Frequently Asked Questions
1. What's the advantage of sending my child to a Jewish day school vs. public school?
Our school’s philosophy is rooted in a strong commitment to developing Jewish values and identity. Our students and their families grow to feel a strong connection to the school and to their Judaism. It happens as a natural part of life, a component of everyday learning and growing, without the need for supplemental Jewish education.
2. What makes your school unique?
Toronto is blessed with many Jewish day schools, each offering something special and unique. Our combination of high academic standards, integrated Judaic and general studies curriculum, arts focus, frequent field trips and pluralistic approach distinguish us. With all that the Miles Nadal JCC and neighbourhood have to offer, our central downtown location sets us apart and makes us an attractive choice for families.
3. What is the history of the school?
The school was founded in 1998 by a group of dedicated professionals and parents, many of whose children had attended the Bloor JCC Nursery School, to provide a high quality intensive Jewish education to the children of Toronto’s dynamic and expanding downtown Jewish community. In 2003, the school was fortunate to be the recipient of funding from the estate of Paul Penna, thus changing our name to Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School. We have expanded from 10 to 157 students since opening, and are proud of our new middle school launched in the fall of 2006.
4. What does “academic excellence” mean?
Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School maintains the highest academic standards. It is our mandate to build upon and surpass the core skills outlined in the Ontario Ministry of Education guidelines. Critical thinking skills are woven through all aspects of curriculum development and delivery. We provide a solid foundation in Hebrew language studies and integrate Judaic studies into both Hebrew and Core programs. The school recognizes and addresses a broad spectrum of learning styles and individual needs, enabling children to grow and flourish. Our school provides an environment where children love to learn, are engaged in their learning, think critically, work both independently and cooperatively, and approach tasks creatively.
5. What is an integrated curriculum?
Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School is an exciting centre of learning. Our approach to instruction through integrated units allows us to provide meaningful learning experiences while ensuring children develop essential skills. We are able to offer our students a broad foundation of knowledge, leading to an understanding of relationships amongst concepts. Resources go beyond textbooks, to include a wide range of books, films, speakers, and community connections; student groupings are flexible and dynamic; thematic units are developed around “big picture” essential questions. Our integrated units bridge concepts between Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, and Judaic Studies. An integrated curriculum classroom is a place where meaningful, interdisciplinary connections are made and experiential learning is encouraged. Students begin each new thematic unit through a period of exploration and inquiry. This offers them the opportunity to discover what it is they already know about a topic, what they might be interested in learning, and where to look for the answers to their questions. As they delve more deeply into a unit, students become aware of links to others areas of the curriculum, as well as connections to their own lives.
6. Do you do formal assessments and tests?
We administer the Canadian Achievement Test (CAT) in Grade 5 to assess student achievement in Math and Language Arts. Depending on the grade level, students do have spelling tests, math tests and end of unit reviews.
7. How do you foster critical thinking skills?
Our students are encouraged to constantly question what they are learning and experiencing in school. They learn to use past experiences and apply them to new knowledge. They are taught to think “outside the box” and not take things for granted. Problem solving strategies are taught throughout the curriculum.
8. What is “arts-enhanced”?
Our Arts Enhanced Curriculum encourages creative expression as a tool for learning. Our teachers create opportunities
for students to explore subject areas through music, drama, visual arts, and dance. In addition to the integration of arts by our faculty, a variety of specialists from the arts community facilitate hands-on learning opportunities, further enriching our curriculum. Trips to museums, art galleries, theatres, concerts and festivals highlight the relevance of arts and culture in the lives of our students.
9. How much Hebrew do the students receive?
One and a half hours per day is devoted to Hebrew language study. The children learn to read, write and speak in Hebrew.
10. How religious is the school?
We are a non-affiliated pluralistic Jewish day school, welcoming students and their families from a spectrum of Jewish affiliation and observance. We believe that a positive Jewish identity emerges from a deep knowledge of tradition, values and history. By integrating Jewish content into all aspects of our students' learning experience, we foster in them an appreciation of their heritage and the rich fabric of Jewish life. We enjoy celebrating all Jewish holidays throughout the year, including Shabbat each Friday and a monthly Rosh Chodesh assembly. We engender a love, knowledge and appreciation of prayer, striving to create meaningful and personal connections for our students.
