Jewish Community High School of the Bay
Encyclopedia
The Jewish Community High School of the Bay (commonly known as JCHS) is a coeducational, college preparatory high school
located in the Western Addition Neighborhood of San Francisco, California
. Founded in 2001, JCHS is a pluralistic
Jewish high school with a competitive academic program as well as distinguished athletic and arts programs.
in Los Angeles, California. Harwitz also served as the head of the Judaic Studies department and was the school's first rabbi.
JCHS opened for its inaugural school year in September 2001 on the campus of Congregation Kol Shofar
in Tiburon
, California
. The school had a three-year lease on the property, and the temporary campus could accommodate 100 students.
on the former site of the California College of Podiatric Medicine. The Jewish Community Library opened its new location on the JCHS campus in 2003 and JCHS' award winning lunch program opened in 2004. The first senior class graduated in the spring of 2005.
, humanities
/arts
, and Jewish studies
/Hebrew. Classes challenge students to develop their own ideas and questions while seeking to understand those of others, and to learn clear and concise writing, effective public speaking, logic, creative expression, and critical thinking. JCHS offers over 70 classes and includes a strong advanced placement program. Students also have the opportunity to design their own coursework through independent study
.
. The JCHS faculty holds 28 masters degrees, 9 PhD
s or terminal academic degrees, and 3 Rabbi
s. Many faculty also serve as club advisers or coaches of sports teams.
, Sculpture
, Photography
, AP Art History
, Dance
, Music Ensemble and Vocal Ensemble. The JCHS Drama program has gained international recognition for its success and was invited to perform at the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe
Festival. Students from play writing and screenwriting
classes have had their work published and performed by prestigious journals and theater companies JCHS also hosts the Jewish Community Youth Orchestra and Chorale (JCYO).
During the 2008/09 school year, experiential journeys included 9th grade Journey: "Making our Machaneh – Creating our Camp” (Brandeis Bardin Institute, CA), 10th grade Journey to the Southwest (Hualapai Reservation and Grand Canyon in AZ and Las Vegas, NV), 11th grade Pilgrimage of Civil Rights & Rock n’Roll (Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; Tupelo, MS; and Memphis, TN) and 12th grade Journey to New York (New York Metropolitan Area).
During the 2009/10 school year, the 9th grade again traveled to the Brandeis Bardin Institute in southern California. The 10th grade traveled to Utah's Bryce Canyon National Park
and Zion National Park
, as well as a short visit to Las Vegas. The 11th and 12th grades went to Israel
for a longer, two week trip (the standard length of a Journey is one week).
During the 2010/11 school year, the 9th grade continued the tradition of going to southern California. The 10th grade again traveled to Utah and Las Vegas. The 11th grade went to Israel for the same two-week length as the previous year. The 12th grade went on a service/learning trip to New Orleans.
· 19 classrooms including 3 science laboratories and 3 language labs
· Outdoor stone courtyard with a basketball court and landscaped with among other plants, palm trees.
· 200-seat Performing Arts Theater
· Combined Bureau of Jewish Education (BJE) and JCHS Library with over 25,000 volumes
· Kosher kitchen
· Secure parking garage within gated campus
(WASC) in the spring of 2007.
(NAIS), California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education (PEJE), the Alliance for Jewish Education, the College Board, Secondary School Admission Test Board (SSAT), Bay Area Admissions Directors (BAAD), the National Association for College Admission Counseling
(NACAC), the Western Association for College Admission Counseling (WACAC), the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), RAVSAK
- the Jewish Community Day School Network and the Bay Area Independent Schools College Counselors (BAISCC) Consortium.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
located in the Western Addition Neighborhood of San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Founded in 2001, JCHS is a pluralistic
Cultural pluralism
Cultural pluralism is a term used when smaller groups within a larger society maintain their unique cultural identities, and their values and practices are accepted by the wider culture. Cultural pluralism is often confused with Multiculturalism...
Jewish high school with a competitive academic program as well as distinguished athletic and arts programs.
Founding
In December 2001, the Jewish Community High School of the Bay's board of directors named Ed Harwitz the first Head of School. Harwitz, then 37, had been the director of student affairs for Milken Community High SchoolMilken Community High School
Milken Community High School, colloquially Milken, is a private Jewish High School. It is located on Mulholland Drive in the Bel-Air area of Los Angeles, California.Though long affiliated with Stephen S...
in Los Angeles, California. Harwitz also served as the head of the Judaic Studies department and was the school's first rabbi.
