Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ezra Academy accredited?
Yes. Ezra Academy is accredited by the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools. Ezra Academy is also a member of the Prizmah Jewish Day School Network.
What percentage of the student population receives tuition assistance?
Ezra provides some form of financial assistance to approximately one half of students.
What is the student:teacher ratio?
The student:teacher ratio is about 5:1. Small groupings and classes are very evident at Ezra. Most classes average 8 -12 students.
What are Ezra Academy’s hours?
Students are greeted each morning from 7:45 AM to 8:00 AM by Head of School, Tani Cohen-Fraade. The school day officially begins at 8:00 AM and students are dismissed at 3:15 PM. In the winter months, students are dismissed at 2:30 PM on Fridays since Shabbat begins early.
From what towns do Ezra Academy students come?
Ezra Academy draws students from a wide geographic area, including, Bethany, Bridgeport, Cheshire, East Haven, Easton, Fairfield, Hamden, Madison, Milford, New Haven, Orange, Stratford, Trumbull, Westport and Woodbridge.
Are all Ezra Academy students Conservative Jews?
Ezra Academy students have at least one Jewish parent, but our students are a mix of Reform, Conservative, Modern Orthodox, Orthodox and unaffiliated.
Students spend the day in Judaics as well as secular academic subjects. Does this make it difficult to excel at the same pace as their peers in secular schools?
Quite the opposite. Our integrated curriculum gives students the best of both worlds in secular academics and Judaics. Jewish traditions such as collaborative text study and critical thinking infuse and improve our secular academics. Ezra students are tremendously successful in high school, college, and beyond.
Neither parent in our home is well-versed in Hebrew or Judaics. Will this affect my child’s success at Ezra Academy?
While some of our families have strong Judaic backgrounds, many do not. We’ve designed our curriculum, and made resources available to students and families, so that all of our students have the same opportunities to succeed.
What do students do for lunch?
Students bring a dairy or pareve (non-meat and non-dairy) lunch to school. Traditionally, eighth grade families provide a hot lunch two days per week, at an additional cost, to raise money for their spring trip to Israel.
Ezra Academy is an egalitarian school. What does that mean?
It simply means that boys and girls are given the same opportunities in the classroom, in the gym, on the playing field, and in the sanctuary. The one area where boys and girls are treated differently concerns head coverings. Boys must cover their heads while at Ezra Academy; girls may choose whether to do so or not.
Do Jewish day schools insulate children and limit the diversity of their opportunities?
At Ezra Academy, we provide a framework of Jewish values and living from which students engage the larger world while possessing a strong sense of who they are. We take seriously our commitment to social justice and tikkun olam (repairing the world), and students take part in a wide range of activities on and off campus, including sports leagues and other inter-school competitions.
Is transportation provided to Ezra Academy?
Beginning in Kindergarten, students who live in Woodbridge are provided with transportation at no cost. Families in Fairfield County are provided with bus service at an additional charge. Families have organized carpools to and from many towns, and help one another out with rides whenever necessary.
