The Berkowitz Family
What do you love most about Pardes?
Great academics, warm environment, small class sizes and cutting edge, innovative approaches to education on many levels.
Why did you choose Pardes for your child(ren)?
We chose Pardes for the small class sizes, excellent teachers, strong academics and Jewish values.
In what ways have you seen your child(ren) grow and develop as a result of their experience at Pardes?
Both our girls have developed a very strong sense of their independence and ability to advocate for themselves. But they have also learned how to work well with others and how to support their peers in very positive ways. They know know how important it is to be successful as an individual as well as in a group settings and can share their success.
Describe how your child(ren) benefits from the secular academic classes, learning the Hebrew language and Jewish studies at Pardes?
Our kids have benefited from the very strong secular academics Pardes provides. Both our kids have excelled in their classes and the outstanding academic foundation provided by Pardes has made our older daughter’s transition into high school quite smooth. She was well prepared for her high school classes and has been able to deal with the demanding high school schedule through the excellent time management skills she acquired while at Pardes. Learning Hebrew, which is a difficult language, starting is Kindergarten is an amazing skill to have. Developing fluency and understanding of a foreign language at such a young age makes other languages easier to learn as the kids move on in school. By the time the kids reach Fifth grade and are ready to start Spanish they have a very solid foundation of Hebrew and how to approach leaning another language. Jewish Studies enables our kids to learn about the Jewish culture, traditions and customs that may not have been part of our home life before attending Pardes and helps to strengthen the knowledge that our kids have cultivated through our family.
What would you say to a prospective family who is considering Pardes for their child(ren)?
Pardes provides a warm atmosphere with excellent staff, small class size and exceptional academics that are tailored to an ever changing world. The school focuses on cutting edge technology as well the best approach to teaching our kids in an engaging and inspiring manner so they are well prepared for what the future has in store for them.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your family’s experience at Pardes?
Pardes has been a wonderful place for our children and our entire family. We love the Pardes community and we truly appreciate that for the past ten years our family has had the fortunate experience of learning and growing with the school. We look forward to our younger daughter starting middle school this year. We were thrilled with the experience our older daughter had and we know that Pardes will not only meet but go beyond our expectations for what the school has to provide her with in fifth through 8th grades.