Camp & School Guide

Washington Jewish Week • December 20, 2012 B1Camp & School Guide

Camp & School GuideDecember 20, 2012

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December 20, 2012 • Washington Jewish WeekB2 Camp & School Guide

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by Emily Jacobs Staff Writer

It seems like just yesterday our country wasreeling from the tragedy caused by James

Eagan Holmes, the gunman who killed 12people and injured more than 50 others in ascreening of e Dark Knight Rises in Au-rora, Colo.

Less than a week before, the Jewish com-munity was holding its breath in fear asheadlines across the nation read “JewishSummer Campers Terrorized” when threeadults and two juveniles drove throughCamp Bonim in Northeastern, Pa., yellinganti-Semitic slurs and shooting campers withpaint ball guns.

Now, we’re once again dealing with atragedy. is one even more terrible than thelast, with 20 children, all under the age of 8,and six adults massacred by Adam Lanza, a20-year-old who also took his mother’s lifebefore taking his own.

So how do we keep our children safe? Howcan we possibly go about our normal livesknowing that this could happen at any

minute at our childrens’ camps and dayschools?

Jonah Geller, president and CEO of Capi-tal Camps, recommends that organizations

take every opportunity to re-evaluate secu-rity measures and emergency action plans.

Geller, who described the Newtown mas-sacre as a “shock wave through the entirecommunity,” explained that at CapitalCamps, “the safety of our campers and staffis paramount to everything we do. We havea number of security measures already inplace and have continued to improve andcheck and make sure that we are acting as re-sponsibly as possible.”

He added that when a tragedy occurs, “Ithink we all take stock of how we can im-prove on things. It really makes us carefullyreview what we already have in place.”

Geller, along with other Jewish agency ex-ecutive directors, met on Monday and heardfrom John Wassel, director of security fore Jewish Federation of Greater Washing-

ton, to review important elements of securitymeasures and get some professional adviceon how to better protect their organizations.

“I stressed that the most important thingthat we can do for security is to make sureeveryone has an emergency plan that theyhave tested,” said Wassel, who has been doingsecurity evaluations both nationally and in-ternationally for the past 30 years. “As we seefrom the situation in Connecticut, even hav-ing an access system doesn’t preclude some-one from getting into the building. ereneeds to be a security plan in case someonegets into the building or onto the premises.It appears that they had some training but

weren’t sure how to react.”Wassel also recommends making sure that

the camera and access systems are all up todate and working properly.

“I reminded the executive directors thatsomeone dangerous may be someone youknow or someone that used to work for yourorganization that may still have access to thebuilding. When a person leaves an organiza-tion, it’s extremely important to make suretheir ID is taken out of the system, and tomake sure that all cameras are recording andworking properly.”

Many, if not all, of the area day schoolshave released statements to their families, of-fering support through school counselors

What now?Camps and schools deal with aermath of Newtown shooting

See AFTERMATH, next page

When a tragedy occurs, “I think we all take stock of how we can improve onthings. It really makes us carefully review what we already have in place.”

— Jonah Geller, president and CEO of Capital Camps

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and promising increased security measuresfor their children.

“Over the next few days and weeks, as withschools all over the country, we will reviewour security procedures and equipment,”Gesher Jewish Day School in Northern Vir-ginia said in a statement. “Much care andconcern was devoted to the safety and secu-rity features of our facility when it was builtsix years ago. Since then, we have upgradedthe initial settings with grants from Home-land Security and following consultationwith Fairfax County Police Department andtheir emergency response team. We havetrained our staff and faculty for lock-downand evacuation. As always, a guard is on dutywhenever children are present, the doors arelocked, and the security cameras are on. Westrive to create as secure an environment aspossible.”

Joshua Starr, superintendent of Mont-gomery County Public Schools, released asimilar statement saying, “As an educator, Iknow the worry and concern that such atragedy sends throughout every community.We take the safety and security of our stu-dents and staff very seriously and work everyday to make sure that our children are learn-

ing in a safe environment. We will continueto make safety a top priority.”

Howard County executive Ken Ulman an-nounced yesterday his plans to create a jointtask force on school security in response tothe Newtown shootings.

“ere are clearly broader, societal issuesat play with tragedies such as the Newtownshootings,” Ulman said in a statement. “It’snot just a school problem, or a police prob-lem. We have to put the pieces together andtry to lower the odds that a tragedy like thishappens again.”

With sadness and security on everyone’smind, e Jewish Community RelationsCouncil of Greater Washington and e Jew-ish Federation of Greater Washington hostedtwo briefings on security in local educationalinstitutions this morning at the Jewish Com-munity Center of Greater Washington andthe Jewish Community Center of NorthernVirginia. e briefings featured remarksfrom the local chiefs of police, training on se-curity procedures in schools and synagogues,presentations from mental health profession-als and moments of silence to memorializethe victims of Friday’s tragedy.

Wassel added that the Federation offersfree security consultations for organizations.ose interested should email him [email protected].

AFTERMATH

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by Simone EllinBaltimore Jewish Times

Here we are again — dealing with a na-tional tragedy so horrific, that it is al-

most impossible for us to imagine. And ifwe adults can’t fathom the killings at SandyHook Elementary School, how can we dis-cuss them with our children?

Ideally, said Dr. Abram Sterne, a psychol-ogist in private practice in Silver Spring, wewouldn’t discuss the events of last Friday atall.

“Until the age of 8 or 9, children are fairlyoblivious, and the line between fantasy andreality is blurry. ere tends to be a culturein America, and elsewhere, that young chil-dren should know about things theyshouldn’t know about,” he said.

at being said, Sterne acknowledgedthere is a possibility that young children willhear about the shootings. In that event, hesaid, “Parents should acknowledge thetremendous sadness and pain associatedwith the loss of lives. Children are aware ofdeath and loss and know there are thingsthat can hurt us. We can say, ‘Yes, terriblethings can happen but they are rare.’ Ourjob is to reassure them that they are safe,that we will protect them, and we must doit authentically. Children can sense when weare inauthentic,” said Dr. Sterne. “Try to bebrief and concise, and remember that evenwhen they ask questions, what they want is

comfort, not rational responses. e emo-tional content is what needs to be ad-dressed.”

