Pesach Sameach!

From all of us on the Board of Trustees, and from my family to yours, we wish a Happy and healthy Pesach!

And remember, please get your Board applications in to our nominating committee! We'd love to have you aboard on the Board next year.

It's More Than A School.

Over at the PEJE blog, the author mentions some interesting research being done at Brandeis University about the differences between independent schools and religious private schools. I found this fascinating, since PEJE and ISM are geared toward independent schools, with the former urging Jewish private schools to emulate the best practices of independent schools, and ISM being, well, "Independent School Management" advises independent schools.

Much of what we've done at Kadima in recent years has been to professionalize, modernize, and improve the school so its academic and social environment is competitive with the best of independent schools. We've always believed--and still believe--that we can only attract the best students if we offer what the best independent schools offer academically and socially, and also offer the additional benefits of an education deeply steeped in Jewish thought, values, and religious tradition. We think our educational product is better, and it has to be better if we are to survive.

Professor Renee Rubin Ross, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, recently examined communities at an independent school, a Catholic school and a Jewish Day School. Professor Rubin writes:

In contrast [to the independent school], parents at Jewish Day and St. Cornelius also spoke about the fact that these schools were a good fit academically and socially for their children, and how meaningful it was to support and be involved with a community institution; how they celebrated religious holidays with other families from the school; how families supported one another in times of need; and how they trusted the other families to help them raise their children. When I interviewed parents at each of the three schools, I asked the same questions, but the interviews with Jewish Day and St. Cornelius consistently took longer, because these parents had many more ways of connecting with the school (emphasis added).

As a result, parents of Jewish Day Schools had a far deeper emotional connection to the school than parents of independent schools. The latter's connection was academics; the former's connection was academics and community. Thus, Professor Ross found:

It may not be surprising that families connected to a Jewish or Catholic school had more to talk about than academics. But what was a little more surprising was that this different kind of relationship helped to buffer conflict between administrators and parents when it inevitably occurred. For example, when several students at College Prep were reported to have fallen behind, parents were angry, some to the point of being litigious. In contrast, when students at Jewish Day were reported to have not met curricular standards, parents were also angry, but they worked with the school to find solutions and improve teaching and learning.

At Kadima, we saw the emotional connection our parents have to our school explode recently, when a group of parents believed that we were significantly changing our school, and they did not understand what the changes were, or why they were happening. We also saw, at the Bagels with Jack and Bill meeting, that we were able, largely, to have a reasoned and productive discussion with our parents about these issues precisely because they all care deeply about the school and want it to succeed. Simply put, because of that emotional connection, the parents came to the meeting wanting to stay at Kadima and to understand our improvements. They didn't just leave.

Professor Ross's study also reveals something more with regard to Kadima. Kadima is, in some sense, a bi-cultural (or multi-cultural) environment. We are all Jewish, but many of us come from different places; as a result, we sometimes have different expectations of how a school should run, how to live our lives, and more importantly, how we view the goals of the institution. Recognizing this, the Board has carefully and clearly delineated its Mission and Core Beliefs to reduce misunderstandings and so everyone knows who we are and what are striving to achieve. Nonethless, when you combine the cultural differences between an American Jew and an Israeli Jew with Professor Ross's study showing that attendance in Jewish Day School involves emotional commitments, and you also recognize that parents in Jewish Day Schools are also looking for communities, you can see that you have a mixture that, if not carefully ministered, can be combustible, but if managed correctly, can be incredibly rich and valuable.

We think that Kadima has the incredibly rich and valuable version.

Shabbat Shalom.

Trustees.

At the last Bagels with Jack and Bill, several parents expressed a strong commitment to Kadima and a desire to understand where the school's general direction, and presumably influence that direction.

This is precisely what Trustees do. In addition to exercising general financial oversight--the Board is the group that ultimately bears fiduciary responsibility for the school--the Board tackles strategic issues such as determining the Mission and Core Beliefs of the school, and then spends the rest of the time providing resources--through fundraising and donations--to enable the Head of School to implement the Board's vision.

Ultimately, the fundamental responsibility of the Board is to think strategically: as Trustees, our goal is to take necessary actions to ensure the school's survival into the future. The best example of what the Board does is this: the Board asks, "do we need a new library, and if so, how can we fund it?" The Board does not ask, "We heard there was an argument in the library last Thursday, what happened?"

If you are strategic thinker and share a commitment to ensuring that there remains a place where students can obtain the finest in General and Jewish education, then please consider joining our Board and becoming a Kadima Trustee.

