November 9, 2026
Dear Mirowitz Community,
Over the past several weeks, I have had the pleasure of spending time in classrooms throughout Mirowitz, observing our teachers and students at work. As an educator who has spent more than four decades in schools, I can tell you that there is something quite special happening here. And I want to share some of what I have seen, not simply because it makes me proud of our school, but because I believe it speaks to the extraordinary promise of a Mirowitz education and what that education means for the future of our St. Louis Jewish community.
In one classroom, I watched fourth graders explore the Louisiana Purchase, using hexagonal tiles to make connections among historical events, people, ideas, and consequences. What struck me was not simply what they knew, but how they were thinking. They were making arguments, listening to one another, reconsidering their assumptions, and discovering that history is not just a collection of dates and facts. It is a story of choices, relationships, and consequences that continues to shape our world.
In another classroom, third graders were immersed in the study of biomes, creating their own lap books to organize and communicate what they were learning. There was real ownership in the room. Students were making decisions about how best to represent their understanding, drawing on their creativity while developing the habits of organization, research, and independent thinking. Their work was both serious and joyful. That combination matters enormously.
I have watched our youngest students learn Hebrew through song, movement, conversation, and exploration. There is something wonderful about watching children take risks with a language, discover patterns, recognize sounds, and begin to find their own voices. Hebrew is not simply another subject at Mirowitz. It is one of the ways our children develop a living relationship with Jewish culture, history, and identity.
And just this week, I reflected on a middle school English language arts lesson in which two students, approaching the same story with different levels of comprehension, were being challenged to think more deeply about what they had read. They were learning to look beyond the literal meaning of the words, to consider a character’s motivations and feelings, and to support their interpretations with evidence. The beauty of the lesson was that each student was being met where they were, without losing sight of where they might go next.
I could offer many more examples, including music and drama lessons in which students find their voices, collaborate, and prepare to contribute to the life of our community.
What connects all of these experiences?
Our students are not simply being taught what to think. They are learning how to think.
That distinction is at the heart of our constructivist approach to education. Children bring curiosity, questions, experiences, and ideas into their classrooms. Our teachers take those gifts seriously. They create opportunities for students to explore, make connections, test their thinking, work with others, and develop genuine understanding. They know their students as learners and as people. And they recognize that meaningful learning is not always neat, predictable, or accomplished at the same pace by every child.
This is demanding work. It requires teachers who know their subjects, understand children, and are willing to reflect on and refine their practice. I see that commitment every time I enter a classroom.
The outcomes are visible in the confidence of a child willing to share an idea, the persistence of a student working through something difficult, the thoughtful questions children ask, and the care they show one another. These may not always be the outcomes that fit neatly into a chart or a standardized assessment, but they are among the most important measures of an excellent education. They are also the foundations for the academic achievement, intellectual independence, and strength of character we want our children to carry into high school and well beyond.
And there is something else.
At Mirowitz, this kind of learning takes place within a Jewish community that asks children to consider not only what they know, but what they will do with that knowledge. Our commitment to tikkun olam, to repairing the world, is not separate from our academic program. It gives that program purpose. We want children who can think critically, act compassionately, engage thoughtfully with others, and understand that they have both the ability and the responsibility to make a difference.
For the broader St. Louis Jewish community, I believe this matters deeply. The future of Jewish life will depend, in no small part, on young people who are intellectually curious, grounded in their identities, comfortable asking difficult questions, and prepared to participate fully in the world around them. Mirowitz is helping to nurture those young people right here, right now.
The future of Mirowitz is being built in our classrooms every day. And from what I have seen, we have every reason to be excited about what lies ahead.
Shabbat Shalom!
Brian Thomas
Interim Head of School