Cleveland: thoughts on schools

soraya

Wed, Apr 26 2006, 7:46 pm

I posted a month ago that we were considering moving to Cleveland or Silver Spring. Well, a lot has happened- my husband got a great job offer om Cleveland, and there is a strong possbility that we'll be moving there, and it could be as early as this summer.

So, we have begun looking into schools. I would like to hear about Mosdos vs. Hebrew Academy. First off, no l'h, please! If there is something negative that you think that I should know, please pm me.

We are a yeshivish family, and from what we've heard, in terms of hashkafa, we might be a better fit for Mosdos (we have no problem with their TV/Internet policy- once I quit my job I won't really need internet). However, I am a bit concerned with the level of secular education. I don't think that I need my kids to go to Harvard or anything, however, I do want a few things from from the limudei chol:

1) Qualified teachers. Where I live, in the chadorim, the secular education teachers are not necessarily so qualified (no teacher's cert., for example). Often, some guy needed a job- any job-- so the cheder let him come. Obviously, a teacher doesn't have to have a certificate to be qualified, but I hope I am getting my point across....not just hiring a guy 'cuz he left yeshiva and doesn't have anything else to do.

2) I want that the school, overall, does not treat limudei chol as a joke. Meaning, the administration imparts a message that it is important, and the kids treat it as such.

3) The school should not just teach reading, writing, and math- but also history, civics, geography,science etc. Again, I hope that my kids will grow up and thrive in yeshiva- I don't need my kids going for a ph.d in european history. However, I do think it's important to be able to carry on an intelligent conversation, etc,

any thoughts?

amother

Wed, Apr 26 2006, 8:50 pm

My kids go to Hebrew Academy. But I hear that the secular education at Mosdos is not bad at all. A friend I know works there and she was actually very pleased with their level. I heard that they might be trying a gifted program, which would be very interesting to see happen.

As far as I know, they do have their own curriculum with their own materials. In other words, they publish their own textbooks. From what I've seen they are okay. I can try to find their website. Mosdos is also affiliated with Tree of Knowledge and that organization is not one that I have heard good things about.

Most lubavitchers here send their kids to Hebrew Academy, with the exception of one family.

yrs1025

Wed, Apr 26 2006, 9:36 pm

The Hebrew Academy hires teachers who have teacher certification. The K-6 grade girls go to the main campus and then to the new Yavne building. The boys are at the the main campus through 6th grade and then they go to the Saperstein campus for 7th and 8th. After 8th, some boys stay and some go to Telshe or out of town. The main campus also has the Ktan tan and preschool classes. Here is the website: http://www.hac1.org/