Intermediate School

Each student is greeted by name in the 3rd floor hallway, and daily announcements are shared on the SMART Board and over the the PA. Time is provided for friends to connect and for homeroom teachers to make sure everyone has the information and tools they need to successfully navigate the day ahead.

Through Tefillah, students find a moment of connection with something greater than themselves, fostering a sense of belonging and community and nurturing the soul. By starting their day in the sacred space of prayer, students learn the power of both introspection and collective worship.

On Mondays and Thursdays, all Middle School students gather in the Ulam Sport (gym) for a Torah service led by Tefillah Council. If a student is celebrating a B'nai Mitzvah, their family joins for Tefillah; the student reads from the Torah and is celebrated by their classmates and teachers.

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, students have more focused Tefillah experiences, with deeper learning about prayers and rituals.

Friday's highlight is full-school Kabbalat Shabbat or cross-grade Shabbat activities within our Shevatim (Tribes). 

The Science curriculum in 5th Grade is designed to help spark students’ interests, empower them to ask questions and think critically, and maximize their ability to creatively solve problems.

Through their “Specials” classes, students build confidence, express themselves, put their creativity into action—and of course, have fun.

STEAM and physical education classes are a vital part of the Community Day School curriculum, playing an important role in developing the intellectual, spiritual, and personal potential of every child.

On a rotating cycle, 4th Grade students attend the following Specials:

• Art
• Music
• Physical Education
• Technology
• Library 

The Morning Meeting time block, guided by the Responsive Classroom approach, provides a purposeful space and structure for teachers to support Intermediate School students as they develop their sense of self and identity in connection to their relationships with peers.

The meeting time is used for learning how to communicate effectively, sharing ideas in a structured setting, talking about hopes, dreams, and goals, tackling problems and challenges, reviewing shared expectations, and celebrating accomplishments. 

Jewish Studies in 5th Grade introduces students to the complex world of biblical commentary using the innovative pedagogical strategy of "FBI cases."

While figures like Rashi published their answers to questions they had about various texts, they rarely included or articulated their questions. Students are called upon to use their investigative skills to understand the implied question being silently asked in the Hebrew text they study.

The "FBI case" is solved if students properly identify the question which was asked, a multi-step process that is challenging and fun.

Intermediate School recess is not just a break; it's an essential part of the day where students can unwind and recharge their energy with a focus on creating a positive and inclusive social environment.

Our campus buzzes with laughter, friendly chatter, and the excitement of games and activities. Students have the freedom to choose from open play on our athletic field and playgrounds, group sports, quiet activities (chess, Dungeons and Dragons, reading circles), garden walks, and more.

Lunchtime at our Jewish day school is more than just a meal; it's a time for nourishment, camaraderie, and connection. Students come together in the Ulam K'lalee or outside at the picnic tables to enjoy food from our hot kosher lunch program or from home and good conversation. We also encourage students to express gratitude through blessings and mindful eating practices. 

Recently, 5th Grade Language Arts students have been working on a unit that challenges them to build ownership of their reading lives.

In one activity, students received baggies containing their unit materials, including the reading benchmarks and expectations. They created personal page-per-day plans for finishing their books and to strengthen their independent executive functioning skills.

Using the “Analyzing Themes” realistic fiction Reading Workshop unit and books about the acceptance of differences in oneself and others, students also have been developing their narrative reading skills in a variety of areas with a focus on using text evidence to support character and thematic claims.

In this time block, rotating offerings include a study skills class, keyboarding, digital citizenship lessons, Health class, a games club, as well as providing time for learning about Israeli life and culture with the Shinshinim.

In 5th Grade, students rigorously approach the study of mathematics by:

1) performing hands-on activities to understand a concept (concrete learning)
2) using a “pencil-and-paper” (pictorial learning) approach to a concept
3) applying a new concept they’ve learned to literary exercises and real-world problem-solving (abstract learning)

The concepts covered include: place value, multiplication, division, algebraic thinking, intense fraction study, decimals, geometry, and measurement. 

Education at Community Day School extends well beyond the classroom through an enriching variety of arts, sports, service learning, and extracurricular activities available after school. 

After school, you might find Intermediate School students playing Step Up soccer or basketball, braiding Challah for Hunger, preparing for an Odyssey of the Mind competition, learning Mandarin or Chess, and more!