One of the most common misconceptions about schools is that curriculum, test scores, veteran teachers, an updated facility and technology are what make a school great. Certainly teachers and staff who love children and can facilitate high level learning is essential, yet even when a school is blessed with a talented team of adults, this alone is not the recipe for success.

For those of you who are sports fans, imagine any number of all-star lineups in any sport over the years. The talent alone simply did not yield successful seasons or championships. The teams that were memorable, legendary even, were the ones that had talent and something else…a strong culture based on a clear and simple set of beliefs. These teams knew who they were and trusted one another and that led to success. Schools and, really, any organization requires the same stuff and without it they are just like everyone else.

Click HERE to read a brief article that further describes the essential components of a great school.

At MJDS we continue to focus on our culture. We also spend significant time and energy on curriculum and people development, technology integration and systems/structures that make us efficient, rigorous and innovative. Our #1 priority though is culture and it starts with having the right people on our staff, people who trust in one another and agree on a common set of beliefs. For MJDS, just as in other great organizations, a healthy culture is developed and strengthened over a period of time. Last year we took a major step in this direction by identifying our core values, integrating these into our daily work with students and families, living our promise. This summer we took another major step forward by defining our beliefs…the WHY behind every decision we make at MJDS. Essential to this process was the perspective and buy-in of our student leaders. As we move through this school year, our staff is internalizing our beliefs, modeling for our students so that our entire student body is living our core values and beliefs by the end of the year.

Please read our beliefs and know that they are a living document that will evolve as our school continues to grow and evolve.

Living our Jewish values and beliefs every day:

We believe in encouraging curiosity and awareness of the world around us.

We believe each person is an individual with unique gifts who will be loved, respected and valued every day.

We believe growth requires risk and FAILure.

We believe in seeking to understand before being understood.

We believe in assuming the best of all people.

We believe in always being solutions oriented.

We believe everyone has the ability to heal injustice.

We believe learning should be collaborative, student-owned and move each student from engagement to empowerment.