Joan Grayson Cohen, Esq., LCSW-C, sen-ior manager of access services for JewishCommunity Services in Baltimore, agreedthat parents should aim to make their chil-dren feel as safe as possible. But in the caseof the Sandy Hook murders, she said, it isespecially challenging.

“is is a hard one in some ways. You re-ally can’t 100 percent assure your child. Wecan never guarantee their security, butsomehow before this happened there wassome sense of security; we hadn’t been re-ally concerned about sending our kids toschool, especially the young ones. is feltdifferent, because there were so many vic-tims and they were so young,” said Cohen.

In Cohen’s view, it is unlikely that chil-dren — even young ones — are completelyoblivious to the events in Connecticut.

“Even if they don’t know what happened,children sense something’s going on,” shesaid.

Cohen advised that parents should ob-serve their children to see if they are talkingabout the shooting. If so, try to determinehow much they seem to know.

“You need to be careful about stayingwith them, and not giving them more infor-mation than they need,” she said.

Cohen recommended that when possible,parents take some time to cope with their

own emotions about the tragedy beforetalking with their children about it. Choosethe right time and setting to have the con-versation and consider talking to each ofyour children individually, she suggested.

If children are not talking about thetragedy, Cohen advised parents to ask anopen-ended question such as, “Have yourheard anything in the news?” If the answeris “no,” she said, decide how to proceedbased upon the emotional makeup of yourchild. For some children, it may be best notto raise the subject at all. Instead, offer gen-eral assurances about their safety, and letthem know that if they do have questionsand concerns they can turn to you for help.Above all, Cohen stressed the importanceof knowing your own children, and beingable to anticipate how they will respond andwhat they will be able to absorb.

“Kids aren’t always good at expressingthemselves. You must be sensitive to whena child needs to communicate,” said Sterne.“Try not to ignore the signs, and be open totalking about this; don’t push it down be-cause of your own discomfort with thetopic.”

“Communication is really important,”

seconded Cohen. “It’s an opportunity to talkto kids about who they can go to when theyare upset about something. Keep in mindthat a child’s first reaction to the conversa-tion may change over time. ey may comeback to you, so keep the door open.”

However, she cautioned, once your chil-dren have talked about their concerns, theyshould move on with their lives and con-tinue with their routines.

When children don’t talk about their wor-ries, Dr. Sterne said, their fears and anxietiesmay grow. If your child knows about thetragedy but isn’t talking about it, Cohen rec-ommended parents be on the lookout forsignals that their children may be strug-gling. Sleep disturbances like insomnia ornightmares, not eating and the appearanceof new fears may be signs that a child is har-boring anxieties about the Sandy Hookshootings. As always, if your children seemto need more help than you can provide,Cohen urged parents to seek support froma trained counselor.

Having the talkExperts advise parents how to talk to their children about Newtown

“Try to be brief and concise, and remember that even when they ask

questions, what they want is comfort, not rational responses.”

— Dr. Abram Sterne, a Silver Spring psychologist

SPECIAL REPORT– Tragedy in Newtown

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by Eric Hal SchwartzStaff Writer

Conjecture about the role of mental ill-ness in Friday’s tragedy in Connecticut

filled articles and blog posts almost imme-diately, fueled in part by the anonymous lawenforcement official who informed the As-sociated Press that the shooter, AdamLanza, had been diagnosed with Asperger’ssyndrome. Asperger’s syndrome is a neu-rodevelopmental disorder oen character-ized by difficulties with social cues andcommunications, referred to as social cog-nition by specialists.

“ere’s no evidence of any linkage be-tween having Asperger’s disorder and apropensity for violence,” said Dr. Eve Band,a clinical psychologist in Owings Mills, Md.,who has worked with children and adultswith Asperger’s and autism spectrum disor-der for more than two decades.

People seeking an answer to what led tothe attack might spark an unjust vilificationof people with Asperger’s disorder, Bandadded, so it is vitally important that peopleunderstand that there is really no link be-tween having Asperger’s and violent behav-ior. Mental illness in general and its role inviolence grew quickly in the media and on-line with the publication soon aer the at-tack of a column on the Blue Review,penned by blogger Liza Long, about herown difficulties raising a mentally ill andsometimes violent son. e piece, titled “Iam Adam Lanza’s Mom,” quickly spread allover the Web, cycling rapidly through thestandard lauding, backlash and analysisuntil it became almost inextricably linkedto the tragedy that inspired Long to write it.

But while discussing mental illness and itstreatment in the U.S. makes sense, linkingthe specific disorder of Asperger’s to violenttendencies does not, Band said. ere is ev-

idence to link some mental illnesses such asdepression and anxiety disorders to violentbehavior, and it’s possible that Lanza hadmore than just Asperger’s disorder.

“He could have had a dual diagnosis,” shesaid.

Research in the area has led to some re-ports suggesting such a link, such as a studyin the Journal of American Psychiatry andthe Law Online looking at possible connec-tions between Asperger’s disorder and crim-inal tendencies. But ultimately the studyfound the results inconclusive and requiring

further research. e study did state thatthey found men more likely to have violenttendencies. But since approximately fourtimes more men than women are diagnosedwith Asperger’s syndrome, this is not con-clusive evidence. Experts like Band cantherefore confidently assert that there is noconvincing evidence to indicate those withAsperger’s will be violent because of theirdisorder. People on the autism spectrummay act out and become aggressive whenthey are frustrated with their difficulty inunderstanding others or making themselvesunderstood, but that kind of impulsive ac-tion is very different from any premeditatedviolence and is the same behavior anyonemay exhibit when similarly frustrated.

“Having Asperger’s doesn’t raise the riskof their being violent more than anyoneelse,” she said.