JCHS opened for its inaugural school year in September 2001 on the campus of Congregation Kol Shofar
Congregation Kol Shofar
Congregation Kol Shofar is a Conservative synagogue founded in 1962 and located in Tiburon, California. The congregation is led by Rabbi Chai Levy who was ordained in 2002 by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York City.-History:...
in Tiburon
Tiburon, California
Tiburon is an incorporated town in Marin County, California. It occupies most of the Tiburon Peninsula, which reaches south into the San Francisco Bay. The smaller city of Belvedere occupies the south-east part of the peninsula and is contiguous with Tiburon...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The school had a three-year lease on the property, and the temporary campus could accommodate 100 students.
New Campus
In the fall of 2002, JCHS moved to its permanent home at 1835 Ellis Street in San Francisco, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on the former site of the California College of Podiatric Medicine. The Jewish Community Library opened its new location on the JCHS campus in 2003 and JCHS' award winning lunch program opened in 2004. The first senior class graduated in the spring of 2005.
Academics
The JCHS curriculum includes three areas of focus: math/scienceScience
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
/arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
, and Jewish studies
Jewish studies
Jewish studies is an academic discipline centered on the study of Jews and Judaism. Jewish studies is interdisciplinary and combines aspects of history , religious studies, archeology, sociology, languages , political science, area studies, women's studies, and ethnic studies...
/Hebrew. Classes challenge students to develop their own ideas and questions while seeking to understand those of others, and to learn clear and concise writing, effective public speaking, logic, creative expression, and critical thinking. JCHS offers over 70 classes and includes a strong advanced placement program. Students also have the opportunity to design their own coursework through independent study
Independent study
Independent study is a form of education offered by many high schools, colleges, and other educational institutions around the world. It is sometimes referred to as directed study...
.
Faculty
JCHS' faculty includes 36 full-time staff members as well as a 7:1 student to teacher ratio. Class sizes are an average of 14 students. JCHS has the highest student to teacher ratio of any independent high school in the San Francisco Bay AreaSan Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
. The JCHS faculty holds 28 masters degrees, 9 PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
s or terminal academic degrees, and 3 Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
s. Many faculty also serve as club advisers or coaches of sports teams.
Diversity of Student Body
The JCHS community is a diverse group coming from a variety of backgrounds. For the 2010-2011 school year, JCHS enrollment includes students from public schools (30%), independent schools (16%), and Jewish day schools (53%). They live in San Francisco (48%), the East Bay (31%), the North Bay (10%) and the North Peninsula (11%).Arts
JCHS offers courses including Studio ArtStudio art
Studio art is made of art and studio, and the term has several implications depending on the context used. The term encompasses all art forms, be they performing or visual.-Definition:...
, Sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
, Photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
, AP Art History
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
, Dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, Music Ensemble and Vocal Ensemble. The JCHS Drama program has gained international recognition for its success and was invited to perform at the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Scotland's capital, in the month of August...
Festival. Students from play writing and screenwriting
Screenwriting
Screenwriting is the art and craft of writing scripts for mass media such as feature films, television productions or video games. It is a freelance profession....
classes have had their work published and performed by prestigious journals and theater companies JCHS also hosts the Jewish Community Youth Orchestra and Chorale (JCYO).
Athletics
JCHS offers the following interscholastic sports: girls and boys soccer, volleyball, basketball, and baseball. Club teams include golf, Hip-hop, tennis, and ultimate frisbee. 75% of the student body participates on an athletic team. JCHS varsity teams are part of the Private School Athletic League (PSAL) and California’s Central Coast Section (CCS). This new league, comprising 16 teams from Bay Area independent schools, allows all teams to compete for an opportunity to participate in the Central Coast Section play-offs. The Wolves return all but 1 player from last years PSAL playoff basketball team and will be lead in 2010 by 6'4 post enforcer Jonathan Gergen and 6' skilled guard Ariel Gottlieb. The Wolves are coached by Tim Kjar and they look to reclaim the PSAL title last won by JCHS in 2006 on November 30, 2010 against Liberty BaptistStudent Support
JCHS believes in offering the resources necessary to support students and families throughout their four years at the school, and to foster positive relationships within our community. Each student meets with a faculty mentor once a week along with a small group of peers. Each grade level has an appointed faculty member who serves as the Class Dean. JCHS also offers the services of our School Counselor, Educational Support Director and College Advisor.Technology
Our technology program is designed to blend seamlessly into the curriculum. A laptop computer program was launched in August 2010. Additionally, PC desktop workstations are available in the library for student research.Lunch
JCHS' lunch program opened in 2004. The program began under the auspice of food services director Jesse Buckner-Alper, son of Noah Alper the founder of Noah's Bagels. Stu Jacobs took over the program in 2007, and the program won multiple awards during his tenure. In 2009 the JCHS lunch program was awarded the Golden Carrot award, given by Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. The award was established in 2004 to recognize food service professionals working to promote healthier school lunches. In 2010 the program earned the school a place among the top five "Veg-Friendly Cafeterias" in the country, according to PETA2, the youth-outreach arm of the animal rights PETA organization.Grade Journeys
Experiential Education is an integral part of the JCHS mission. Students participate in Journeys designed to enhance education through real-world experiences. Journeys are staffed by JCHS faculty and administration.During the 2008/09 school year, experiential journeys included 9th grade Journey: "Making our Machaneh – Creating our Camp” (Brandeis Bardin Institute, CA), 10th grade Journey to the Southwest (Hualapai Reservation and Grand Canyon in AZ and Las Vegas, NV), 11th grade Pilgrimage of Civil Rights & Rock n’Roll (Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; Tupelo, MS; and Memphis, TN) and 12th grade Journey to New York (New York Metropolitan Area).
