Category: Thought Leadership

The Transparency Files: Annual Parent Survey

Just when you thought you were out…they pull you back in.

🙂

Yes, I know.  I said last year that after years of diminishing returns, we would finally put to bed this version of the Annual Parent Survey and start transitioning to new feedback loops that would – hopefully – yield greater engagement and, thus, more actionable data.  And that will be the path forward…next year, when the school will be under new leadership.

With our energies focused on the future and the hope that the pending change in leadership would inspire greater participation, we once again invited current OJCS Parents to share feedback.  And, that hope did pay off with a meaningful uptick in participation.  Last year, although 47 individual surveys were turned in, only 36 individual surveys provided data on the main sections.  This year, 62 individual surveys were turned in, with only 48 who provided data on the main sections.  It is a better result, but still, this means that this survey represents less than 25% of the students in our school.  This is why the decision to pivot to a different methodology is warranted.

It simply defeats the purpose of gathering feedback in service of making decisions that impact students if only 1/4 of students are sharing that feedback.  Whether we move to a third-party vendor, a new format for surveys, focus groups, or some combination therein, the school will cast a different and a wider net to ensure it truly captures the feedback it needs – and that your children deserve – to aim closer to the OJCS North Stars; to be the best version of OJCS.

But that’s the future…for now, one last time, let’s thank and lean into the parents who did participate and try to make meaning of what they are telling us.  [If you would like to see a full comparison with last year, you can reread those results, or have them open so you can toggle back and forth.  In this post, I will try to capture the highlights and identify what trends seem worth paying attention to.]

This represents a decent distribution…it does make questions about “high school readiness” less helpful with such little representation from Grade 8.

Without knowing how representative this quarter of students is, this year’s data set is lighter on the “NOs”.  Of course the “NOs” are always complicated to unpack because we have no way of knowing who of the “NOs” represent graduation or relocations, as opposed to choosing to attrit prior to Grade 8.  However, what continues to be true is that the overwhelming majority of families – regardless of their feedback – stay with us year-after-year.

Let’s look at the BIG PICTURE:

The first chart gives you the breakdown by category; the second chart gives you the weighted average satisfaction score (out of 10).  I will remind you that for this and all categories, I look at the range between 7-9 as the healthy band, obviously wanting scores to be closer to 9 than to 7, and looking for scores to go up each year.  In terms of “overall satisfaction”, we have now gone from 7.13 to 7.20 to 8.17 to 7.91 to 8.0 to 7.44 to 7.53 to 7.65 Although it continues to tick up over the last two years, the differences are statistically insignificant.

Overall, this seems to be a good news story, but let’s dig deeper…

Each and every one of these numbers are not only up from last year, but may very well be the highest we have ever scored!  Not one below the “acceptable range” and a lot are, or nearly are, at an “8”.

This is an interesting split.  The topline number – being prepared for high school – is one of the highest scores we have received.  The one number that took a dip is about “technology” and that is not a surprise considering the ambivalence many parents are sharing with us.  The good news is that between our work with The Social Institute and The Anxious Generation – work that Mrs. Thompson is leading –  OJCS is tackling this head-on and in partnership with our parents.

The numbers connected with IEPs and resource are as high as we have received, with the acknowledgement that the communication result (just  barely below 7.0) has room to grow.

These are just about the highest numbers we have ever had!  First time cracking 8.0 for the topline number and a few of the subcategories.

The good news?  Every one of these scores is up from last year.  The not-that-great news?  They are still lower than the acceptable range, although we pleased to see Extended Social Studies zoom over 7.0 for the first time.  Improvement?  Yes.  Real work ahead?  Oui.

These are great numbers!  The only items below the acceptable range is Tefillah which is up from last year and the participation of our community’s clergy, which though important, is not entirely within our control.  But this will land on the agenda for the Rabbinic Advisory Committee moving forward.

These numbers are all up from last year, but clearly there is work to be done.  [A reminder that the addition of Music has not yet made its way into the survey, but is worthy of feedback.]  Morah Dina, however, should be proud to see Art surge up over 7.0 for the first time in a long time!  There are variables here that are not entirely within our control, but this entire section is worth our thinking more deeply about and identifying a few changes for next year.

I am pleased to see that all these numbers are up, even the first two which are still technically below 7.0.  Paring this with comments, we believe we have made meaningful responses to feedback last year about progress reports, goal-setting, and the transition to semesters.

Maybe this is a “goodbye present” or maybe by taking myself out of the survey, the rest of the administration is shining more brightly.  🙂  Either way, these are – by far – the the best scores we have ever received in these categories.  Whether it is the renovation, or all the work we have done over the years to improve behaviour outcomes, this is a wonderful result.

Last data point [Remember this question was scaled 1-5.]:

Our score has meaningful recovered from the last couple of dips as the journey has gone from 4.44 to 4.34 to 4.34 to 4.14 to 3.92. to 4.25.  This absolutely jives with overall theme of this year’s consistently high scores.

So there you have it for 2024-2025!

Thanks to all the parents who took the time and care to fill out surveys!  In addition to the multiple-choice questions, there were opportunities for open-ended responses and a couple of experimental sections.  Because the school is in transition, your feedback in those experimental sections counts more than ever.  Please know that all comments will be shared with those they concern.  (This includes a full set of unedited and unredacted results which goes to our Board of Trustees.)

Eight years.  Eight Annual Parent Surveys.  There have been zigs and zags, to be sure, but the trajectory has been constant – onwards and upwards.  From strength to strength.  I look forward to the school reaching even higher heights as the torch is passed to new leadership…

Ken yehi ratzon.

