March 19, 2015 by
A great school requires the best teachers. JPDS-NC is committed to not only attracting and retaining our extraordinary faculty but to nurturing their talent as well. One of the ways we support and develop our new and veteran teachers is through the Jewish New Teachers Project (JNTP). JNTP is based on the work of the […]
March 11, 2015 by
On Friday, February 27, the forty-four students of the 5th grade class went to Kemp Mill for the annual Shabbaton to experience an Orthodox Shabbat. Several very nice families hosted three to six kids in their homes, which were within a half-mile radius of each other. My host family was very nice and welcoming, especially […]
March 1, 2015 by
The Art and Science Expo is a special night at JPDS-NC, when children and parents come to learn in a fun and exciting way! In second grade, we focus on systems within us and around us. One of the systems we learned about is the human body. For the Expo, we decided to transform our […]
February 25, 2015 by
We came up with “big ideas” that we wanted to learn about: the human body, technology, recycling and the ocean. We took a vote to see what we should focus on, and the ocean won. We read books and decided to research ocean animals. We chose to focus on sharks, dolphins, fish, jellyfish, silver gulls, […]
February 18, 2015 by
In science, we studied ecology. We were studying living and non-living things. Our friend’s father, Dr. Reuven Walder, came to talk about birds to us. He is an ecologist. He spent time in the Aleutian Islands which are in Alaska. He went to an island that had thousands of different species of birds, but the […]
February 12, 2015 by
Twice a year we invite our families to join us on South Campus to actively participate in our learning process. To make the learning visible, teachers and students transform the Kikar or Ulam (our shared spaces) into environments that showcase their projects. Over the past two months, the batim p’tuchim (open houses) provided an opportunity […]
February 11, 2015 by
We started learning about endangered animals. We decided to learn about mountain gorillas. There are only 700 mountain gorillas left in the whole world because of the wars surrounding where they live and poachers. We wanted to make a play that showed our feelings about mountain gorillas and other endangered species. We voted about doing […]
February 5, 2015 by
In keeping with our mission and values as an institution that is reflective and forward-looking, JPDS-NC is embarking on the AIMS re-accreditation process, a process that occurs in a 10-year cycle. We have been accredited by the Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools since 2007 and it is now time to start the cycle […]
January 29, 2015 by
JPDS-NC’s strength is due, in part, to the dedication of a cadre of talented and energetic parent volunteers. To learn first-hand about what motivates and inspires our volunteers, read the interview with parent Vanessa May. What is your volunteer role? Vanessa: I currently co-chair People of the Book. I have co-chaired Share the Nachas Day. I’ve also […]
January 28, 2015 by
JPDS-NC’s students put on a production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” We performed twice, once for the whole school, and once for families and the community. We had 42 performers ranging from pre-kindergarten to sixth grade in the show, and a student stage crew that helped make amazing sets and props. We had […]