Moving Forward: Finding The Next Great Leader for Kadima Hebrew Academy

President's Blog

2009-06-22T15:32:00.001-07:00

I've become the President of the Board of Trustees.

Check out my new blog at:

presidentkadima.blogspot.com

What Happens Now?

2009-03-16T14:18:00.001-07:00

The blog went silent.

It went silent because, well, we've got a new Head of School, and so, the search for the Next Great Leader of Kadima Hebrew Academy is over.

We're all very excited that Bill Cohen will be serving as our new leader. In recent discussions we've had, Bill has confirmed our sense of him: he will be a strong, effective, capable, and wise leader for Kadima, who will shepherd the school to even greater levels of success.

During the next several months, before he starts in July, the school administration and lay leadership will be working with Bill to ease his transition to the Kadima community so when he officially starts his new job in July, 2009, he'll hit the ground running. Brett Grauman, our capable Treasurer, will be serving as the Transition Coordinator; he'll be overseeing the transition process during the next several weeks. I'll still be involved in an advisory role, too.

This whole process was intensely educational, and we were extremely lucky to have a Search Committee that was dedicated and effective in finding Bill Cohen and bringing him to lead Kadima.

Now the future begins.

Thanks to the Committee.

2009-02-25T10:55:00.000-08:00

Before it closes up shop completely, I want to be sure and thank our great Head of School Search Committee members. They are:

Shawn Evenhaim, President, KHA
Mark Teitelbaum, Executive Vice-President, KHA
Brett Grauman, Vice-President, Finance, KHA
Natalie Spiewak, President, KHA PTO
Rabbi Richard Camras, Shomrei Torah Synagogue
Rabbi Stewart Vogel, Temple Aliyah
Howard Wang, Founding Director, Sierra Canyon School
Elana Zimmerman, former President, New Community Jewish High School, and parent of KHA alumnae
Leora Raikin, parent of KHA student
Mari Siegel, Member of Faculty, KHA

Each of these individuals gave of their selves--in time, energy, and commitment--with the goal of finding the best Head of School candidate for Kadima.

I honor their commitment, their opinions, their honesty, and their wisdom.

The school's debt to them is enormous.

Whither the Blog?

2009-02-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

Lots of entries, today.

Now that we've hired a new Head of School, it would appear that we don't need this blog anymore. But that's not true. The next several months--before Bill takes over in July--will be a time of transition, and there will be a variety of issues we can talk about on this blog. So for now, I intend on continuing to blog about matters related to the transition, and other related issues.

So keep checking for updates.

What happens now?

2009-02-25T09:11:00.000-08:00

With the announcement that Bill Cohen is Head of School-Elect, the Search Committee is now out of business, but the Transition Committee is forming, and it will spend the next several months working with Bill on, unsurprisingly, transition issues. Bill doesn't take over as Head of School until July 1, but we want him to hit the ground running when he arrives.

Our new principal, Yuri Hronsky, is actively working on planning for next year. Yuri is meeting with parents--and especially parents of the elementary school-- to discuss his new role as principal of the entire school.

It is an exciting time. With a new leader on deck, and a new principal taking over the entire school, it is a time of change, of planning, of innovation, and most of all, of immense hope and potential.

Hazak, hazak, ve-nithazek!

About Bill Cohen.

2009-02-25T09:06:00.000-08:00

Kadima today also, in addition to the announcement below, issued the following biography about its new Head of School:

MEET BILL COHEN

A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Bill Cohen struck a chord with the Search Committee when,
quoting the words of Ahavah Rabah, as he wrote: “Lilmod, u’lilamed, lishmor, v’laasot. (To learn, to teach, to guard and to do….). These inspiring words, from the shacharit service, inform my vision of the appropriate role of a Jewish Day School’s Head of School.” Bill then discussed how learning, teaching, guarding and doing are all critical in serving a school as a successful Head of School. Bill’s vision for Jewish day school education—a program that completely integrates general and Judaic studies in an environment that is also recognizes and nurtures the spiritual, immediately revealed to the Committee that Bill would be a special candidate for Kadima’s Head of School position.

Through all of our interviews and discussions, Bill demonstrated that he is more than just statements of educational theory. He is a doer; he understands the realities of educational
administration—for many years teaching a year-long graduate school course revolving around
Educational Administration at the American Jewish University—and he understands that a
school can only realize its true potential when the various parts of the school community—
students, teachers, administrators and parents—work together to realize their shared hopes and
dreams for the school and its students.

Bill brings a record of educational excellence to Kadima. He led Los Angeles Hebrew High
School for nine years. During that time, student enrollment dramatically increased, as did
community support for the school. The school was rebuilt into a jewel of the community: a self
sustaining, educationally excellent, and professionally led educational institution. Through sheer
hard work, Bill’s team developed an invigorated educational program, and motivated all of the
key constituencies of the organization—administrators, teachers, students, parents and Board—
such that when it was time for Bill to join the independent day school world, the school
continued to be energized, successful and effective.

Bill has spent the last eight months serving as an Assistant Head of School and Director of Judaic
and Hebrew Studies at the Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School in Northridge.

Bill earned his Bachelors of Arts degree in Politics from Brandeis University. For nearly ten years after college, Bill worked successfully, on the East Coast, in the real estate and marketing
world, where he learned critical management and business skills that have served him well in the
Jewish educational world. Ultimately, however, Bill decided to pursue a calling in Jewish Education, and earned a Master of Arts in Education and a Bachelor of Literature
in Hebrew Letters at the University of Judaism (now the AJU). In addition, Bill has served for many years on the national Executive Board of the Jewish Educators Assembly, currently serving as its Treasurer.

Bill is married to Cheryl, the proud parents of three children, Jonah (10), Ari (6) and Cayla (3), each of whom plan to attend Kadima in the fall of 2009.

Bill Cohen, Head of School-Elect

2009-02-25T09:02:00.001-08:00

The school issued the following letter today:

February 24, 2009
30 Shevat 5769

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, it is our pleasure to announce that Kadima Hebrew
Academy has selected William B. Cohen as our new Head of School, beginning July 1,
2009. The Board’s decision was unanimous. It was based upon its own interview of Mr.
Cohen and the enthusiastic and equally unanimous decision of the Head of School Search
Committee. The Committee recognized that Bill’s demonstrated leadership success,
sophisticated educational philosophy, positive energy, deep managerial acumen, strong
character, and compelling vision will provide Kadima with the leadership it needs to
continue to establish itself as a locus for educational and academic excellence in the West
San Fernando Valley.

