A Second Home
Jessica Silver, The Gordon School, Miami
I never thought I would send my kids to a Jewish day school. I didn’t attend one, and religion was not high on the list of factors I considered when I was looking at all the preschool options in Miami. But like so many parents, I found myself enrolling my kids in a Jewish preschool both because I wanted to lay the foundation of Judaism for them (which I wasn’t doing consistently at home) and because the Jewish preschool in our neighborhood was absolutely wonderful.
Before I knew it, my oldest was ready for kindergarten. I once again explored all the available options: my neighborhood public school, some secular private schools and the Jewish day school, which would be a continuation of her preschool experience at the warm and nurturing Gordon School.
What was I looking for when I visited elementary schools? I wanted my child to be academically challenged and to have access to music and art. I wanted her to be safe and nurtured. More than anything, I wanted her to learn to be a good person and to love herself.
Ultimately, our family decided on The Gordon School for our children’s elementary education because of the intangibles. The Gordon School was comparable to the other schools I looked at in terms of academics, arts and extracurricular activities. Class sizes were smaller than most, and the facilities were average.