Looking Backwards to Look Forward #3: Transparency

Why would a Head of School publish board reports, blog weekly, and invite the world into classrooms online?  Why make every family survey public? Why post meeting agendas and reflections before anyone asks?  Why, in short, would you willingly lead in full view?

For me, the answer has always been the same: because we asked our teachers to.

Going all the way back to my time in Jacksonville as the head of MJGDS, we launched classroom blogs and student blogfolios to help parents see into the learning process.  Teachers were expected to open their practice, and I knew I couldn’t ask something of my team that I wasn’t doing myself.  So I started blogging.  And I never stopped.

What began as modeling evolved into a methodology.  Here, at OJCS, transparency became a leadership strategy, a pedagogical philosophy, a brand identity — and most importantly, a cultural norm.

Looking Backwards: Why We Went Transparent

When I arrived at OJCS in 2017, I inherited a school that needed rebuilding — not just in curriculum or enrollment, but in trust.  And for me, rebuilding trust meant radical transparency.

Inspired by what I would later codify in a presentation called “Radical Transparency: Finding Wellness Through Brazen Vulnerability”, I made a conscious choice to lead in public.  That meant:

I called this ongoing series “The Transparency Files”, and it was never just PR. It was pedagogy. As I once wrote, “transparency is not an initiative — it is a disposition.” It’s a way of being in relationship with your community.

Blogfolios, Blogfolios Everywhere

One of our biggest culture shifts came from embedding that same philosophy of transparency into teaching and learning.

At OJCS, we developed a school-wide blogfolio platform where every student maintains a digital portfolio of learning.  But these aren’t just showcases of final work.  They’re public learning journals — spaces for reflection, process, revision, and voice.

I’ve written about this shift many times, including this (First) Trip Around the OJCS Student Blogfolio-Sphere, and even shared moments where my own children were the test cases for what authentic documentation of learning can look like.

The result?  A culture where students take ownership of their learning, teachers reflect on their practice publicly, and parents gain real-time insight into school life.  Transparency became not just what we said, but what we all did — together.

Transparency as Pedagogy, Not PR

As I’ve written in “Transparency as Pedagogy”, the point of all this wasn’t optics.  It was ethics.  Educational ethics.

We want students to own their work — so we model that by owning ours.

We want teachers to iterate and reflect — so we give them space to blog honestly.

We want families to trust us — so we show them how we think.

And as I later reflected in “Transparency as Good Business”, transparency is a trust-builder.  And trust is the only sustainable growth strategy for a Jewish day school.

Looking Forward: From Transparency to Culture

What started as a leadership strategy has since become a cultural norm. Teachers, students, and families now expect communication to be open, frequent, and reflective.  It’s not radical anymore — it’s routine.

This culture of transparency paved the way for us to clarify and align around our North Stars (post pending!).  It made it possible to co-create mission, strategy, and school identity in public.  And it gave every stakeholder — from students to trustees — a reason to believe we meant what we said.

Because they could see it.

Final Reflection

Transparency isn’t about oversharing.  It’s about earning trust through clarity, vulnerability, and consistency.  It’s about documenting the journey, not just the destination.

And maybe more than anything else, it’s about this: If you can see it, you can believe in it.  And if you believe in it
 you just might want to be part of it.

Looking Backwards to Look Forward #2: Les rĂ©sultats en français et le bilinguisme Ă  l’OJCS

In a trilingual Jewish day school, French isn’t just a subject—it’s a statement.  A declaration that our students can be proudly Jewish, fluently bilingual, and fully Canadian all at once.  This year’s FrancofĂȘte celebration was a joyful reminder of how far we’ve come.  But like all meaningful school growth stories, the journey toward French excellence at OJCS has been anything but linear.

This second post in the “Looking Backwards to Look Forward” series reflects on the incredible progress we’ve made in French language outcomes and the evolving vision of what it means to be bilingual—no, trilingual—at OJCS.

Looking Backwards: De l’incertitude à la confiance

There was a time—some of our veteran parents will remember it well—when the very mention of French at OJCS was cause for concern.  We had families who loved the Jewish and General Studies offerings of our school, but quietly (or not-so-quietly) began looking elsewhere after Grade 3 to place their children in the public board’s French Immersion programs.  It wasn’t just about instructional minutes or vocabulary lists—it was about confidence.  Could our graduates truly function bilingually in Canada?

That question drove a major strategic reset in how we approached French at OJCS.

Nous avons écouté. Nous avons agi.

It began with Town Halls and parent consultations, the results of which were shared transparently through blog posts like this French Town Hall Recap and others.  What emerged from these conversations was both a diagnosis and a direction: we needed a clearer, more rigorous, and more immersive approach to French that parents could trust.

Enter TACLEF—an early and important partnership with an external benchmarking program that provided individualized assessments and targeted next steps for students.  As documented in this post, it helped our French team begin to professionalize and personalize how French was taught and learned at OJCS.

Un socle plus solide en Maternelle à 3e année

One of the biggest shifts was our investment in French before the Core/Extended split in Grade 4. By enriching K–3 with more immersive and academically rigorous French experiences, we laid a stronger foundation for both tracks.  Today, students experience meaningful immersion even before they enter Extended, and Core students benefit from that as well.

RĂ©inventer le programme “Étendu”

For students in our Extended track, we’ve worked hard to create a program that increasingly mirrors what one might expect from public school French Immersion—without sacrificing any of the other pillars of an OJCS education.  A bold example of this is the prototyping of French-language PE, which was shared in this blog post. Teaching physical education en français does more than increase instructional time—it increases confidence, context, and connection.