Bill comes to us with an impressive record of successfully leading, creating, and
developing educational programs and institutions. For nine years, Bill served as the Head
of School/Principal for Los Angeles Hebrew High School and transformed the institution
with remarkable results. During his tenure, Bill improved the school’s academic program
and image which led to renewed enthusiasm for the institution . The school experienced
an unprecedented surge in student population growth, with an increased student body of
approximately 70 percent. Moreover, Bill led the school to improve dramatically its
fundraising and financial prowess and success.

During the past year, Bill has served as an Assistant Head of School and Director of
Hebrew and Judaic Studies of the Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School, working closely
with the Rabbi, Hebrew Studies coordinators, and faculty. Bill chose to leave Heschel
solely because he views Kadima’s position as a unique opportunity to fulfill his dream of
serving as the Head of an independent Jewish Day School in Los Angeles. Finally, Bill
has, for seven years, served as a Lecturer in Education at the American Jewish University,
where he teaches graduate level courses in Educational Administration. With this
background, it is not surprising that the Committee heard Bill described by leaders and
educators in the Jewish community as “phenomenal”, a “mensch”, a “true leader”, “a
great motivator who gets things done,” and by a former President of Kadima who knew
well of Bill's work at Hebrew High, "perfect for the job."

Possessing remarkable energy, analytical skills, and most of all, menschlekeit, Bill
recognizes Jewish Day Schools succeed most when they successfully integrate Judaic and
General Studies. He is passionate in his belief that teachers are the “frontline” in
forwarding the school’s educational mission. Bill also understands that the Head of
School is the “guardian” for each of the school’s stakeholders, and is ultimately responsible for the school’s success. Perhaps most importantly, Bill recognizes that, in the end,
developing a community—of students, parents, and teachers--committed to active learning is
essential in the creation of a dynamic, effective, and successful Jewish Day School.
Bill joins us along with his wife, Cheryl, who is a teacher of Jewish Law at Milken Community
High School, as well as his children, Jonah (10), Ari (6), and Cayla (4), each of whom plans to
attend Kadima next year.

Upon accepting his appointment, Bill said, “It is an incredible honor and privilege to have been
selected as Kadima’s incoming Head of School. I have been highly impressed with both the
knowledge and character of the students, faculty, families and administration of Kadima
throughout my years in Los Angeles, and greatly look forward to joining the entire Kadima
community along with my family. This position is one which fulfills a dream, and I am both
humbled and exhilarated by the opportunity of leading Kadima to a bright and vibrant future.”

The Search Committee, consisting of Trustees, community and Rabbinic leaders, faculty, and
parent representatives, engaged in a national search for a new Head of School, seeking the best candidate to lead Kadima. The Committee received numerous resumes and applications, spoke to several Search Consultants and advisors, and conducted a variety of interviews. The
Committee also solicited and considered the input of parents, faculty members, and
administrators. Through this process the Committee, and the Board, concluded that Bill is the
best candidate to lead Kadima into the future.

Please join us in welcoming Bill, Cheryl, Jonah, Ari and Cayla to the Kadima community.

So now it's official. Bill Cohen will be our next "Great Leader" for Kadima Hebrew Academy. Let's all be sure to give Bill and his family an incredible welcome to Kadima.

Get Those Admissions Contracts In!

2009-02-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

This Friday is February 27, which means that enrollment contracts are due. The school has wisely created an incentive for people to get their contracts back on time: a significant discount in tuition. This will be a firm deadline, folks, so if you want to save the $700, return your contracts.

We're doing this for a reason: we need to plan for next year, and we can't do it very well unless we know what our enrollment looks like. So please...return your enrollment renewals (and deposit) by Friday.

And yes, we'll have some exciting Head of School news very soon...check back tomorrow!

Silence.

2009-02-23T11:16:00.000-08:00

What happened?

All this blogging, a Finalist candidate comes and visits, and then nothing? Not a morsel? Not an off topic comment about the kids or some educational theory?

Stay tuned.

We'll have lots of news very soon.

In the words of J.K Rowling, "...all will be revealed."

Erev Finalist Day.

2009-02-16T19:52:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow both Bill Cohen and Kadima Hebrew Academy will have a long day. Bill will be meeting with parents, Head of School, faculty, administration, Finance Committee, Board, and the Search Committee.

It's going to be a long day for everyone.

But it may just be beginning of the future for Kadima Hebrew Academy.

Getting Ready for Tuesday.

2009-02-13T16:36:00.000-08:00

The Staff and Committee are preparing for Tuesday's big event. It will be a long day, as there are many meetings, and we are all anticipating an eventful and exciting day.

We've already received a variety of excellent questions from our parents, and we are looking forward to receiving more. Please feel free to send your questions to kadimaheadsearch@gmail.com over the weekend.

Tuesday's meetings will follow a general process, namely there will be an introduction, a summary of the process thus far, and then a statement from Mr. Cohen. After that, there will be time for questions and answers and if time permits, some meeting and greeting. Parents will then have the chance to fill out a short survey form that will be given to the Search Committee for its review.

We hope our parents can attend; this is their chance to weigh in on the selection of the Next Great Leader of Kadima Hebrew Academy.

Shabbat Shalom.

We Hear You.

2009-02-12T09:31:00.000-08:00

As we have contacted parents about the morning meeting with Mr. Cohen, we've heard some concerns about the need for child care. We hear you. As a result, we will be providing child care from 7:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. for ECC age kids. But again, please RSVP so we know that you're coming and will need child care.

Excitement.

2009-02-12T07:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, with the announcement that Bill Cohen was a Finalist for the position, the traffic on this blog hit a record, with more than 100 page visits and more than 50 visitors to it. While that's a microscopic number in the blog world, where hits number in the hundreds of thousands, it does reflect that when people want to get some news about the Search, they are beginning to know to look in this space. This was the purpose of the blog, so we're happy it's beginning to work the way we had hoped.

The fact that we now have a name to the Finalist is generating excitement in our community. This is great, and everyone who wants to will have a chance to meet Bill on Tuesday. To our parents, if you have questions for Bill, please try to send them to us in advance, at kadimaheadsearch@gmail.com. Also, be sure RSVP that you are coming to the event by notifying Sera at the Kadima office at 818.346.0849 or sending her a note at sera@kadimaacademy.org.

But with any impending change, there is always some apprehension, and when you have apprehension, you can get rumors. Ignore them. They almost always are not true. And if there is information that is important, you will read about it here.

More later.

Finalist Day Schedule

2009-02-12T07:27:00.000-08:00

We've got an aggressive schedule planned for Bill Cohen's visit this coming Tuesday.

It will include:

Meeting with Parents
Meeting with Administration
Meeting with Finance Committee
Meeting with Board
Meeting with Faculty
Meeting with Search Committee

While this schedule will be exhausting for everyone--especially Bill--both Bill and the Committee want him to have the opportunity to meet all of our stakeholders and to get to know the school--and for the school to get to know him.

