Please enjoy these words from Ingrid's speech at Curriculum Night...
I'm Ingrid Goldfein, Principal of Beit Rabban. I am deeply passionate about Beit Rabban for many reasons. Each morning, our children are greeted with warmth and the option of a hug, reflecting our commitment to making every child feel embraced, both literally and figuratively. We strive to create a space where students, teachers, and families feel truly comfortable.
Being comfortable is a foundation for growth. When individuals feel seen, appreciated, and understood, they are more likely to take risks and step out of their comfort zones, which is essential for personal development. Our focus on nurturing isn't just because we genuinely love children—though we certainly do—but because research shows that feeling comfortable is the optimal starting point for growth. For our students, this might mean taking the leap to read aloud in front of others, trying the monkey bars, or reading Torah. I am proud of our emphasis on fostering such a nurturing environment.
What am I Excited About This Year? There is so much to look forward to this year! Here are just a few highlights: In the Gan (Early Childhood), we are excited to deepen our Reggio Emilia-inspired program. We are reimagining the materials in our classrooms to encourage more creative exploration. By adopting a "less is more" approach, we create more space for children to construct their learning experiences.
In the Kevutzot and Chativah (Elementary and Middle School), we have invested in training all our teachers in the Think SRSD (Self-Regulated Strategy Development) writing framework. This will ensure cohesion across content areas and provide students with consistent support in their writing, regardless of the subject. Having Tanakh and math teachers skilled in this approach will help us maintain common goals and standards for evaluating student work.
We are also expanding our teachers' experience with the Pedagogy of Partnership framework, which promotes chevruta learning across all aspects of our curriculum, not just in traditional Jewish text-based classes.
I am thrilled to announce that, in addition to last year's one-year differentiated instruction grant, we have received a five-year grant to support ongoing coaching through Hidden Sparks. This outstanding organization is dedicated to helping Jewish day schools meet the needs of diverse learners, and we are excited about the opportunities this will provide.
Finally, I am overjoyed about welcoming our new students, families, and teachers. Our school is growing, and we are excited to get to know everyone. The new members of our Beit Rabban family are bringing fresh energy to our community, and we are grateful to have such an incredible group of returning and new staff and families. We are ready to grow together!
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