TEMPLE BETH JACOB

Concord, New Hampshire

Religious School Policies and Procedures

5768 School Year    -    2007-2008

MISSION    The Religious School of Temple Beth Jacob is committed to teaching the essential skills of Jewish living and imparting the knowledge of our rich tradition.  Our goal is to instill in our children a positive Jewish identity, as well as strong moral and ethical values.  Through an active learning approach, we seek to engage and excite our students and their families, so together they can become more knowledgeable and committed Jews and responsible community leaders.

ATTENDANCE    With only thirty Sunday sessions in the school year (and fewer mid-week sessions) and so much to accomplish, consistent attendance is essential for progress in studies.  Students are expected to attend all sessions of school, except for unavoidable absences resulting from illness or emergency.  Absences may result in additional assignments to cover material missed.  Excessive absences will be addressed case-by-case.

BEHAVIOR and DISCIPLINE    Students are expected to follow these guidelines at Religious School:

Ø Be Safe

Ø Be Respectful

Ø Be Caring

Ø Be Responsible

Ø Be Here

Ø Be Ready

Parents should thoroughly impress upon their children the importance of respecting school and synagogue property.  Any damage by students will be considered the responsibility of students and  parents. 

The Religious Education Committee has adopted the following guidelines for disciplinary action:

1. When a behavioral problem first arises, student and teacher will confer and seek to resolve the matter.

2. If the problem continues, the teacher will notify the principal and contact the parent(s) to discuss further.

3. Thereafter, if necessary, the principal will preside at a meeting of the parent(s), the student, the teacher, and a Religious School Committee Member.

4. Further disciplinary action may result in suspension or, if necessary, dismissal.

B’NEI MITZVAH REQUIREMENTS    Over the years, our students have been very well prepared to be called to the Torah as B’nei Mitzvah and have admirably demonstrated their knowledge and achievement on that joyous occasion.  However, the goal of the Religious School is not only to prepare our students for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah day.  We believe it is important to give our students a well-rounded Jewish education that will enable them to appreciate our heritage and live their lives as participating members of the Jewish community. 

With these goals in mind, the Religious School Committee has adopted the following requirements for students becoming B’nei Mitzvah:

1. Attend Jewish religious school for three years immediately prior to Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

2. Enroll in and fully participate in Temple Beth Jacob Religious School.

3. Fully meet the financial obligations to the Temple (family’s responsibility).

4. Attend a minimum of twenty Shabbat services during the twelve-month period prior to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah date.  (A monthly average of two services, approximately equally divided between Shabbat evening and Shabbat morning, is recommended.)

5. Complete an approved fifteen-hour Community Service Project.  Families should consult the Rabbi regarding approved projects.  Tutoring for B’nei Mitzvah cannot begin until the fifteen Community Service hours are completed.

A Review Committee exists to deal with any requested modifications of the requirements for becoming Bar/Bat Mitzvah at Temple Beth Jacob.  The Review Committee will deal with all reasonable requests for modifications on a case-by-case basis.  The Review Committee is comprised of the President of the congregation, the Principal of the Religious School, the Chair of the Education Committee, the Chair of the Ritual Committee, and the Rabbi.  Any requests for modification should be addressed in writing to the President of the congregation.

A $450 fee for each Bar/Bat Mitzvah covers the expenses associated with the individual tutorial and preparation period. 

COMMUNICATION    Most general communication about school events and schedules will be conveyed via email (principal@tbjconcord.org, office@tbjconcord.org) and/or on TBJ’s website, www.tbjconcord.org.

DUAL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION    Temple Beth Jacob Religious Education Committee recognizes and appreciates the desire on the part of parents, especially those of interfaith families, to impart knowledge and appreciation of the heritage of all family members.  However, participation in a religious education program of another faith conflicts with the Mission Statement of the Temple Beth Jacob Religious School to actively teach our students to become knowledgeable and committed Jews.  Therefore, it is the policy of Temple Beth Jacob that children who are enrolled or participating in religious eduction programs of other faiths may not enroll in Temple Beth Jacob Religious School.

ENROLLMENT at Temple Beth Jacob Religious School is limited to children of Temple members.

