Shiras devorah/ warm Beis Yaakov in yerushalayim

amother

OP ↓

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 7:56 am

We are trying to find a beis Yaakov for our daughter in yerushalayim. She would get swallowed up in a place like the tzafon and we are trying to find alternatives. We are American chareidi ( husband in black and white,l in klei kodesh, kosher phones but tablets and filtered internet access at home for work/ family) and so far the schools that would cater to her more are more modern than what we are looking for but maybe I’m wrong? Someone suggested Shiras devorah but I’m having trouble finding the it about it ( type of families , class size, warm or not) if anyone has info on it or could recommend somewhere else would be very grateful!

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 8:07 am

Success10 wrote:

Unless the issues are extreme, you send to the local school. Or you’ll be dooming her to 8 years of no local friends.

We already made the decision ( with guidance from her Ganenet, her speech therapist and our Rav) that in order for her to not have “extreme issues” we will send her somewhere smaller and warm. The question is where

amother

Lightyellow ↓

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 9:09 am

Shiras Devorah is not for you if you are on here.

Its a very very yeshivish/brisk style school. Most of the parent body will not have internet access at all, and if they do wit will be limited to email or what they need for work.

If you are on here I would look into Bnos Chaya Pessel, Bnos Haddassah (both more to the right of regular BY, bnos haddassa a bit more Heimish/Chassidish) or if you are looking for slightly more open then regular BY I would look into Ashreinu or Bais Yaakov Hagivaah.

If you are looking for much more modern, there is Netivota which is Montessori and Mamach

amother

↑ Lightyellow

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 9:14 am

amother OP wrote:

This is a real concern - my dd is super sensative and has slight speech delays. She did not qualify for gan safa, and we are working with therapists. I am really nervous about schools.

My local Bais Yaakov is 10 parallel classes with 30+ kids per class. Its so so easy for a kid to get lost in that. She doesn't have major issues but everyone we work with agrees that she will be overwhelmed there.

On the other hand, all the other schools are very much a "type" and we don't really fit in any of them.
I also like the diversity of BY, there really is a healthy range.

We are looking at moving out of Yerushalyim because of this, to a place with the diversity of a regular BY, but on a smaller scale.

DB12

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 9:19 am

amother Lightyellow wrote:

Thank you. I heard the brisker crowd sends to bina vdas or medias yesharim?
So mamach is definitely too modern for us and with Chaya pessel and Bnos Hadasah I’m concerned about the Yiddish. She is very sensitive and ideally I would want her to be in a BY that is more integrated here but it’s not the most important thing to me but I am really worried she will start off behind as she doesn’t know Yiddish at all …. I know nothing with be perfect but I just want to set her up for success and being with like minded families

amother

Seagreen ↓

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 9:45 am

amother Lightyellow wrote:

I send to Shiras Devorah. It's nothing like Brisk. It's yeshivish chutznik, I would say more open than Bnos Hadassah and way less American/chasidish.

There are 2 or 3 parallel classes per year, up to 32 in a class. It's a very, very warm atmosphere where all the girls take care of each other. The education is good, the girls can go afterwards to any seminar (not the case in Bnos Hadassa) Most families have some level of internet access for work, kids are not using it for leisure.

My very shy daughter did really well there, she's now finishing high school in a big high school and fine about it.

Most graduates are going to Snif or Yashan, a sprinkling to other places, lately quite a few send to Bnos Tzipora.

Depending where you live, there are usually a few local friends. I didn't find it a big issue. My girls have friends with neighbors and one or two from school. The only place it really interferes is with Batya on Shabbos.

amother

↑ Seagreen ↓

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 9:47 am

DB12 wrote:

Chaya Pessel and Bnos Hadassa are both more chasidish/heimish where Shiras Devorah is more yeshivish litvish. Many of the girls speak English, they learn Yidish as a subject but they don't teach in Yidish.

sped

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 10:09 am

Keep in mind that the Tzafon is known to have excellent resources for students who need extra help.
Many kids with difficulties do well there because of that.
It's important to check out the resources the other schools have, and how the more struggling students do there.