Be on the Board.

Soon you will all be receiving a note from me soliciting your participation on the Kadima Board of Trustees. I hope that all of you will consider joining the Board of Trustees and working with us to continue to support Kadima.

Kadima needs committed Trustees to carry forward the work we're doing and ensure Kadima's future remains vibrant and bright.

Intellectual Challenge.

I was listening recently to This American Life, an excellent radio show that is also podcasted. The episode was entitled "Save the Day" and was about people who seem to swoop in and rescue or handle certain situations. The last segment was about the University of Montvallo's annual Life Raft Debate. The premise is as follows:

In the Life Raft Debate, we imagine that there has been a nuclear war, and the survivors (the audience) are setting sail to rebuild society from the ground up. There is a group of academic-types vying to get on the raft, and only one seat is left. Each professor has to argue that his or her discipline is the one indispensable area of study that the new civilization will need to flourish. At the end of the debating, the audience votes and the lucky winner climbs aboard, waving goodbye to the others.

Each debate includes a historian or English professor, or an Art Historian, or something like that, and they all try to convince the audience that their discipline is most important for the future. There is also a "Devil's Advocate" who argues that the audience should reject all of the presentations.

In the radio program, the Devil's Advocate--and English professor--won. He pointed out that the speakers, in an effort to "win" eschewed real argument, and simply relied upon fluff and funny presentations. He implored the audience that what was needed, because this is a college, after all, were arguments that provided intellectual challenge, and not just gimmicks that made people laugh, even if the latter did help the contestants win. His speech was so effective that the audience did reject the gimmicks and voted for the Devil's Advocate.

What does this have to do with Kadima? Some tend to focus on whether our kids are "happy" at school, rather than whether they are happy and learning. We sometimes forget that Kadima, at bottom, is a school. Kadima is not about entertainment, it is about educating our children; it is about challenging them, teaching them, motivating them, and developing them--all within in an environment permeated with traditional Jewish values. Kadima is not a day care center, or a day camp; Kadima's core job is to teach and to challenge our kids intellectually and spiritually. This means that sometimes kids will have difficulties and tough days; but the great thing is that Kadima's teachers don't desert the children in their time of difficulty; on the contrary, the teachers guide the children through the challenges. What was once hard becomes easier; yet, it becomes easier not because we have changed the task or lowered the goal, but because we have taught our kids how to master the challenge.

A Challenge to Jewish Private Schools.

Recently, the William Hart School District in Santa Clarita authorized a charter school that will, among other things, teach Hebrew to its students. It is not--because the United States Constitution prohibits it--a religious school. Rather, it is a school in which Hebrew will be one of many foci.

Charter schools are free because they receive public funds. It is precisely because of this, however, that they cannot be religious in orientation. Thus, they are very different than a Jewish private school, which, by definition, teaches particular religious values and traditions. Indeed, Kadima is a Solomon Schechter Day School, which means that its particular philosophical bent is tied to Conservative Judaism.

At Kadima, we believe being a Jewish private school, and being a Schechter School both mean something. They effect, in the broadest sense, how we teach our students. They mean that we are Jewish school, and not just a good language school, or a school based upon strong teaching of humanities. They also mean that our curriculum is integrated, and we focus academically upon both General Studies and Judaic Studies, in addition to inculcating Jewish values and religious traditions. Thus, our students (well, the older ones, anyway) study Jewish subjects with equal intellectual fervor as they study General Studies. Our Judaic Studies program is more than just celebrating holidays, although that is part of it.

It remains to be seen whether Hebrew charter schools will be successful. At best they will provide good language instruction; at worst, they seem to me that to be kind of like a cupcake: It takes good, but lacks any real nutrients.

At Kadima, we have lots of nutrients for the mind and the soul. We'll teach your kids Hebrew--because Hebrew is a key to rich understanding of Jewish philosophy and spirituality as well as being the language of Israel. But we'll also teach your kids the tools to find meaning in the richness and wonder of Jewish thought and Jewish life.

At Kadima, we're a Jewish school. And that's something that a charter school can never be.

Bagels and Insight.

This morning, for more than three hours, our Head of School and I met with about 40 parents to discuss recent school events.

It was a very healthy and important meeting. A variety of parents spoke about rumors (no matter how much we seek to provide information, there always will be rumors) and other concerns, and Bill addressed them. Others spoke generally about their commitment to Kadima and their love for the institution. Some spoke about cultural differences between members of the community, and how we need to work together to overcome those challenges.

