1-2 Kehillah
The Kehillah Teaching and Learning Model
At Schechter Bergen, our first through fourth grades follow what we call, “The Kehillah Model,” a collaborative and flexible approach designed to meet the needs of every student. Small class sizes, along with homeroom teachers, learning specialists and assistant teachers, provide a warm community environment where learning, joy and social emotional growth are paramount. Teams of teachers plan together, leveraging one another’s strengths and partnering with curriculum leaders, learning specialists, and support staff to ensure academic, social, and emotional growth. Lessons are hands-on and project-based, connecting learning to real-life experiences, while flexible grouping allows students to engage with different teachers and peers for intervention, enrichment, or new learning. Differentiation is central: teachers focus on specific skills, recognizing that each child may excel in one area and need extra support in another. Literacy, mathematics, and Hebrew & Judaic studies learning specialists are fully integrated into each Kehillah team, providing targeted support and enrichment across all subjects.
Our classrooms follow the Responsive Classroom approach, with social-emotional skills explicitly taught and reinforced. Morning meetings take place in both General and Judaic studies classrooms, creating a shared space for community building and reflection. Across all subjects, we emphasize teaching students how to think, not what to think, equipping them with critical thinking, problem-solving, and lifelong learning skills. Through formative assessment, shared tracking, common planning time, and professional learning communities, teachers make real-time instructional decisions that ensure every student thrives academically, socially, and emotionally.
In our 1–2 Kehillah, our first graders begin their day in their general studies homerooms, while the second graders begin their day in their Judaic studies homerooms. Each morning begins with children sitting together in a circle for their morning meeting (mifgash boker), turning to face one another, making connections, and greeting each other with a warm “Boker Tov.” This daily act of seeing one another, and being seen, forms the foundation of a true Kehillah (a community) built on belonging. As the day progresses, teacher teams engage students in flexible groupings that meet each child’s individual needs. Students move between classrooms and engage with multiple teachers and various peers throughout the day. Our commitment to project-based learning (PBL) gives students meaningful problems to explore, real questions to answer, and purposeful work to create. Through asking questions, gathering information, collaborating with peers, and sharing what they discovered, PBL allows students to apply their learning in integrated and authentic ways.
Through individualized attention and the use of the Kehillah Model, teachers guide students to think deeply, make connections, and express their ideas with clarity. We encourage students to take intellectual risks, problem-solve, and develop curiosity about the world around them. Teachers nurture strong relationships with every child, creating an environment where students feel safe to explore, reflect, revise, and take ownership of their learning. This approach supports not just skill development, but the growth of thoughtful, confident learners who see themselves as active participants in their Kehillah and beyond.
Learn More About the 1-2 Kehillah Curriculum
Judaic Studies and Hebrew Language
Jewish life is celebrated each and every day at Schechter Bergen - from spirited morning Tefillah (prayer) to building connections to the land and people of Israel through the lens of history, geography and culture. With music and song incorporated into the curriculum and the celebration of Shabbat and Hagim (holidays), students develop their Hebrew language skills and strengthen their connection to Israel and to their Jewish identity.
First-grade students master the Hebrew alphabet and then begin the exciting journey of learning to read Hebrew. They receive their first Ariyot hoveret (Hebrew language workbook) with a special ceremony to acknowledge the significance of the moment. Over the course of the year, a focus is placed on developing vocabulary and grammar to help students further strengthen their language skills and Hebrew foundation. At the end of the year, having learned how to decode Hebrew with fluency, the children's accomplishments are celebrated during a ceremony as each child is presented with their own Siddur, marking the achievement of their learning and celebrating their unique place within our Kehillah.
In the second grade, students build upon their Hebrew language skills and are able to write sentences and short paragraphs. Their developing skills allow them to make meaning from the material they read and to respond to questions asked in Hebrew. A highlight of the year is the second-grade Humash ceremony. Family and friends gather to share in the moment as students receive their very own Humash. Beginning the study of Torah opens the door for students to understand the language of Torah, think critically about this sacred text and deepen their appreciation and connection with the stories of the Jewish people - a continued goal for their years ahead.
Humanities
In the 1-2 Kehillah, we ensure every child becomes a skilled, confident, joyful reader and writer by providing the instruction, practice, and support needed.
We use high-quality, research-aligned resources to build strong, confident readers which include:
- Fundations: Systematic phonics, handwriting, spelling, and word study
- Geodes: Engaging books that match the phonics skills students are learning
- Heggerty: Practice with sounds (phonemic awareness)
- DIBELS: Short assessments throughout the year that show the skills that students have mastered and what they need next
Students work in small, flexible groups that change often.
- Groups are based on skills
- Students move groups whenever they are ready, this helps every student grow at their own pace.
We use The Writing Revolution (TWR) method to teach writing through explicit, structured practice connected to what students learn in social studies. Writing helps students process, remember, and understand social studies content.
Students learn to:
- Build strong sentences using sentence stems, conjunctions, and academic vocabulary
- Write clear and complete thoughts about social studies content
- Use graphic organizers to plan ideas
- Summarize information they learn from stories, visuals, or lessons
- Use timelines and sequences to write about historical events
- Practice note-taking and turning notes into sentences and paragraphs
Math
Mathematics at Schechter Bergen is engaging, skill-building, and rooted in real-life problem solving. Students learn to see themselves as mathematicians who think deeply, embrace the mathematical process, and apply their learning to meaningful situations. Through active, hands-on exploration, targeted instruction, and collaborative problem-solving, they build strong number sense, flexible reasoning, and confidence, developing a growth mindset that encourages perseverance, curiosity, and continual improvement.
In the 1-2 Kehillah, students:
- Engage in small, flexible groups that allow targeted practice based on each child’s needs.
- Learn problem-solving strategies and practice fact fluency
- Count, sequence, and develop a deep number sense that is extended through authentic, real-world approaches.
- Students learn that there are multiple ways to solve a problem and explain their reasoning to peers.
- Math games and partner activities make learning fun, meaningful, and collaborative.
Science
In science, students are encouraged to learn through play and use their senses to make observations. First-grade students identify characteristics of living organisms, gain an understanding about how the human body works, delve into the world of microbes, investigate sound and light, and learn about arthropods. As they step into their roles as scientists, they will observe cells under microscopes, create x-rays and study living Bess Beetles. In second grade, students learn about observable properties of matter, the concept of “reduce-reuse-recycle,” and plant adaptations. They create density rainbows, experiment with variables of light and plant growth and upcycle paper - activities that serve to develop students’ knowledge of the scientific process, problem solving, and design.
The Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Solomon Schechter does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of our educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.