Why Give?

At JCDSRI and ALL other independent schools, tuition alone does not cover the full cost of educating our students. What makes up the difference? Mainly, income generated from gifts to the Annual Fund and grants. Each year, parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends of the school are asked to contribute to the Annual Fund. These gifts provide a dependable and necessary source of financial operating support for the school. The Annual Fund supports the school’s greatest needs and priorities and helps maintain our standards of excellence.

Gifts to the Annual Fund help JCDSRI to maintain a supportive academic community that offers:

a rigorous, balanced curriculum in both general and Judaic studies
small class sizes and individualized attention for every student
a creative music and art program
varied classroom supplies available to all students
an always-expanding library
outreach and volunteer activities that enrich the lives of our students and the larger community

Giving to JCDSRI is an act of faith – faith in our school, faith in our religious tradition of tzedakah, and faith in our students. This tradition of philanthropy supports our mission and helps make a Jewish Day School education possible for all of our families. The Annual Fund sustains many of the qualities that parents value most about our school: a warm, nurturing environment for our children; a strong foundation in Jewish history that fosters a sense of cultural identity; and individual attention from a dedicated and well-educated faculty who truly enjoy teaching.

JCDSRI is a valuable asset to the Rhode Island and southeastern New England communities. Jewish Day Schools attract many young professional families, including medical professionals, professors, and religious leaders. Our school keeps not only the Jewish community, but also the larger community, strong and vibrant. A gift to the Annual Fund is a vote of confidence in the value of a Jewish Day School education.

JCDSRI is an amazing school with a wonderful community of teachers, staff and families. It is my son’s 2nd year and he loves being there. The size is perfect for an elementary school- it creates an environment of learning and friendship throughout the school. One of the many great gems about the school is that there is buddy system- the PreK is matched with the 3rd grade “buddies.”. It teaches the older students about mentorship and the younger ones are thrilled to have this special person as th…

Rashmi LichtClinical Assistant Professor of Surgery (Urology), Alpert Medical School of Brown University

Our son started at JCDSRI this year and we could not be happier. The strong academic foundation he is getting is only the start; more fundamentally, he is learning that school is a place where his instinctive love for learning and curiosity is continued and furthered. The school truly focuses on the “whole child;” emotional intelligence is fostered just as much as are academic skills. Most impressively, core values such as empathy and gratitude are not just paid lip service: instead, they are wo…

Annie CookAssistant Professor, Johnson & Wales University

JCDS has provided a challenging, nurturing, and caring education for both of my children. Their teachers are creative, innovative and focus on child centered learning. I am confident that my children will graduate from JCDS with a strong sense of who they are and will be ready for the academic rigor of middle school. I believe that JCDS is creating a generation of passionate, thoughtful and forward thinking leaders for the future who care deeply for their community and the world around them.

Alison WalterParent

JCDSRI is a gift to the local community, and I urge all parents in Rhode Island (and beyond!) to visit the school to discover the magic for themselves. The school’s educators have a special ability to bring out a child’s true potential by fostering values and skills that are critical for success in today’s world. Moreover, the school welcomes families from so many different Jewish backgrounds and has a unique ability to make everyone feel accepted. Each student develops their own sen…

Adriane SchoenParent

We decided to move our daughter from a Providence public school to JCDSRI in first grade and we could not be happier. It is such a gift to have our daughter come home from school raving about her day and we are pleased to see her in an academically-challenging but incredibly nurturing environment. Already this year, the second graders have gone to the park to study the life cycles of plants, built cars in the school’s design center to study balance and motion, met with visiting Nigerians and lea…

Samantha MorseParent

We love JCDS. It’s our second year there. My son is now in first grade. Their approach is child centered and progressive. The kids are respected, challenged and supported by their awesome teachers and staff. The community of parents is amazing too. Very open and down to earth. I love the emphasis on Jewish values and spirituality. There is a range of families: interfaith, secular to modern orthodox, single parents, LGBT, varying socioeconomic income, AND all are welcomed!

Naama GidronParent

JCDSRI is a warm and diverse community, and the school is wonderfully respectful of all different religious backgrounds and traditions. The school utilizes innovative teaching methods, in which creativity on the part of the children (and staff) is welcomed and appreciated. Further, there is an emphasis on STEM within their academic curriculum, with a weekly “design lab” enrichment session, thanks in part to the partnership of the school with students from both RISD and Brown.

It truly is a w…

AnonymousPsychiatrist, Rhode Island Hospital