Bill Cohen's Educational Philosophy

2009-02-11T08:18:00.000-08:00

As part of the application process, Bill, like our other applicants, submitted a statement of educational philosophy to the Committee for its review. Bill's focused upon the role of the Head of School of Jewish Day School. It follows:

ללמוד וללמד לשמור ולעשות (from Ahavah Rabbah)

Lilmod, u’lilamed, lishmor, v’laasot

(To learn, to teach, to guard and to do….)

These inspiring words, from the shacharit service, inform my vision of the appropriate role of a Jewish Day School’s Head of School.

“Lilmod” the learning of the students, is the action and activity which all of the constituencies of the school must work in concert to achieve. The best type of learning, be it General or Judaic Studies, is authentic, active, and relevant. Students respond best when they are introduced to text, concepts, and curriculum to which they understand some type of connection. In a Jewish day school, there are opportunities for integration in learning between Judaic and General studies. When this type of integration occurs, students are able to make connections between “secular” and Judaic subjects in a meaningful way, allowing them to deepen their knowledge on multiple levels. “Active learning” means that teachers provide students with activities for learning. The amount of frontal lecture, along with questions to be answered by one student, should be limited to absolute necessity. Cooperative learning (chevruta, in Judaic studies) should be encouraged. The highest form of learning happens when a student is given an opportunity to teach what they have learned. According to Mel Silberman’s “Active Learning Credo”:

What I hear, I forget.

What I hear and see, I remember a little.

What I hear, see and ask questions about or discuss, I begin to understand.

What I hear, see, discuss, and do, I acquire knowledge and skill.

What I teach to another, I master.

Authentic assessment is crucial in a day school, in order to ensure that the school’s learning goals are being met. The best learning occurs when Howard Gardner’s “multiple intelligences” are taken into consideration. When it comes to the study of classical Jewish texts (Bible, Mishnah/Talmud) a three level approach will be encouraged:

First Level: Pshat—What does the text say in Hebrew (key words and phrases) and

English?

Second Level: Midrash—How have the sages, beginning with the Talmud and ending with today’s “wise” men and women, interpreted the text? What questions have they had regarding the text? Has the meaning of the “pshat” changed over time?

Third Level: Personal Midrash—How does the study of the pshat (level one) and midrash (level two) inform my life? How do these studies change and inform my decision making today? What is the relevance of this study to my life?

Utilizing this three level approach, students, beginning in elementary school are able to engage in the classic Jewish conversation of the last two thousand years. The ultimate learning goal is to engage students so that they will become “life-long” learners.

U’lilamed: To teach. The school faculty is the “front line” in our first mission, to learn. Faculty must be given every possible opportunity to create viable learning experiences. We should ensure that our faculty are given appropriate professional development opportunities. We should, in all subject areas, understand that our curriculum is dynamic and therefore, we will continually seek programs that are “best practice” and most appropriate for our student body. Faculty deserve continual support, supervision and feedback. Faculty should work in partnership with department heads to continually hone their skills, and advance their practices as times, and learning technologies, progress. The buy-in of the faculty, into the mission of the school, is essential for the type of learning discussed above to become a reality.

L’shmor: To guard. The role of the Head of school is to be the “guardian” of each of the school’s key constituencies: students, parents, faculty, support staff, and Board of Trustees. While the relationship is unique to each of the constituencies, the Head of School must balance vision and leadership with communications and management. By “guardian” I would suggest that the Head of School will be the ultimate “decision-maker” when it comes to each of these constituencies, in their relationship to the school, except for the Board of Trustees. The Head of School is the guardian: managing, leading, inspiring, and holding each of the school’s leadership/management team members accountable for their responsibilities.

La’asot: To do. A Head of school must be aware that they are a role model to the entire school community. Each action which is taken can have impact, either constructive or destructive. At the foundation of any healthy school, is a governance team consisting of the Board of Trustees and the Head of School. Working as partners, collaboratively, with shared purpose and mutual respect, the Board of Trustees and the School Head must develop long and short term plans for creating excellence within the school community. Through the adoption of appropriate school policies and strategic plans (The Board) and the implementation of those policies (the School Head), the vision of the governance team can be realized.

Incredible things are possible when the right “match” is made between a school community, a Board of Trustees, and a Head of School.

And the Candidate is...

2009-02-10T18:10:00.001-08:00

We promised we'd give the information as soon as we could, and here it is:

We are pleased to announce that the Search Committee has unanimously selected Bill Cohen to be a Finalist for the position of Head of School of Kadima. As we have already announced, Bill will be visiting Kadima all day on February 17, 2009.

Bill is presently an Assistant Head of School/Director of Judaic and Hebrew Studies at Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School, in Northridge, California. A native of Boston, Bill graduated from Brandeis University in 1986 with a major in Politics, and received his Master of Arts Degree in Education from the Fingerhut School of Education of the University of Judaism (now American Jewish University). Bill served as the principal/head of school of Los Angeles Hebrew High School for nine years, during which time he improved the enrollment of the school by more than 70 percent. In addition to serving as the Assistant Head at Heschel, Bill also teaches Educational Administration at the American Jewish University.

We are very excited about Bill being a Finalist for the Head of School position. He's excited, too. We believe that Bill offers the combination of educational insight, management skill, and leadership acumen that will take Kadima to even greater levels of success.

Take the opportunity on Tuesday, February 17, to come meet Bill. The program for parents starts at 7:45 a.m. Be sure to RSVP to Sera at sera@kadimaacademy.org.

Stay tuned for more information.

What Are We Supposed To Ask?

2009-02-09T14:36:00.000-08:00

As part of the Finalist process, we are hoping that our stakeholders will ask a variety of questions of our candidate. We have already met with the candidate several times, but having outside perspectives is extremely important. For our parents, we hope that you will submit your questions in advance to kadimaheadsearch@gmail.com. For those who have not submitted their questions in advance, we will have paper and pencils to submit your questions in writing. We will the read the questions to the candidate. It is important to remember that this meeting is not a full-fledged interview. It is chance for you to listen to the candidate's thoughts about Kadima and its future, and for you to ask questions of the candidates. By having the questions in advance, and by only permitting written questions, we can best control the flow of the meeting and ensure that the candidate and our parents can spend their time together productively.

