Our Stories

Xani Pollakoff

Faculty and Staff


Cultivating Global Competency, Design Thinking, and 21st Century Skills: Kindergartners Explore the Universal Languages of Childhood

February 26, 2018 by Lisa Davis (Faculty and Staff) Vas Pournaras (Faculty and Staff) Xani Pollakoff (Faculty and Staff)

This semester, Kindergarten students explored the theme of community through the lens of global competency. The students learned about the universal languages of childhood – fine arts, celebrations, and games/play – by learning about how children all around the world express these languages. Throughout the project, which was woven into all aspects of the curriculum, […]

  • Design Thinking
  • Project Based Learning
  • Visual Arts

Kindergartners Create and Perform at the South Campus Community Theater

June 2, 2017 by Lisa Davis (Faculty and Staff) Vas Pournaras (Faculty and Staff) Xani Pollakoff (Faculty and Staff)

Kindergarten students engaged in an in-depth, multi-disciplinary project to create a South Campus Community Theater. Throughout, they honed skills including research, writing, design thinking, math, science, art, and design, along with deepening their knowledge of Jewish holidays. The students’ work was guided by the theme of community as they explored essential and guiding questions like, […]

  • Creative Writing
  • Design Thinking
  • Performing Arts
  • Project Based Learning
  • Visual Arts

In the News: The Kohelet Foundation Interviews Prize-Winning Teacher Xani Pollakoff

May 4, 2017 by Xani Pollakoff (Faculty and Staff)

The Kohelet Foundation interviewed JPDS-NC teacher Xani Pollakoff about her work on the prizewinning Kindergarten Community Library Project, along with two other JPDS-NC teachers. The Kindergarten Community Library Project won the Kohelet Prize for Development of Critical and/or Creative Thinking. Read the interview here >

  • #ThisIsWhy
  • Awards
  • In the News
  • Project Based Learning

Comparing Communities: Kindergarteners Engage in In-Depth Study of Social Insects

May 24, 2016 by Lisa Davis (Faculty and Staff) Vas Pournaras (Faculty and Staff) Xani Pollakoff (Faculty and Staff)

This year in Kindergarten, our Project Work curriculum was intentionally designed to use the theme of Community. In the second semester, we focused on comparing our community to those of social insects including ants, bees, and wasps. We specifically chose social insects because they naturally connect to humans as they share common characteristics that include […]

  • Environmental Education
  • Project Based Learning
  • Visual Arts