From a Board perspective, and certainly from my vantage point as President, I learned several things.

First, no matter how much we try to contact people by email or other forms of communication (including this blog), we are never able to reach everyone. We will keep trying, and certainly, if you are reading this email, you are probably better informed than most. However, this being 2010, email is going to remain our primary form of mass communication with our community.

Second, many do not have a good understanding of the function of a Board of Trustees of an independent school. Our Board--as a Board--probably needs to have a higher profile; however, it is the Head of School who runs the school, and we don't want the perception to be anything else. What the Board does not do, and this is probably the biggest surprise to new Board members, is micromanage the school. As a result, Trustees do not "know" everything that goes on at the school, and what we do "know" generally involves thinking about things such as vision and where we want the school to go, and how we can pay for it. We don't get involved in staffing decisions and generally the Board doesn't know about such decisions until after they occur.

The meeting was a great way for our families to vent, to listen, and be part of a great community.

I'll have more thoughts on this later, but for now, I need Shabbat.

Shabbat shalom.

Shalhevet Closes Everything But High School.

This is a sad news. Yesterday, Shalevet, a nursery through high school, Modern Orthodox school, announced that it was closing everything but its high school. The press release is here.

This is extremely disappointing, but a clear reflection of the economic realities associated with operating a private school. The blunt fact is that it costs a fortune to provide excellent educational programs, and most people do not have a fortune to spend on their children's education. I don't know the specifics regarding Shalhevet's situation, but I can only assume that they did not have enough enrollment to support their institution, and so the Board decided that they would try to go back to their roots, and focus exclusively on high school. It took courage and honesty to face their situation and I commend the Board for its action.

PEJE recently wrote about an article by Jack Wertheimer, a historian at JTS, who recently wrote an interesting article about the high costs of being Jewish, and the apparent indifference of the organized Jewish community in subsidizing the high cost of Jewish life. Wertheimer is an excellent writer. His book on Conservative synagogues and Conservative Jews in America is fascinating reading. In his article, he writes:

In households and communities, the recession has also brought to the fore an “affordability crisis” that has been gathering for decades. At the heart of this crisis is an unyielding reality: above and beyond what Jews expend on the usual necessities and conveniences, it costs a great deal to live an active Jewish life. Growing numbers of families worry that they will not be able to pay the ever-rising bills associated with full participation in Jewish life.

Wertheimer points out that the cost of providing an active Jewish life for children can be staggering:

By far the greatest costs for many families are incurred from Jewish education. A considerable minority of families now enrolls its children in the three most expensive forms of Jewish education: day schools meeting five or even six days a week, usually for seven to 10 hours a day; residential summer camps, which run sessions lasting from three to seven or eight weeks; and extended programs in Israel for a summer, semester, or year.

But Wertheimer also points out that these very programs possess huge value. He writes:

Why do parents spend these sums of money? For the same reason so many American parents expend staggering sums on college tuition: they believe they are getting value for their dollar. Immersive Jewish education may not provide the same kind of material payoff as a college diploma, but it greatly increases the chances of children learning the skills necessary for participation in religious life, living active Jewish lives, and identifying strongly with other Jews. Day-school tuition is the cost many parents believe they must bear if their children are to retain their heritage in a society that exerts enormous assimilatory pressures.

They are right. It takes time and considerable effort to transmit a strong identification with the Jewish religion and people; to nurture a facility in the different registers of the Hebrew language: biblical, rabbinic, and modern; to teach young Jews the classical texts of their civilization; to expose them to Jewish music, dance, and art; and to socialize them to live as Jews—all the while providing a first-rate general education. Ample research has limned the association between the number of “contact hours” young people spend in Jewish educational settings and their later levels of engagement. Simply put, “more” makes a significant difference. It is not hard to find adult alumni of day schools, summer camps, and Israel programs who attest to the formative impact of their experiences. Not surprisingly, many parents committed to Jewish life want their children to enjoy the same benefits.

Wertheimer argues that the government should provide a variety of assistance (and thus he wages into a battle over the separation of religion and government--which is probably why his article was published in Commentary) but also states:

Most federations of Jewish philanthropy have neither the resources nor the will to make affordability a priority, and other types of organizations don’t even pretend to pay attention.

