August 22 • 2019 27
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mine the mission, strengths and chal-
lenges of the school.
The first year involved conducting
a survey to all members of the FHDS
community, including board, faculty,
high school students and alumni, as
well as reworking the school’
s mis-
sion statement and strategic plan and
bylaws.
This year, the school community
creates different study groups to com-
pile a comprehensive self-study report
based on ISACS criteria and schedules
a professional financial audit of the
current school year.
Next year, the self-study report will
be submitted. ISACS representatives
will then visit the school for obser-
vations, and the organization’
s board
determines if accreditation standards
have been achieved.
“In this exhaustive prevue, we exam-
ine every aspect of education curric-
ulum instruction — even delving into
issues such as building maintenance,
financial health and our extra-curricu-
lar offerings,
” Berman said.
As far as the general growth of the
school, which in 2016 had enrollment
of approximately 260 students in
grades preschool-12, Berman said the
student body is reflective of what the
2018 Jewish Detroit population study
revealed: Younger Orthodox families
are moving into the Oak Park-10 Mile
corridor.
“We want to best serve our niche
community of Modern Orthodox fam-
ilies,
” Berman said. “
And when an area
like ours begins drawing an increased
number of young families, a good,
strong school where these families can
feel confident sending and educating
their children is a central part of that
growth.
”
Outside of ISACS, Berman said
other developments at the school
include revamped chemistry labs to
better accommodate AP chemistry
experiments. At the elementary level,
there will be an increased focus on the
value of play in a child’
s social and aca-
demic development.
Farber is working with the nonprofit
organization Playworks, thanks to a
grant from the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit to bring in a
playground coordinator to work with
children one week per month. The
goals of the program are to empow-
er students with the ability to better
navigate conflict resolution, develop
leadership skills and improve academic
success, all through the power of play.
“We look forward to incorporat-
ing times of constructive play in our
school to reduce bullying and increase
inclusion and see how these benefits
carry over into classroom instruc-
tion time,
” Berman said. “Play is now
seen as an opportunity for teachable
moments and it is a vehicle to encour-
age positive social behavior.
” ■
Farber students learn
about robotics
.
Sophie Thompson and Nava Feldman,
Farber Hebrew Day School students from
Huntington Woods
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