In recent years, bullying and its conse-

quences have drawn more scrutiny andanalysis than ever before. Depression, angerand destructive or self-destructive acts haveall been connected to feelings of social os-tracism and disconnection, feelings thatcould very easily have played a role inLanza’s actions as they did for other schoolshooters. ere are efforts by communitiesand schools to eliminate and discourage theisolation and ridicule students with intellec-tual and learning disabilities oen face.

“Students with disabilities are more proneto issues of self-esteem,” said Rochelle Wer-

tenteil, the president and chair of the boardfor the Sulam program.

e Sulam program is integrated intolocal Jewish day schools and works to sup-port students with a variety of learning andintellectual disabilities, including Asperger’sand autism spectrum disorders, within theJewish school setting. Children can thus beincluded in the community, valued andbrought to their full potential, she said.

“ey deserve to be accepted, not just tol-erated,” Wertenteil said.

Until now listed as an individual disorder,the new edition of the Diagnostic and Sta-tistical Manual of Mental Disorders comingout this spring will fold Asperger’s underthe larger heading of autism spectrum dis-orders on the higher functioning end of thespectrum. According to the Centers for Dis-ease Control and Prevention, one in 88 chil-dren at age 8 will fall somewhere on the

autism disorder spectrum, although this in-cludes the entire range of possible manifes-tations.

Lanza’s motives and reasoning may neverbe fully known but there can’t ultimately bea real connection to anything on the autismspectrum, Band concluded.

“Most who have Asperger’s are actuallyvery rule bound and rule abiding,” she said.


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No link between Asperger’s and violenceSPECIAL REPORT– Tragedy in Newtown

“There’s no evidence of any linkage be-tween having Asperger’s disorder and a

propensity for violence.” — Dr. Eve Band, a clinical psychologist in Owings Mills, Md.

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by Emily Jacobs Staff Writer

For students seeking a smaller, more inti-mate high school environment, look no

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With just 60 students and 12 faculty mem-bers, e Nora School has been providing aunique and more personal educational expe-rience for its students since 1964.

WJW spoke with Marcia Miller, director ofadmissions, and Dave Mullen, head ofschool, to learn more about e Nora Schooland what it offers to the community.

How would you describe e NoraSchool, and what makes it different fromother educational institutions?

We’re a small college prep high school, andwe work with bright kids who have beenfrustrated in other schools, particularly thelarger, more impersonal high schools. Wework with students who have a variety oflearning challenges such as ADHD or anxietywho get lost in the shuffle in a bigger schools.e big thing with our students here is thatthey’re known. We have very small classes(no larger than 12 students) with six to 10students in a classroom. Our students’

strengths and challenges are known by theirteachers, and we just know our students in amore holistic way. ey have a voice in theschool, which is extremely important.

How is your curriculum different from alarger school?

Our curriculum is largely discussion based,so that the students’ voices are heard in theclassroom, and they can explore ideas ourloud and get a lot of their information thatway.

What is your advice for parents who arelooking to enroll their child in a schoolsimilar to yours?

I think you just have to know your childbecause every child is different. While somekids can thrive in bigger schools and findsmaller communities within the school, thereare a lot of kids who don’t find their niche,and so going to school becomes a chore forthem. Education should be a lot more funthan that, and we want our kids to be excitedabout it.

What is your college prep like?For our juniors we take them on a three-

day retreat to emphasize the importance oftheir junior year in terms of applying for col-

leges. We also have them meet with collegecounselors to come up with a list of schoolsthat they may want to visit. For seniors wetake them on a three-day retreat to work ontheir applications and essays, and make surethat our college counselor follows throughwith them.

What about those that are worried aboutthe SAT or ACT?

If a child has a learning challenge, then wemake sure that there is appropriate documen-tation on file stating that they’re entitled toaccommodations. We also make sure to notraise anxiety about the test, because most ofthe liberal arts colleges that our studentsapply to are good at teasing out what’s impor-tant and what isn’t so they look more at tran-scripts and essays and its less of a numbersgame.

What has your feedback been from youralumni who have gone off to college?

We see the students every year at a big din-ner the day before anksgiving. ey alwaystell us that they feel much more preparedthan their peers, which makes their first yearof college much easier for them. What is greatabout our curriculum is that we teach ourstudents organizational techniques so that

when they begin their freshman year of col-lege they know how to break up a larger as-signment and organize themselves, so theydon’t get into a bad place.

As administrators, how did you handlethe shooting that took place in Newtownlast week?

We had a moment of silence for the victimsand we spoke to the students about the socialand legal implications and policy changesthat need to be handled in terms of mentaldifficulties and gun policies. We want themto look at the broader picture, and let themknow that they don’t have to sit by helplessly,but they can write to their congressmen, andtell them how they feel. We also have a socialworker that they can speak to.

Lastly, how would you describe yourschool to someone who has never heard ofit?

We think it’s a very human place wherepeople are known and treated as individuals.We teach our students and take them fromwhere they are to where they should be whenthey head off to college. e kids know thatthey have a personal connection with theteacher and with their peers, and that reallymakes all the difference.

December 20, 2012 • Washington Jewish WeekB6

inking differently at e Nora School

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by Nathan Weissler

This past June, I graduated from theMelvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy in

Rockville. I attended the Sulam programwhich is a special education programhoused in the Melvin J. Berman HebrewAcademy. I am currently studying at Yeshi-vat Darkaynu, a special needs programhoused on the grounds of Yeshivat Har Et-zion in Gush Etzion. As I approached myhigh school graduation this past year, Ithought seriously about what I could dogoing forward to carry on my family’s ded-ication to Judaism and Zionism. Aer a lotof consideration, I decided that I would verymuch like to study in Israel. I committed todo whatever I could to fulfill that dream.

When I was very young, I was diagnosedwith Asperger Syndrome, which, amongother things, can make social interactionsand hand-eye coordination difficult. I alsooccasionally experience substantial anxiety.Sometimes, I can be perceived as sociallyawkward. I was uneasy about living awayfrom home because of these concerns.However, I was confident that studying in

Israel would be easier because that wassomething that I very much wanted to do.Furthermore, I knew that if I achieved mygoal of studying in Israel, I would havegreat potential to give hope and encourage-ment to others. I also knew that studyingin Israel would be a truly life-changing ex-perience.