And the results? Well, the simplest metric might be this: we no longer lose students due to French. That’s anecdotal, yes—but it’s a powerful indicator of changing perceptions, and more importantly, changing realities.

Looking Forwards: DELF, identité, et la puissance du trilinguisme

We’ve always said we are a trilingual school—English, Hebrew, and French. But in the years ahead, we’re working to move from claim to clarity: what does trilingual fluency look like by Grade 8?  What does it feel like?

S’appuyer sur le DELF

The last three years mark a significant leap forward in our French program: the integration of the DELF (Diplîme d’Études en Langue Française), an internationally recognized certification awarded by the French Ministry of Education and aligned with CEFR standards (A1, A2, B1, B2).

Starting in Grade 5, our students begin working toward the competencies needed for success on the DELF by Grade 8.  We’ve restructured our curriculum to align with DELF expectations, especially in Grades 7 and 8 where speaking and listening take priority.  We’ve also invested in resources like LittĂ©ratie en action to support this transition, allowing students to explore social studies and science en français—just like in public immersion programs.

And how’s it going?  In the past two years, 100% of our Grade 8 students have passed the DELF—a powerful sign that we’re not only preparing students well, but giving them real confidence in their abilities.

The proof doesn’t end in Grade 8: our graduates are returning from high school saying, “French is easy.”  That’s a new and remarkable kind of feedback.

Une voix en français

While we value reading and writing in French, we know that speaking is the ultimate proof of fluency—and the hardest skill to master.  That’s why our next frontier is amplifying student voice in French: through presentations, assemblies, conversational games, and performances.  The goal?  For students to graduate from OJCS speaking French with confidence and joy, not just test scores.

Trilingues. Juifs. Canadiens.

Finally, there’s a deeper vision at play.  OJCS graduates aren’t just learning French for travel or tests.  They’re learning it as part of a larger identity: as proud Jews living in bilingual Canada.  Being trilingual is more than a skill—it’s a strength.  It’s the ability to code-switch across communities, to feel at home in diversity, and to lead in multiple languages.

Mot de la fin

When we tell the story of French at OJCS, we’re not just talking about curriculum—we’re talking about culture.  A culture of transparency, growth, and pride.  One that took the hard feedback seriously, asked big questions, and made bold changes.

We still have work to do.  But the journey from Grade 3 exits to DELF-certified graduates is a remarkable one.  And as we look forward, we do so with the confidence that our students won’t just leave OJCS bilingual or trilingual on paper—they’ll live it out loud.

And for OJCS Parents…we hope your children enjoyed this year’s Model Seders and other Passover Activities!  Please fill out your Annual Parent Survey if you haven’t yet!  Enjoy Passover Break!

Chag Pesach kasher vesame’ach!  Wishing you a kosher and joyous Passover! A Zissen Pesach to all!

Looking Backwards to Look Forward #1: A Floor, But No Ceiling (Personalized Learning)

Last week, I introduced a series of blog posts, “Looking Backwards to Look Forward” as I begin to contemplate the end of my 8-year tenure as Head of the Ottawa Jewish Community School.  They will not come in consecutive weeks, however, this week, I will move forward with the first post of this series focused on one of our North Stars that was, in fact, my “North Star” before becoming our North Star – an approach that has defined my work across all headships and in the field itself, so much so, that it is the actual title of my blog: “A Floor, But Not a Ceiling”.

Introduction (Looking Backwards):

When I first wrote about personalized learning at the Ottawa Jewish Community School (OJCS), I described our foundational promise to parents clearly:

“The promise we make to parents is that there will be an appropriately rigorous independent-school floor for every child, and no ceiling on expectations for how far each child may fly.  Our responsibility is to lovingly push each child toward his or her maximal potential.”

This metaphor of a sturdy “floor” paired with limitless “ceilings” guided our pedagogical decisions from day one.

What We’ve Learned (Anchored in Real Examples):

Looking back, personalized learning emerged as one of our most impactful educational innovations—deepening student engagement and improving outcomes precisely because we took personalization seriously.  Authentic personalization at OJCS meant understanding the unique starting points of each learner and providing genuine opportunities for meaningful growth.

Specific examples brought this promise vividly to life in our classrooms:

  • SK Literacy:  When a student arrives in Senior Kindergarten already reading fluently, s/he is not asked to spend the year sounding out letters. Instead, s/he receives immediately challenging reading materials aligned with their advanced skills.
  • Grade 2 Math Enrichment: Grade 2 students demonstrating mastery of grade-level math concepts aren’t left unchallenged; they are provided enrichment opportunities to go both deeper and father, but in-class and with pull-out enrichment opportunities.
  • French DELF Certification:  In French studies, personalized learning was evident through our preparation for the DiplĂŽme d’Études en Langue Française (DELF) assessments.  Rather than teaching French as a one-size-fits-all course, students engaged in language instruction targeted to their individual proficiency, allowing them to earn internationally recognized certifications that authentically matched their skill levels.
  • Grade 4 Jewish Studies:  Students explored Jewish identity through personalized projects, like those featured on the Grade 4 Jewish Studies Blog, where each child’s individual experiences and questions shaped meaningful Jewish learning.
  • Middle School Science Inquiry: As highlighted in our Middle School Science  Blog, students don’t merely cover the curriculum—they pursue independent, interest-driven inquiries, taking their explorations beyond foundational standards to areas of personal passion.