But what should you ask? As an employment lawyer during the day, I usually talk what should you not ask. In this case, you should ask what you feel is important to you as parents of our students. It is not helpful to ask questions such as "why is it so expensive?" or "Will you change the math book that we are using?" Instead, you may want to ask questions in the following areas:

Leadership Issues (What is your style of leadership? What has been your greatest professional challenge? Tell us about an unpopular decision you made and how you gained acceptance for it?).
The Role of a Head of School (What is your philosophy regarding integrating Jewish and general studies? Why should a family send their kids to Jewish Day School? How do you build trust and good relationships in the school? How would handle a problem student?).
Educational Leadership (How would you ensure that our general studies program remains competitive with the best schools in the area? What do you believe are the hallmarks of an effective Judaic Studies curriculum?).
Community Relationships (How would you go about strengthening Kadima's image in the community?).
Other Topics (Why do you want this job? What are your goals for Kadima? In the next 18 months? In the next three years?).

These are just some ideas. We know that you will have your own thoughts about what to ask, but the foregoing hopefully will get you thinking about how to use your limited time most effectively.

More Information On Finalist Day.

2009-02-09T14:01:00.000-08:00

With emails sent out about February 17 and excitement starting to starting build, we want to provide you with some more background regarding the events of February 17 and how the process will proceed.

The candidate will be arriving early to meet with a variety of Kadima stakeholders, from the Head of School to the faculty to the administration to the parents. This is a two way street; both our stakeholders will be looking at the candidate, and the candidate will be looking at Kadima. As NAIS puts it:

"Finalist visits are intended to benefit both the Search Committee and the candidate. Beyond their mutual need for the candidate to see and be seen by key constituencies, both have important questions that deserve answers and both are in the decisionmaking mode."

In view of this, we are seeking to have the candidate meet as many people as possible in a one day period. This means lots of meetings and not a lot of flexibility as to timing.

We've already received some indication that parents are frustrated that we're not having an evening session. We just couldn't set up an evening meeting and still complete everything in one day. I know that this is frustrating for people, but there was no other way to set up the schedule. We hoped by ending the parents' session at 9:00 a.m., we could meet most people's schedules.

For those that cannot attend, you should know that once the Head is hired, there will be ample times for meeting and greeting the new head.

Finally, a Finalist!

2009-02-06T15:56:00.000-08:00

The blog has been silent for nearly a week--great way to lose all of the readership--but this was because there were a variety of discussions and meetings going involving the search process. We simply had to keep them confidential.

But now we have some very big news:

On February 17, 2009, Kadima Hebrew Academy and Kadima Heschel West Middle School will be welcoming a Head of School Finalist Candidate for an all day visit at the school. The candidate will be meeting all of our stakeholders, including the administration, the faculty, Board, Search Committee and parents. This is an exciting step of the search process; Finalist Day provides both the candidate and the school with an opportunity to get to know each other before the Search Committee makes its final selection of a new Head of School.

As we have stated from the beginning of the search process, we want our parents to have an opportunity to participate in the search process. To that end, from 7:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on February 17, parents will have the opportunity to meet the Finalist candidate, learn about the candidate, and ask the candidate questions. In addition, at the conclusion of the meeting, parents will be given the opportunity to complete a survey form to provide your opinion and comments to the Search Committee.

We will be providing parents with additional information about the meeting and about the candidate as we get closer to February 17. In order to participate in the meeting, however, parents need to RSVP to the Kadima office at 818.346.0849 or email sera@kadimaacademy.org and indicate that they will be attending.

The Search Committee looks forward to receiving your input during this important process.

This is really an important day for the school, for the candidate, and for everyone associated with the process.

We'll provide further details about the candidate, soon.

For now, enjoy Shabbat.

Vision: The Jewish Journal Leads With Kadima's Tuition Partnership Plan!

2009-01-29T10:37:00.001-08:00

The lead story in the Jewish Journal this week concerns the high cost of Jewish Day School. And the lead in the story is about Kadima.

On a chilly night in early December, crowds of parents filed into the auditorium at Kadima Hebrew Academy/Kadima Heschel West Middle School, chatting and clutching cups of coffee. The atmosphere was almost festive as finance committee chair Brett Grauman stood at the podium, framed by blue tinsel Stars of David.

“Jewish education should not be only for the wealthy,” Grauman said. “We understand what our families are going through; Kadima is feeling it, too.”

Scattered murmurs rose from the audience as he unveiled the highlight of the assembly — lower tuition rates for the 2009-2010 school year. Through a partnership of parents and donors subsidizing the cut, yearly costs for students in grades K-8 would be reduced between 19 percent and 22 percent.

The economic conditions that necessitated the rare move echoed the story of that week’s parsha, said the school’s Rabbi Avi Navah, in which Jacob flees his home to escape his brother’s wrath and finds himself wandering in the wilderness toward an unfamiliar place.

“He is lonely, frightened, insecure and unsure about his future,” Navah told the roomful of parents and teachers. “This story shows that we in the Jewish community should expect highs and lows.”

You can read the entire story, here.

Good things are happening at Kadima.

There's more excitement to come.

Big News: Yuri Hronsky Is Our Principal.

2009-01-28T10:03:00.000-08:00

Today, Kadima announced that Yuri Hronsky, our present middle school principal, has agreed to serve as Kadima's principal for 2009-2010. This is absolutely wonderful news for Kadima and its community.

Yuri came to Kadima as part of the merger of the middle school, and we're lucky to have him. Not only is Yuri smart and knowledgeable, but he's a mensch. He "gets" Jewish Day School education. With Yuri as our principal, we can rest assured that even in these somewhat tumultuous times, Kadima's educational program will be anchored by one of the best teachers and educational leaders around.

As middle school principal, Yuri combined the best features of the Kadima and Heschel West programs; he implemented a program that is one of the best in the city. We look forward to him providing educational and curricular support to our new Head of School in the years ahead.

This is really great news for the Kadima community.

Yasher Koach, Yuri!

And The Candidate Is...

2009-01-25T17:57:00.000-08:00

We promised we'd give the information as soon as we could, and here it is:

We are pleased to announce that the Search Committee has unanimously selected Bill Cohen to be a Finalist for the position of Head of School of Kadima. As we have already announced, Bill will be visiting Kadima all day on February 17, 2009.

Bill is presently the Assistant Head of School at Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School, in Northridge, California. A native of Boston, Bill graduated from Brandeis University in 1986 with a major in Politics, and received his Master of Arts Degree in Education from the Fingerhut School of Education of the University of Judaism (now American Jewish University). Bill served as the principal/head of school of Los Angeles Hebrew High School for nine years, during which time he improved the enrollment of the school by more than 70 percent. In addition to serving as the Assistant Head at Heschel, Bill also teaches Educational Administration at the American Jewish University.

We are very excited about Bill being a Finalist for the Head of School position. He's excited, too. We believe that Bill offers the combination of educational insight, management skill, and leadership acumen that will take Kadima to even greater levels of success.