I believe that people who experience sub-stantial obstacles in life have great potentialto transform their challenges into advan-tages. is principle helps motivate me tocontinue to do my best. In my opinion, be-cause of the perspective on life that it hasgiven me, Asperger Syndrome ultimatelymakes it easier for me to be successful.

During my first week in Israel, I traveledwith the other members of my program tothe Kotel, the Western Wall, in the Old Cityof Jerusalem. Davening at the Kotel hasbeen one of my most meaningful experi-ences in Israel so far. I recognized that re-ceiving spiritual inspiration at the Koteland throughout my time in Eretz Yisraelwill give me increased courage to do what-ever I can to move closer to Hashem (God)and to build my life as a Jew. I also was very

moved when several people in the Old Cityof Jerusalem greeted me, saying, “Welcomehome.” I feel very much at home in EretzYisrael.

Additionally, I had several meaningfulexperiences in November 2012, whenHamas was launching rockets from Gazainto Israel. I spent time in Jerusalem withsome of my cousins who live in Israel. Ibought a Kiddush cup in Jerusalem. One ofmy primary goals was to share my great ap-preciation of Judaism and Israel with othersby my use of the Kiddush cup. Additionally,during a time of danger, I very muchwanted to help inspire others in terms oftheir overall Jewish commitment. I thoughta good way to do that would be to explainthe fact that I bought that Kiddush cup inJerusalem during a dangerous time and thatI very much wanted to inspire other peoplewho see me using the Kiddush cup. I willalways remember that story.

I am very much looking forward to con-tinuing to have a wonderful school yearstudying in Israel.

Nathan Weissler, 20, is studying in Israelfor this school year. He is from Chevy Chase.

How Asperger’s impacted my decision to study in Israel

Nathan Weissler poses for a photo in Jerusalem’sOld City.

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We invite you to join our Capital Camps

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by Meredith JacobsManaging editor

As the mother of a high-school junior, myworld is ever more revolving around col-

lege. But with rumors that our children mustobtain a perfect 2400 SAT score, 5.0 gradepoint average and found an orphanage inAfrica in order to garner an acceptance letterto the college of their choice, it’s hard to sep-arate fact from fiction.

So I spoke to Brie Jeweler- Bentz, collegecounselor, and asked her everything mydaughter and I want to know as we navigatethe treacherous waters of college admissions.

Do families have to hire a private collegecounselor in order for their child to get intotheir dream school? Has the playing fieldchanged because of private counselors?

It’s very analogous to SAT and ACT prepa-ration. It used to be “eat something good andget a good night’s sleep” and now it’s “howmuch money do you have? How much prepcan you afford or schedule in?”

Not everyone has access to test preparationtutors. Does it put them at a disadvantage?Yes. Is that fair? No.

It’s the same with college counselors. A lotof families do it.

I sort of am an independent private con-sultant, a personal counselor for students. Itake them through the whole process — firstI get to know the student and figure out a listof potential colleges. en it’s time to do re-search — visit the schools, talk to the parentsand get the list down to where the student willactually apply. en I help with the applica-tion process — making sure the applicationsare filled out correctly, that they are submittedby deadline.

I heard a rumor that college advisers ac-tually write the students’ essays. Is this true?

I help the student brainstorm the essaytopic, but I would never, ever write it. Cer-tainly, I will edit it so it does the job contentwise. I’ll also help the student prep for inter-views and help with the final decision ofwhere to go if they are accepted into multipleplaces.

Is much of your job anxiety and stressmanagement?

Yes, particularly in this area, there is a lot ofpressure.

I have a doctorate in clinical psychologyand my therapy experience is in college coun-seling centers. Before my doctorate, I was anundergraduate at University of Michigan andaer graduating, worked for the university asan admission’s officer. I loved admissions and

college and didn’t want to do therapy, so I cre-ated my own business.

We are fortunate to live in an area withoutstanding schools. But they are also filledwith outstanding students. Is it hard for anystudent to stand out? Are students compet-ing with their classmates? Do colleges com-pare students to applicants from theirschool?

is is a myth. You’re made to feel like youneed to be out in Wyoming to get in, but mostschools don’t have quotas. If there are 50amazing students from Wootton, they’ll allget in.

I was on the phone this morning with ad-missions officers from University of Wiscon-sin because I had been hearing rumors thatWisconsin doesn’t like Churchill High School— that rock stars from Churchill are not get-ting in to Wisconsin. ey said it’s ridiculous,that we would never say we don’t like aschool.

Do you have to found an orphanage inAfrica to get accepted into your dreamschool?

No, you don’t have to found an orphanage.Curing cancer is just fine.

But seriously, colleges used to look for well-rounded students, but now they’re looking forangular kids — kids with a sharper point.Meaning, a student who has been in a few ac-tivities and really dug in — created a specialty.

What schools want now is a well-roundedclass made up of sharpened students.

And, know that when colleges ask for a listof activities, they want ninth grade forward.If you want them to know about somethinglife changing you did in middle school, youmay want to use that in your essay.

I feel like I keep hearing the same 10 col-leges listed by every high-schooler. Does ithelp your chances of getting in to find a lesspopular school?

Everybody today is very savvy — we knowwhat’s out there. We know the whole countryand the Ivys. ere is so much pressure to getinto the best college. But there are 4,000schools. We need to expand the list.

Some big schools are very popular, but notevery kid is a big rah-rah kid. But they maynot know that.

You may not have the grades and scores togo to Harvard. But that’s okay.

I tell my students that they are the con-sumer — they need to think if the college isright for them.

What do colleges look for? Is it more im-portant to get a B in an AP class or an A ina regular class?

Grades and the rigor of curriculum are themost important factors. And, what I mean byrigor of curriculum is how rigorous it is forwhat the school offers — what courses thestudent took relative to other students.