These examples weren’t isolated; they represented the broader culture of differentiated teaching and learning we intentionally cultivated.  [Want to see tons of examples across the grades and curricula?  Check out the OJCS Blogosphere & OJCS Student Blogfolios!]

Challenges and Realizations (Anchored in Artifacts – CAT-4 Analysis):

Yet, even as we celebrated successes, our annual reflections—particularly my detailed blog posts analyzing CAT-4 standardized test results—reminded us of areas needing attention.  As repeatedly documented, data often validated our success at pushing high-achieving students even further but also raised persistent questions:

  • Were we consistently and effectively reaching every child—especially those requiring intensive support—to ensure our “floor” was genuinely rigorous for all?
  • Could personalized learning unintentionally widen achievement gaps, making equity even more essential?

Our response to these insights often include integrating evidence-based practices.  For literacy, for example we are informed by the “Science of Reading”, reflected in our adoption of the Amplify literacy platform. Amplify allows teachers to use precise, data-driven insights to personalize instruction effectively.  Similarly, platforms like IXL provided personalized, adaptive practice across multiple subjects, ensuring all students progressed meaningfully from their unique starting points.

Further, our comprehensive student-support network—covering enrichment programs, remediation, resource services, and ESL—ensure personalized learning remained inclusive and equitable, helping bridge potential gaps.

Looking Forward (Guiding Questions):

Reflecting authentically on these insights prompts critical guiding questions as we look ahead:

  • How can we deepen professional development so every teacher feels confident and well-equipped to personalize instruction effectively across subjects—from French to Jewish Studies, from Math enrichment to literacy intervention?
  • What new systems or approaches are needed to guarantee our personalization truly benefits every learner, particularly those most at risk of falling behind?
  • How will we consistently leverage data-driven reflection—such as our annual CAT-4 results and insights from platforms like Amplify and IXL—to continuously adjust and improve?
  • What new assessments will we create to ensure we apply the same rigour to Hebrew and Jewish Studies as we do to secular content?

As we move forward, our commitment to personalized learning remains steadfast yet nuanced.  We must ensure the educational “floor” remains robust and rigorous for every student, while genuinely eliminating ceilings—so each child truly has the opportunity to soar exactly as far as their unique potential can carry them.

Introducing “Looking Backwards to Look Forward”

Looking Backwards to Look Forward: An Introduction

It was exactly Purim, eight years ago, that Jaimee and I shared the news that we were leaving Jacksonville, Florida and were headed to Ottawa.  Eight years is a long time, but I still recall with great clarity how I felt during the interview process, why I accepted the position, the challenge and the opportunity I believed it presented, and walking the empty halls during the Summer of 2017 filled with equal parts excitement and anxiety about the journey we were about to embark on together here at the Ottawa Jewish Community School.

The beginning of any new headship by definition represents standing at the intersection of past and future.  I have always viewed the life of a school as a rich narrative, each era a distinct chapter authored by those at its helm. When I joined OJCS, I became a co-author of its unfolding story, building upon the visions of those who came before and setting the stage for those who would follow.

Coming into a new community as Head of School always involves navigating history and tradition while simultaneously pointing toward innovation and growth.  This intersection—rich with potential, laden with responsibility—is exactly where transformative leadership takes place.  Now, as my tenure enters its final stretch, I find myself at that intersection again—though the view feels profoundly different.  Instead of gazing forward into uncharted territory, I’ve turned around to reflect, to assess, and to ask honestly:

What did we achieve?  What truly mattered?  And how might these insights inspire future leadership?

Thus was born this new blog series: “Looking Backwards to Look Forward.”  Over the coming months, I’ll revisit pivotal moments, decisions, and ideas from my tenure at OJCS.  Each reflection will follow a consistent rhythm:

  • I’ll start by naming a “big idea”—something that significantly shaped our school’s journey.
  • Next, I’ll revisit and quote directly from my original blog posts to recapture the initial vision, my early hopes, and even the uncertainties we faced.
  • Then I’ll explore the journey since that moment—what unfolded, what we learned, and how we adapted along the way.
  • Finally, each post will close by raising essential questions and possibilities, offering future leaders, educators, parents, and community members an invitation to dream and build upon these foundations.

This reflective practice isn’t about nostalgia or legacy-building—rather, it’s an opportunity to spotlight the key decisions we made as a community, to understand their lasting impact on our students, staff, and families, and to thoughtfully imagine the next steps ahead.

For example, in the next reflection, we’ll revisit the concept of “Personalized Learning”—what we called a “floor, but no ceiling.”  This represented a major shift in our educational philosophy. At the time, I wrote:

We believe each student deserves to be met exactly where they are—and then challenged to go as far as their talents, efforts, and aspirations can take them. This isn’t about removing standards; it’s about recognizing that standards are the starting line, not the finish.

That was our bold promise then.  Eight years later, we’ve gathered powerful evidence—successes, setbacks, and profound growth.  How has personalized learning reshaped our classrooms?  How has our teaching staff evolved as facilitators of student-driven learning?  And importantly, what’s the next frontier under new leadership?

In the months ahead, I’ll reflect on other foundational decisions and initiatives from my headship: how we personalized learning, strengthened French outcomes, built a culture of transparency, nurtured leadership at every level, and clarified our core values through our North Stars.

Finally, we’ll culminate in reflecting on perhaps the deepest and most enduring theme of all—clarifying and strengthening the “J” in OJCS. Reinforcing our school’s Jewish identity has been my greatest passion and perhaps the most nuanced task of my tenure.  We’ll revisit how we deepened our school’s Jewish character, celebrating victories and openly acknowledging ongoing challenges.  And we’ll ask honestly: What opportunities still await?