This is the heart of the problem. No one seriously contends that Day Schools are expensive because they are trying to make a profit. The fact is that serious education costs a lot to provide, and unless you have significant critical mass to diffuse the cost, there is no way to avoid a hefty tuition bill. Yet, if major charities decided to support Day School education, to provide real, solid and meaningful sources of funding, then the cost could be spread, and more people could afford it, and more people would attend, which would further diffuse and lower the tuition cost.

Some major organizations have stepped into help. The Jim Joseph Foundation provides millions for financial aid to Day Schools; in fact, Kadima has received sums from the foundation and thus been able to provide desperately needed financial aid to some of its families. Federations in Boston, Phoenix and Chicago have also helped day schools.

In the end, without a concerted effort by the community to make them more affordable, day schools will remain a privilege and not a right. The sad thing, as Wertheimer points out, is that by not supporting investments in Jewish social capital (i.e. efforts that promote adult involvement in Jewish life), major Jewish organizations undermine one of their major principle goals of promoting Jewish life and the Jewish future.

One Community.

Kadima has a history of diversity. Even though it is a Jewish Day School, it is rich with diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Despite the social and culture differences, Kadima finds strength in being one community. While our backgrounds may differ, we all share core basic values:

• We all want the best for our children and their future.
  
• We all believe in the importance of a Jewish education.
• We all commit ourselves to providing the best complete educational experience for children.

As Kadima begins its celebration of its fortieth anniversary, we must understand and recommit themselves to being one community.

Change, as we have said over and over again, is hard. And while some aspects of Kadima will--must--change to ensure that we fulfill our Mission, one thing that will never change is Kadima's commitment to being one community, dedicated to providing our children with the finest education possible.

Communications.

Next Friday, at 8:00 a.m., Bill Cohen and I will be holding a meeting "Bagels with Jack and Bill" to discuss the school year, the Board's vision for the school, and anything else people want to discuss about the school.

I urge everyone to attend.

And you can always email me with your thoughts, concerns, or great recipes at kadimapresident@gmail.com.

Change.

In these days of change at Kadima, I want to reiterate what the Board of Trustees approved earlier this year as our Mission Statement and Core Beliefs:

Kadima Day School provides an integrated general and Judaic studies education that is comprehensive and academically challenging. Our commitment to educational excellence and Jewish tradition teaches our students to maximize their academic, social, physical and spiritual potentials. A Kadima education instills a strong sense of identity, preparedness for higher education and a commitment to responsible living guided by Jewish ethics and values.

Our Core Beliefs are:

• A modern, well-rounded curriculum that includes technology, Judaic studies, athletics and the arts instills a joy for learning beyond the walls of the classroom.
• Active learning engages students to become creative, critical, and analytical thinkers.
• Studying Jewish texts contributes to critical and analytical skills that are valuable throughout one's life.
• Understanding ritual observance, possessing a love for Israel and studying Judaism develop each student's own Jewish identity and ensures our continuity as a people.
• All knowledge is significant; everything we learn can inspire and help us along our respective paths.
• A partnership between teachers, staff, parents and the larger community provides the foundation for moral sensitivity and empathy for others, which is essential to achieving one's fullest potential.
• As graduates of a Solomon Schechter Day School, Kadima students develop their own deeper understanding of, and commitment to, Judaism. Our students create their own paths to meaningful, intellectual, sound, satisfying and productive lives.

This is not just language. It is what we are about; most importantly, it is what our Board of Trustees instructed our Head of School to accomplish.

In addition, the Board fully understood that to fulfill this vision, our school had to change the way it did business. And that change will make everyone, at some point, uncomfortable. But the Board remains committed to meeting our vision, and to assisting our Head of School in fulfilling the charge we have given to him.

None of this will be easy. But, already, we have done so much. Our school looks better, feels better, and is better than it ever has been. We know that because our enrollment is up, our retention is up, and there is excitement in the hallways.

The road may rocky at points, but we are moving forward.

And we will reach our goals.

Strategic Boards.

The Bylaws Committee has finally finished its draft proposal. It will be holding a hearing next week for Board members to comment about the Bylaws.

One of the major contemplated changes in the Bylaws is to have the Board select and appoint itself. In short, the current leadership picks its successors.

As a natural democrat (note the small "d"), I was initially against a proposal that would take some of the democracy away from the selection of the Board. However, after considering the proposal, and communicating with other Board presidents, I realize that it makes a lot of sense.

First, being on the Board of an independent school is not like being on the School Board of LAUSD; Board members do not represent anyone but the school. Their role is to help fulfill the School's stated mission through application of their time, talent, and resources. Their fundamental job is to raise the school's image, raise the number of students, and raise money for the school. Their job is not represent discrete factions within the school social fabric.