For some schools, it’s more formulaic —grade point average, standardized test scores.But most schools are looking holistically atthe students, meaning they care about the es-says and recommendations. Have they beena leader, an innovator? Are they active andengaged? en the college may think, aer weget them, they’ll go out in the world and dodamage — in a good way.

I believe it’s all about balance. Don’t load upon honors and AP classes and get Bs acrossthe board. Don’t compromise the gradescompletely. But you also don’t want to takeless challenging classes and get all As.

I tell my students to take the curriculumyou can successfully manage.

at also means emotionally manage.Some of these kids are just fried. ey areworking until 2 in the morning, not seeingfriends. You need to have a life, you need toattend to your hygiene.

“Manage” in terms of keeping your GPA ata competitive level.

For a student whose math isn’t his strongsuit, he could take an honors class and maybeget a B, but it will take a lot of work. Take aregular class and get the A.

You can always write an explanation forwhy you dropped this class. Attach it to yourapplication. Even in common applications,you can add additional information. You cansay, “I wanted to challenge myself but it meanttutors, and I had to be honest with myself.”

I encourage my students to take ownershipof their situation.

Same is true for students with learning is-sues. I always have my students write up ex-planations for what is challenging

How do you know if your SAT or ACTtest scores are good enough for a school?

e Fisk Guide publishes the range ofscores for students admitted into the school.And the individual college websites give a stu-dent profile. Is that valuable information? Sortof. I don’t want the college to say 3.8 and thekid has a 3.5 and doesn’t apply.

We don’t necessarily know what that scoreis — is it weighted? Do they take out phys edand ceramics and just look at the core GPA?I hate when people rule out a school. On theother hand, if a student has 2.0 and wants togo to Stanford... .

Do colleges look at freshman yeargrades?

It depends on the school. By and large, col-leges want to see trends. ey know in theearly years you are adjusting. When I was atMichigan, we didn’t look at ninth grade at all.I think colleges are like that. ey’ll considerthe grades. If you’re going to have a bad year,as long as it’s freshman year, it’s okay. Someschools, you have to be a rock star every year.Or you can explain what happened that year.You’ll probably be okay.

When does the college search begin?Without getting too crazy and stressed, it

should get on the radar for parents in seventhor eighth grade. You need to be mindful ofwhat you’re taking in middle school becausesome of these classes show up on high schoolresumes. Start getting active in activities thatyou’re passionate in, learn how to managetime and work so that you can handle thingsin ninth grade because that’s when collegesstart looking.

e summer aer 10th grade is a good timeto start test prep. I like to have students startwith me the fall semester of junior year. Somestudents come in saying, “I want to be a doc-tor and this is where I want to go.” Fall semes-ter is when we create that list of colleges andstart doing business.

You have to have the college mind-set forcourse selection, activities, test prep — early.

Can’t you just use your high school guid-ance counselor?

At bigger high schools, like Wootton, theyhave a lot of students. Wootton has a collegeperson on staff in addition to guidance coun-selors. When parents come to me, they saythat high school person doesn’t have time toreally get to know their kid.

Should the student know where shewants to go and what she wants to do?

No. I had a student who had to answer“what are your academic and career goals” foran application and she was freaking out. Isaid, let’s own it — say you don’t know andthat college can be the place to figure it out.

Do you see a lot of students who haveparental pressure to get into certainschools?

It’s very high pressure. I try to get every-thing out on the table. I ask: “Who is ulti-mately making the decision?” Are theparents? What parameters are you puttingon? Does the student have to go to Marylandbecause the parent went to Maryland? Doesthe student have to stay local? I don’t wantsomeone to have California on the list and


Everything you want to know aboutcollege admissions but are afraid to ask

See ADMISSIONS, next page

Camp&SchoolGuide

then they go through the application processand their parents tell them they can’t go.

I do have parents who have put parameters— some understandably and some not un-derstandably. It’s awful to have that conversa-tion aer the applications come out.

I’m hearing more and more about stu-dents going to state schools for undergradand using the money saved for private grad-uate schools. Or even going to a communitycollege for two years to save money.

e economy is significant. Our commu-nity colleges are undervalued. e kids feellike losers. It’s a shame because you can crankout two years and transfer and your degree isthe same. But you do sacrifice a traditionalcollege experience.

I’m now reading articles saying college iswaste of money. Kids feel like they have tomajor in business or health to get theirmoney’s worth.

Lately, whenever I mention college to mydaughter, no matter what I say, I’ve said thewrong thing.

Understand where your kid is at. ey alltalk to each other. No matter what you say,you’re not going to win. Know that the mes-sages you’ve been cramming into her headwill win out.

Stress, fear — the stakes are really high.ese kids really feel that. Just be there andtry to talk as much as possible. Meanwhile,they are trying to live their life and are goingthrough developmental stuff about separatingfrom mom and dad.

We parents all joke that we would nothave been accepted to our alma maters if wewere to apply now. True?

Absolutely true! A lot of schools switchedto the common application a couple of yearsago. It makes it easier for kids to apply. esheer number of applications makes it morecompetitive. You have these poor counselorswho have to read all these applications.

And, for some schools, like the Ivys, it’s al-ways a crap shoot. We don’t know why theytook student A over student B.

How do you figure out the list?e list really needs to be tailored to the

student. ere are schools that I love, butdon’t work for everyone. Are they shy, outgo-ing? Where geographically do they need tobe? I generate a list from that. ere areschools that fly under radars, like QuinnipiacUniversity. I have to educate the familiesabout schools like this. I try to be honestabout it. I say, “We are not going to rule thisschool out because you can’t pronounce thename. Just put it on the list for me. And whenyou apply, you’ll go visit.”

But I know it’s hard in this area. Parents

want to say, “My kid is at this school or thatschool.”

ere is a book, Colleges at Change Lives.It doesn’t have to be Harvard.

I was at Bard, at the information session.And the admissions director said, “I beteverybody in this room is concerned prima-rily about getting in. What do I have to do toget in? Who else is getting in? And no one isthinking, ‘What do I want to get out of col-lege?’ ” You are the consumer.

