On Sunday, August 30, 2009, the Board is having its annual Board retreat. I'll be blogging about it later in the week, but it should be a very interesting and worthwhile day for the Board, for Bill, and for Kadima.
After 12 hours of discussions, the Executive Committee has made five findings and recommendations for the Board to adopt that go to the heart of the type of school we want Kadima to be. We know that this year is critical to the school's success, and we want to do things right. So we've given a lot of thought to the kind of school we think needs to exist, and will be working on making Kadima that kind of place.
We've got much work ahead of us.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Check out the handball courts!
If you've been around the school this summer, you might have seen the new paint job on the handball courts. They've been painted light blue and now have the Kadima logo.
There's two reasons we did this. First, it looks better, but second, and more importantly, it is important that we are all proud of our school. We all spend an awful lot of money to send our kids to the school, so it is important that we all support it, not only financially, but also with our hearts. When you see the logo on the handball courts, and likely also see several of the kids playing "two touch" on them, remember that the work we're doing at the school is sacred; it is the work of educating our future. And remember to show the same kind of caring and commitment to the school that you would your own family; once we all do this, Kadima will truly be a special place of learning and community that we all seek it to be.
There's two reasons we did this. First, it looks better, but second, and more importantly, it is important that we are all proud of our school. We all spend an awful lot of money to send our kids to the school, so it is important that we all support it, not only financially, but also with our hearts. When you see the logo on the handball courts, and likely also see several of the kids playing "two touch" on them, remember that the work we're doing at the school is sacred; it is the work of educating our future. And remember to show the same kind of caring and commitment to the school that you would your own family; once we all do this, Kadima will truly be a special place of learning and community that we all seek it to be.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Standardized Tests.
The California Department of Education this morning released the results from its annual round of standardized tests. You can see the press release here. This is a big deal for the public schools, not only for bragging rights, but if the schools fail to improve or meet certain standards, they may lose funding pursuant to provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
It's also a big deal because many parents and others look at test scores to determine how well their school is doing. This is highly controversial, since educators will tell you-and tell you again--that test scores are only one measure of how well a school is educating its students. It is also the easiest measure for most of us to understand. It doesn't take an educational psychologist to look at test scores and see that one school did better than another school. It is far more difficult--and may in fact, take an educational psychologist--to discern whether a school is adequately educating students without using objective metrics like test scores.
At Kadima, we don't do CST testing, but we do conduct standardized testing provided by the Educational Research Bureau, and the tests are customarily known as ERBs. The ERBs are given by independent schools nationwide, and this allows for Kadima to compare itself to a variety of other similar and dissimilar schools. It also allows the administration and staff to review our program every year. Still, the ERBs, as our principal, Yuri Hronsky says, form but one measurement of how the students are doing and more importantly, how Kadima is doing in its core mission of educating our children. It is not, however, the only measurement.
Our Middle School families recently received ERB results from this past year; our elementary school parents can receive them by contacting the school. Either way, I strongly encourage all parents to meet with the school administration to examine their students' test results. It is important that you look beyond the score--regardless of whether the score is stellar or whether it is something else--and fully understand it. And at Kadima, the administration is there for to help you through this process.
We'll be talking more about test scores, ERBs and other metrics in the weeks ahead.
It's also a big deal because many parents and others look at test scores to determine how well their school is doing. This is highly controversial, since educators will tell you-and tell you again--that test scores are only one measure of how well a school is educating its students. It is also the easiest measure for most of us to understand. It doesn't take an educational psychologist to look at test scores and see that one school did better than another school. It is far more difficult--and may in fact, take an educational psychologist--to discern whether a school is adequately educating students without using objective metrics like test scores.
At Kadima, we don't do CST testing, but we do conduct standardized testing provided by the Educational Research Bureau, and the tests are customarily known as ERBs. The ERBs are given by independent schools nationwide, and this allows for Kadima to compare itself to a variety of other similar and dissimilar schools. It also allows the administration and staff to review our program every year. Still, the ERBs, as our principal, Yuri Hronsky says, form but one measurement of how the students are doing and more importantly, how Kadima is doing in its core mission of educating our children. It is not, however, the only measurement.
Our Middle School families recently received ERB results from this past year; our elementary school parents can receive them by contacting the school. Either way, I strongly encourage all parents to meet with the school administration to examine their students' test results. It is important that you look beyond the score--regardless of whether the score is stellar or whether it is something else--and fully understand it. And at Kadima, the administration is there for to help you through this process.
We'll be talking more about test scores, ERBs and other metrics in the weeks ahead.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Rudy's Back and How to Save Some Money Buying Lunch.
By now you've received the word that Rudy Gonzales, our long time former chef of the Kadima Kitchen, is returning to the school for this coming year. Rudy worked at La Scala for decades and spent years after that working for Kadima. His unique personality and great food have been a mainstay for generations of Kadima kids. We're glad to have him back.
