Dear Families,
Next week is the final week of the Annual Fund, and we are thrilled to share that we have another anonymous donor who has agreed to match ALL GIFTS up to $20,000 that come in between now and our deadline, Friday, November 18! So far, we have raised $71,000 and are at 52% participation toward our goal of $125,000 and 100% participation! Thank you to everyone who has already made their gift to our school. You are making a huge impact on the students at JDS.
This week we are proud to share highlights about multiage learning at JDS.
Multiage learning is the foundation of our village model. Children’s academic, social-emotional, and physical growth is a series of spurts rather than a smooth, linear progression. By shaping the JDS Villages around serving a range of students with a larger chronological age span, the norm becomes a wide range of abilities rather than the expectation that everyone is at the same level. In the multiage classroom, teachers can better differentiate for the individual needs of every student.
The multiage philosophy is also evident across our Villages. On any given day, Blue Villagers are reading to Orange Villagers, middle school students are collaborating on projects, and everyone is playing in the gaga pit at recess. Most human activities involve a cycle in which a beginner learns necessary skills, hones them through practice, and perfects them through mentorship. That is true of careers, sports teams, and even hobbies, and it is also true of the educational experience of students at JDS.
At JDS, we believe that multiage learning is key to the success of our students and allows us to meet them where they are at. Programs like these and more are possible thanks to the generosity of families like you. There is still time to make a gift and help us reach our goal!
With gratitude,
Meghan
