Frequently Asked Questions



•What accreditation does the school have?

The Jewish Academy has begun the three-year process of accreditation through the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS), the educational organization that accredits private schools. The school has recently received official notice of its affiliate status with ISACS.


•What college guidance do the students receive?

College planning is a hallmark of the Jewish Academy experience. The school pledges to work towards three goals: to provide the course work that will prepare students for college study, to market the school to the university community, and to make the best match between each Jewish Academy student and the appropriate college or university.




• What sort of advisory program does the school have?

Each student is assigned a faculty advisor who is responsible for monitoring that student’s academic progress. Faculty advisors meet regularly with students to aid them with any academic questions and to help students determine their courses of study. In addition to all the other adults available to students at school, the advisor is a designated person a student can turn to for advice and counsel at any time. Advisors will consult with individual teachers as necessary. In the event a student wishes to add or drop a class, he or she must consult with and obtain permission from his or her faculty advisor. The advisory program is designed to promote frequent and systematic communication between school and home. Parents are encouraged to contact the student’s advisor, teacher or member of the administration at any time.


• Can the students use the resources of the Jewish community center?

The Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit is housed on the campus of the Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus in West Bloomfield. Its 360,000 square foot building is located on 200 acres of land and includes a summer day camp facility, pond, and wetlands that can be used for the study of field biology. The Jewish Community Center makes available to the Jewish Academy indoor and outdoor swimming pools, racquetball and basketball courts, baseball, football, and soccer fields, indoor and outdoor tracks, a theater, dance studio, ceramics studio, Holocaust museum, an art gallery, auditorium, and a cafeteria/restaurant. Senior citizen residences, assisted living facilities, and childcare programs are on the campus as well and will be incorporated into our community service program.


• Does the Jewish Academy have a library?

The school's emerging library primarily consists of a Judaica collection. Students have access to extensive on-line resources via the Jewish Academy web page, including a partnership with the West Bloomfield library. Students are able to go on-line and reserve materials, books, videos, and magazines housed at the West Bloomfield library. Students are linked to the finest educational databases via our web page in cooperation with the Michigan Electronic Library resources. All students also have borrowing privileges through the JCC library system.


•What is available to students with an interest in athletics?

The Jewish Academy believes in the importance of exercising the body as well as the mind and soul of a person. Our athletics program, which utilizes the outstanding facilities at the Jewish Community Center, provides a student with the opportunity to enhance his or her physical well-being. Students acquire motor skills, knowledge, and attitudes that can be utilized throughout life. Students can choose from a variety of co-curricular athletic options including Power Fitness for Girls, Advanced Sports and Physical Education. Participation in interscholastic sports is a highlight of the athletics program. Fall team sports include boys’ golf, girls’ basketball, girls' tennis, girls' swimming, boys' soccer, and co-ed cross-country.  For winter sports, FJA offers boys’ basketball, and girls’ volleyball.  In the spring, students can get involved in boys' baseball, boys’ tennis, or girls’ soccer.


•  What does FJA do to keep students aware of evolving technology?

The Jewish Academy is committed to building the capability of all members of the school’s community to use technology in powerful ways. Wherever possible, specific technologies will be taught and learned in the context of doing real work, not as isolated skills. The Jewish Academy’s state of the art technology is supported by a wireless network with the use of portable laptops in our classrooms, labs, and outdoor environments. Our mission is to build a culture in which technology extends, enables, and supports powerful teaching and learning.
        

•  How else does the Academy go beyond academics?

Adolescence marks a critical period of intellectual, physical, social and spiritual development. The Jewish Academy assists and promotes this growth through programs that allow students to explore their talents in studio arts, dance, music, drama and sports. The Jewish Academy offers student clubs and committees where students can develop social and leadership skills. The Fall Arts Exhibition and Performance, the Spring Musical, Yearbook, Student Government, the Tikkun Olam Club, the Science Club, and Tefilla Committee are some of the activities that are integral to student life at the Jewish Academy. The size of the student body allows students to assume positions of leadership in a variety of school activities.

Students must participate in two after-school clubs at some point during one’s tenure at the Jewish Academy.

The Jewish Academy sees itself as part of a larger Jewish organizational framework that includes a partnership with the family, synagogues, youth groups, Jewish summer camps, and the Federation. The Jewish Academy will encourage participation in informal Jewish youth organizations (e.g. NCSY, NFTY, USY, BBYO and Camp Ramah), all of which are powerful mechanisms for building Jewish identity and creating lasting friendships among Jewish peers. In addition, the Jewish Academy is a member of the North American Association of Jewish High Schools, an organization that connects the ever-expanding community of day high school teenagers in North America.


•  What is "Town Hall?"

Every Friday after minyan, the school will conduct a Town Hall meeting with the Head of School, the Director of Student Life, the Director of Jewish Studies, and other relevant personnel. The Town Hall meetings will be a forum for communication between students and administration. The Town Hall meeting is intended to be an efficient weekly half-hour devoted to constructive exploration of issues and ideas pertinent to the growth and well being of our School community. Much of the Town Hall meeting will be student-run.