During the 2009/10 school year, the 9th grade again traveled to the Brandeis Bardin Institute in southern California. The 10th grade traveled to Utah's Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is a national park located in southwestern Utah in the United States. The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon which, despite its name, is not a canyon but a giant natural amphitheater created by erosion along the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau...
and Zion National Park
Zion National Park
Zion National Park is located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. A prominent feature of the park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles long and up to half a mile deep, cut through the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River...
, as well as a short visit to Las Vegas. The 11th and 12th grades went to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
for a longer, two week trip (the standard length of a Journey is one week).
During the 2010/11 school year, the 9th grade continued the tradition of going to southern California. The 10th grade again traveled to Utah and Las Vegas. The 11th grade went to Israel for the same two-week length as the previous year. The 12th grade went on a service/learning trip to New Orleans.
Community Outreach
JCHS fosters learning through service. Students are actively engaged in social justice committees, grade-based projects and individual activism. In total, students volunteered more than 4,000 hours during the 2009-2010 school year. For example, students have collected 1092 lbs. of food for the SF Food Bank; interviewed Holocaust Survivors for JFCS’s Next Chapter project; served hundreds meals at Glide Memorial; helped seniors at adult day care programs; and worked with The Village Project tutoring 30 local kids from Western Addition in reading, writing, social studies, and math every Monday and Thursday from September, 2009 through May, 2010, totaling over 250 hours.Leadership and community
Each year, freshmen are oriented to the JCHS community through an overnight camping retreat before the start of classes. In addition, JCHS kicks off the school year with the annual all-school retreat and returns with a new-found sense of community. Throughout the school year, students lead more than 20 different clubs including the Literary Magazine, Digital Media Club and Social Club, in addition to new clubs that students create every year. Dances, school parties, spirit week, a ski trip, holiday celebrations and Jewish cultural traditions are all part of the JCHS experience.Campus & Facilities
· Located in the Western Addition neighborhood, in the geographical center of San Francisco· 19 classrooms including 3 science laboratories and 3 language labs
· Outdoor stone courtyard with a basketball court and landscaped with among other plants, palm trees.
· 200-seat Performing Arts Theater
· Combined Bureau of Jewish Education (BJE) and JCHS Library with over 25,000 volumes
· Kosher kitchen
· Secure parking garage within gated campus
Accreditation
JCHS received a full 6-year term of accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and CollegesWestern Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
(WASC) in the spring of 2007.
Professional Affiliations
JCHS staff and faculty are members of the following professional organizations: National Association of Independent SchoolsNational Association of Independent Schools
The National Association of Independent Schools is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1963, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, boarding, and day/boarding schools; elementary and secondary...
(NAIS), California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education (PEJE), the Alliance for Jewish Education, the College Board, Secondary School Admission Test Board (SSAT), Bay Area Admissions Directors (BAAD), the National Association for College Admission Counseling
National Association for College Admission Counseling
The National Association for College Admission Counseling , founded in 1937, is an organization of more than 11,000 professionals from around the world dedicated to serving students transitioning from secondary to postsecondary education, including professional school counselors, college access...
(NACAC), the Western Association for College Admission Counseling (WACAC), the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), RAVSAK
RAVSAK
RAVSAK, founded in 1987, is a New York based non-profit organization that promotes pluralistic non-denominational Jewish education, working with over 100 member schools from across North America, spanning elementary to high school level day school education...
- the Jewish Community Day School Network and the Bay Area Independent Schools College Counselors (BAISCC) Consortium.