User:Strenato/sandbox/Contra Costa Jewish Day School

The Contra Costa Jewish Day School (commonly know as CCJDS) is a coeducational, college preparatory Kindergarten- 8th grade school located in Lafayette, California. Founded in 2001, CCJDS is a pluralistic, Community Jewish Day School.

Founding
Mila Wichter, a local businessperson, ignited the movement to create a community Jewish Day school to serve parts of Berkeley, Oakland and central Contra Costa County. Wichter partnered with local educator and Jewish non-profit maven Karla Smith to form the interim Board of CCJDS. This group pursued a challenge grant from the then recently formed Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education (PEJE). A requirement of the grant process was the hiring of a professional leader. In spring 2000 Dean Goldfein, then 33, was selected to serve as the founding Head of School.

The school secured an initial short term lease of classroom and community space from Temple Isaiah in Lafayette and opened with 23 students split between two multi-age classrooms in grades K-1 and 2-3. Mira Pilosof was hired as the school’s founding Director of Hebrew and Jewish Studies and, the following year, Lisa Friedman appointed Director of General Studies. In 2007, CCJDS received and has since maintained accreditation by the California Association of Independent Schools and Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Campus
The Founders Circle (The Candau, Nosanchuk, Sasson, Smith, Weinstein and Wichter Families) provided an operational fundraising base to successfully launch the school in its early years. In 2008 the school and synagogue negotiated a long-term lease and the school built on the campus a 18,500 square foot education building made possible by the lead philanthropy of the Candau, Lokey, and Sasson families and the Koret Foundation.

Academics
The CCJDS curriculum commits to all children reaching high academic standards. Open ended projects accommodate children with varying knowledge, skills and learning styles. Meaningful, hands-on activities engage children because they make learning relevant. Ongoing assessments ensure that students develop skills across the grades.

Faculty
CCJDS’ staff includes 20 full-time and 15 part-time employees. Class sizes are an average of 17 and the teacher to student ratio is 1:7. The CCJDS staff holds 18 Masters degrees and 2 PHDs. The CCJDS Administration Team is comprised of Dean Goldfein, Head of School, Dr. Michele Spitulnik, Dean of Faculty, Loz Delaney, Assistant Principal, Hadas Rave, Director of Jewish Life and Eden Bruner, Director of Development. All members of the administrative team have teaching responsibilities.

Student body
156 students were enrolled at CCJDS in the 2018-19 school year. 35% of students live in in Oakland/Berkeley and the remainder in central Contra Costa county. Roughly 70% of graduates attend public High Schools and 30% private High Schools.

Arts
Arts are central to a CCJDS education. All students in grades K-5 enjoy separate Music, Art, and Drama education. In Middle School, Rock Band Elective, Fine Arts, and the School Musical offer more intensive arts opportunities. In 2018 Ms. Renee Penegor was appointed the schools first Director of Arts Integration.

Athletics
CCJDS offers regular Physical Education programs for the entire student body. In 2019 the school opened a new Outdoor Recreation and Community Area (ORCA) for community gatherings and athletics. Competitive interscholastic sports include Cross Country and Soccer in the fall, Basketball in the winter, and Volleyball and Flag football in the spring. The school mascot is the Bear.

Shir Ha Lev Service Learning
This award winning service learning program integrates academic and social-emotional curriculum through community partnerships. Each grade follows a theme. As examples, third grade focus on different learning styles happens through work with Wellspring school for students with Developmental Disabilities; fifth grade focus on literacy pairs CCJDS students with a local public 1st grade Fair Oaks school; seventh grade focus on diversity partners with ILM Tree Muslim Homeschool in a project for cultural understanding.

Class Trips
Experiential overnight trips begin in fourth grade and happen annually in the spring.

Fourth Grade Gold Rush Simulation

Students, staff and parent representatives join two other schools in the Sierra foothills for a three day Gold Rush/California history program. Participants take on historical characters and learn about life in the mid-19th century.

Fifth-Sixth grade coastal adventures

Students and staff are joined by Chris Giorni, Founder and Director of the Outdoor Education Provider Tree Frog Treks for coastal adventures, at the Bodega Bay Marine Science Center and St.Dorothea’s Rest Retreat center on alternate years.

Seventh grade LA Cultural Diversity Adventure

Students and staff explore the cultural diversity of Los Angeles county through music, art, and history experiences.

Eighth grade Israel Trips

Students build towards this two-week adventure over the course of their CCJDS careers, with particular curricular focus in the 8th grade year. Since 2010 the school has partnered with Portland Jewish Academy for their travel. The goal is to make deep connections to the land, state and people of Israel.