Take the opportunity on Tuesday, February 17, to come meet Bill. The program for parents starts at 7:45 p.m. Be sure to RSVP to Sera at sera@kadimaacademy.org.

Stay tuned for more information.

Who Runs the School?

2009-01-23T07:42:00.000-08:00

With so many rumors running about, we realize that maybe we haven't been completely clear about our understanding of the role of the Head of School, and in particular, how we see our new Head of School.

We want to be clear. We are looking for a Head of School who will examine every facet of Kadima's program and environment, and will, exercising the Head's knowledge, skill and leadership, ensure that Kadima's program thrives into the future as the preeminent Jewish Day School in our area. As Board members, we have a generalized vision for Kadima--that it be a locus for serious Jewish education in our community--but that vision will gradually change as the new Head learns more about Kadima and works with the Board to grow Kadima for the future. Kadima, after the Head starts, will ultimately reflect the shared vision of the new Head and the Board.

We also want to be clear that we are looking for a strong Head; we are looking for someone who will recognize what works and will not hesitate to fix what does not. We want someone who will be unafraid to make necessary change; we are not looking for sychophant. Within the general ambit of being a Jewish Day School, we have no sacred cows. Granted, before making wholesale changes, the Head will need to lead the Board to a shared vision and wisdom supporting those changes--otherwise any suggested changes will fail. But the Board intends to hire a Head that will look at everything. This means that everything will be up for discussion, but in the end, in certain fields--staffing, curriculum, management--the Head will have complete carte blanche to make whatever changes the Head wants, provided it meets the Board's and the Head's shared vision for the school.

This is why getting the right Head of School is so important. Our Board does not run the school; the Head of School runs the school. And we are fully prepared to support the new Head's efforts to make our school better.

This is all very exciting. Some of it may be difficult, but change is hard. But in the end, if we do it right, Kadima--and all it has stood for during the past 40 years--will thrive.

Rumors, Rumors, Rumors.

2009-01-23T07:33:00.000-08:00

There are rumors rampant throughout the school about "what is going on" with the school and the search and just about everything else. One of the reasons we started this blog was, at least for Head of School issues, it provides an easy way for people get the actual facts and not have to rely upon rumors. Unfortunately, because of the nature of the search, as well as the need for the author to spend a few moments every now and then on his day job, there has to be a quiet time. We're in that time, and the unfortunate result is that, well, now there's all sorts of rumors flying about.

We've heard a bunch of them, and let me tell you, when you actually know the facts, and you hear some of the rumors, you scratch your head and wonder. It is important for people not to trust the rumors, but to rely solely upon official sources of news. Sometimes the rumors are based upon events that occurred months ago, and are no longer accurate. Other times, the rumors are clearly just made up by someone.

We recently heard that the word on the street was that our Head of School was leaving because she did not want to lower our tuition and that the Board did, so the Board fired her. This is categorically false. Indeed, the Head of School announced her departure before the Board ever decided to lower the tuition; the two issues had absolutely nothing to do with each other!

Don't listen to rumors.

We can tell you that we should have some concrete news about the search process in less than a week.

More later.

The Admissions Process Continues.

2009-01-21T07:15:00.000-08:00

Even with the inauguration of a new President, and even with the Head search underway, the admissions process continues at Kadima. There is an Open House at the school today; I'd encourage people to stop by if they have the chance.

Here's the word from Michele Starkman, KHWMS's admissions director:

Last month, we all learned of the Community Tuition Partnership, which lowered our tuition commitment for our kids enrolled in grades K-8. To help Kadima continue on its path of making Jewish day school education more accessible to families, I ask for your help – not to worry, what you have to do is really simple – tell your friends, family members, and neighbors about Kadima and how wonderful a Jewish day school education is. Better yet, invite your friends to see the school in action! On Wednesday, January 21 at 9:30 there is an open house scheduled. Come for coffee and bring a friend.

For additional information, contact Karen Pery, Director of Admissions at 818/346-0849 x339 or admissions@kadimaacademy.org.

Kadima and Daniel Webster.

2009-01-16T07:52:00.000-08:00

Last night the Kadima Board met to discuss a variety of serious issues facing the school. We can't go into these issues now; hopefully, we will be able to discuss them soon. However, as I was listening to the discussion, I was struck at the sense of love and devotion our Board members have for Kadima: they discussed their aspirations for the school, and how they love its culture, and how Kadima possesses significant meaning in their lives. For many of us, the school is not just a school; it is part of our lives. Kadima is not merely the place we send our children to learn; it has become a reflection of our own dreams and aspirations.

As I listened to the heartfelt expressions of Board members, I recalled from my old U.S. History classes the famous statement by Daniel Webster in the argument in Dartmouth College v. Woodward, in which Webster urged the Court to prohibit the state from taking over the school because it would change the fundamental nature of the institution. Webster said:

"It is, sir, as I have said, a small college. And yet there are those who love it!"

The same can be said of Kadima. It is a small school. And even with all of its many issues and struggles, we all love it.

We plan to report some significant Search Committee news within the next two weeks.

Stand By.

2009-01-12T15:47:00.000-08:00

One of the easiest ways to lose readership to a blog is to stop posting messages. We've haven't posted for a few days because, while there are a variety of things going on, they all still have to remain confidential.

As a result, we have two choices: we can pontificate a bit about the theoretical and academic issues surrounding independent schools and Head of School searches, or we can stay silent. We've chosen the latter course for now.

But keep looking. We will have some substantive information on line soon.

Credit Where Credit Is Due.

2009-01-07T16:13:00.000-08:00

While I've previously talked about the great technology program at KHWMS, I did not mention that the whole idea for a blog about the Search Committee's effort came from my sixth grade son. While I'm happy that my son came up with the idea, that's really not the point. The point is that the primary reason he was able to develop the idea of using a blog is because he is enrolled in KHWMS's great technology program.

So he (and KHWMS) get the credit. I'll take responsibility for any errors or mistake in content.

Too Much Information?

2009-01-07T16:01:00.000-08:00

The nature of any employment search requires balancing a variety of factors. On the one hand, we have to be extremely discreet and work in the shadows: we are likely interviewing candidates that have present jobs, and do not want to reveal to their employers that they may be seeking new positions. The best way to handle this is to respect confidentiality so much that no one has any idea about what the Committee is doing until we present our Final Candidate(s) for review by the larger school community. On the other hand, if we take that approach, and no one outside the Committee has any idea what is going on, it creates its own problems. Nature abhors a vacuum, so rumors can get started, and this can create a negative environment which in turn undermines the search process. In addition, people not on the Committee need to know that the Committee is, in fact, doing something.