If you're like my son, you eat a hot lunch at school almost every day. In fact, for years, Avi would say that the one of the best things about the school was the food in the cafeteria. That and the sports program. And the teachers. And the kids. But it was Rudy's food that really got him going. It was hot, tasty and kosher. If you're also like many of us, with busy mornings, it's great having the ability to avoid packing a lunch everyday. We're lucky to have a great kitchen and a great chef for our kids.
This year, for those of you with kids like Avi who buy lunch almost every day, we have a plan whereby you can purchase a whole semester's worth of lunch for about a 13 percent discount. This means that if your child gets a hot lunch 90 percent of the time, you've paid only 87 percent the cost (i.e., you've saved 3 percent) if you purchased lunches on a bimonthly basis. If your child eats more than that, then you save even more money.
In other words, the semester plan is really a good deal if your kid, like mine, eats hot lunch almost every day at school. It's a great way to save some money, avoid the hassle of lunch calendars, and also ensure that your child has a hot, healthy, nutritious, delicious and kosher lunch every day.
Think about it.
If you're like my son, you eat a hot lunch at school almost every day. In fact, for years, Avi would say that the one of the best things about the school was the food in the cafeteria. That and the sports program. And the teachers. And the kids. But it was Rudy's food that really got him going. It was hot, tasty and kosher. If you're also like many of us, with busy mornings, it's great having the ability to avoid packing a lunch everyday. We're lucky to have a great kitchen and a great chef for our kids.
This year, for those of you with kids like Avi who buy lunch almost every day, we have a plan whereby you can purchase a whole semester's worth of lunch for about a 13 percent discount. This means that if your child gets a hot lunch 90 percent of the time, you've paid only 87 percent the cost (i.e., you've saved 3 percent) if you purchased lunches on a bimonthly basis. If your child eats more than that, then you save even more money.
In other words, the semester plan is really a good deal if your kid, like mine, eats hot lunch almost every day at school. It's a great way to save some money, avoid the hassle of lunch calendars, and also ensure that your child has a hot, healthy, nutritious, delicious and kosher lunch every day.
Think about it.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Kadimawear.
For years people have often wondered how they get something to wear with a Kadima logo on it.
Now you can with a few clicks. And the school will get 3% of the value of every purchase.
If you click here you will go to the Land's End site. Once there, then click on the "school uniforms" tab (you need select the size you want). That will take you to the school uniform site, and smack in the middle there is a "cloud" in the picture that says, "Look up your preferred school." Click on the cloud and then search for Kadima. Once you've found Kadima, you can buy anything in the school uniforms tab and add a Kadima logo to it.
NO, we don't have uniforms. But you can order polo shirts, backpacks, jackets, and other things and have the Kadima logo embroidered on to it.
So show your support of Kadima and start wearing your Kadimawear!
Now you can with a few clicks. And the school will get 3% of the value of every purchase.
If you click here you will go to the Land's End site. Once there, then click on the "school uniforms" tab (you need select the size you want). That will take you to the school uniform site, and smack in the middle there is a "cloud" in the picture that says, "Look up your preferred school." Click on the cloud and then search for Kadima. Once you've found Kadima, you can buy anything in the school uniforms tab and add a Kadima logo to it.
NO, we don't have uniforms. But you can order polo shirts, backpacks, jackets, and other things and have the Kadima logo embroidered on to it.
So show your support of Kadima and start wearing your Kadimawear!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Randi Riddle: New ECC Director
We've got some exciting news: Randi Riddle has joined the administration as Kadima's new Early Childhood Center Director.
This is really tremendous and a great opportunity for Randi and for Kadima. I know Randi from my years on the Executive Committee at Temple Aliyah, where Randi served for decades in various capacities in the Temple Aliyah ECE program. For approximately 7 years, until about two years ago, Randi was the Director of the wildly successful program at Temple Aliyah.
This really represents a new beginning for our pre-school program. Randi will bring direction, vision, and a successful track record. She will create a program that connects with the rest of the school's program and provides an excellent entry point for small children and their families beginning their journey of excellence, critical thinking, community and meaningful participation in Jewish life that are the hallmarks of a Kadima education.
It's very big news.
This is really tremendous and a great opportunity for Randi and for Kadima. I know Randi from my years on the Executive Committee at Temple Aliyah, where Randi served for decades in various capacities in the Temple Aliyah ECE program. For approximately 7 years, until about two years ago, Randi was the Director of the wildly successful program at Temple Aliyah.
This really represents a new beginning for our pre-school program. Randi will bring direction, vision, and a successful track record. She will create a program that connects with the rest of the school's program and provides an excellent entry point for small children and their families beginning their journey of excellence, critical thinking, community and meaningful participation in Jewish life that are the hallmarks of a Kadima education.
It's very big news.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
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.
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.
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