Why do this now?  Because leadership in a school is rarely just about the leader—it’s fundamentally about the institution, the community, and its future.  Reflecting on these past eight years isn’t merely looking backward; it’s giving those who follow clarity, context, and insight—a foundation from which they can meaningfully shape the next chapter of OJCS.

As we stand together at this intersection—celebrating what’s been accomplished, acknowledging the road traveled, and anticipating what’s yet to come—I warmly invite you, the readers, our current and prospective families, to engage deeply.  Share your own reflections, your memories, your ideas, and your hopes for the future of OJCS.  After all, as Rabbi Tarfon famously taught:

“It is not your responsibility to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” (Pirkei Avot 2:16)

As my chapter at OJCS comes to its final pages, the narrative of our school continues to unfold.  The beauty of a school’s story lies in the fact that it never truly ends—it evolves, deepens, and passes from one set of hands to another.  I will soon hand the pen forward, confident that those who come next will write thoughtfully, courageously, and joyfully, authoring the next inspiring chapter of the Ottawa Jewish Community School’s ongoing story.

Our collective responsibility isn’t to finish the journey—it’s simply to ensure it continues purposefully, thoughtfully, and joyfully.

Looking backwards to look forward—I’m excited to embark on this final reflective journey with you.

The Transparency Files: CAT*4 Results Part 3 (of 3)

Welcome to “Part III” of our analysis of this year’s CAT4 results!

In Part I, we provided a lot of background context and shared out the simple results of how we did this year.  In Part II, we began sharing comparative data, focusing on snapshots of the same cohort (the same children) over time.  Remember that it is complicated because of three factors:

  • We did NOT take the CAT*4 in 2020 due to COVID.
  • We only took the CAT*4 in Grades 5-8 in 2021.
  • We resumed taking the CAT*4 in Grades 3-8 in 2022.

Here, in Part III, we will finish sharing comparative data, this time focusing on snapshots of the same grade (different groups of children).  Because it is really hard to identify trends while factoring in skipped years and COVID, we are going to narrow in here just on Grades 3 & 4 (2022 -2024) and Grades 5-8 (2021-2024).

Here is a little context that will apply to all six snapshots:

  • Remember that any score that is two grades above ending in “.9” represents the max score, like getting a “6.9” for Grade 5.
  • Bear in mind, that the metric we are normally looking at when it comes to comparing a grade is either stability (if the baseline was appropriately high) or incremental growth (if the baseline was lower than desired and and the school responded with a program or intervention in response).
  • In 2023 we took it in the “.1” of the school year and in all prior years in the “.2”.  If we are being technical, therefore, “.9” would actually be the truest measure of growth since the time frame is “.1” less.  For the purposes of this analysis, I am going round “.9” up and consider it a “year’s” worth of growth.

Here are the grade snapshots:

What can we learn from Grade 3 over time?

  • I don’t want to have to repeat this each time, but please remember these are different children taking this test in Grade 3.   Grade 3 is also the first year we take the test and so there is only so much to learn here.
  • One assumes that with a stable teaching team (not always true) that, over time, the scores would gently curve upwards towards a maximum (here “4.9”), however, again, considering these are completely different children, the growth really is more visible in Part II’s analysis.
  • When I look at this, I say, that “Writing Conventions” and “Spelling” are the areas for focus.  In a few more years, we’ll know better what is the blip and what is the trend, but even though we are essentially at “grade level,” the floor we seek is set a bit higher.  This will be a place for Grade 3 to use the data to drive curricular and programmatic decisions.

What can we learn from Grade 4 over time?

  • Here we see a bit of the converse of the one above…if 2023 is the blip, then these are overall excellent scores.
  • Again, if there was a place to look – even if all years fall at or above grade level – it would be Computation & Estimation.

What can we learn from Grade 5 over (more) time?

  • Again, we are looking at Grade 5.  So even the dips (Grade 5 2024 Spelling) are actually at grade level.
  • Writing Conventions are a bit hard to tease out (different children), but worth paying attention to.
  • And, again, Computation & Estimation has settled higher, but with our hopes for two grades above, still has room to grow.

Now let’s see how the transition to Middle School impacts things.

What can we learn from Grade 6 over time?

It is worth asking if there one can see the difference when we shift from Lower School (with there being a General Studies Teacher) to Middle School (with separate Language Arts and Math Teachers).  Because even though this is four year’s worth of different children in Grade 7, other than a couple of blips, these are all uniformly excellent scores at or near the max.

What can we learn from Grade 7 over time?

This is essentially the same story as Grade 6, which reinforces the above.

What can we learn from Grade 8 over time?

The same.

Biggest takeaway?  It is probably overdue for OJCS to take a hard look at Spelling, but other than that a snapshot of where all our students are by their last year at OJCS has to reassuring for our current parents and, hopefully, inspiring to all those who are considering how OJCS prepares its graduates for high school success.

The bottom line is that our graduates – year after year – successfully place into the high school programs of their choice.  Each one had a different ceiling – they are all different – but working with them, their families and their teachers, we successfully transitioned them all to the schools (private and public) and programs (IB, Gifted, French Immersion, Arts, etc.) that they qualified for.

And now again this year, with all the qualifications and caveats, our CAT*4 scores continue to demonstrate excellence.  Excellence within the grades and between them.

