LYA is proud to be celebrating our 80th year. LYA was founded in 1946, in response to the Greater Springfield Jewish community's need for a quality Jewish day school. In 1999, LYA became the first Jewish day school to be accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
The more than 90 students that the school serves each year from across the spectrum of Jewish life includes orthodox, conservative, reform and unaffiliated families. Students represent a large geographic area and attend school from Amherst, Berkshires, Longmeadow, Northampton, Springfield, West Hartford, CT and Vermont.
The children range in age from 15-month preschoolers to post B'nai Mitzvah eighth graders. Classes are purposefully small, with a teacher-student ratio of 1:10, and a whole child teaching philosophy is employed to ensure that each student's need are met. Emphasis is placed on academic achievement, developing a Jewish identity and building a strong sense of community responsibility.
