For many families, choosing which school to attend can be a challenge. For those in the Kansas City Jewish community, there are a few options, including local public schools, homeschool, online school, a private prep school, a Christian school, or HBHA. All of these choices present positives and negatives.
One of the most enticing reasons to attend HBHA is the sense of community and belonging. Those who attend HBHA surround themselves with peers and teachers who become a part of their Jewish life. Going to a Jewish school enables students to outwardly express their Judaism without any judgment. HBHA allows you to practice your customs in any way you see fit, like the various morning prayers options for all Jewish denominations.
Luckily, living in Johnson County, there are many great public schools and districts, like Blue Valley and Shawnee Mission. Blue Valley is the top school district in Kansas, according to the U.S. News and World Report. One of the benefits of attending these schools is the wide range of social opportunities.
Often with upwards of a thousand students, public schools offer variety, including different friend groups, clubs, sports teams, multi-cultural experiences, and a chance to reinvent yourself without being defined only by the fact that you are Jewish.
For students at HBHA, Judaism is not just an added part of their school day; it is integrated into every aspect of a student’s life.
Take sports, for example. When playing sports for HBHA, Jewish values and customs are woven in. While playing sports, athletes are taught to be mensches.
At public school, there are many more extracurricular options. For example, they have many resources like big sports programs, highly specialized electives, theatre, music, debate, and more.
One negative aspect of HBHA is fewer extracurricular activities. The size and budget of HBHA are not able to offer the same opportunities for students.
Harry Pabst, a freshman at Blue Valley North, Overland Park, acknowledged that his first year at public school has been much more academically challenging relative to his 8th grade at HBHA. In classes last year that he did not struggle with, he noticed that this year, the teachers have gone out of their way to challenge students, and that has been a learning experience for him.
On the other hand, for students at public schools, there is much less individual attention. This environment might make it harder for students to reach their full potential or receive the academic guidance they need to succeed.
Pabst said, “At Blue Valley North, there are three hundred kids in my grade that I do not know, and that are so different from me because they might be a different race or ethnicity. There will be people walking down the hall that I do not know, and sometimes that is not a bad thing.”
Although big class sizes can be beneficial, smaller class sizes also have their perks. At HBHA, classes can range from five to twenty-five students. You will have strong relationships with most of your classmates, which is something of great advantage and comfort.
Pabst said, “The small environment at HBHA is good for close friendships, friendships that can stick with you for life, but at BVN, you create so many relationships because there are so many people, and you have the opportunity to become friends with so many different people.”
While the small HBHA community feels safe and supportive, it can also feel restrictive, and to help with that, students have to seek opportunities to expand their bubble. The small HBHA community makes it hard for graduates to adjust to the larger number of people in college.
For a Jew attending public school, you will have to work to keep your Jewish identity central, as you do not get days off for holidays, sports, or even Shabbat. At public school, some Jewish students miss school for important holidays and sometimes must navigate anti-semitism.
Pabst said, “There are some guys there (BVN) that don’t understand jokes about being Jewish can get to a person. Nobody actually hates Jews; they just say antisemitic things as a joke, and don’t expect you to take it seriously.”
When reflecting on this public school experience, Pabst shared, “I actually have been more motivated to be more Jewish… I want to do Judaism better. When I go to a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, I want to actually keep the practices, because I don’t do prayers at home and I don’t at school anymore either.”
With many aspects to consider, there is no single answer to which choice is better. HBHA offers community and closeness, and public schools offer opportunity and large rosters. The choice of which school to attend comes down to each individual’s personal needs and wants. Both have the potential to shape students in different and valuable ways.