We've tried a balanced approach with this blog. We are providing as much information as we can, but also engaging in a variety of actions on a confidential basis. If someone wants to know nothing, they need not check our blog. However, for those who do want to have an idea about what is happening, they can read the blog. We think that this works well.

The Committee had a great meeting last night which we believe greatly furthered our search efforts. However, this is one of those times that we can say nothing else and must instead keep things confidential.

More on Guiding Purposes.

2009-01-06T16:40:00.000-08:00

Kadima Hebrew Academy's elementary school is a Solomon Schechter School. The middle school, because it is a joint project with Heschel West, is not. What makes a Schechter School? It's a good question. Rabbi Jim Rogozen, the Head of School of the Gross Schechter Day School, in Ohio, posits one the best explanations I've seen, here. The key language:

"But there's one more ingredient, one that is intellectually exciting and compelling. In Mishle (Proverbs) 3:6 we read: "B'chol drachecha da'ehu" — "In all of your ways know God." I take this to mean that all avenues of study, all areas of knowledge, can and should be seen as ways to comprehend the wonder of God and of the universe. Put another way, there is no such thing as "secular" or religiously insignificant knowledge; everything we learn can inspire us and help us along our path. It follows, then, that all learning is important (on the global level) and is ultimately impactful (on the personal level)."

I think that everyone at Kadima implicitly gets this, regardless of whether they are in the elementary school or the Middle School.

Unfortunately, the Schechter brand has lost some of its identity in California. Go East, and many, if not most, stakeholders have a very defined conception of what a Solomon Schechter education means. In Los Angeles, a Solomon Schechter school means that the school is associated with the Conservative Movement and thus more "religious" than a non-Schechter non-Orthodox day school. Of course, defining what the Conservative Movement is presents its own complexities.

This is unfortunate, because the guiding philosophy underpinning the Schechter schools--and Kadima--is quite meaningful.

We need to do a better job of articulating it.

Kadima on CNN.

2009-01-06T14:07:00.000-08:00

Some of our kids wrote to President-Elect Obama. They can be seen reading their letters on CNN.

Stockdale Redux: Who are We and Why Are We Here?

2009-01-06T09:26:00.001-08:00

In 1992, highly decorated retired Admiral James Stockdale was running for Vice-President as Ross Perot's running mate. In the Vice-Presidential debate, Admiral Stockdale began his opening statement with the unforgettable words, "Who am I? Why am I here?"

A few days ago, I spent a couple of hours speaking with Nehimia "Nammie" Ichilov, the dynamic Head of School of the King David School in Scottsdale, Arizona. The King David School is lucky to have him. Nammie "gets it" with regard to the issues facing Jewish Day Schools and the importance of each school having its own purpose and raison d'etre. Only when the school knows precisely what it is trying to achieve can it actually work to achieve it. And this centrality of purpose energizes the school community and helps make it successful.

Creating and refining vision is hard stuff. In a 1993 study, David Conley, a professor at the University of Oregon, examined 79 strategic plans of schools. Based upon this review, he created a vanilla mission statement:

"It is the mission of ______________ to enable all students to become responsible citizens and lifelong learners in a changing global society. This will occur in an environment where diversity is valued and the potential of each student is developed to the fullest, with an emphasis on excellence in all endeavors. This can only occur as a result of a partnership between and among the school district, parents and other community members and agencies."

Conley, and others, however, have found little evidence that such a generic mission statement actually contributes to a school's success, as defined by superior educational performance.

At Kadima, we have a non-vanilla Mission Statement, although it may be a bit outdated and I'd bet that most of our community is not familiar with it. Moreover, in recent years we've struggled a bit with a tendency toward vanilla bromides and confusion about who we are and why we are here. Much of the reason for this is because of the practical difficulties associated with operating an independent Jewish Day School in a rapidly changing environment under extreme economic and other pressures. Simply put, much of the leadership spends its time ensuring that the kids receive an excellent Jewish and secular education and leave Kadima as mensches; as a result, they have little extra time to engage in philosophical discussions.

The hiring of a new Head gives all stakeholders, in conjunction with the new Head of School, the opportunity to engage in some self-examination and reflection. A new Head--and one that is a strong leader-- will work with all stakeholders to help all of us better define Kadima's vision of itself, and clarify the school's central purpose. This will be difficult but rewarding work.

Happy New Year and the Process Continues.

2009-01-05T11:27:00.000-08:00

Happy 2009! We hope that everyone has a healthy, fulfilling and happy 2009.

The Search Committee meets tomorrow night. We will likely have much more news about the status of the search after that meeting. Again, the process must be confidential at this point. However, we will be, at the appropriate time, inviting parents and others to meet with any Finalists, once we have identified them.

The Thirteen Attributes of a Head of School.

2008-12-30T07:43:00.000-08:00

I don't know whether ISM had the Thirteen Attributes of God from Parshat Ki Tisa in mind when it prepared this, or what statement ISM was intending when it chose the number 13 to apply to a Head of School, but the following is a list ISM created regarding the 13 responsibilities of a Head of School:

1. Board relationships
Serve as the chief liaison between the school and the Board. He/she keeps the Board informed of pertinent matters at the school, and educates the faculty/staff about the Board's activities.

2. Organization
Create and organize the management team and work to produce smooth day-to-day operations.

3. Planning and analysis
Assist the Board with their strategic and long range planning while also developing tactical plans with the management team. He/she must also stay abreast of trends in education and school management.

4. Programs
Either assist with or oversee the design, implementation, and administration of student programs and services appropriate to the school's mission and the needs of those enrolled. In addition, the Head must help set standards of participation and achievement in each category: academics, co-curriculars, and character development.

5. Personnel
Define the school's teaching and non-teaching needs, hire appropriate personnel, set standards for growth and performance, and foster harmony among all staff members.

6. Program and service support
Administer efforts to provide support for academic programs, in such areas as facilities, equipment, etc., and assure that comprehensive school records are maintained as required by the Board and by law.

7. Environment
Work to create a positive environment (physical and emotional), which includes ensuring campus safety, administering rules and procedures for students, and promoting harmonious relationships among the administration, faculty, staff, and students.

8. Finance
Duties include working with the Board's Finance Committee on financial plans and the annual budget, working with the Business Manager to maintain the smooth financial operation of the school, and helping set tuition rates and salary increases annually.

9. Enrollment and recruitment
Recommend enrollment objectives with respect to numbers, character, and quality; and oversee the implementation of marketing and scholarship programs.

10. Fund raising
Advise the Board on fund-raising needs and plans, become personally involved in cultivation and solicitation for major gifts, and maintain a good working relationship with the Development Office.

11. Constituent relations
Help encourage and maintain meaningful relationships with parents, alumni, past parents, special interest groups, and the community.

