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.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
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:
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.
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.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
Monday, March 22, 2010
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.
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.
Friday, March 19, 2010
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.
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.
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