Not a bad place to be as we enter the 2025-2026 enrollment season…

The Transparency Files: CAT*4 Results Part 2 (of 3)

Welcome to “Part II” of our analysis of this year’s CAT*4 results!

In last week’s post, we provided a lot of background context and shared out the simple results of how we did this year.  Here, in our second post, we are now able to begin sharing comparative data, focusing on snapshots of the same cohort (the same children) over time.  You may notice a few irregularities in the data because of three factors:

  • We did NOT take the CAT*4 in 2020 due to COVID.
  • We only took the CAT*4 in Grades 5-8 in 2021.
  • We resumed taking the CAT*4 in Grades 3-8 in 2022.

Here is a little analysis that will apply to all five snapshots:

  • Remember that any score that is two grades above ending in “.9” represents the max score, like getting a “6.9” for Grade 5.
  • Bear in mind, that the metric we are normally looking at when it comes to comparing a cohort over time is whether or not we see at least one full year’s growth (on average) each year – for Grade 8 we are factoring an expected two full year’s growth between 2019 and 2021 due to COVID.  [Feel free to refer to prior years’ results for specific analyses of both “COVID Gaps” and “COVID Catch-Ups”.]
  • In 2023 we took it in the “.1” of the school year and in all prior years in the “.2”.  If we are being technical, therefore, “.9” would actually be the truest measure of growth since the time frame is “.1” less.  For the purposes of this analysis, I am going round “.9” up and consider it a “year’s” worth of growth.

Here are the cohort snapshots:

What does this snapshot of current Grade 4s reveal?

  • Pretty impressive, eh?!  With a maximum score of 5.9s almost all across the board, including more than a year’s growth in some categories, this is about as much as can reasonably expect.
  • The only place to pay attention to is Computation & Estimation, which although above grade-level (in both years), “only” showed .8 growth where we prefer to see .9 or higher.  But that is a very minor difference.

What does this snapshot of current 5s reveal?

  • Again, incredibly impressive all across the board, with lots of places where we see way more than 1 year’s worth of growth!
  • Important context in the places that in the 2024 results look lower.  Spelling, which just fell below the baseline of 5.1, actually grew at a 1.6.  Computation & Estimation actually grew at a 1.3.  This means that both are on track with another year to be on par with the rest of new-max scores.

What does this snapshot of current 6s reveal?

I mean…nothing really to say at all.  Perfect max scores all across the board with Computation & Estimation making the final leap up to join the rest.  Wow.

What does this snapshot of current 7s reveal?

  • Again, incredibly impressive, not only the near-perfects across the board, but the growth in some areas is above and beyond.
  • Writing Conventions took a 1.3 leap to the top.
  • Spelling took a huge 3.2 leap to the near-top.
  • Both Math scores took huge leaps as well.

All of this shows the cumulative effect of our Middle School.

What does this snapshot of current 8s reveal?

No analysis of current Grade 8s needed, just appreciation for their tremendous growth across their careers at OJCS and for their last three years of near perfection.  Not a bad advertisement for OJCS  and the OJCS Middle School.

To sum up this post, we have so much to be proud of in the standardized test scores of these particular cohorts over time.  The Math and Language Arts Teachers in Grades 3-8 have now begun meeting to go through their  CAT*4 results in greater detail, with an eye towards what kinds of interventions are needed now – in this year – to fill any gaps (both for individual students and for cohorts); and how might we adapt our long-term planning to ensure we are best meeting needs.  Parents will be receiving their child(ren)’s score(s) soon as they, and any contextualizing conversations, will be folded into Parent-Teacher Conferences.

Stay tuned next week for the concluding “Part III” when we will look at the same grade (different students) over time, see what additional wisdom is to be gleaned from that slice of analysis, and conclude this series of posts with some final summarizing thoughts.

The Transparency Files: CAT*4 Results Part 1 (of 3)

[Note from Jon: If you have either read this post annually or simply want to jump to the results without my excessive background and contextualizing, just scroll straight to the graph.  Spoiler alert: we did great!]

Each year I fret about how to best facilitate an appropriate conversation about why our school engages in standardized testing (which for us, like many independent schools in Canada, is the CAT*4, but may soon become the CAT*5), what the results mean (and what they don’t mean), how it impacts the way in which we think about “curriculum” and, ultimately, what the connection is between a student’s individual results and our school’s personalized learning plan for that student.  It is not news that education is a field in which pendulums tend to wildly swing back and forth as new research is brought to light.  We are always living in that moment and it has always been my preference to aim towards pragmatism.  Everything new isn’t always better and, yet, sometimes it is.  Sometimes you know right away and sometimes it takes years.

The last few years, I have taken a blog post that I used to push out in one giant sea of words, and broke it into two, and now three parts, because even I don’t want to read a 3,000 word post.  But, truthfully, it still doesn’t seem enough.  I continue to worry that I have not done a thorough enough job providing background, research and context to justify a public-facing sharing of standardized test scores.  Probably because I haven’t.

And yet.

With the forthcoming launch of Annual Grades 9 & 12 Alumni Surveys and the opening of the admissions season for the 2025-2026 school year, it feels fair and appropriate to be as transparent as we can about how well we are (or aren’t) succeeding academically against an external set of benchmarks, regardless of what is happening in the wider world.  That’s what “transparency” as both a value and a verb looks like.  We commit to sharing the data and our analysis regardless of outcome.  We also do it because we know that for the overwhelming majority of our parents, excellence in secular academics is a non-negotiable, and that in a competitive marketplace with both well-regarded public schools and secular private schools, our parents deserve to see the school’s value proposition validated beyond anecdotes.

