserving God’s world and making it a more just and peaceful place through individual and collective commitment to programs of social justice and public policy. The school and its students strive to be a positive force in the Chicagoland area and beyond. Students and their families are actively encouraged to undertake the responsibilities of leadership and service to others. Numerous tzedekah programs and chesed activities are developed and delivered by students throughout the school year.
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College and Beyond A primary goal at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School is to enable students to develop the attitudes, skills and work habits necessary to excel in college and beyond. The college counseling program has evolved to meet the needs of a growing student population while continuing to adhere to the mission of the school. While the overriding goal is for each student to graduate with a satisfying post-high school plan, the college counseling department believes that post-high school counseling is a developmental process that must allow for individual differences and expectations. We offer a comprehensive and systematic approach to post-secondary planning, beginning early in the high school years, and culminating with a thoughtful, well-chosen plan for college, military service and/or career.
COLLEGE-BOUND Colleges Choose Rochelle Zell Students The college-counseling program is staffed by two counselors with broad-based knowledge, considerable experience in the field, and strong connections to key colleges and universities. Together they have over seventy years’ experience in education and college admissions, on both the high school and college sides. While their primary focus is the individual student, the counselors participate in all aspects of the program at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School. They are actively engaged with other college-counseling professionals in the area, as well as with college admission personnel across the United States. Our college counselors are a part of a “student services” group that includes the school social worker, a school counselor and learning specialists, as well as the academic dean. As part of the student services team, the department can draw from a variety of resources in gaining insights and working with students. Interacting with this group on a regular basis has contributed to its developmental view of post-secondary planning, as the college counselors become familiar with students from the beginning of their freshmen year. They help plan age appropriate activities that will increase a student’s self-awareness and ability to engage in self-reflection. Such self-knowledge provides an excellent foundation for embarking on the post-high school planning process during the junior year. The College Counseling Department is a source of information and personal guidance geared toward ensuring that each graduate has an appropriate, meaningful plan for after graduation. Such guidance is not limited to college planning, as many of our students wish to pursue “gap years” in Israel, the U.S., or other international locations. While the college counseling resource center has a variety of print material for students, we also help students access the most current information through technology and meetings with representatives from a wide variety of colleges and gap year programs. Each year, approximately 75 college representatives visit the Rochelle Zell Jewish High School campus.
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The Rochelle Zell Jewish High School’s Model UN Team is a First-Place winner at the International Model UN Conference in New York City for the second year in a row! Rochelle Zell is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and has earned full recognition from the Illinois State Board of Education. Rochelle Zell is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC). Rochelle Zell complies with the NACAC Statement of Principles of Good Practice and participates in theU.S. Department of Education’s National Assessment of Educational Progress (NACP).
Join us on the web!
www.RZJHS.org A partner with the Jewish United Fund in serving our community. Affiliated with Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools.