Leibler Yavneh is a co-educational modern Orthodox Jewish college. The college caters for individual students and encourages the desire to learn and to achieve by providing challenge and opportunity in a stimulating environment. The college is committed to the pursuit of academic excellence in Jewish and general studies, so that each student can achieve his/her maximum potential. The college educates and empowers students to embrace the future as mature and caring young people confident of their Jewish identity and individual self-worth, respectful of the dignity and rights of others, and aware of their communal and civic responsibilities and rights.
Facilities: The Abeles-Liberman Preschool, Caulfield for Junior and Senior Kindergarten students. The Leopold and Isabella Abrahamovits Yavneh Primary School and A.S. Leibler Secondary School, Elsternwick for Prep to Year 12 students.
Curriculum: The preschool is a caring, warm, stimulating and secure environment. Each Kindergarten has full-time general and Jewish studies teachers implementing the bilingual Hebrew program and a comprehensive Jewish religious education program. There are weekly Perceptual Motor Program and music sessions and before- and after-school care is available. The Primary School offers a friendly, inviting and challenging environment, where the curriculum is delivered by a team of general and Jewish studies teachers including specialists in PMP (Perceptual Motor Program) for Years Prep and 1, and HPE (Health and Physical Education)/sport, information technology, art and music for Prep to Year 6. All of the CSF outcomes for Levels 1 to 4 are approached through the eight Key Learning Areas, including Hebrew as the LOTE. Special education, gifted and talented education teachers and a primary teacher librarian complement the classroom teacher team. There is an extensive after-school enrichment program. In the Secondary School, curriculum is delivered in each of the eight KLAs, with Jewish studies areas of Tanach and Gemarah as additional ninth and tenth KLAs. A comprehensive range of VCE studies is offered including units in Mathematics and Sciences, Performing and Creative Arts (Drama, Art and Music), Commerce, LOTE (Hebrew and French), Jewish Studies, Information Technology, and Humanities (History and English Literature). Music, Drama, Food Technology, Information Technology and Art are studied in Year 7 by all students. They then form elective semester-length units of study from Years 8 to 10, together with Multimedia Studies (Years 8 and 9), Economy and Society/Finance (Year 10) and Information Technology (Year 10). Hebrew is a compulsory LOTE from Years 7 to 11, together with French or Yiddish at Year 8, and then elective French from Years 9 to 12 and Yiddish (Year 9). Studies in English, SOSE, Mathematics, Science, HPE, Gemarah and Tanach are compulsory from Years 7 to 10. All Year 10 students undertake a Units 1/2 VCE study (History). An accelerated Mathematics program is in place from Year 7 and a Units 1 and 2 VCE Mathematics study is available at Year 10. There is a comprehensive incursion and excursion program across the college.
Sport: Students participate in compulsory health and physical education curriculum activities from Senior Kindergarten (PMP) to Year 10. A fitness training program is offered to VCE students. Open-age teams participate in inter-school summer and winter sports, swimming and athletics competitions.
Extra-curricular activities: Instrumental music program (Years Prep to 12), inter-school debating (Years 7 to 12) and public speaking, choir, community service program (compulsory at Year 7) and extensive community service fundraising at all college levels, musical and drama productions, Tournament of Minds, after-school enrichment program (chess, writing, gymnastics, tae kwon do, jazz ballet and dance, study skills, Jewish studies enrichment, Bar/Bat Mitzvah simcha dancing, bands, art/craft) and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme (commencing with Bronze Level at Year 9). Camps/Shabbatonim Program from Years 4 to 12 is designed to integrate Jewish values into general activities by combining intensive programs promoting physical fitness and skills with a warm atmosphere of Jewish learning and living. Camp themes include outdoor education, team building, Zionist, marine biology, ATID (informal Jewish education), civics and citizenship, French (Noumea, biannual), ski and surf.
Student welfare programs: The college has a strong pastoral care program at all levels. College discipline is conducted within the implementation guidelines of an anti-bullying policy and positive behaviours policy, including a code of conduct. A student services staff team, including college psychologist, special education, integration and gifted and talented teachers, complements the staff team of home-group teachers in the primary school and year level convenors in the secondary school. There are transition/orientation programs from Senior Kindergarten to Prep with Years 5 and 6 “buddies”, Years 6 to 7, and Year 10 to VCE. Student success is acknowledged in diverse ways, including celebration assemblies, awards, scholarships and peer recognition. The development of student leadership skills is emphasised with house captains in Year 6, a Student Representative Council for Years 7 to 12 and college captains (Year 12).