FAQs

As a pluralistic Jewish community, MWJDS ensures students are connected to Jewish traditions while respecting the diverse beliefs of individual families. We welcome families from reform, conservative, orthodox, reconstructionist, renewal, secular humanist, and culturally Jewish households. We support and reinforce each family’s Jewish practice and connection to Judaism while offering students a comprehensive foundation in Jewish text, tradition, history, and practice. Learn more about our Hebrew & Judaics offerings.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)is integrated in a cohesive and interdisciplinary manner to enhance learning experiences and prepare students for the demands of the modern world. MWJDS offers:

• Design & Build: Our Design & Build space offers opportunities for students to engage in hands-on design and building activities. This could range from constructing models, creating prototypes, or designing solutions to real-world problems. By applying scientific principles and engineering practices, students learn through experimentation, iteration, and practical application of concepts.
• Robotics: Students learn about mechanical design, electronics, programming, and automation. They may build robots from kits or design their own, gaining insights into engineering principles and computational thinking. Robotics projects encourage collaboration, problem-solving, and creativity, providing a tangible application of STEM concepts.
• STEM Specials: These programs often feature project-based learning, where students tackle complex challenges that require knowledge and skills from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. STEM specials may also include partnerships with industry experts, field trips to STEM-related facilities, and mentorship opportunities, enriching the educational experience beyond the classroom.

Project-based learning is an educational approach where students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge. At MWJDS, this looks like:

• Passion Projects: Students choosing topics or projects based on their interests and passions, encouraging intrinsic motivation and allowing for personalized learning experiences, fostering deeper engagement and creativity.
• No Formal Test: Unlike traditional methods that rely heavily on exams and quizzes, project-based learning focuses on the process of learning rather than solely on testing outcomes. Assessment typically involves ongoing feedback, self-assessment, and reflection, emphasizing understanding and application of knowledge rather than rote memorization.
• Building Skills: We emphasize the development of essential skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and creativity. Students learn to plan, manage deadlines, and execute tasks effectively, mirroring real-world project management skills.
• Cross-Curricular Projects: By integrating multiple subjects or disciplines, project-based learning at MWJDS allows students to see connections between different fields of study. This interdisciplinary approach mirrors the complexity of real-world challenges and encourages holistic understanding.

Yes, the MWJDS community is made up of students that identify as both neurodiverse and neurotypical. Our learning environment is designed to support all student needs, eliminating the barriers that often separates various abilities and learning styles.

• Exceptional Learner
• Gifted & Talented

As well as those with:

• Language Based Learning Disabilities
• Specific Learning Disabilities
• Communication Disabilities
• Executive Functioning
• ADD/ADHD
• Developmental Delays
• Social & Emotional Challenges
• High Functioning Autism

We prefer to avoid academic labels at MWJDS since we provide both individualized and personalized education for all of our students, those who are academically challenged or those who need to be challenged academically. Because we recognize each student is unique with varying academic and social-emotional needs, our approach ensures every student receives the attention and resources necessary to thrive.

MWJDS supports both neurotypical and neurodiverse learners through:

• Advanced academics
• Enrichment programs
• Hands-on learning
• Project-based learning
• Providing the least restrictive environment
• Behavior intervention planning
• Occupational therapy sessions
• Speech and language therapy
• Adhering to IEP / 504 plans
• Offering accommodations and modifications

One of the best and most unique things about MWDJS is that there are no mainstream or special education classrooms and activities. Since we embrace the pedagogy of individualized education, we go beyond the traditional educational model to create an environment where students are challenged and supported at their own pace.

What is unique about MWJDS is our ability to honor IEPs without having to pull students out of the classroom, unless that is their learning preference. This includes:

• Collaborative planning with teachers, staff, school administrators, families, and more to review evaluation results, identify the student’s strengths and challenges, and establish measurable goals that are specific, achievable, and relevant to the student’s needs.
• Accommodations and modifications that support each student’s learning and access to the curriculum.
• Individualized instruction and access to specialized services, including one-on-one instruction, small group sessions, speech therapy, occupational therapy, or behavioral interventions. The frequency and duration of these services are tailored to the student’s individual needs and outlined in the IEP.
• Regular progress monitoring involves teachers and special education staff tracking the student’s progress towards goals and objectives through ongoing assessments, observations, and data collection. This allows for adjustments to be made to the instructional strategies or interventions if needed to better support the student’s learning and development.

We use an accountability system that supports students throughout behavior challenges. The tiered system encourages self-regulation with specific strategies in place for various degrees of disruption. We recognize behavior challenges as social emotional learning and we work to proactively identify and work with specific student needs.