Policies and Procedures

Education Program Policies

We have adopted the following policies and procedures to strengthen our community and to create a supportive atmosphere for all of our students.

Communication
As we all know, good communication is a key to the success of any program. We at Temple Israel, and in the Education Department in particular, try our best to be communicative and to do so clearly and in a timely manner.  Please forgive us if we do not always hit the mark in this area. We are working hard to update and improve communications at all time.

We rely on you to update us with any changes in your email address.

Below are some tips for learning about what's happening and for letting us know what's happening with your child or in your family.

To Get Information:

  • Letters from teachers: Teachers will send out e-mails every other week. These letters will include updates about class discussions, conversations, new Hebrew words, curriculum taught, homework and more.
  • Letters from Debbie Betesh, Director of Elementary Education: Letters will be sent out regularly. These e-mails will include updates, reminders and logistical information.
  • We will be holding Parent/Teacher Conferences again this year. We request that all parents participate in these conferences and respond in a timely manner when asked to set a time to meet with your child's teacher.  This can dramatically enhance your and your child's experience here at Temple Israel.
  • Progress Reports for your child will be issued at the end of the school year.  These reports will summarize your child's achievements, abilities and areasfor improvement in class. 
  • Check the Temple Israel website frequently.  It is updated on a regular basis.
  • Read the Temple's monthly Bulletin for upcoming events and reports on what's happened and happening.   We have concentrated the education news in one part of the bulletin for your benefit.

To Communicate with Your child's Teacher or the TI Education Staff:
If you have questions, compliments or concerns regarding your child's classroom experience, please use the following procedures:

  • Call, speak with or e-mail your child's teacher. It is important to get a full picture of the situation that the teacher can be helpful in providing. Teachers want to hear from you and are a critical piece of the communication chain. Teachers should have already shared with you their contact information and parents can always contact the Education office if there are any questions.  
  • Call, speak with or e-mail  Debbie Betesh (Director of Elementary Education): If you have been unable to resolve your concern in your contact with your child's teacher and/or you want more information, contact Debbie Betesh at 617-566-3960. Debbie works directly with the teachers as their supervisor and has an extensive knowledge of the children. 
  • Call, speak with or e-mail Rabbi Jeremy Morrison (Director of Education): If you still have concerns or would like advice or guidance, or if If you have personal or confidential issues that you would like to discuss regarding your child, please contact Rabbi Morrison through his assistant, Irina Preys, who can be reached at 617-566-3960 ext. 121.
  • Call, speak with or e-mail a member of the Elementary Education Committee: In the event of a critical situation that you feel the staff has not reasonably resolved, or if you want to share a positive moment for parent or child, contact Beth Frankl, Chair of the Elementary Education Committee, and she will communicate your concerns to the appropriate individuals or groups.
  • Feedback on the program: The Education Staff is always looking for feedback, positive and negative on programs, curriculum, procedures and policies. Please let the appropriate staff person know what's working and not working. We very much appreciate constructive and gentle critique and compliments!

Parking, Pick Up and Drop Off
We know that, especially on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, pick up and drop off can be stressful. We always try to our best to minimize the pick up process. The following are some suggestions that might decrease the time needed for pick up.

Parking:

Drop Off Loop - 15 minutes
Designed for religious school parents, this drive through parking area providing 8 spots allows you to park quickly, run in and drop off or pick up your child, and depart quickly. (It is unavailable during preschool drop off times but may be used for preschool pick up).  These spots have a 15 minute maximum parking time limitation.  The Temple pays MASCO an annual amount to maintain access to these spaces.

The Red Card System for Religious School
As part of the effort to provide more easy access and affordable parking for parents of children in the Religious School we offer a red parking card for the garage which is active from 3:30 pm onward on Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 8:00 am onward on Sundays.  It is not active at any other time.  This card allows you to drop-off, stay for classes and schmooze, and for pick-up. The Temple pays for each use of these cards at a fixed rate that is favorable to the Temple.  Please contact Irina Preys, 617-566-3960, ext. 121 if you need a red parking card.