amother

Daisy ↓

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 10:37 am

Shiras Devorah is not equipped to take care of problems or issues. They have good teachers. There is commonly a strong group of girls in the center of the class, and the weaker girls have to find their friends. The Tzafon is run very professionally, as are some other Bet Yaakov schools. Many people sent lately to Bina Vdaas because they couldn't get into Shiras Devorah.

amother

↑ Seagreen

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 10:44 am

amother Daisy wrote:

Shiras Devorah is not equipped to take care of problems or issues. They have good teachers and a weak hanhalla. There is commonly a strong group of girls in the center of the class, and the weaker girls have to find their friends. The Tzafon is run very professionally, as are some other Bet Yaakov schools. Many people sent lately to Bina Vdaas because they couldn't get into Shiras Devorah.

This hasn't been my experience. Maybe you fell into a problematic class? that can happen in any school. I sent a very shy child there and she has gained confidence, has a nice group of friends. I also sent one with a very strong personality and she has done well there as well.

People send to Bina Vedaas when they want more sheltered, a smaller place. I spoke recently to someone who has kids in both schools. She says Bina Vedaas is more sheltered, the education is better in Shiras Devorah. Shiras Devorah have better resource room help.

All the Beis Yaakov schools are government schools so there is more funding for special needs but if you have a kid who doesn't really have any major issues but needs a small, friendly place, Shiras Devorah is excellent.

amother

↑ Daisy ↓

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 11:16 am

I have 3 girls in Shiras Devorah now and they are all strong, popular girls. Most of the girls have good middos and are nice to everyone. A regular shy girl with no issues will find some friends and be ok. But they are not good at dealing with issues and problems. They have a resource room to help girls academically or with play therapy once a week but that's it. Ashreinu is supposed to be a warm school, professionally run. I don't think it's modern, maybe you want to go look at it. I also have a few neighbors who couldn't get in to Shiras Devorah without pull.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 11:23 am

amother Daisy wrote:

Yes I’m trying to find out info about Ashreinu.. it’s just far and doesn’t have transportation so I don’t know how much sense it would make . What do you mean by issues ? My daughter is in Gan safa now. Most of her “issues” were rigshei because she got bullied in Gan. She doesn’t have behavioral problems at all. She does wonderfully with warm and encouraging teachers and nice eidel girls. A place like the tzafon would be intimidating for her. She probably will need some extra help academically but she doesn’t have any major learning disability/ special needs. What neighborhoods do the girls tend to live in other then the Murchevet?

amother

↑ OP

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 11:24 am

amother Seagreen wrote:

Did you feel like they tried to help your shy daughter acclimate ? Mine is definitely shy and needs to feel welcomed …

slinky

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 11:32 am

If your daughter is in Gan safa then I assuming she was approved for extra help for 3 years as is the standard. My daughter was in Gan safa and is now in 2nd grade in tzafon. She is doing amazing and I'm honestly so impressed with the teachers and the extra help she is receiving. If you have any questions you can pm me.

amother

Petunia

Sat, Nov 30 2024, 12:01 pm

OP make sure your daughter can get a morah Shiluv for next year wherever you end up sending.
You have to get her Ganenet already now to request it and it's a small process but worthwhile. Once approved it's automatic for 3 yrs but each yr they re-evaluate and have a meeting with a parent, do what you can each time to get reapproved. Maximum in the middle of the yr if the teacher feels it's not necessary they will ask if you want to stop.
If you don't have it pre-approved before starting school it's harder to get done and only starts much later on in the year.

Dd7 has had one since gan chova and it really has helped her confidence. They helped her regulate to school and made her see she is managing to stay on top of the class. They are using the time now to help her in different areas as we requested she continues but doesn't need it for class subjects anymore.

Hatzlocha with whichever place you end up sending to.

amother

Begonia ↓

Yesterday at 12:00 am

Shiras Devorah is pretty hard to get into, especially if there's a hint of academic issues, but its a nice warm school with good families. If your daughter his struggling academically then the tzafon will have a lot more available in terms of private morahs to pull her out and help keep her up to par. It's important to understand you'll be trading in excellent resources for a smaller school and less friends nearby.