11. How do you teach about God?
As a Jewish school, we affirm the strong connection between Judaism and God. We respect the many different conceptions of God within Jewish tradition, while understanding that the ultimate reality that the term God connotes is beyond human comprehension. Because we are a pluralistic community, we do not wish to specify any singular belief system or any particular perception of God. We focus on the wonders of our world and teach students to be grateful for the chance to appreciate all that is around us.
12. When my child leaves, will he or she be able to fit into another Jewish or non-Jewish day school?
Given our integrated curriculum and high academic standards, Paul Penna DJDS prepares students for success at any school they choose to attend. Our students do not have trouble fitting in elsewhere and are successful through these transitions.
13. What community do you serve?
Families come to us from a wide range of neighbourhoods in Toronto including the Annex, Beaches, Danforth, Cedarvale and Forest Hill. As the only Jewish day school in Toronto’s downtown core, we tend to draw families who live south of Eglinton, although more and more families who live north of Sheppard are choosing to come to our school.
14. What are some of the advantages of being in the JCC? What are the security measures you take?
Our location at the Miles Nadal JCC puts us in the centre of the downtown Jewish community. We take full advantage of the beautiful new facilities including the gym, swimming pool, meeting rooms and theatre. We have coordinated our security procedures with the JCC and are in constant contact with them. They have consulted with various experts about security and we benefit from this knowledge.
15. How can I get involved as a parent?
We encourage parents to become involved in their child’s education by helping their child with homework, attending school functions and communicating with the teachers. Above and beyond this, many of our parents volunteer in the school. From chaperoning field trips to volunteering on a committee, there are many ways parents can be involved in the school and we welcome this. Some of our parents have said that when they enrolled their child in a school, little did they know that they were becoming part of a community. Parent involvement, although optional, is a defining aspect of the school community.
16. How would you describe your school community?
Our school community is built around the concept of Tikkun Olam, the imperative to repair the world. By stressing fundamental Jewish values regarding our responsibility to ourselves, our community and the earth, we inspire students to become responsible citizens and leaders of their generation. Students learn responsibility for the broader community through the weekly Shabbat tzedakah program and through hands-on experience assisting others in the community. Our students have supported organizations such as the United Jewish Appeal (UJA), Jewish Child and Family Services, and Free the Children. A love for Israel is encouraged through academic programs, art projects, social action and community event participation.
17. What is the plan for the school’s growth in the next few years?
For some time now, there has been increasing interest in our school from the general community and young families in particular. With the needs of our current students and families evolving and the list of interested future families mounting, the Board has decided to begin our growth almost immediately.
The three key features of this expansion involve both the Middle School and our incoming Senior Kindergarten classes.
1. Beginning in September 2011, we will open a second Senior Kindergarten class. To ensure this growth, we aim to enroll 12 more new students in the coming year than the 24 that is currently the maximum per grade (for a minimum of 36 students, or 18 per class). It is imperative that we reach this number, so we are asking for your help in spreading the word and drawing positive attention to our school.
2. As of January 2011, Grade 6 will officially become part of our newly re-envisioned Middle School for the 21st Century. This exciting step formalizes a relationship among Grades 6, 7 and 8 students, enabling Grade 6 to benefit from all the expanding features of the Middle School, including the planned Science & Nutrition Lab and the Technology & Media Arts Studio, and “Downtown-Around Town” learning modules. Students in this age group are certainly ready for increased responsibilities and opportunities. Just as the move to Middle School will benefit these maturing students, their energy, creativity and contributions will ensure the vitality of the program.
3. To house the expanding student body and provide our students and families with increased services and facilities, as of September 2012, our Middle School for the 21st Century will acquire new space in close proximity to our current location. We will be sure to communicate details on the move as they become available. Central to the new location will be the above mentioned Science & Nutrition Lab and the Technology & Media Arts Studio. Creating new, flexible learning space and technologies at the Middle School site enables us to simultaneously expand and enrich our current location, including development of our new Library & Media Centre.
