Frequently Asked Questions

How is a Solomon Schechter Day School education different than a public school education?

"A Schechter education is more than a gift to our children; it is a gift to our family," says one of our parents. "Schechter provides a top of the line education in both secular and Judaic studies.  Every day students are challenged academically, and the nurturing atmosphere provides them with a sense of security and the confidence to excel.  Couple that with the fact that every single member of the staff is fully invested in partnering with us to raise our children with a profound sense of morality and Jewish identity, and our jobs as parents are so much easier!"

Academically, students learn a second language, Hebrew, starting in Kindergarten and continuing through 8th grade.  We integrate General and Jewish studies in our dual curriculum and re-enforce critical thinking skills in all subject areas from our pre-k through 8th grade.   Students learn about Judaism through living it, studying its texts, celebrating its culture, and engaging in its practices.

Does all the time spent on Judaic Studies take away from what my child needs to learn in General Studies?

No.  Learning takes place throughout the day regardless of the subject matter.  The Judaic Studies program teaches and reinforces the intellectual skills of questioning, analyzing, evaluating and making choices; the very skills needed in General studies classes. The General studies and Judaic studies curricula supplement each other; therefore, the high academic achievements of our students are not surprising. Our students consistently score high on standardized tests and do well in all of the high schools they attend.   Educational success is determined by the way time is used and not by the time available. Additionally, integrating our Geneal and Jewish studies  enhances the entire educational experience.

Do any of our students have learning issues?

Yes, we have students who attend Schechter with a variety of learning capabilities.   We have learning resource professionals on staff who work closely with our students in push-in and pull-out services.  We utilize MAP testing (measures of academic progress) to monitor the academic achievements of our students.  Where appropriate we add enrichments or support as needed.

We are not a special needs school. If we feel we are unable to meet the needs of a child, we will assist the family in finding a school that can meet the child’s needs.

We are not Conservative and are not observant. Will we feel like part of the community at SSDS?

Yes.   Although SSDS follows the tenets of the Conservative Movement, we have many students whose families are affiliated with Reform, Reconstructionist and Orthodox synagogues.  The richness of the SSDS community is a reflection of what each family brings to our community.  We respect the diversity of observance in our Jewish community and are proud that families from such diverse backgrounds feel comfortable at SSDS.

No one in our family speaks or understands Hebrew; how will this affect my child’s education?

You do not have to know Hebrew for your children to be successful at SSDS.   The Hebrew homework is a review of the material taught to the students in the classroom. The homework is given as a reinforcement of class work.

How are parents involved at SSDS?

SSDS encourages parents to be involved in the school community through the Parent Organization (PO). The PO provides a number of opportunities for parents to volunteer in the school from preparing hot lunches at the Skokie Campus, to setting up and serving meals for special holiday celebrations at both campuses.  The PO is also involved in a number of fund raising activities throughout the school year.

Where do SSDS graduates go to high school?

About fifty percent of our graduates attend public high schools and about 50 percent attend a Jewish high school.

Will my child be prepared for high school?

Yes. SSDS graduates are very well prepared for high school.  Our challenging dual curriculum provides a strong academic foundation which produces graduates who excel in secondary schools, college, and postgraduate studies.

How often do students go to Tefillot (Prayer)?

Our students participate in daily tefillot, beginning in our pre-k program. Younger students take turns leading services and also participate by having aliyot, being the Gabbai, and leading Tefillah.  Third graders learn Torah trope and begin reading from the Torah; they in turn then read Torah to the younger students.

Do you have early morning and or afternoon care?

Yes. Students may come as early as 7:30 a.m. and stay as late as 6 p.m. There is an additional charge for these care arrangements

Is there a hot lunch program?

At the Skokie campus, hot lunch can be purchased on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; in Northbrook, hot lunch can be purchased for everyday.  At SSDS we alternate between dairy lunch days and meat lunch days—Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are dairy, Tuesdays and Thursdays are meat days.