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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
After years of planning with educational experts, a group of determined parents fulfilled their dream of providing an excellent education for their children by creating The McGillis Jewish Community Center School. In the fall of 1990 the school opened its doors to a single first grade class of 11 students which met in the basement of the Jewish Community Center. Since then, the school has grown to over one hundred students in first through sixth grade, with plans to expand in the fall of 2002.
The head of the school, Dennis Jolley, describes it as a secular, non-religious school, but one that is imbued with Jewish values such as a respect for education, environmental sensitivity, charity, service, and respect for all. The school stresses the importance of building understanding and acceptance between individuals. Children from all religions and races are welcome to enroll. Currently, approximately one-half of the student body and much of the staff at the McGillis JCC School are non-Jewish. In a state whose Jewish population numbers only around 3,000, the School provides a remarkable opportunity for children of all backgrounds.
The curriculum at the McGillis JCC School is designed to make a child’s education relevant to life outside the classroom. Specifically, students are taught to solve problems in creative ways, apply critical thinking and collaborate with others. Teachers organize their curriculum in layers to accommodate the individual needs of each student. A comparison of SAT scores shows McGillis students scoring thirty-eight percentage points higher than the Utah state average.
The School also emphasizes the importance of social responsibility and active citizenship. Students participate in weekly discussions about important character traits, and how to organize and carry out service projects. Governor Leavitt presented the school with the 2001 Silver Bowl Award for Outstanding Community Service, recognizing its more than 6,000 hours it spends each year working with low-income and homebound elderly in Salt Lake County.
The JCC school plans to increase the size of its lower school and to add 7th and 8th grades beginning next year. The increase will double enrollment to approximately 250 students. In order to accommodate that growth, the school is in the process of purchasing the historic Douglas School building, which is being sold by the Salt Lake City School District.
As the McGillis JCC School enters its second decade, it continues to offer a unique and progressive, quality education alternative to an increasing number of families in Salt Lake City.
For Zions Bank, I’m Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
