Challenge for educators remains ‘unprecedented’
Partnerships for Jewish Schools says it is 'exceptionally complex' to manage the return of education in the coming weeks
The umbrella body representing Jewish schools in the UK has said it will be “exception- ally complex” to manage children’s return in the coming weeks, writes Stephen Oryszczuk.
Acknowledging the logistic and medical challenges posed by a return to classrooms after two months’ under coronavirus lockdown, Partnerships for Jewish Schools (PaJeS) said it was working hard to put support systems in place.
“The challenges facing our school leaders at this time are unprecedented,” said PaJeS Executive Director, Rabbi David Meyer.
“They have to consider the health and well-being of students and staff, as well as endeavouring to deliver school-based and remote learning programmes.” Dr Mark Berelowitz, a senior child and adolescent psychiatrist at London’s Royal Free Hospital, is to help in the transition by supporting Jewish schools’ headteachers, whose “professionalism and dedication” were this week praised by Meyer.
The organisation, which is a division of the Jewish Leadership Council, said it had been a tough time for “cooped up and isolated” children as well as for their parents, many of whom have had to work around them from home.
“This is an exceptionally challenging time,” said PaJeS. “In addition to the complexities of delivering remote learning programmes, school leaders must now consider how to manage a return to school with exceptionally complex logistical and educational implications.”
Some children will have faced family financial hardship, suffered bereavement, or have lived in difficult circumstances during lockdown, the organisation said, while others will have enjoyed the past weeks.
“Whatever the experience, adjusting back into a school routine will not be easy,” cautioned education chiefs.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