Part of this is fear. Part is a lot of these kidsdon’t know themselves well enough. How amI supposed to know if this is a good fit for me?ey really just don’t know.

How do you help your kid? Exposure, dia-logue. If you don’t have time to travel aroundthe country, you can see a diversity of schoolslocally. Go to George Washington University,to Georgetown, to UMD, to Goucher — gosee. Get a feel for a city campus, a suburbancampus. A big school, a small school. Forsome students they aren’t going to know untilthey go and experience. And if it doesn’twork, that’s when you have a transfer.

Many schools offer summer programs forhigh school students. Does this help yourchild get into that school?

Going to summer classes doesn’t hurt, butit doesn’t give the kid an edge just because hewent to the summer program.

It does help this way: If you are on the cam-pus and interacting with faculty and eating inthe cafeteria and living in the dorm, whenthey ask you, “Why do you want to go here,”your answer is that much richer.

And, it shows interest. A demonstrated in-terest factor — campus visits, etc. is importantfor some schools.

What can parents do early to help posi-tion the child well for college?

Remember the movie, Parenthood? RickMoranis has this kid who is 4, and he’s doingflash cards with her. And that’s insane. I likesneaking cauliflower in mashed potatoes.Laying the foundation, encouraging her whenshe wants to run for SGA president. Get yourkids reading. Nothing will teach them vocab-ulary more. Encourage them when they getto a word they don’t know to figure it out incontext; if not, to look it up. is is all impor-tant stuff.

Talk about the essay. e admissionsteam is reading thousands of essays answer-ing the same question. How do you makeyours stand out?

Essays that are good are essays that whenyou put down you say, “I absolutely know thiskid, and it’s someone I want on my campus.”

If you’re a funny, sarcastic, dry-witted per-son, incorporate that. I have a kid who is anenvironmentalist at heart, and she wrote heressay about her bearded dragon. I have a kidwho wrote about Honey Bunches of Oats (thecereal).

So many kids are doing the service trips.When I applied to school, no one did that.Kids say they can’t write about these experi-ences because they’re commonplace. But atthe same time, no one had the experience youhad. If you had a defining moment there andit changed who you are — write about it.

Make sure it’s well written and answer thequestion. If there is a prompt, answer theprompt. e essay that talks about somethingseemingly small, a nugget, that the studentcan artfully explode, is wonderful. e oneswho talk about “internship” and “leadership”— they run into each other. I’d rather hearabout your trip to the grocery store. Somestudents feel like they haven’t done anythingincredible, but you can make anything in-credible if you write it in the right way.

I will read an essay and have a visceral re-action. I get revved up and I think I love thiskid. And sometimes, you don’t care at all.

I know you can feel like there’s nothing thatsets you apart. ere are kids with amazingaccomplishments, and they stand out. Butyour personality can stand out. It can just bewho you are. If you can show that to the ad-missions counselor, they see that and like youand root for you.

How much does it cost to hire a collegeadviser and are you basically paying forsomeone with connections to get your childinto a school?

e range is $3,000-$6,000. Honest, to some extent, yes. I would never

say, “I can get you in.” ere are certainly stu-dents where I made the difference — I got onthe phone, I advocated. I happen to have con-nections at University of Michigan and otherschools.

But it’s hard to cultivate connections withcollege admissions directors long term. ereis so much turn over.

I always do a free of charge meet and greet.I want families to get a good vibe, to feel likewe could be a team.

When should a family hire a consultant?If you feel clueless about the process, or

don’t have time, energy or motivation to doall the research yourself.

If you’re going to murder each other.

If there is a specialty area. For example Iwork with students with special needs andthere are some consultants who work withathletes.

What needs to be considered as a Jewishfamily?

Some families say, “I don’t want my kid tobe the token Jew.” ere are some schoolswith few Jews on campus. Families can callCampus Ministries or Hillel at variousschools and find out what is Jewish life like.But what does that mean for each family?Does that mean a kosher kitchen? Does itmean a Hillel? Georgetown is a Jesuit univer-sity, but it’s located in Washington, D.C., witha thriving Jewish community. ere’s a differ-ence between that and Alabama.

But there are a lot of misconceptions. I tellparents not to rule out the entire South. ereare Jews at Emory.

Any final advice to parents?Before I started doing this, I was kind of

worried. You want so much for your child.But this job has been so eye-opening. I actu-ally feel less stressed now. ese kids have sto-ries, they’ve been in rehab, they’ve tanked inmath, but they’re going places. I feel like mykid will be fine.

Parents, there are so many schools outthere. ere is one that is the right fit. Balanceall this nonsense about being a rock star withbeing a regular kid. If you have to work sohard, have so many tutors to get to Harvard,it’s not worth it. What’s going to be there atHarvard? More of the same.

It can’t be all about grades and scores‚ theyhave to be mentally healthy. Focus on theirwell-being. It can be such a stressful process.We need to be open-minded and not putpressure on someone who is feeling pressuredenough.

If you can get an objective person [like acollege counselor] involved in the process,that can help.

Start early, that can help.Brie Jeweler-Bentz lives in Rockville with her

husband and 10-year-old daughter. To learnmore about Jeweler-Bentz and the SchoolCounseling Group call 240-994-7901 or [email protected].


ADMISSIONS

from previous page

Camp&SchoolGuide

Har Shalom Early Childhood Education CenterHalf & Full-Day programs for ages 2-5

small, nuturing classes emergent curriculum enrichment classes

summer program early drop off @ 7:30 a.m. late pick-up @ 6:00 p.m.

MSDE Certified PJLL Commended school English & Hebrew programs

www.HarShalomECEC.org 301-299-7087, Ext. 244 11510 Falls Rd Potomac, MDLimited openings for January Open House Jan. 14 @ 10 a.m.

Now accepting applications for 2013-2014!

