The Thirteen Things You Always Wanted to Know About Pardes Jewish Day School

1. Pardes - It does not matter how you pronounce it as long as you talk about it. The Hebrew word ‘Pardes’ means “orchard” and is a dynamic metaphor for growth. Our goal is to provide our students with strong roots from which to grow by offering a unique day school experience that fosters both cognitive and emotional growth in a warm, nurturing Judaic environment. It is our desire to create a love of learning that will remain with our students throughout their lives. And it is actually pronounced [pahr-des].
2. Hebrew - We have beginning levels in each grade especially for new students. At the Lower School level, students learn how to read, write and converse in Hebrew in a nurturing environment. Listening and oral skills begin at the kindergarten level. In First Grade, these skills continue to be reinforced and students begin to learn the names and sounds of the Hebrew letters and vowels. Conversational Hebrew is used at appropriate levels in every classroom.
3. Religion - Pardes has families affiliated with most of the various Jewish denominations. Families are attracted to Pardes because of our superior secular, Hebrew and Jewish studies. Our high quality of teaching is a reflection of the way we approach education and is not related to any denominational belief system.
4. Jewish Studies - Pardes is very proud of our award-winning Jewish Studies curriculum – “Standards and Benchmarks for the Teaching of TaNaKH in Jewish Day School” – developed by the Jewish theological Seminary-Melton Research Center for Jewish Education.
5. Longevity - Pardes is the largest Jewish school in Arizona and has grown remarkably in our 15 years. Pardes has a long-term plan for growth and we have the ability to meet our goals.
6. Sports - Physical Education plays an important role in a child’s growth and development. Pardes strives to foster a positive attitude towards athletics and physical fitness. To this end, students are exposed to many different sports, including volleyball, soccer, flag football, basketball, softball, baseball, and field hockey.
   
   All middle school students participate in our P.E. program twice a week. In addition, the majority of our students also participate in one or more after school, interscholastic sports. The PJDS campus features a new sports field and sports court, as well as space for indoor athletics on the hottest days! Our competitive sports teams play other private schools in the Mountain Valley Athletic League. The Pardes Panthers girls’ teams compete in volleyball, soccer, basketball, and softball; boys’ teams compete in flag football, basketball, soccer, and baseball.
7. Finances - Even in these troubled economic times, our long-term financial plan is sound and well thought out.
8. Giving (Tzedakah) - Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for the acts that we call “charity”. At Pardes, you only have to give what you feel comfortable giving, within your own means.
9. College - At Pardes, we build confidence in well-rounded kids who leave the nest and are accepted at prestigious colleges including: Brown, Yale, University of Pennsylvania, Middlebury, Princeton, Brandeis, Wesleyan, Washington University in St. Louis, Berklee College of Music, Duke, Northwestern, University of Chicago, UC Berkeley, Emory, Pomona, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and University of Arizona.
10. Transition - Pardes offers a nurturing and unique environment that builds well-adjusted, secure, confident students ready to tackle the world. Students find they can function in any setting, whether at smaller private high schools (Jess Schwartz College Prep, Brophy, Phoenix Country Day, etc.), or large public high schools.
11. Social Action (Tikkun\Olam) - Pardes raises significant funds for both Jewish and non-Jewish organizations, locally and throughout the world. We support organizations such as Free the Children, St. Jude’s Hospital, Save the Whales, Make a Wish Foundation, various food banks and many other causes in Israel. We are growing leaders who have been taught to live out their core values.
12. Enrichment - Pardes offers classes in art, music, physical education, Spanish and technology. In addition, students participate in weekly enrichment classes including drama, music, filmmaking, journalism, Israel studies, sports and technology. One of our 8th grade students studies art, graphics and stage design at the acclaimed California Institute of the Arts. Her design, “Colors of Israel,” won a nationwide contest and was made into a stamp by the Israeli postal Service. Other students have gone on to the prestigious Berklee College of Music, USC acting school and local theater.
13. Communication - At Pardes, we have an open door policy. The entire administration is accessible and provides gatherings several times per month, allowing all children, parents and grandparents the opportunity to build relationships. Our head of school is always approachable. Being sent to the principal’s office is a different experience at Pardes Jewish Day School. Students freely walk in and communicate directly with the head of school on a daily basis.