General Information


Kashrut at School

As A Conservative Jewish religious school, the Solomon Schechter Academy encourages and guides its families to observe Jewish law, traditions and practices.  For example, we encourage families to observe Shabbat and Jewish holy days and festivals both at home and in school.   Therefore, we ask that birthday parties and other activities to which classmates are invited not take place on these days.

Similarly, we encourage families of our Academy to keep Kosher both at home and away.  Only Kosher foods (including snacks) may be brought to school.  Meat and poultry may not be brought to school since our only kitchen is dairy.  Food should not be shared.  Each family is responsible for their own food supervision.  There are many variant degrees and interpretations of keeping Kosher.  Even in the Conservative movement, there are differences in what is considered acceptable.  All agree, however, that any animal products in processed foods, which usually means lard, is absolutely prohibited.  Please read ingredients closely as they appear on food packages.

Since there are variations in practice, we ask that each family be responsible for his/her own student's food and that  food not be shared.  

Not only must we watch what we put into our mouths but, as the great ethicist Rabbi Israel Salanter taught, we must also watch what comes out of our mouths in speech and be sensitive to others.

For more details, please check out our simplified guide to kashrut.

Dress Code

In keeping with Jewish values, students should come to school in neat, simple, conservative clothing.

The following attire is not appropriate for school:

T-shirts with obscene graphics or innapropriate writing, short shorts, halters, tube topes, bare midriffs or shoulders, ripped jeans or hems dragging on the floor below shoe level, are all inappropriate.

For saftey reasons, clogs, high heels or wedges are not permitted.

The administration will have final discretion in determining if a student's attire is safe and acceptable.

Sneakers are required for the Phys Ed program. Students will be informed by the Phys Ed teacher as to the other needs of dress, in necessary.

Boys are required to wear a kippah while in school. Hats are not an acceptable substitute indoors.

Hiddur mitzvah, the beautification of the mitzvah suggests that students dress nicely on Fridays when Shabbat prep is part of the school program.