There’s no two ways about it: the kind of transformation that has taken place in Kingston, PA, is absolutely phenomenal.
As the cost of living in the NYC area continues to skyrocket, Cheder Menachem Kingston has absorbed – and fueled – a staggering explosion of growth. What began as a small community-run operation has expanded at a breathtaking rate, jumping from 150 to 475 students in four booming years. The rapid change led Cheder to outgrow our new 60,000 square-foot building after just two years, so the school invested in a sustainable future through the purchase of a new space for the boys’ division. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our board and our dedicated executive director, Rabbi Yossi Baumgarten, Cheder Menachem kicked off this school year with the inauguration of the boys’ new facility, and the energy has remained palpable among students, parents, and staff alike.
Such rapid growth would shake many a humble cheder, and could easily have overwhelmed even a long-established school. But not Cheder Menachem Kingston. Despite the massive influx of new students, our powerhouse mechanchim and mechanchos are well-poised to continue offering outstanding education because Cheder Menachem invests in our most fundamental resources: our exceptional staff and the infrastructure we provide for the precious neshamos we nurture.
In the past year, our school has doubled down on its commitment to excellent chassidishe chinuch by augmenting both the staff and the services available to our students. Cheder hired Mrs. Shaindy Reinetz as the new full-time principal overseeing the entire day for both the limudei kodesh and limudei chol programs in the girls’ division. Mrs. Ceita Wilhelm is providing additional leadership in the girls’ school as our assistant principal this year, optimizing the capabilities of our administrative team.
The boys’ school likewise bolstered the already-outstanding administrative staff with the addition of a new Gemara curriculum director. Longtime Cheder Menachem educator, Rabbi Yehuda Green, was hired as the boys’ division assistant principal under the guidance of our main principal, Rabbi Yoel Chazan. These dynamic shifts, plus the addition of a full-time substitute serving both divisions, have set the stage for our most powerful school year to date, and operations are running more smoothly than ever.
The social-emotional development of our students is paramount. To ensure our talmidim have the support they need to thrive, Cheder brings in a male therapist to provide support in the boys’ school. A female therapist is likewise available in the girls’ division, offering essential resources to support the emotional development of our talmidos. Cheder has invested in our resource rooms this year as well, hiring new directors and full-time support staff for both the boys’ and girls’ resource rooms. To ensure quality education remains the utmost priority, Cheder offers several teacher development trainings throughout the year for staff in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions. These combined investments provide tremendous support for our mechanchim and mechanchos, and our students reap the benefits.
As Kingston, PA, continues to attract waves of young Anash families, Cheder Menachem stands as a vibrant example of sustainable growth for similar out-of-town Anash communities. The transformation we’ve experienced over the past four years is a testament to Cheder’s investment in our educators and our students. It’s a manifestation of our commitment to phenomenal chinuch. It’s a reminder of the everlasting impact we have in the lives of our students.
Cheder is a catalyst, a supercharged agent of change, and we’re ready to crank up the power in the coming year as we continue to fuel the Explosive Growth!
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