 The quickest way to get home on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons:

  • Park in the garage (there are generally plenty of spaces on the lower levels at 6 pm)
  • Come into the temple and find your child.
  • Exit from the garage with your red parking card from the Nessel Way exit onto Nessel Way.  It is quicker to cross the Riverway than to wait in the Longwood Avenue traffic.  This wisdom is taken directly from the experience of parents who have come before us.

Where to pick up your child:

1.  Sunday mornings:

Kindergarten and Grade 1: Parents should pick up their child(ren) in the classroom.

Grade 2-7: Children will come to the lobby unless a parent is outside the classroom waiting.

2. Tuesdays and Thursdays:  

All children will be dismissed to the lobby unless you are waiting outside your child's classroom.  Please note: Grades 2 and 3 may vary throughout the year as at times they will have special programoing with our clergy in the sanctuary and will come to the lobby from that location at the end of the day.

Parent Involvement
Our program is only as good as the partnerships we forge with you, our most important partners.

WE NEED YOU!!! We need your skills, your knowledge and, whenever possible, your time.  The following are ways you can be very helpful and enhance the Temple Israel Education Program. (Contact Irina Preys at 617-566-3960, ext. 121 if you need more information):

  • Reach out to your child's teacher. Let them know that you are avaiable to help and support in different ways. This assistance could be in the form of calling parents to convey messages or organizing parents for special class activities. It may also incude offering to help organize snacks, share information or just by sending out a word of Thanks for the teachers efforts in class. This last way of helping out goes a very long way.
  • Serve on the Elementary Education Committee: If you have a head for policy, program ideas and/or would like to help strengthen and build our Religious school community, we would love to have you be a part of this committee. Contact Beth Frankl (chair of our Elementary Ed Committee) for more information or to sign up!
  • Sunday Atrium Cafe: We always need help staffing the Atrium Cafe on Sunday mornings. This is an important service for our teachers and congregants. It is a place to gather and enjoy coffee, good food and great conversation. It is also a fundraiser for the TI education programs. Please let us know if you can give a couple of hours once a month or every six weeks. 
  • Volunteer at the TI Bookfair (just before Hanukkah) 
  • Volunteer for special programs/events
  • Volunteer to host a Family Education program in your home

Registration
Registration for Temple Israel Religious School and Monday Night School is open to children of members in good standing. Any questions regarding a member account should be referred to Jamie Darsa (617) 566-3960.  Registration is open in the summer however certain deadlines will be in place to ensure that we are able to produce accurate class lists. These lists will be emailed to families at the end of August.

Attendance
Temple Israel is committed to a program of academic excellence for all of our students. Each session of school is important. In order for our students to reach their potential, the school and the parents must engage in a full partnership. We ask for your compliance with the school attendance policy. If this is a hardship for your family, please contact the Director of Elementary Education.

Sunday classes begin PROMPTLY at 8:45 a.m. (early session) and 11:15 a.m (late session), and Tuesday and Thursday classes at 4:00 p.m. Tardiness is detrimental to all the children, not just your child.

In order for teachers and students to enjoy the best possible classroom experience, we ask that students arrive on time. Parents should notify the teacher(s) in advance of any pre-planned absence in order to receive any missed assignments and pertinent information. (And so that we know everything is okay with you and your child!) All assigned work should be made up during the week following the child's absence. Any student who is absent more than 5 sessions will be asked to complete a special assignment tied to his/her missed curriculum.

Tardiness may be unavoidable at times. In the event that a student arrives after class has begun, the student should go directly to class and enter without disruption. The teachers will note tardy arrival on their attendance records and, if repeated late arrival necessitates make up work because the student has missed key elements of the course, the teacher will notify the student's parents.

Early Dismissal: If students must leave early, they should go to the Education Office to sign out. It is very important for their safety and well being that we keep track of our children and know when they have left the building.