Second, Board members--and by this I mean the whole Board, and not Executive Committee members--have more knowledge about what it means to be on the Board and what is needed for the future than just about anyone else. Board members are uniquely qualified to make strategic picks for the Board that mesh with the school's overall strategic direction.

Third, in the past decade, few people who were not nominated themselves ever came to an election meeting; thus, it's not as if everyone is voting and now we are disenfranchising them.

So the proposed Bylaws gives the Board, through a detailed and open process, the right to select the school's future leadership.

This is not only best practice, but it makes a lot of sense.

Even for a democrat like me.

Don't Just Believe Me...

As President of Kadima, it is part of my job description to be a public cheerleader for the school. This is easier than it sounds; Kadima is a wonderful place, and it is getting stronger and better every day.

But don't just take it from me.

Yesterday I had the immense pleasure of receiving a letter from a parent of the school telling us just how much she loves the school. She wrote:

I’m a parent to 2 kids at kadima for the past 2.5 years. I wanted to express my appreciation to the new head of school, Bill Cohen, and to the new ECEC Director, Randi Riddle. I think they are doing an amazing job, and I feel it on a daily basis.

The author then continued:

Kadima. . . [is] an amazing place to be. It feels very family oriented, but still very professional. Things are being taken care off immediately, and in a very positive way.

With regard to the administration, the author stated:

Bill Cohen is professional, strict, and takes care of business. I feel the school is in great hands. . . . I have to say that Randi is unbelievable; she is so energetic; you feel her presence in all ECEC; if I have an issue, she always knows about it and takes care of it before I get to her (and I get pretty fast). I just love her.

The author then spoke directly about her kids, who are in Kadima's Gesher class and the Kindergarten class, writing that:

Ms Raj and Sarit are very special to me. They are a very powerful team together. Sarit is a big heart . . . And Ms Raj, has something very unique. She is a teacher that one will remember for life. . . I feel so lucky that both my kids got to be in the Gesher class and enjoy such a wonderful, respecting, loving, and life changing experience. . . My daughter. . . is in kindergarten, and again, I’m so happy. Iris is so wonderful, always teaches with happiness, respect, and interest. My daughter loves her and enjoys going to school. Ms Weissman was amazing too, and I must say thank you to Bill Cohen who did a great job at replacing Ms. Weisman [with Ms. Quick when Ms. Weissman] had her baby. . . .once again, Bill Cohen knows his work, and got a perfect match.

Finally, the author concluded:

I feel that Kadima is getting better and better every day, and I can say with all my heart that it is a great place to be.

Res ipsa loquitur.

Open Meetings.

At last month's Board meeting, the Board expressly reaffirmed that our meetings remain open to all. While the Board may adjourn to executive session to discuss sensitive proprietary, financial or legal information, in general, our meetings remain open to all.

Apparently, size does matter--at least class size does.

We've been noticing a developing phenomenon: the large class sizes in public schools--the tumult in public school in general--is forcing people to begin to think about sending their children to private school. It remains to be seen whether concern that your seventh grader's English class is 41 people will get you to consider spending tens of thousands of dollars for something that you thought you were getting for free. Of course, you never really were getting what you get at Kadima for free; not only does Kadima offer its students a rigorous intellectual study of Judaism (something that you simply cannot get except in a Jewish private school), but Kadima also provides a level of differentiated attention, critical thinking, and spiritual education that no longer exists at most public schools, and probably never did.

The fact that large classes--larger than ever existed historically--is impacting the effectiveness of public education in most schools is hardly surprising. It is well established that smaller classes have the best chance of positive educational outcomes. For a good discussion about the importance of class size, look here. What is interesting is that parents are now getting this; the class sizes have gotten so large at public school that the teachers simply cannot handle them. As a result, parents are now looking at an option that they never previously would have considered: spending lots of money to send their kids to private school.

So the decline in public schools presents an opportunity for private schools, including Kadima. This is unfortunate, since our society suffers with poor public schools; and, strong public schools only force private schools to be stronger. Indeed, notwithstanding the struggle of public schools, our challenge remains to demonstrate to those who would have never looked at Jewish private school that we are worth the considerable expense it costs to send your kids there.

And we are meeting this challenge. I urge anyone reading this that, if you haven't done so, take a tour of Kadima and talk with our administration, teachers, and parents, and you'll see what I mean.

The kids are learning and developing and achieving. In small classes, of course.