32 | AUGUST 17 • 2023 

school where they feel that 
sense of community, which 
some students say is lacking 
in a public-school setting. 
While they are not specifically 
saying they feel uneasy with 
the rise in antisemitism, they 
do appreciate being in a school 
where their needs as Jewish 
students are seen and met.
” 

HILLEL DAY SCHOOL
Hillel Day School Head of 
School Dr. Darin Katz said 
this fall, Hillel is 
well positioned to 
carry out the first 
year of its strategic 
plan with goals 
of educational 
excellence, 
financial vitality, 
nurturing Jewish identity and 
cultivating a strong vibrant 
community. 
“Overall, families come to 
Hillel looking to give their 
children an outstanding and 
attentive education in secular 
studies, all the while instilling 
in them Jewish values and 
identity,
” Katz said. “What they 
understand and appreciate, 
perhaps after seeing incidents 
that have happened in outside 
school districts, is the power 
and benefit of a Hillel education 
and being in the environment 
of a Jewish day school.
” 
Katz is happy to report that 
at 190 preschoolers this fall, 
the Hillel Early Childhood 
Center is at capacity. And, with 
73% of those rising preschool 
graduates remaining at Hillel 
this fall, there are so many 
kindergarteners that Hillel had 
to add another classroom to 
accommodate the four separate 
classes. Katz said that, in total, 
there are 390 students enrolled 
from kindergarten to Grade 8, 
bringing the total student count 
to just under 600 children. 

From a facility standpoint, 
Katz said students, faculty 
and families can now take full 
advantage of the campus’ newly 
renovated outdoor spaces. 
“Coming out of the 
pandemic, we realized just 
how important outdoor spaces 
were to education and for 
students’ physical as well as 
mental health,
” Katz said. “We 
had a vision to create a robust, 
outdoor athletic facility that we 
view as an extension of learning 
spaces.
” 
From a facility and security 
standpoint, Katz described 
the addition of an emergency 
backup generator as well 
as the addition of security 
cameras and other security 
enhancements. 
For decades, Katz said the 
school was plagued with power 
outages due to stormy weather. 
Even as storms increase and 
intensify with climate change, 
Katz said those days of the 
power flickering out and 
disrupting instruction time on 
campus should be over. 
Another necessary reality, 
Katz said, was to bolster 
security on the campus. Hillel 
is increasing the number and 
sophistication of security 
cameras “to monitor every 
nook and cranny” of the 
campus’ interior and exterior. 
This fall, Hillel will also install a 
fence around the sides and back 
perimeter of the grounds. 
Another project will 
restore the oldest structure 
on the campus — the little 
red schoolhouse, which is a 
historical landmark. Built in the 
mid 19th-century and known 
as the Fractional District 
Schoolhouse, the building 
that sits alongside Middlebelt 
Road will be treated to a 
needed restoration. Thanks 
to the generosity of several 

donors, Katz said there’s even a 
search on for an old-fashioned 
school bell to be mounted on 
top. The structure will retain 
its historical integrity, but 
with a few modern comforts, 
such as a screen monitor. 
The schoolhouse will serve 
as a multipurpose room for 
instructional and meeting 
purposes. 
Even three years on since the 
pandemic, Katz said faculty are 
still observing long-term effects 
among its students. 
“Even though we remained 
open during that time, it was a 
tough time for everyone,
” Katz 
said. “Our main focus on those 
first two years went beyond 
education, and we were all 
on survival mode. I don’t like 
describing what we are seeing 
now as learning loss because 
that puts the onus and fault 
on the students. What we are 
seeing now is that the needs 

of our students are wide and 
diverse.
” 
In providing support for 
these needs, Katz said Hillel, as 
of last year, employed speech 
pathologists and occupational 
therapists, thanks to a grant 
provided by the Jewish Fund. 
They are mainly working with 
the youngest students on their 
literacy, socialization and self-
sufficiency skills. 
“We had these professionals 
with us part-time last year and 
hope this year to give them 
more hours to work with our 
students,
” Katz said. “Their 
work has resulted in huge 
improvements for students 
coming out of the pandemic, 
who maybe just needed a little 
bit of help to catch up with 
letter and sound recognition in 
their reading. Overall, they have 
been very supportive for the 
social, academic and emotional 
needs of our students.
” 

BACK TO SCHOOL

continued from page 31

Dr. Darin 
Katz

Hillel students enjoy 
fun activities on the 
newly renovated out-
door spaces.