Behavior
In the event that a student is disruptive, his/her teacher will inform the student's parents of the concerns/issues in order to try to gain a better understanding of the situation. If the problem persists over three sessions, the student will meet with the Director of Elementary Education.  You will then be contacted by the Director of Elementary Education so that we may jointly determine a further course of action. If necessary, all involved parties will meet to arrive at a mutually agreed upon understanding with regard to consequences and actions. We are your partners and want to work with you to ensure a positive experience for your child, your family, as well as for the other students in the program. In extenuating circumstances, the temple reserves the right to request that the student be withdrawn from the program.


Medical Policies
Health Concerns
Please let us know if your child has any special health needs or medical concerns of which we should be aware. In addition, we suggest you speak directly to your child's teacher(s) regarding these concerns.

Illness
If your child has been ill, please be sure that he or she has been free of fever for 24 hours or on antibiotics for 24 hours before s/he returns to class. (Illnesses of particular concern include: fever, strep throat and conjunctivitis.) In this way, we can ensure the health of other students and our staff.

If a child becomes ill during school, we will notify the child's parent(s) and ask that you come to take your child home. In case of a major health emergency, we will notify parents immediately. If a parent cannot be reached, we will transport your child to Children's Hospital.

Medications
We are not allowed to dispense medication without a parent's written permission.
Epi pens can be left in the Education Office (Debbie Betesh's office) with your child's name on them. Included with the pen should be a written note authorizing Temple Israel staff to use it in the case of an allergic reaction. Please be sure the Epi pen is up to date.

Food Allergies
When bringing snacks and party food to school, please be sure that no nut products are included in the ingredients of the food. There are several children in the program who are allergic to nuts.

Please do not send pork products or shellfish products to school as snack.
 
Visiting Policy
In order to engage visitors in the classroom experience while providing a consistent learning experience for students, additional planning on the part of the teacher is required when visitors are present. Parents are always welcome in our school and in our classrooms but only by prior arrangement with the child's teacher.

Because it can be academically and socially disruptive, we do not encourage child visitors. In order to receive permission to bring a friend to school, we ask that a parent speak with the Director of Elementary Education prior to the intended visit. Please ask your child to show written permission to the teacher and to introduce his/her guest to each teacher prior to the beginning of the class period.

Homework and Demonstration of Learning
Students are expected to complete in class and out of class assignments as a way to enable  teacher to assess progress and learning. All students are expected to complete all assignments on time. In the event that a student is absent, parents should follow attendance procedures and check with teachers for missed assignments and material covered in class. All assigned work must be made up during the week following the student's absence. Please inform your child's teacher if this will not be possible for your child so that alternative arrangements can be made. Reading and written assignments  may be given regularly in grades 2-12. Special parent-child projects  can also be expected. You can expect your child to be assigned up to 30 minutes of homework each week.  Homework assignments will be sent home with your child as well as shared with you by your child's teacher by e-mail.

Meeting the Individual Needs of Our Students and Families
Temple Israel is committed to the inclusion of all children and families in all aspects of Jewish religious and community life, including participation in services, choir, youth groups, family education, Passport to Israel, and special events. Every learner is unique. The most beneficial learning and participation take place when these individual needs are recognized. If your child has a particular learning or behavioral style or your family is involved in a difficult time which may necessitate some accommodation, please let us know so that we can make every effort to ensure the provision of appropriate supports. All parents are invited to make an appointment with the Director of Elementary Education to review your child's learning needs in order to create the optimal program for each child. We are committed to working in partnership with families toward the shared goal of meaningful and enriching Jewish learning.

Special Needs/Differently Abled
School-parent partnerships play an important role in developing the optimal learning program for each student. Parents of children with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meet with the Director of Elementary Education each summer and at the end of each term in order to assess the child's individualized program in the Tuesday and Sunday School. Modifications will be made on a case-by-case basis as determined in conjunction with the education staff, clergy, youth staff, family education staff and the student’s family. Special provisions may include, but are not limited to, remedial Hebrew/Judaic assistance, partial mainstreaming with or without individual assistance and support, full inclusion with an adapted curriculum, modification of materials, teacher support through individual or faculty-wide training sessions. Progress will be carefully reviewed and monitored throughout the academic year. Three years prior to each student's 13th birthday, the families of students with significant special needs begin to work with Cantor Einhorn to prepare for their Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremonies. These ceremonies are often modified ceremonies decided upon by the families and clergy in consultation with the education staff.

