Wrestling.

The past two weeks have been busy with day job. But we've still been busy. There's just been less time to blog.

Last night, the School's Executive Committee had its summer meeting. We had a lot to discuss. Four and a half hours of things to discuss. And we got a lot accomplished, most of which is very exciting, including discussing new personnel. There's lots going on Kadima this year, and every week it seems as though there is something new and exciting happening. Last night was no exception.

People often wonder happens at these meetings. I do, too, sometimes. Last night, we met and discussed the new pre-school director, dealt with budgetary and financial issues, got an update on our by law revision, examined some changes to the lunch program, discussed the hiring of the new school rabbi, and then spent a great deal of time discussing our upcoming retreat and most significantly, this thorny issue of school philosophy and vision.

Philosophy and vision, as I've already written about, is hard stuff. Once you get past the generalities and banalities of "excellence" and "life long learners"--both of which are important but hardly represent novel thinking for a school--it gets harder to really articulate who you are as a school and what you want to be. When you add cultural and philosophical differences, the conversation gets really interesting.

But it is tough stuff. And we're wrestling with it. Trying to define something beyond generalities is a bit like nailing jello to the wall, but our wrestling is good and will make us stronger. Wrestling, after all, is how Jacob became Israel.

Tomorrow night our summer work continues as Bill Cohen and I will be meeting with the co-presidents of the PTO.