Camp & School GuideB10 December 20, 2012 • Washington Jewish Week

SLEEPAWAY CAMPS

CAPITAL CAMPSWaynesboro, PAWinter Office:11300 Rockville PikeSuite 407Rockville, MD 20852301-GOT-CAMP (301-468-2267)www.capitalcamps.orgThe official Jewish overnight camp of theGreater Washington DC community is just onehour from Rockville. The glatt kosherovernight camp is for children entering grades3-10. Sessions of 2, 3 or 4 weeks are available!Gorgeous facility includes new cabins, arts &theater center, aquatics center, ropes & chal-lenge course and climate controlled dining hall.Capital Camps is a beneficiary agency of theJewish Federation of Greater Washington, amember agency of the Jewish CommunityCenters Association (JCCA) and is AmericanCamp Association (ACA) accredited. Financialaid is available.

HABONIM DROR CAMP MOSHAVAwww.campmosh.orgExecutive Director, Jen Silber 301-348-7339,[email protected] Tammy Schmidt 800-454-2205,tammy@campmosh. org. Jewish celebration, social justice, love of Israel,leadership development, community serviceand lots of fun. Creative Shabbat observance,skits, singing, dancing, sports, swimming, lowropes challenge course, tubing, canoeing, craftsand more. Build lifelong friendships and strongJewish identities. One-week introductory expe-rience for rising 3rd graders, two-week optionsfor rising 4th, 5th, and 6th graders, and fourand eight weeks for all rising 4th – 10thgraders. ACA accredited.

DAY CAMPS

CAMP ACHVA (SCHOOL-AGE)8900 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax, VA 22031,(703) 323-0880, www.jccnv.org Rising Kindergarten through 10th gradesHours: 9am-4pm, Monday through Friday, Before- and After-Camp Care availableNori White, Camp Director, [email protected], (703) 537-3041Jessica Tischler, Special Needs Director, Jessi-

[email protected], (703) 537-3031Since 1969, Camp Achva offers an exciting daycamp experience in a caring Jewish environment.Age appropriate camps include: general pro-gramming for rising kindergarteners through 6thgrade, arts camps, theater camps, special needscamp with inclusion programming, one-weekspecialty camps, teen travel camp and counselor-in-training programs. Activities include: swimlessons, arts and crafts, sports, Israeli culture anddance, drama and music, science and nature.Camp sessions run from June 24–August 23.Highly qualified staff; Israeli shlichim; Shabbatprograms; Before- and After-Camp childcare.

CAMP JCCJewish Community Center of Greater Washington6125 Montrose Road.Rockville, MD [email protected] JCC programs allow campers to developskills, make lifelong friendships, enhance Jew-ish identity and create unforgettable memoriesin a nurturing and inclusive environment. Gen-eral and specialty camp programs are availablefor children age 4 through entering 9th grade,and our CIT program for entering 10thgraders. Campers swim twice a day, enjoytheme days, field trips, special events and Kab-balat Shabbat celebration. NEW THIS SUM-MER: Mitzvah Corps Travel Program (enteringgrades 7-10) where campers can earn up to 30SSL hours and more affordable bus transporta-tion!

CAMP OLYMPIA5511 Muncaster Mill Rd.Rockville, MD301-926-9281www.camp-olympia.comCelebrating our 54th anniversary serving fami-lies in the Washington suburban area. We offeran instructional sports program for children 3 - 15. Our sports include: swimming, moun-tain biking, horseback riding, gymnastics, soc-cer, tennis, basketball, track and field, plusmuch more. All facilities are located at theCamp. Other programs offered include yearround horseback riding for children and adults,plus year round private nursery school for chil-dren ages 2-5.Winter Break Horse Riding Camp Dec. 26 - 28.

CAMP SHORESH2428 Pleasant View RoadAdamstown, MD 21710

[email protected], the Hebrew name for roots, is dedi-cated to providing educational enrichmentprograms related to our Jewish heritage. Forseven weeks in the summer, children ages 4-15can renew and reinforce links to their heritage.The distinctive programming at Camp Shoreshcombines the beauty of a rich Jewish studiesprogram with an extensive range of physical ac-tivities including swimming, arts and crafts,sports, archery, challenge course, overnights,and Hershey Park -a design to create a totalJewish experience for body, mind, and soul.Join us at our beautiful 107 acre facility inAdamstown, Maryland.

HARBOR SCHOOL7701 Bradley Blvd., Bethesda, MD 20817www.theharborschool.orgWhether attending our fabulous SummerCamp or our dynamic School, your child'sunique brilliance will have an opportunity toshine. Our half-day Summer Camp provides afun, safe environment for children ages 2 1/2 to12. Admissions Open House for the 2013-14school year on January 10 at 10:00am.

IMAGINATION STAGE4908 Auburn Ave.Bethesda, MD 20814Info: 301-961-6060Box Office: 301-280-1660www.imaginationstage.orgImagination Stage is the largest and most re-spected multi-disciplinary theatre arts organi-zation for young people in the Mid-Atlanticregion. We offer a year-round season of profes-sional shows (adult actors performing for fami-lies and classes), after-school programs andsummer camps for ages 1-18, and arts-integra-tion professional development training forteachers, students, schools and families. All ofour programs are informed by our core beliefin making the arts inclusive and accessible to allchildren, regardless of their physical, cognitiveor financial status.

JCCGW PRESCHOOLJewish Community Center of Greater Washington6125 Montrose Road.Rockville, MD [email protected], T/K and Kindergarten – where chil-

dren and families grow together. The EarlyChildhood Education program offers 10 & 12month program options for children age 24months-5 years; half- and full-day Preschooloptions and full-day Transitional Kindergartenand Kindergarten; early drop off at 7:30 a.m.and late pick-up at 6 p.m., a child-centered en-vironment infused with Jewish values; Holi-Daycare when school is closed, but the JCCGWis open; and a summer program with dailyswim!

