Message from the Head of School Jonathan Levy, Ph.D., Head of School
H
ow does a successful, well-established institution adapt in the face of a global pandemic when it can no longer run as it has for 60 years? How do we create a new paradigm of the Jewish day school experience? These were the challenges facing TanenbaumCHAT as the COVID-19 pandemic demanded that we rethink and reinvent every aspect of our school for the 2020-21 academic year. The core values of curiosity, character, connection, community and contribution that we rely on in “normal” times and that serve as our inspiration and guide, proved to be no less helpful during this unprecedented period of “unknowns.” However, we had to consider how each value could be applied and implemented within the framework of public health guidelines. It was imperative to maintain the integrity of our dual Judaic and General Studies curriculum, which is the cornerstone of our program. Ensuring that students could be appropriately placed in each of their classes would best serve each child’s learning needs in the long term. A focus on student mental health and workload led us to limit the number of courses students take at one time. The flexibility to adapt to what could be a rapidly changing health landscape would properly position us for the various scenarios that the pandemic might force us to consider. Our vast extracurricular program had to be entirely reinvented. We had to plan how groups of students could gather virtually, how we could connect our students with the State and People of Israel, and how we could continue to build school spirit. The result is a new wave of activities and programs that are tailored to an online environment. School provides consistency and certainty for students. Last spring, as the world was shutting down with the onset of the pandemic, our students knew that, despite all that was going on, they would continue to work, study and learn. So too this year, our goal remains to challenge our students intellectually as well as to support their emotional and social needs. TanenbaumCHAT is buoyed and bolstered by the many people who care deeply about the school. We are blessed with a dedicated and creative staff; community and lay leaders who are committed to our success; parents who believe in us and entrust their children to us; and donors who support us. Most importantly, we have students whose flexibility, resilience and determination is inspiring. It is a joy to see them everyday! ◆
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