June 20, 2025 by
From May 1-11, Grade 8 students completed their capstone trip to Israel. Their days were action packed, with opportunities for meaningful learning and reflection in nature, museums and monuments, neighborhoods and towns, cultural sites, archaeological digs, and more. Each student connected with the content of this trip in their own way, and the group received […]
June 17, 2025 by
“Throughout my experience in Colombia with Cadena I learned how to be a better team player and how to make the best of hard situations. Additionally, I learned that no matter what, it is always possible to communicate and relate to the people and places around you.” – Shira S-E, Class of 2025 “Cadena provided […]
April 29, 2025 by
In early April, students from Pre-K to Middle School celebrated Pesach in creative and often interdisciplinary ways. Check out our roundup below:
April 7, 2016 by
One of the core values that informs and inspires life at JPDS-NC is Tikkun Olam (Transforming the World). This year, members of our school community have cooked, cleaned, painted, danced, served, gleaned, organized, and supported a variety of causes. We are inspired by seeing our students embrace this value so wholeheartedly, and by the parents, alumni, faculty, and staff […]
April 5, 2016 by
Tonight really represents a bookmark for Steve and me. We began our time with JPDS helping the school find a permanent home and tonight, as we leave the school day-to-day, we know that the school is now growing and thriving in its current space. And so it prompted me to take a step back and think a […]
April 5, 2016 by
In this week’s parasha, God instructs Moshe about the purification rituals for mothers following childbirth; God then describes to Moshe and Aharon the procedures for identifying and responding to those infected with tzara’at (usually translated as leprosy). Commentators, most notably Rashi, maintain that the Torah is written in thematic order so that we can ascertain […]
March 31, 2016 by
It’s hard to know exactly what to say when you are honored for doing something you do voluntarily. The customary “you’re welcome” or “our pleasure” doesn’t convey quite the right sentiment because those words suggest we were giving something — and of course, we never felt like we were giving anything — we always felt like we […]
March 31, 2016 by
What do a gift-giving bridge, a clay heart, a ring and an altar all have in common? If you had the chance to step into the JPDS-NC Design Lab in the recent few weeks or overheard the fourth graders talking about their ‘Judaic Studies project’, you might know that each of those objects were parts […]
March 30, 2016
We first heard about JPDS-NC before we were even parents. A friend was a JPDS-NC teacher and spoke glowingly about a young, fledgling Jewish school. Frankly, I didn’t believe any school could be as great as she claimed. But a few years after we welcomed our first child, I attended a JPDS-NC Open House and […]
March 30, 2016
On the first day of Pre-K, JPDS-NC immediately felt like home. From the stellar teaching teams to the gorgeous South Campus to the daily celebration of our pluralistic mosaic, every aspect of school life is infused with creativity, kindness, and purpose. When our daughter reported that the big kids look out for little kids on […]
March 29, 2016 by
Founding Middle School Director and current Sixth Grade teacher Lisa Schopf recently authored an article that was published in ASCD Express, an educational leadership publication that features academic articles highlighting innovative solutions and best practices among professional educators. In her article, “Habits of Mind for Now and Later,” Lisa discusses how she introduced her Sixth Grade students to the […]
March 28, 2016 by
After the dedication of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and the ordination of the cohanim (priests), two of Aharon’s sons bring a strange fire before God and are consumed by fire; God then instructs Moshe and Aharon regarding which animals, fish, and birds may be eaten by the Bnei Yisrael. An interesting point appears in chapter 11, […]
March 24, 2016 by
Two JPDS-NC sixth grade students and two alumni students were awarded first-place ribbons and special prizes at the DC STEM Fair. The DC STEM Fair is the premier science event for students in grades 6 to 12 who attend independent and public schools in the nation’s capital. Sixth graders Gabriel B. and Yael N. earned […]
