KAT Z Y E S H I VA H I G H S C H O O L

Transcription

1 O F S O U T H F L O R I DA RUTH AND BARON COLEMAN BOULEVARD, BOCA RATON, FLORIDA admissions@yeshivahs.org Tel: Fax: THE KAT Z Y E S H I VA H I G H S C H O O L KAT Z Y E S H I VA H I G H S C H O O L O F S O U T H F L O R I DA

2 O U R M I S S I O N Inspire our students to make a lifelong commitment to Jewish values, learning, and observance, and to view all disciplines and pursuits through the prism of Torah. Challenge our students with an excellent Judaic and General Studies program that engages the heart and mind, builds character, and develops knowledgeable and thoughtful young men and women who will continue the journey of learning. K Y H S VA L U E S K AT Z Y E S H I VA H I G H S C H O O L O F S O U T H F L O R I D A has inspired the hundreds of teenagers who have entered its doors as eager adolescents and graduated as mature young adults. This viewbook depicts the unique energy and excitement of the KYHS experience, as well as the details of its program. From its suburban Boca Raton campus, KYHS is transforming the lives of teenagers throughout South Florida. T o r at Y i s r a e l Devotion to Jewish law and observance A h avat Y i s r a e l Embracing all Jews M e d i n at Y i s r a e l Supporting and celebrating the State of Israel K avo d H a B r i yo t Respecting all human beings T i k k u n O l a m Contributing to the community

3 A D M I S S I O N S KATZ Yeshiva High School OF SOUTH FLORIDA welcomes families of all backgrounds who share our goals of academic and spiritual growth for their children. Students are expected to respect kashrut, Shabbat, and appropriate interactions between young men and women both in and out of school. All KYHS applicants are interviewed, submit two years of report cards, take the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE), and have recommendations written by their English, Math, and Judaic teachers. An admissions committee, consisting of educators with a broad range of perspectives, thoughtfully considers each applicant. S T U D E N T B O DY A typical grade is a diverse group comprised primarily of graduates from a dozen Jewish day schools and yeshivot in Miami-Dade, Broward, AT M O S P H E R E FA C U LT Y and Palm Beach counties. KYHS welcomes students who attended other private or public schools and students who have just moved to South Florida. At Katz Yeshiva High School of South Florida, students learn and live Torah and treat each other with respect. Students dress in a dignified and modest fashion. Energy and excitement fill the halls each day. Music and dancing play an important role in kumsitzes and chagigot. At KYHS, students work and play hard. All teachers at Katz Yeshiva High School of South Florida are experts in their field and love teaching and learning with high school students. Teachers endeavor to give personal attention to each and every student. Teachers frequently invite students to Shabbat meals at their homes. Among a student body that is about 320 strong, KYHS has a significant population of Sephardic students. There is a daily Sephardic minyan and other special programming promoting Sephardic culture.

4 C O - C U R R I C U L A R S Art Club Better Together Biomedical Club Boo to Bullying Club Book Club Cake Decorating Chazak Band Chesed & Tzedakah Committee Chess Club Comic Book Club Cultural Diversity and Education Club Dead Poet s Society Drama Environmental Club Fine Arts Cultural Extravaganza Film Club Forensics Club Game Strategy Geography Club Girls Choir Girl Talk Girls Beit Midrash Girls Who Code Harry Potter Society Health and Wellness Committee Humane Club IPAC (Israel Club) JUMP Math Club Meditation Moot Beit Din Model UN Music Production and Theory New Language Club Online Writing Lab (OWL) Publicity Committee Robotics Team Senior Cultural Experience Sign Language Club Spanish Club Speech & Debate Club STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) Club Stock Market Challenge Technology Club Torah Affairs Committee Videography Club Yachad Club S P E C I A L P R O G R A M S Adult Ed Shiurim Breast Cancer Awareness Speakers Career Day Chanukah Programs Chesed Day Color War Family Learning Opportunities Freshman Mentor Programs Grade Bonding Activities Graduation Trip Kumsitzes Out of Town Tournaments & Competitions Purim Chagiga Rosh Chodesh Breakfasts Senior Sunrise Davening at the Beach Social Awareness Programs Sports Banquet Storm Madness Senior Night Student Leadership Awards Talent Show Teshuva and Selichot Programs Veterans Day Program World Renowned Speakers Yom Ha atzmaut Celebration Yom HaShoah Program Yom Hazikaron Program P U B L I C AT I O N S S P O R T S The KYHS Storm sports teams compete against other private and public schools through the Florida High School Athletic Association. In addition, our teams compete against other Jewish schools. Additional team sports are added at the suggestion of our students. At this time, KYHS offers: Fall Sports Winter Sports Boys Cross Country Girls Varsity Basketball Girls Cross Country Boys JV Basketball Girls Varsity Volleyball Boys Varsity Basketball Boys Varsity Flag Football Girls Varsity Soccer Boys Golf Boys Varsity Soccer Girls Golf Spring Sports Girls Tennis Boys Tennis Boys Varsity Volleyball C O M M U N I T Y Chesed and tzedaka projects are an integral part of KYHS s co-curricular activities. KYHS students build homes for the homeless, run and participate in blood drives, raise funds for various projects in Israel and in the community, collect and package food for the hungry and run in marathons to benefit cancer research. Chesed-minded juniors compete against other Jewish day schools in JUMP, in which they must create replicable chesed programs. Each trimester, students are responsible for independently performing community service at Jewish and non-jewish non-profit organizations of their choice for at least 7 hours. S. A. V. E. ( S E N I O R A C T I V E V O L U N T E E R I N G E X P E R I E N C E ) KYHS believes that having had the blessing of a Jewish education, seniors should have an opportunity to give back to the community in a meaningful way. After winter break, seniors schedules are changed one day a week so that they can participate in S.A.V.E. and volunteer at an organization of their choice. Last year, students visited Chai-Lifeline children in the Ashreinu Brainstorm Literary Magazine StormStyle hospital, worked with autistic students at Boca Raton High School, mentored underprivileged elementary school students at Florence Fuller, and assisted in classrooms at Brauser Maimonides Academy and Katz Dimensions Storm Tracker Hillel Day School. We received tremendous positive feedback from both Highlites Ivrit Newspaper Yearbook our students and the places they worked and we are excited to offer this opportunity again.