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OFNORTHERN VIRGINIASUMMER DAY CAMPS8900 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax, VA 22031(703) 323-0880; www.jccnv.org CAMP AHAVA (PRESCHOOL)Amy Vermillion, Early Childhood Services Director,[email protected], (703) 537-3038Uniquely designed as a hands-on developmen-tal program combining learning and fun jointogether to create a dynamic summer experi-ence. Experienced early childhood profession-als (from our preschool program) are teamedwith carefully selected college and high schoolstudents. Specialists provide enriching activi-ties each session. Special entertainment is alsoplanned!Camp sessions from June 24-August 23CAMP K’TON TON20 months (by 6/30/13)-23 months 9am-1pm only; 24 months (by 6/30/13)-35 monthsCAMP K’TONA3 years old (by 9/30/13); 4 years old (by 9/30/13)CAMP K’TONA TOO (preschool)Alexandria, JCCNV-Beth El Hebrew Congrega-tion3830 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 2230420 months (as of 6/30/13) to 4 years (as of 9/30/13) 9am to 1pm, Before and After Camp Care availableCamp Options: Two year olds: 2-day (T/TH), 3-day (M/W/F)and 5-day options.Three year olds: 3-day (M/W/F) and 5-day op-tionsFour year olds: 5-days only

Camp&SchoolGuide

Camp & School Guide B11Washington Jewish Week • December 20, 2012

LOCAL JEWISH DAY SCHOOLS

BETH SHOLOM EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER ANDKINDERGARTENPotomac, MD12 months through Kindergarten Nurturing teachers; full day options available;wide variety of Enrichment Programs; welcom-ing families from all Jewish backgrounds.Register today and receive up to $1,000 of ECCThank You Coupons.Sue Finger, Director: 301.279.7010 x214 [email protected] www.bethsholomecc.org

CHARLES E. SMITH JEWISH DAY SCHOOLLower School1901 E. Jefferson St.Rockville, MD 20852-4029301-881-1400Upper School11710 Hunters Ln.Rockville, MD 20852-2363www.cesjds.orgKindergarten through 12th grade independentday school that emphasizes academic success inan environment that nurtures a strong Jewishidentity. At CESJDS, connections are a part of acomplete educational experience. Connectionsto Judaism, community, history and ideas arewhat make our students successful in collegeand beyond. Find out more about how CESJDShelps all students connect to success. Contactour admissions office at 301 692-4870 to set upa tour and see for yourself!

CHILDREN’S LEARNING CENTER4511 Bestor Dr. Rockville, MD 20852 [email protected] school and elementary K-6 as well as Camp CLC, child-care on site 7am-6pm. Small classes, homework room, vegetarianlunch program, after school activities. Mary-land State Dept. of Education approved and accred-ited.

GESHER JEWISH DAY SCHOOL4800 Mattie Moore CtFairfax, VA 22030703-978-9789www.gesher-jds.orgFor three decades, Gesher JDS has been thecenterof learning for Jewish children of all the back-groundsthroughout Northern Virginia. Ouracademic program weaves Judaics and Hebrewwith a rigorous general studies curriculum,providingTWO educations in ONE for Kindergartenthrough Middle School. Transportation,after-before school care, financial assistance,andaccreditation by the (VAIS) Virginia Associa-tionof Independent Schools.

JEWISH PRIMARY DAY SCHOOLOF THE NATION'S CAPITAL6405 16th St., NWWashington, DC 20001202-291-JPDS (5737)[email protected] Jewish Primary Day School of the Nation’sCapital (JPDS-NC) is a community day schoolthat provides a challenging and creative dualcurriculum in general and Judaic studies inpre-kindergarten through sixth grade in class-room settings with low student/teacher ratios.We foster a lifelong love of learning, a sense ofcommunity and a solid moral foundation.JPDS-NC offers DC and Montgomery Countybusses and extended day programs.

TORAH SCHOOL OF GREATERWASHINGTON2010 Linden LaneSilver Spring, MD 20901301-962-8003Headmaster: Rabbi Yitzchak CharnerSecular Studies Principal: Mrs. Julie MalkaOutstanding, motivating, and challenging Ju-daic and secular studies programs for kinder-garten — 6th grade. Dedicated, enthusiastic,caring staff makes learning fun and exciting.Emphasis on basic skills, student involvement,and on developing higher thinking, analyticalskills. Focus on relevance of Judaism to ourlives and love for Torah study and on perform-ance of Mitzvos. Derech Eretz stressed in allfacets of school life. Commitment to individu-alization. Strong school and home partnership.Approved by Maryland State Department ofEducation.

Camp&SchoolGuide

Sharing Knowledge. Creating Opportunity.

THE FAES GRADUATE SCHOOL AT NIH

Announces the schedule of courses for theSPRING 2013 SEMESTER

SPRING SEMESTER OPEN HOUSE:January 9, 20134 p.m. - 7 p.m.

9101 Old Georgetown RoadBethesda, MD

COURSES ARE OFFERED IN:biochemistry, bioinformatics, biology,

biotechnology (daytime courses), chemistry,immunology, languages, medicine,

microbiology, pharmacology, public health, statistics, technology transfer,

alternative medicine, board reviews,and courses of general interest.

Technology Transfer Advanced Studies and Public Health Advanced Studies.

WALK-IN REGISTRATION: Walk-in registration will be held fromJanuary 15 — January 23, 2013

To have a schedule sent call 301-496-7976or visit our website at www.faes.org

Classes will begin the week of January 28

The evening classes sponsored by the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences will be held on the NIH Campus

Apply for Summer 2013! Expanded hours for summer 2013 Instructional & recreational swim every day Affordable round-trip bus transportation 3 Sessions: June 24 – August 9 New theater and day travel programs Field trips, theme days & special events Extended day AM/PM care

Registration for 2013-2014 opens January 2013! 10- & 12-month program options for children age 24

months through 5 years Half- and full-day Preschool options and full-day

Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten Early drop off at 7:30 a.m. and late pick up at 6 p.m. Child-centered environment infused with Jewish values Kid Koverage and HoliDaycare offered Summer Program available with daily swim

JCCGW PRESCHOOL

Visit jccgw.org or call 301.881.0100JCC of Greater Washington 6125 Montrose Road Rockville, MD 20852


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Camp & School Guide