Eric Petersiel grew up near Toronto’s Cedarvale Park, a few blocks away from a school he knew little about and considered a mystery. He would meet some people who attended Leo Baeck Day School, who later in life became his friends.
“They all shared a fascinating background and seemed to have a real understanding of their real Jewish selves, where they fit in the world, and how to make a positive impact for others,” he says. “I was, frankly, jealous I hadn’t had that background myself.”
Today, the story is much different. For the past 25 years, Petersiel has served as Head of School at Leo Baeck – half of its existence. Over its history, more than 3,000 students have attended Canada’s first Jewish International Baccalaureate World School, receiving a unique academic experience paired with modern Judaism, honouring tradition and encouraging individual choice.
He says this mission hasn’t changed one bit, but the student body has. Enrolment has tripled to 635 students, since he first started, with a significant number of legacy students following in their parents’ footsteps. Over the years, the school has also added remedial and other supports to assist students with reading and learning disabilities.
Supporting students with learning disabilities
The Azrieli Foundation’s funding has enabled the school to run its “Bonim” program, which serves children with language learning disabilities, ensuring they receive focused support.
“Leo Baeck is multilingual, with English, French and Hebrew, so students with extra needs may have difficulty succeeding,” Petersiel says. “Through Bonim, we can give them the support they need to succeed and for our school, it means we can keep the door wide open for students with all ranges of abilities.”
“We are thrilled to support the Bonim program at Leo Baeck and help students reach their full potential,” says Anat Haim, Grant Manager at the Azrieli Foundation. “At the Foundation, we believe that education is the greatest accelerator of success. Through the Bonim program, students build skills and confidence that will stay with them long into the future.”
Through Bonim, students of any grade receive additional support several times a week to focus intensively on English literacy and mathematics. Each semester, up to 12 students receive this one-on-one support with specially trained educators – a level of focus that requires a full-time instructor. Leo Baeck is unique in offering intensive general studies interventions for children with learning disabilities in lieu of Hebrew language learning, allowing them to be truly immersed in their Jewish community.
Before Bonim launched in 2015, parents of children with learning disabilities faced the tough decision of whether a Jewish Day School education or a secular education better fit their child’s academic needs. Most parents felt compelled to choose the latter option and the Leo Baeck community would lose a sizeable part of its student body as a result.
Petersiel says that, with Bonim in place, the school’s attrition rate due to special education needs has plummeted from a peak of 40% all the way down to 2%. They are now hoping to expand the Bonim program to reach as many students as possible in the years to come.
One Leo Baeck parent called Bonim a “game changer.” “Seeing your child lose her confidence and love of learning because she learns differently is very hard to watch. Knowing that all her teachers are constantly working as a team to support her education journey and provide the necessary accommodations has meant so much to us. Thanks to [them], our daughter has been supported every step of the way and the school’s commitment to her education and development will have a positive impact on the student and person that she becomes.”