5 KYH S STUDEN TS 23 COM E FRO M SONGS 16 S O U T H F L O R I DA SUN G AT A FRIDAY CITIES KUMSITZ R OF S ACADEMIC C L U B S A T & COMMITTEES STUDENTS ATTEND NIG H T SEDER S 55% CO-CURRICUL AR AND 150+ AT E S I N CIP TU T B O DY PA TI 40 N DE H L E TIC WE ANNUALLY PARTICIPATE IN OVER 17 18, IN AND OUT OF STATE TOURNAMENTS MEALS 20+ COLLEGE PRESENTATIONS ON CAMPUS SO RT E D AN D PA C K E D O N & SO P H O M O R E C H E S E D D AY CO MPETI TIO NS 9 0 +% OF OUR STUDENTS SPEND A YEAR IN ISRAEL PO ST GRADUAT ION OVER 65,000 PENNIES RAISED FOR IDF SOLDIERS D U R I N G P E N N Y WA R S CHESED HOURS N GO D WE TR US T I 6, 650 LIBERTY 2016 CO M P L E T E D A N N UA L LY KYHS

6 J U DA I C S T U D I E S G E N E R A L S T U D I E S The goal of Judaic Studies at KYHS is for each student to be engaged in religious growth and to identify as proud, confident, and humble Modern Orthodox Jews. Students develop textual skills to become independent learners and are challenged to engage the deeper issues raised by these texts. Our classes are grouped by different skill levels and by gender. The classes that comprise our Judaic Studies curriculum include: Gemara/Torah Sheb al Peh An in-depth study of Jewish law, with a focus on both the process and the practical through critical thinking and textual skill building. CHUMASH An intensive study of selected parshiyot of the Torah, with a focus on building analytical and critical thinking skills as well as fluency in reading and comprehending primary and secondary sources. NACH A theme-based study of the history and personalities of the Jewish Kings, the Biblical Prophets, and their Writings, with a focus on textual analysis on historical context. IVRIT A blend of traditional and progressive methodologies, including exposure to Israeli culture, to help develop proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking Ivrit. Beit midrash A directed self-study of Talmud to hone students textual skills and prepare them for post-secondary Torah study. This is an option for seniors. The goal of General Studies at KYHS is for students to broaden and deepen their understanding of the best that the world of knowledge has to offer while developing the skills and passion for life-long learning. KYHS offers several levels of learning (AP, Honors, Accelerated, Grade Level, Basic). We offer a dual curriculum that is thought provoking and challenging. Students are placed in the level that is most suited to their aptitude and achievement in each subject area. E n g l i s h M at h 9 t h G r a d e 10 t h G r a d e 11 t h G r a d e 12 t h G r a d e Intro to Literature & Composition Geometry Geometry/Algebra II Algebra I American Literature Algebra I Algebra II Algebra II/Pre-Calculus British Literature* English Language and Composition* Algebra II Pre-Calculus Calculus AB* S c i e n c e Biology Chemistry Physics Physics I* English Seminars English Literature and Composition* Statistics Pre-Calculus Calculus Calculus AB/BC* Biology* Physics II* Physics C* Psychology* Forensics Computer Science* H i s t o ry Human Geography* European History* US History* Jewish History Triad: Revolutionary Jewish Thinkers *course is offered at the AP level Holocaust Studies Zionism & the Modern State of Israel Hashkafa A discussion-based course designed to elicit thoughtful conversation about important Jewish themes, to help students forge deeper personal connections to their Jewish identities. M a j o r s : E l e c t i v e s : Students who take 3 years of electives in a particular discipline are considered to have majored in that discipline. Students are encouraged to focus on an area of study that interests them and to develop an expertise in that area as they progress throughout their high school career in their elective course. Majors include: Foreign Language (Spanish, Arabic) Engineering Fine Arts Business Multimedia Design Spanish I, II, III Arabic I, II, III Photography/ Videography I, II, III Business I, II, III Art I, II, III Engineering I, II Computer Science Creative Writing DA I LY S C H E D U L E Our day begins with shacharit at 8:00am, followed by breakfast and then a rigorous course of study. The day ends on Mondays and Wednesdays at 4:45pm, on Tuesdays and Thursdays at approximately 3:45pm, and Fridays at 2:00pm. To increase opportunities for Torah and Tefilla, the school offers two optional programs. The weekly boys and girls Night Seder programs include dinner, Torah study, and evening prayers. On Sunday mornings, boys can study and pray with KYHS staff in communities throughout South Florida.

