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Kesher means Connect
התקשרו אלינו
First day of Kesher: September 21st!
Plan for Fall 2020
We are so excited to finally begin enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year. Planning for the fall this year comes with all kinds of challenges for families, and we believe the structure we put together for Kesher will help. We are pleased to introduce “Lifnei Kesher”, an 8:00am -3:00pm program for grades K-8, which has been added to our core Kesher After-School Program from 3:00pm-5:45pm.
The idea is for students to attend Kesher After-School on the days they are not in regular school, with the option of participating in Lifnei Kesher, offering a full-day solution for working parents.
While many/most school districts have not finalized their plans yet, we need to begin fulfilling our staffing and materials needs now. So we are asking you, even if you don’t know what your child’s final schedule will look like, that if you intend to enroll your child/ren in Kesher this year, that you enroll with your best guess, or indicate on the enrollment forms that you are unsure about “which days.” We understand that the situation is still fluid, and you might have to adjust your days. We are prepared to work with you on that.
Please review the descriptions of our programming below and click above to begin enrollment.
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In response to the needs of our families during these complicated times, we created the Lifnei Kesher (“before Kesher”) program.
About Lifnei Kesher:
· Students can arrive between 8:00-9:00am and stay until 3:00pm when they are either dismissed or stay on for Kesher After-School (“Regular Kesher”) on the days they are not physically in public school.
· Students will be in very small groups of between 3-10 students, according to the EEC (Department of Early Education and Care) guidelines, grouped by grade/level.
· Teachers will provide assistance and coaching to the students with their virtual/hybrid public school learning plan, signing on to their zoom meetings and completing/downloading/uploading their virtual learning assignments.
· In between virtual learning obligations, students will eat snack, play outside, eat lunch, and participate in fun activities.
· Unlike Kesher After-School which is a full year commitment, Lifnei Kesher will be a semester-by-semester program that families will sign up for one semester at a time.
· If Lifnei Kesher is required to close due to a change in the Covid-19 situation, tuition reimbursement for Lifnei Kesher will be pro-rated.
EXAMPLE LIFNEI KESHER WEEKLY SCHEDULES:
Izzy is in 3rd grade at Mason-Rice Elementary School. He is in Cohort A and will be attending school on Monday and Tuesday.
Monday-Mason-Rice School
Tuesday-Mason-Rice School
Wednesday-Lifnei Kesher 8-3pm, Kesher After-School 3-5:45pm
Thursday-Lifnei Kesher 8-3pm, Kesher After-School 3-5:45pm
Friday-Lifnei Kesher 8-3pm
David is in 1st grade at the Franklin School. He is in Cohort B and attending school on Thursday and Friday.
Monday-Lifnei Kesher 8-3pm, Kesher After-School 3-5:45pm
Tuesday-Lifnei Kesher 8-3pm, Kesher After-School 3-5:45pm
Wednesday-Lifnei Kesher 8-3pm
Thursday-Franklin School
Friday-Franklin School
Kesher After-School (grades K-5)
Kesher After-School is what we are calling the “regular Kesher” you know and love, with game-based Hebrew learning, project-based Judaic studies, and fun chugim (electives).
About Kesher After-School
· Students will attend twice a week from 3-5:45pm. Students will attend either Monday/Tuesday or Wednesday/Thursday to better match the public-school hybrid model. If your child is enrolling in Lifnei Kesher, they should attend Kesher-After School on the days they are not physically in public school.
· Families sign up for a full-year commitment.
· Students can choose to participate in Kesher After-School either in-person or virtually.
· Students will be in the same groups they were in for Lifnei Kesher, between 3-10 students, according to EEC regulations. Students will not be allowed to mix groups.
· Smart TVs have been purchased for every room so that classes can zoom with students participating from home, a teacher or students down the hall, or a guest speaker from the other side of the world!
· If we are required to go entirely virtual due to a change in the Covid-19 situation, we will move to a completely virtual curriculum. To prepare for this, Kesher staff has worked hard to train in and enhance our virtual learning program.
· Hebrew and Judaic studies will consist of our enhanced project-based learning curriculum, which is designed so that it can be done virtually or in-person. This program will include virtual field trips to Israel and beyond, workshops with field experts, and more!
Kesher Middle School (grades 6-8)
Grades 6-8 will continue to meet weekly on Tuesdays*, from 3-5:45pm. Students will re-discover their Jewish identities through exploring important times in Jewish history, and answering the question “what does it mean to be a Jew today?” Students will participate in “Talmudic discussions” about hard topics and current events, as well as organize a tzedakah project. Additionally, students will continue their modern Hebrew studies and participate in the Boston-Haifa connection.
About Kesher Middle School:
· Program can be done virtually or in-person.
· Families commit for the entire year.
· There will be a middle school group for the “Lifnei Kesher” program based on demand.
Sample schedule:
Eden is in 6th grade at Day Middle School and attends school on Thursday and Friday.
Monday-Lifnei Kesher 8-3pm
Tuesday-Lifnei Kesher 8-3pm, Kesher Middle School 3-5:45pm
Wednesday-Lifnei Kesher 8-3pm
Thursday-Day Middle School
Friday-Day Middle School
*Day subject to change according to Newton Public School schedules.
Tichon Kesher, or “Kesher High” is our new post b’nei mitzvah program which meets monthly for food, friendship, and discussions about the most important aspects in their Jewish lives.
About Tichon Kesher:
· Program can be done in person or virtually.
· Families commit for the entire school year.
· Evening includes dinner (for those in person).
· Program will run on Tuesdays* from 6-8 pm, however this is subject to change based on the schedules of participants.
*Day subject to change according to Newton Public School schedules.
