Dear Kehillah Community,

In what ways does Kehillah provide an education that is panoramic in scope, style, and intention? I pose this question not simply as a way of introducing the theme of this newsletter – PanoRAMas – but to get at the heart of what makes Kehillah so singular as a school. A panorama aims to provide a comprehensive and multilayered perspective that expands the more limited boundaries of individual snapshots. Seen through the lens of education, the panorama presents the whole child and the rich landscape that inspires intellectual, creative, and interpersonal growth.

Though I’m still getting my feet wet as a new faculty member, it’s clear to me that Kehillah approaches education in much the same way. In contrast to the more restrictive school-based experiences where students are passive spectators in someone else’s show, we focus instead on cultivating the interests and talents of young people through participation, experience, and self-expression. In the lab, theater, studio, classroom, town hall meetings, and even international destinations like Colombia, students and teachers at Kehillah encounter each other as full human beings and forge relationships that are deeply affirming. 

What does that look like in practice? A few scenes come to mind:

• Immersive professional development with our exceptional faculty, focusing on experiential education, the science of learning, and student-led, democratically structured Town Hall meetings
• Creative performances during our Untalent Show, including an a capella rendition of American Pie and a hip-hop battle between students taking on the roles of Julius Caesar and Sun-Tzu
• Ms. Vicenty, our incredible Science teacher, evoking the wonders of the universe through project-based challenges on the first day of her Astronomy class
• Students eagerly replanting the Community Garden as part of a larger commitment to environmental justice and campus beautification

Though each of these images is distinct, together, they capture Kehillah’s shared commitment to providing an education that empowers students to expand the boundaries of the possible. In practice, this means that the picture of teaching and learning at Kehillah is always coming into view as students exercise their voices through art, media, literature, music, Jewish studies, and more.

As we embark on a new academic year, let us remember that education is not simply a series of lessons, but a panoramic journey filled with passion, purpose, and possibility, qualities that young people carry in spades. At Kehillah, we’re here to support that journey every step of the way, and we know you are, too.

What a special school community.

Sincerely,