7 I S R A E L G U I DA N C E Spending a year in Israel after graduation studying at a yeshiva or seminary strengthens the bond our graduates have with the State of Israel and a committed Torah lifestyle. It is an important transition year from the highly structured high school life to the independence of the college experience. Colleges also encourage the gap year abroad, realizing that they will get a more well-rounded, mature student. Our Israel Guidance Counselors visit seminaries and yeshivot in Israel every year to keep current with the many options that are available to our graduates. Representatives from approximately 30 Israel schools visit KYHS each year. The Israel Guidance staff meets with each student and his or her parents to identify the most appropriate school in which the student will continue on their path of religious growth. S T U D E N T G R O W T H & D E V E L O P M E N T Curriculum Integration The goal of our Curriculum Integration Initiative is to change the way our students view their individual classes. By working on teacher-guided projects and assignments that incorporate knowledge and information learned in multiple classes, both Judaic and General, students can begin to view all school subjects as interlocking pieces of the same intellectual puzzle. C O L L E G E G U I DA N C E KYHS students have successfully enrolled at and graduated from a range of highly selective colleges, religious and secular, public and private, in-state and out. The vast majority of our graduates matriculate at a college where they will find a considerable, engaged Modern Orthodox community. College Guidance at KYHS begins as early as freshman year and continues through graduation and beyond. Freshmen receive early exposure to college entrance exams to familiarize them with standardized tests. As sophomores, students meet both individually and in small groups with academic advisors and College Guidance counselors. Their academic performance and results of standardized tests are analyzed annually to make sure that each student is appropriately challenged and is meeting his or her full intellectual potential. College Guidance is more intensive for upperclassmen as juniors and seniors are guided step-by-step through the college exploration and application process, from making the most of campus visits, preparing for interviews, and crafting meaningful college application essays, to determining which colleges meet individual abilities and aspirations, academically and religiously. Our seasoned College Guidance professionals provide a variety of seminars and workshops for students and parents at every grade level. Topics include Deciphering the Results of PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP Exams; The Nuts and Bolts of Applying to College; and Financing Your College Education, among others. The College Guidance department is committed to ensuring that every graduate attends an institution of higher learning that will build on the strong foundations set during their formative years at KYHS. Student Develop ment The guidance staff monitors the development of the whole child, helping KYHS students become independent learners and self-actualizing young adults. Guidance counselors and learning specialists carefully monitor student progress. They support and encourage the development of responsible attitudes towards learning, peer relationships, and communication with adults. The guidance department identifies and intervenes when there are areas of concern, counseling students on how to balance demanding academics, religious responsibilities and co-curriculars with their personalities, and learning styles. The counselors help students with the process of developing good decision-making skills, using appropriate judgment, and accepting accountability for their actions. Gra de Dean Each grade has two deans who make sure that individual students' social and emotional needs are being met. Grade Deans meet with students one-on-one and review their involvement in co-curricular activities. The Grade Deans also work with class presidents to plan periodic whole grade meetings which address grade specific issues and shape grade culture. Religious Guidance The Mashgiach Ruchani is tasked with raising religious awareness throughout the school. Working with students to create additional learning opportunities during lunch periods, mitzvah awareness campaigns, daily Halacha information sheets, and special programs focused around the chagim, the Mashgiach Ruchani makes sure that everyone at KYHS is always on a path of growth. The Mashgiach Ruchani meets with interested students to discuss their religious concerns and to help students embark on their path of religious development.

8 G R A D U AT I O N BEYOND KATZ Yeshiva High School of south florida graduation is a majestic and uplifting ceremony. The uniqueness of each student is highlighted and celebrated. The close relationship between faculty and students continues well after the diploma is mounted proudly on the wall. Students studying in Israel are called and visited by KYHS faculty. Graduates frequently visit KYHS during their breaks from college and yeshiva. They receive the weekly Yeshiva Highlites newsletter which gives updates on alumni, faculty, and school milestones. The school runs alumni programs in the Northeast, Florida, and Israel. KAT Z Y E S H I VA H I G H S C H O O L O F S O U T H F L O R I DA The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County provides KYHS with significant support, enabling us to offer scholarships for deserving families, and inservice programs for our teachers. As the central address for our Jewish community, the Federation s Department of Jewish Education brings together all the day schools to address issues of common cause.