Amos & Celia Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School
School performance rating
About
Languages spoken by school staff
English, Hebrew
Extra programming
Heilicher offers enrichment activities & athletics after school. Enrichment activities include chess, math club, art & theater classes, guitar, robotics, & more. Athletics includes league play for grades 5-8, & sports play & classes for grades K-5. Middle school league offerings by season are: fall soccer, winter basketball, & spring ultimate frisbee. Heilicher also offers tennis, Girls on the Run, & sports introductions.
Extracurriculars Offered:
Music, STEM/STEAM Clubs, Sports, Theater, Visual Arts Clubs
Uniforms
Students who attend Amos & Celia Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School are not required to wear uniforms.
How to enroll
To enroll, contact Deborah Getsug at (952) 381-3523 or dgetsug@hmjds.org.
Average student to teacher ratio
Academics
Academic programming
Heilicher nurtures intellectual curiosity, artistic expression, critical thinking, & social responsibility at all stages of learning. Students at Heilicher feel connected & valued.
The school provides a strong academic foundation coupled with a vibrant Judaic studies program that empowers students to explore their faith & Jewish identity, acquire religious literacy, & nurture a connection with Israel. Their inquiry-based curriculum challenges students to be flexible & resilient learners nurturing their innate curiosity. Talented, accomplished faculty are dedicated to implementing best practice teaching techniques.
Academic Programs Offered:
Judaic Studies
Special education programming
Heilicher’s Student & Teacher Resource Team provides coaching & support to teachers, while also helping clarify & run whole-school priorities around education design to meet the diverse needs of students. The team focuses on identifying the social & academic needs of individual students, providing one-on-one support & tailored support in small groups.
If a child is struggling, the resource team observes that child in their classroom to better understand their needs. They als seek feedback from the child’s teachers. The team then offers teachers–& even parents–suggestions to address the problems. The team monitors the student & they work to build trust between the child & the resource team. The team fine-tunes the plan as the student’s needs change, grow, or go away. A commitment to consistent communication is a hallmark of the program.
Those who qualify for Special Education through the local school district must go to the local public school, which will provide the support (Susan Lindgren Elementary School).
English language learner programming
Heilicher’s Student & Teacher Resource Team works with families on an individual basis to support ELL students.
Climate
School values
Heilicher is committed to academic excellence & the pursuit of learning as a lifelong venture. The school reflects & teaches respect for the diversity of Jewish life. They challenge their students to exemplify the values of Judaism & of American democratic principles.
Heilicher offers a values-based education, & their community is guided by ten core values that come to life as students study each one through coordinated & creative activities & everyday age-appropriate learning. See their values: hmjds.org/about/mission-values.
Discipline Policy
Every student has the right to learn in a setting that is safe, kind, & responsible. Heilicher expects all students to maintain an appropriate level of self-control to make this possible. Chronic misbehavior causes breakdowns in respect, as well as a disruptive learning environment. When the school informs students or their families of misbehavior, immediate corrective action is expected. Severe student misconduct, particularly that endangers the physical or emotional safety of others, may result in immediate suspension or expulsion.
Heilicher strives for students to achieve self-discipline & self-regulation without constant threat of punishment. They accept that students may mess up from time to time as part of the learning process. The school expects a child to acknowledge wrongdoing & to work to remedy the harm done by their actions. Heilicher’s approach to discipline is more restorative than punitive.
Equity
Equity vision
The diversity of the Jewish people is one of its greatest strengths. Heilicher strives to support every family’s Jewish journey & encourages open conversation about what it means to be Jewish in the 21st century. Heilicher’s learning community is enriched by its BIPOC, interfaith, unaffiliated, single-parent, & LGBTQ families. Heilicher’s goal is to build an inclusive community in which all are welcomed, valued, respected, heard, & included.