FAMILY PROGRAMS                Scheduled throughout the year are holiday-related and other school-wide special programs to which parents and siblings are invited.  They are publicized in the Religious School calendar, the TBJ Bulletin, the TBJ website, and by email or paper notices, and include:

            Sukkot (including decoration of the Sukkah)

            Simchat Torah service and celebration, including Consecration of new students

            Class-led Shabbat Services and pot-luck dinners (monthly through the school year, beginning November)

            Chanukah Celebration

            Tu B’Shvat Seders

            Megillah Reading and other Purim celebrations

            Passover Learning Seders

            Confirmation

            Year-End School Picnic

FOOD and DRINK    Many students get hungry and thirsty during our 3-hour Sunday schedule.  Each student is encouraged to bring a water bottle to drink from during class.  A fifteen-minute break is provided at 10:45 between classes, and students are encouraged to bring a healthy snack from home to eat during the break.  Bagels are sometimes sold by Sisterhood.  Parents are requested to send snacks in reusable containers to minimize waste and mess, and to reinforce the Jewish ideal of stewardship of our environment.  During Passover, any snacks brought to school must be Kosher for Passover.

GRADE PLACEMENT    Students who become five years old by September 30 of the school year will be placed in Kindergarten.  Students who enter Temple Beth Jacob Religious School after Kindergarten will be placed in the grade corresponding to their secular grade for Judaica. Hebrew class placement for students who enter after first grade will be determined by the principal after an evaluation of Hebrew language skills. 

HOMEWORK  AND PREPAREDNESS    Homework reinforces classroom learning and experiences, and supplements the school program.  All assignments must be completed in order to ensure continuity of learning.  Parents are asked to discuss daily happenings and school activities with their children.  Homework assignments should be completed prior to class. Students should arrive for class with the necessary materials and books, including a pencil and notebook.  A book bag or backpack is recommended. 

PROGRESS REPORTS    A written progress report is sent home two times each year (after fifteen weeks and at the end of the school year).  The report is a summary account of a student's progress, and parents should read these reports carefully and review them with the child.  Parents and teachers are also encouraged to communicate about the student's work by phone, email, or in person throughout the year.

SAFETY     Drop-off:  Safety outside the Temple and on the roadway is of critical concern to the synagogue.  Most importantly, children should never cross Broadway alone; parents should accompany their children if they park or drop them off across the street.   When dropping off children, parents may pull into the drop-off/pick-up area (designated “No Parking” zone at the curb in front of the building) to discharge passengers and/or walk them into the building.  Cars should leave the “No Parking” zone as quickly as possible to allow other cars to pull in.  Parents should be considerate of our neighbors, and not block driveways, sidewalks, or sight lines.

Dismissal And Pick-Up:   Parents are expected to enter the building to pick up their children at the end of school, and may briefly leave their cars in the “No Parking” zone to go into the building for their children.  Students should not exit until accompanied by their parents or by another adult designated by the parent (either in writing or by a phonecall to the principal).

 Early Dismissal:  No student will be dismissed before the end of class unless accompanied by a parent or designated adult.  Parents wishing to pick up a child before the end of the session must go to their child’s classrooms.  Only when the parents or designated adults arrive at the classroom will the child be permitted to leave early.  Students who leave early must be “signed out” by the Door Monitor.

Door Monitor: The Door Monitor helps ensure the safety of our students by monitoring the arrivals and departures of students and visitors who enter the building while school is in session.  At least one parent in every family should serve as a door monitor at least once a year.

SCHOOL SCHEDULE                Except when noted in the Bulletin, Calendar, or email, the regular schedule is:

Kindergarten through Grade 7 - Sunday	9:00-9:40am    T’filah 9:40-9:45         Break 9:45-10:45       1^st Period 10:45-11:00     Snack Break 11:00-12:00     2^nd Period
Grades 5, 6, 7 midweek  - Wednesday	one hour in early evening
Confirmation Academy, grades 8 & 9 - Monday	7:00-8:30pm

Additional events and special observances are scheduled throughout the year and are publicized in the Religious School calendar and TBJ Bulletin.  Daily schedule changes are announced on the Bulletin Board in the lobby. 

School cancellations due to weather may be heard on our answering machine and viewed on our website, www.tbjconcord.org, beginning 90 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the school session.

TUITION    Tuition is $280 for one child and $250 for each additional child from the same household.  Tuition is due by the first day of school. 

VOLUNTEERS Our Religious School is almost entirely run by volunteers, most of whom are parents of our students.  In addition to helping the school run smoothly and enriching all aspects of its services, parent volunteers set an important example for their children about service to, and connection with, community.  Parents serve as door monitors, class parents, substitute teachers, and on the Special Events Committee.