Enrichment
Thanks to scholar and educator Howard Gardner's theories of multiple intelligences we are aware more than ever before of the need to address students' individual learning styles through multiple pathways and mediums. At Temple Israel we are fortunate to have a rich intergrated Judaic curriculum. This includes a creative arts program and music. 

Bat/Bar Mitzvah
The Bat/Bar Mitzvah is a Jewish life cycle event marking the time when a child becomes responsible for fulfilling mitzvot, or God's commandments. The literal translation of the term "Bat (Bar) Mitzvah" is "Daughter (Son) who is considered responsible for the fulfillment of mitzvot".  There are many commandments which are central to our Jewish experience. Some of those Mitzvot are Jewish study, Tzedaka (Righteous Living ) and social justice and action. We hope that the students who become Bar or Bat mitzvah at Temple Israel will have both experienced go on to find meaning in, and fulfill these commandments throughout their lives.

One of the goals of our Education program is to enable our students to celebrate the rite of passage, known as Bar/Bat Mitzvah.  We view Bar/Bat Mitzvah as one of the transformational moments in the life of a child and his/her family. It marks the transition from Jewish childhood to the next stage of Jewish life and reflects the combined commitment of the adult Jewish community (parents, teachers, clergy) to educate, encourage and nurture our children.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah is both a privilege and a responsibility.  Students who wish to receive the privilege of Bar/Bat Mitzvah are required to make a prior commitment to continue Jewish education at Temple Israel at least through the Confirmation year (Tenth grade).  Since Jewish study is a lifelong endeavor that both nourishes the individual and contributes to the continuity and creativity of the Jewish community, we seek to imbue our students with a strong foundation for their continued pursuit of Jewish knowledge.

Students must fulfill six basic requirements in order to be eligible to become Bar/Bat Mitzvah at Temple Israel. They are:

  • Regular attendance at Sunday School
  • Six years of Hebrew study in our Hebrew Program or the equivalent in our Hebrew Tutorial Program, and adequate proficiency as determined by the Director of Elementary Education and the clergy. If your child attends a Jewish Day school for an equivalent period of time, then he/she will fulfill the first two requirements.
  • Participation in the Sixth Grade Kallah. 
  • Engagement in a social justice project or projects as determined in conjunction with the clergy and our Family Educator.
  • Attendance at Qabbalat Shabbat services the number of times: Kindergarten and First grade shall attend at least one Shabbat service throughout the year, Second grade two services, Third grade three services and so on. In order to keep track of those who come, there has been a big jar on the table by the Levi Auditorium and blue cards. The cards read:  "Student Shabbat Welcome Card". The children should fill them out and put them in the jar.
  • Students and their parents must commit themselves to the completion of the Confirmation Program.

Individual tutoring that accompanies the Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation process is a completely separate program, educationally and administratively.  Most students in Grades 6-7 meet weekly at the temple with a tutor to work on their Torah and Haftorah portion; this is arranged through Cantor Einhorn's office.  Some families who are in the Tutorial Program in grades 6 and 7 choose to have their tutor also do the Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation tutoring. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah tutoring is done in addition to the one hour per week of tutoring, and at an additional cost to the family.

A date for a student's Bar or Bat Mitzvah will be assigned through Cantor Einhorn's office. Each family is sent an application form two years prior to the student's 13th birthday, and dates are provided during a special program of family education for eleven-year old Bar/Bat mitzvah candidates and their families. A Bar/Bat Mitzvah timeline is sent to every family along with the date application, two years prior to the event. This contains all relevant and timely procedural detail.