12. Institutional image
The main responsibility is to function as a spokesperson for the school and to become a personification of the institution.

13. Plant management
Supervise the operation and maintenance of all school facilities, approve expenditures, and recommend necessary changes.

Thanks to Committee member Leora Raikin for obtaining this information.

California Association of Independent Schools Awards Accreditation to Kadima.

2008-12-29T14:25:00.000-08:00

Today we learned that CAIS-the California Association of Independent Schools--awarded its accreditation to Kadima This award, along with Kadima's WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) accreditation, puts Kadima along side all of the top independent schools in nation.

Throughout the entire search process, the Committee has been receiving guidance produced by NAIS, which is the national version of CAIS. NAIS has its pulse on the independent school world, and promotes best practices. We've received a variety of data regarding economic issues and other important management topics from NAIS. While there are other management consultants focusing on independent schools--such as Independent School Management--NAIS offers the broadest, clearest, simplest, and most realistic advice. Certainly, from a Head of School search perspective, following the NAIS approach--which we are doing at Kadima--immediately offers a level of professionalism and confidence to potential applicants.

Most importantly, however, the accreditation also means that WASC and CAIS--both independent agencies--have certified that Kadima is delivering the type of educational results it is promising. It is a "seal of approval" by the two most important accrediting agencies in the United States.

Good news for Kadima.

Quiet Time.

2008-12-23T09:31:00.000-08:00

With the kids on vacation from school, and the world slowing down for the end of the secular year, postings may be somewhat sporadic through the rest of the year. The Committee has meetings set for the beginning of the year, after which there be much more news about the search and about Kadima.

We hope everyone has a healthy, fulfilling, safe and happy new year.

We Made the LA Times!

2008-12-21T20:24:00.000-08:00

Check this out!

Front page, California section, on Sunday.

A great story and great publicity for the school's effort to respond to the present economic downturn.

Some Good News for the Jewish High Schools...

2008-12-18T07:32:00.000-08:00

Like most everyone else, we've been following the Madoff scandal. Fortunately, there was also some good news this week in the Jewish philanthropic community. The Jim Joseph Foundation has launched a pilot program in Los Angeles to make available financial aid funds for five Jewish high schools in Los Angeles. It is estimated that the funds, totalling over $12 million, will pay for up to 600 scholarships for high school students. The Jewish Journal gives the complete story here. This is great news, but it can only be the beginning. This gift will help the high schools, it won't help the other Jewish day schools whose families also desperately need the relief. The danger is that families who leave Jewish day school early may not return for high school.

PEJE Head of School Search Conference

2008-12-17T10:42:00.000-08:00

Today, some members of the Search Committee attended a conference call held by PEJE focusing on techniques for interviewing Head of School candidates. On the panel were two members of a Search Committee and a recently hired Head of School.

The discussion was interesting and useful. PEJE provided a whole list of potential questions for the Search Committee to use when it begins interviews of candidates. We also discussed some pitfalls to avoid.

We also heard how difficult finding the right candidate can be. But we are lucky to be in Los Angeles. It is much harder to find candidates when you are Kadimah School in Buffalo, New York, than when you are Kadima Hebrew Academy in West Hills, California.

Are We Haimish?

2008-12-17T07:27:00.000-08:00

Many people in the Kadima community often refer to our school as being haimish which means generally cozy or unpretentious. These are good values; the last thing we need is more pomposity and pretentiousness in our school community. I think it is wonderful that we can view our school as haimish and not elitist.

However, we have to be careful. In our zeal to be unpretentious and non-elitist, we have to be careful not to risk lowering our goals and accepting less than true excellence in our practices. For these reasons, Jewish communal professionals often cringe when they hear an organization defined as "haimish." They recognize that an organization might describe itself as "haimish" and thus not strive for excellence since "good enough" is fine; after all, the organization is haimish.

Kadima's leadership has had discussions about this in the past. We certainly want Kadima to be haimish; a place that is comfortable, accessible, warm, and communal. We think that it is, and we don't want to change it. But we also will not use, and never have used, the idea that we are haimish as an excuse for accepting mediocrity at our school. We remain committed, in all of our practices, to high standards and excellence. And to being haimish, too.

Monday's Meeting and Other Issues.

2008-12-16T08:15:00.001-08:00

The Committee had a very interesting and productive meeting last night. As I have noted, much of our discussions and procedures must remain confidential. We can say that the Committee made a variety of decisions that we hope will move our effort forward. We have an excellent Search Committee; every meeting brings interesting and meaningful discussions.
_____________

I have received some questions about the Committee's focus in finding the right Head of School for Kadima, and in particular, our stated desire to find a charismatic leader who can develop and implement the school's vision, raise funds, hire great teachers, and ultimately, bring more students to the school. While we believe that education experience, because Kadima is a school and education is a fundamental part of Kadima's mission, is inherent in these qualifications, our discussion about the differences between Head of School and Principal may have created some confusion. Moreover, because Dr. Gereboff was, in the past year, serving as principal of the elementary school as well as Head of School, it is natural that there might be some concern about who, if not the new Head, is going to be spending most of their time handling the details related to educational issues.

We want to assure everyone that neither the Committee nor the Board has forgotten about educational issues. We know that Kadima is, at its heart, a school. Part of the problem with this process is that much of it has to be confidential because it involves employment related issues and people's careers, so we just cannot speak freely about everything that is discussed in our meetings. This is especially true at this point, where we are in a particularly sensitive stage of the process.

Nonetheless, we can say that we are looking for a leader for a school; this means that the person we seek, absent some other extraordinary qualifications, will likely be a person who has substantial education experience.

We ask, in the meantime, for your patience during the next few weeks as we move forward with the selection process.

The Process Continues.

2008-12-13T17:51:00.000-08:00

On Monday night, after a two week hiatus, the Search Committee is meeting to discuss various potential candidates for the Head of School position. We've received a variety of applications and believe that we have a good candidate pool at this point. We are continuing to receive applications and resumes, and this process will continue until we have engaged a new Head of School.

We can't talk about specifics at this point. Candidates have their own jobs, and it is imperative that we keep our discussions and the identities of potential candidates confidential. What we can talk about is how our process will proceed from here.

The next phase will likely involve semi-finalists. It is always possible that we will get lucky and find the magic candidate right away, but normally, the next phase will be face to face interviews with semi-finalists. These candidates will get to visit the school, visit some of the administration and staff, and then meet with the Search Committee for an extensive interview. Even before this happens, however, we may conduct some telephone interviews to discuss the position with potential applicants so we can gain a better sense of them before we meet with them. Moreover, the Committee will be formulating its interview procedures and questions. If any of you have any particular questions you'd like to ask Head of School candidates, please feel free to email them to us at kadimaheadsearch@gmail.com.