Now for the annual litany of caveats and preemptive statements…

We have not yet shared out individual reports to our parents.  First our teachers have to have a chance to review the data to identify which test results fully resemble their children well enough to simply pass on, and which results require contextualization in private conversation.  Those contextualizing conversations will take place in the next few weeks and, thereafter, we should be able to return all results at Parent-Teacher Conferences.

There are  two big ideas to keep in mind:

  • The goal is to track data across all grades to allow us to see if…
    • The same grade scores as well or better each year.
    • The same cohort grows at least a year’s worth of growth.
  • It is super important to have the proper understanding and perspective of what a “grade equivalent score” really is.

Grade-equivalent scores attempt to show at what grade level and month your child is functioning.  However, grade-equivalent scores are not able to show this.  Let me use an example to illustrate this.  In reading comprehension, your son in Grade 5 scored a 7.3 grade equivalent on his Grade 5 test. The 7 represents the grade level while the 3 represents the month. 7.3 would represent the seventh grade, third month, which is December.  The reason it is the third month is because September is zero, October is one, etc.  It is not true though that your son is functioning at the seventh grade level since he was never tested on seventh grade material.  He was only tested on fifth grade material.  He performed like a seventh grader on fifth grade material.  That’s why the grade-equivalent scores should not be used to decide at what grade level a student is functioning.

Let me finish this section by being very clear: We do not believe that standardized test scores represent the only, nor surely the best, evidence for academic success.  Our goal continues to be providing each student with a “floor, but no ceiling” representing each student’s maximum success.  Our best outcome is still producing students who become lifelong learners.

But I also don’t want to undersell the objective evidence that shows that the work we are doing here does in fact lead to tangible success.  That’s the headline, but let’s look more closely at the story.  (You may wish to zoom in a bit on whatever device you are reading this on…)

A few tips on how to read this:

  • Historically we would take this at the “.2” of each grade-level year, but the last two years we have taken it at the “.1”.  [This may have a slight impact on the comparative data.]  That means that “at grade-level” [again, please refer above to a more precise definition of “grade equivalent scores”] for any grade we are looking at would be 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, etc.  For example, if you are looking at Grade 6, anything below 6.1 would constitute “below grade-level” and anything above 6.1 would constitute “above grade-level.”
  • The maximum score for any grade is “.9” of the next year’s grade.  If, for example, you are looking at Grade 8 and see a score of 9.9, on our forms it actually reads “9.9+” – the maximum score that can be recorded.
  • Because of when we take this test – approximately one-two months into the school year – it is reasonable to assume a significant responsibility for results is attributable to the prior year’s teachers and experiences.  But, of course, it is very hard to tease it out exactly, of course.

What are the key takeaways from these snapshots of the entire school?

  • Looking at six different grades through six different dimensions there are only two instances out of thirty-six of scoring below grade-level: Grades 3 (2.8) and 5 (5.0) Spelling.  This is honestly the best we have ever scored!  Every other grade and every other subject is either at or above or way above.
  • For those parents focused on high school readiness, our students in Grades 7 & 8 got the maximum score that can be recorded for each and every academic category except for Grade 8 Computation & Estimation (still 9.4).  Again, our Grade 7s maxxed out at 8.9 across the board and our Grades 8s maxxed out at 9.9 across the board save one 9.4.  Again, this is – by far – the best we have ever scored.

It does not require a sophisticated analysis to see how exceedingly well each and every grade has done in just about each and every section.  In almost all cases, each and every grade is performing significantly above grade-level.  This is a very encouraging set of data points.

Stay tuned next week when we begin to dive into the comparative data.  “Part II” will look at the same cohort (the same group of students) over time.  “Part III” will look at the same grade over time and conclude this series of posts with some additional summarizing thoughts.

Empowering Our Students to #WinAtSocial: Introducing The Social Institute at OJCS

As educators and parents, we stand at the intersection of unprecedented opportunities and challenges. The digital world has transformed how we connect, learn, and share, but it has also introduced a host of complexities that can deeply impact our students’ wellbeing. At the Ottawa Jewish Community School (OJCS), our commitment to nurturing resilient, ethical, and tech-savvy students has led us to continuously explore innovative solutions to modern challenges.

Over the years, we have stood on each side of the bell curve, so to speak.  We have always been early adopters – and adapters – for new technologies (iPads, BYOD beginning in Grade 4, interactive whiteboards, etc.) and platforms, recognizing that we have a responsibility to cultivate literacies and develop competencies so that our students are able to thrive in the schools of both today and tomorrow.  And we’ve introduced initiatives like the Middle School Cell Phone Detox, providing students with much-needed boundaries and balance, and partnered with parents through soon-to-be-launched book clubs around resources like The Anxious Generation. These steps, alongside encouraging movements like #WaitUntil8th, reflect our belief in fostering thoughtful engagement with technology rather than avoiding it altogether.

Today, led by our Vice Principal Melissa Thompson, we’re thrilled to take the next step in this journey by partnering with The Social Institute (TSI). This partnership represents an exciting and proactive approach to equipping (first) our middle school students, their and all OJCS families, and our faculty with the tools and insights needed to thrive in today’s digital landscape.

Why This Work Matters: Aligning with Our North Stars

At OJCS, we hold ourselves accountable to our North Stars—the core values that shape our mission. From fostering a culture of belonging and academic excellence to preparing students to engage meaningfully in the broader world, our North Stars remind us of our sacred obligation: to provide a Jewish education that is both timeless and timely.

