Sinai Schools recommended for Middle States re-accreditation
Sinai Schools was recommended for reaccreditation by the Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools in an oral report presented on May 7 by Matthew Dunn, associate vice president of accreditation at MSA and chair of the MSA visitation team.
“Sinai is not a one-size-fits-all model, and it defies easy labels,” Mr. Dunn said. “Sinai is wholly unique. Throughout our visit, I kept thinking of a mosaic. As we were visiting the sites, a picture of a mosaic kept coming up. These are works made up of small tiles, each distinct and beautiful on its own, but when placed together, they form something extraordinary. That’s what Sinai is. Each part of your program, each staff member, each site, each student, each family, is one of those tiles. Together, they create a whole picture that’s more powerful and beautiful.”
Sinai, which was first accredited in 2004, remains the only Jewish special education school with this distinction. Being accredited means that Sinai has met the MSA’s rigorous educational standards in multiple areas. Remaining accredited requires a comprehensive review every seven years, which starts with an 18-month self-study and culminates in a weeklong site visit.
“Each time we work through the accreditation process, we learn new things and discover new areas for growth and improvement,” said Rabbi Dr. Yisrael Rothwachs, Leo Brandstatter z”l Dean of Sinai Schools. “Accreditation facilitates continued opportunities for evaluation and planning and provides accountability and validation from a team of seasoned and objective educators.”
The evaluation process analyzes Sinai’s alignment with MSA’s standards of excellence in five core areas: foundations, governance and organization, student well-being, resources, and teaching and learning.
During their visit, the MSA team went to the Sinai schools and held extensive interviews with leadership, staff, students, and parents. Mr. Dunn shared their observations, highlights of which included:
“Sinai’s model is unique, and it works. Your schools in-schools partner with different institutions while also navigating a wide spectrum of student needs, and yet it all functions cohesively. What makes this possible is your people. We applaud your staff’s unwavering dedication and commitment.
“Your students are thriving. We can read about your school and sit in meetings, but it truly came to life when we observed your students. It was clear that they weren’t just learning content. They were learning life.”
“Your stakeholders are deeply invested. Teachers are proud to work here. Parents love this program. We hear it again and again that your staff genuinely cares, that communication is strong, that you provide an education that is truly customized to the needs of each child.”
In addition to Mr. Dunn, Sinai’s MSA visitation team included Sam Keany, principal of the Stevens Cooperative School in Hoboken, and Brendy Siev, assistant principal of Kosloff Torah Academy in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.
Speaking on behalf of the team, Mr. Dunn referred to the individualized approach as the Sinai way, “It’s how you know your students so deeply and guide each of them on a personalized path… We deeply admire your willingness to adapt your plan, year by year, based on student needs.”
Mr. Dunn completed his report with a return to the mosaic metaphor he invoked at the beginning: “Each piece is distinct and beautiful, but the full picture only emerges when they all come together. Each of you here today is a piece of the mosaic. You serve a specific function, but you are also part of something much bigger. Together, you create the vibrant, powerful, life-changing mosaic that is Sinai. Keep adding new pieces as you grow and keep letting the full mosaic shine in everything you do for your students. As we step away today, know that this mosaic you’ve created has left an imprint on all of us.”
“Thank you for your thoughtful questions, your careful observations, and most of all, the respect and sensitivity with which you approach every part of this process,” Rabbi Rothwachs said to the team. “Your presence here has been more than evaluative. It has been encouraging and collaborative, giving us a gift of perspective. We are genuinely grateful.”
Sinai will receive a detailed, final written report by the MSA visitation committee with additional feedback and recommendations for continued improvement.
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