Our embrace of The Social Institute aligns seamlessly with these values. Rather than simply focusing on restrictions or warnings, TSI empowers students to make high-character, informed choices in their digital and social lives. Their philosophy complements our belief that technology, when used thoughtfully, can amplify Jewish values of kindness, responsibility, and respect.

Who is The Social Institute?

The Social Institute is a leading organization that partners with schools to provide cutting-edge resources for navigating modern social experiences—both online and offline. Their flagship program, #WinAtSocial, delivers a positive, practical, and student-led curriculum that helps students develop essential skills for healthy relationships, emotional intelligence, and digital citizenship.

What sets TSI apart is their unique approach to teaching life skills:

‱ Proactive, Not Reactive: TSI focuses on opportunities rather than pitfalls, helping students see how technology can enhance their lives while teaching them to recognize and manage risks.

‱ Student-Driven Design: Co-created with students, TSI’s lessons are engaging, relevant, and grounded in real-world scenarios. They’re “snicker-tested” to ensure they resonate with young people.

‱ Holistic Engagement: Beyond students, TSI equips teachers and parents with resources to extend conversations at school and at home, fostering a unified approach to supporting our children.

What Does This Look Like at OJCS?

Starting this January, OJCS will “soft launch” The Social Institute’s program with a focus on Grades 6–8. Over the next few months, students, teachers, and parents will have access to TSI’s comprehensive suite of resources, including:

‱ Interactive Lessons: Students will engage with lessons designed to address current social trends, character development, and emotional intelligence.

‱ Teacher Support: Educators will receive turnkey tools and professional development to integrate TSI’s program seamlessly into our curriculum.

‱ Parent Resources: Families will benefit from webinars, playbooks, and discussion guides to continue the conversation at home, ensuring alignment between school and family values.

Through this partnership, we aim to create a shared language and culture around healthy technology use. By leveraging TSI’s data-driven insights and real-time updates, OJCS will stay ahead of emerging trends, tailoring our approach to meet the evolving needs of our community.

Grounded in Jewish Values

As a pluralistic Jewish day school, we recognize that our students are deeply embedded in the digital world. The question isn’t whether they will engage with technology but how. Our responsibility is to prepare them to navigate these spaces thoughtfully, grounded in the ethical teachings of our tradition.

Judaism teaches us to value b’tzelem Elohim—that all people are created in the divine image—and this principle calls us to interact with others with dignity and respect, whether in person or online. By partnering with The Social Institute, we are reinforcing this value and ensuring that our students are equipped to be leaders in both their local and digital communities.

Looking Ahead

This partnership is not just about a program; it’s about a mindset. At OJCS, we believe in educating students who are prepared to thrive in a complex, interconnected world. The Social Institute provides the tools to make this vision a reality, helping us empower our students to not only succeed but to lead with integrity.

We are excited to embark on this journey and invite our entire OJCS community to join us. Together, we can ensure that our students #WinAtSocial—navigating the challenges of the digital age with confidence, character, and Jewish values as their guide.

A Safe Haven for Jewish Joy

Our school has six North Stars—enduring values that guide us on our journey from where we are to becoming the best version of ourselves. While some of these values may overlap with those of other schools—Jewish or secular, independent or public—it’s the unique combination of these six that defines us. When we meet new families, we take care to describe our North Stars, sharing stories of how these values come alive in our classrooms, highlighting alumni who embody them in their successes, and helping families discern whether the Ottawa Jewish Community School is the right place to entrust their children’s education and Jewish journey. Different North Stars naturally resonate with different families in different seasons. But this season, one North Star feels especially profound.

We define the Hebrew word ruach as joyfulness or spirit, but neither translation fully captures its depth. At OJCS, ruach conveys something more—a sense of belonging and authenticity best exemplified by the atmosphere of a Jewish summer camp, where you can be your truest self. It’s in the warmth of our walls, the joy in our students’ smiles, and the energy in their singing. Ruach has always been central to who we are.

But in the aftermath of October 7th and the rise in anti-Semitism across schools and communities, ruach feels bigger than a guiding principle. It feels like a lifeboat. Because OJCS isn’t just a place where Jewish children can explore their identities—it has become one of the few places where they can do so freely and safely.

I know what you might be thinking. Truly, I do.

Post-October 7th, we’ve been cautious in emphasizing the value of Jewish day school. We understand that Jewish day school isn’t every family’s preferred choice. (I, myself, am a proud product of public school.) We know it may not be the best fit for every learner and that tuition, even with OJCS priced below other independent schools in our market and offering nearly $1 million in scholarships annually, is still a significant consideration. We respect all these factors.

At the same time, we must speak to the reality: it is critical—now, more than ever—that Jewish children have a place where they can express their full selves without fear or sanction. Celebrating Chanukah at OJCS isn’t a “trigger for genocide”; it’s a celebration of the miracle of Jewish existence. And that miracle could not feel more relevant or powerful in this time and place.

You don’t have to choose Jewish day school for your family. But let this Jewish day school be clear: we are here. We are open. We are safe. We are a place where Jewish children can live proud, joyful Jewish lives. And we are also preparing students for life beyond our walls. Our graduates excel as advocates for themselves, and their communities in high schools, and on university campuses. (It is no coincidence that Noah Shack, the new Interim President of CIJA, is an OJCS alumnus.)

If you’re curious about what makes us who we are, we’d love to show you. This year, we’re opening our annual “Taste of Middle School” to all students and families in Grades 5-7. Come visit us, see the spirit of ruach in action, and discover what OJCS is all about.