We're sorry that the process has to remain a bit under the radar for now. But we can assure you that the process is moving forward. And stay tuned to this blog; we'll keep posting updates and comments as the process proceeds.

Jewish Journal Reports on Tuition Plan.

2008-12-11T07:53:00.001-08:00

The Jewish Journal published a terrific story on Kadima's tuition plan in today's edition.

There is one aspect of the story that needs a bit of clarification. The story compares Kadima's tuition to the tuition charged at Temple Beth Am's Pressman Academy, Valley Beth Shalom's Schulweis Day School, and Sinai Temple's Akiba Academy, but fails to note that all of these schools are synagogue day schools; Kadima, of course, is an independent day school.

They are not the same. Unlike Kadima (or Heschel West or A.J. Heschel Day School), which is completely independent, synagogue day schools are usually subsidized by their affiliated synagogues (and also by the many members of those synagogues) and thus can charge less tuition than independent schools. However, most, if not all, synagogue day schools also require families to also pay for synagogue membership, which can easily cost more than $2,000 per family above the cost of "tuition". When synagogue membership costs are included, the differences in real costs between an independent school and a synagogue school virtually disappear. Viewed in this light, it is clear that Kadima's tuition plan represents a significant drop in the cost of Jewish Day School and that its new cost is hardly "middle of the road" as stated in the story.

Still, the story makes the central point: Kadima has taken a stand to help people afford Jewish Day School.

Kadima's Press Release on Tuition Plan

2008-12-10T13:24:00.000-08:00

Here's Kadima's formal press release on its tuition plan.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For information, contact:
Phyllis Folb Michelle Starkman
The Phylmar Group Director of Admissions
310/474-3937 818/444-8820 x125
pfolb@phylmar.com info@khwms.org

KADIMA HEBREW ACADEMY/KADIMA HESCHEL WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL
ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP TO LOWER TUITION

West Hills, December 2, 2008 - Kadima Hebrew Academy/Kadima Heschel West Middle
School announced today it will reduce the cost of tuition for the 2009-2010 academic
year as part of a new Community Tuition Partnership.

“We believe an excellent Jewish education should be affordable for everyone,” said Dr.
Barbara Gereboff, Head of School for Kadima Hebrew Academy/Kadima Heschel West.
“In this economy, Jewish education is one investment with guaranteed returns.” The
reduced tuition structure will benefit existing families, new families to the school and the
greater community. “Kadima is taking a stand for the middle-income Jewish family –
we’re addressing economic realities and doing our part to not only offer an exceptional
academic curriculum, but also to ensure Jewish continuity. Jewish day school graduates
are the leaders of tomorrow, not only within the Jewish community, but in the
community-at-large,” said Shawn Evenhaim, President of the Board of Trustees for
Kadima.

Through a unanimous decision, the Board of Trustees voted to reduce tuition an average
of 20% for students enrolled from Kindergarten through 8th grade. This initiative is
supported by a generous partnership within the school’s community as well as private
donors. The school will continue offering its dynamic and enriched academic education
without sacrificing any components of its program.

Kadima Hebrew Academy/Kadima Heschel West is dedicated to educating children of
diverse backgrounds through an outstanding General Studies curriculum that prepares
them for success in top high schools and universities. The Judaic Studies program
connects children to their community while nurturing compassionate, ethical, and
socially responsible individuals. Kadima graduates leave with excellent academic
preparation as well as a clear understanding of their Jewish values.

For admissions information please contact the Admissions Department at 818/346-0849
x339 or email admissions@kadimaacademy.org or info@khwms.org.

More Wisdom from NAIS

2008-12-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

The National Association of Independent Schools is the preeminent organization of independent (private) schools in the United States. NAIS's president, Patrick Bassett, writes a column, and lately he's been focused upon the effect of the present economic situation on independent schools.

In his most recent column Bassett points out that schools are getting a wide variety of advice about how to handle tuition issues. Bassett opines that school will only succeed if it can set its tuition level such that it presents the best value (i.e., people believe that the education is worth the price) for parents. Simply demanding higher and higher tuition fees is not enough.

This is a potentially seismic shift in the thinking about private school tuition. The present economic crisis is forcing schools to innovate in their financial management and funding methodologies. Previously, the conventional wisdom encouraged schools to raise their tuition every year because the reality is that a good education costs a lot of money. This model no longer works. Schools cannot simply continue to raise their prices and hope that their stakeholders will find a way to pay for it, because the stakeholders can't and they won't. As Bassett notes, such a model is simply "unsustainable."

And so last night Kadima made a huge step in this direction. By reducing the tuition--essentially providing financial aid for everyone--but also encouraging and demanding its stakeholders to help make it work, either through direct support or working hard to increase enrollment--Kadima is truly engaging in the kind of forward thinking and creative action espoused by the experts at NAIS.

The Night Kadima Made History.

2008-12-09T22:08:00.000-08:00

What an evening!

Tonight we heard the big news about Kadima's Community Tuition Partnership. After several months of planning the Board of Trustees announced that Kadima will be dropping its tuition for the 2009-2010 school year by approximately 20 percent for elementary school and for Kadima Heschel West Middle School. Here's the comparison between this year and next year's tuition:

In a stirring call to action, and at the end of extradordinary speeches by alumni, administration, and Board leadership, Rabbi Stewart Vogel of Temple Aliyah praised Kadima's decision and urged its stakeholders to serve as Pioneers, Partners and Ambassadors. Kadima's decision to lower tuition--when the recent history of private schools has been to raise tuition--is pioneering. Its decision puts Kadima--and its stakeholders--at the vanguard of Jewish Day School education. Yet, the effort will only work if the school and its community partner by working together to bring financial support and new students to the school Finally, the stakeholders must serve as ambassadors to spread the good news about Kadima's program.

It was a historic evening.

Economic Realities and The Need for Action.

2008-12-08T08:18:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow night, the Kadima Board of Trustees will be holding an incredibly exciting and critical meeting regarding its Community Tuition Partnership. It is important for all parents to attend this meeting.

It is well established that economic downturns--especially bad ones like the present one--affect Jewish Day Schools. Way back in 2003 during the last recession--which was nothing like the present one in terms of severity--a study was done by the Avi Chai Foundation concerning the affect of the economic downturn on Jewish Day Schools. The study concluded that:

"It is quite clear that for most day schools, the current economic downturn has had
a pronounced adverse impact, affecting them in a variety of ways: enrollment,
tuition arrearages, scholarship applications, fundraising, and staffing capabilities.
It has also affected the families of day school students, among whom there are
clearly a number who are experiencing stress. Moreover, many of the consequences
of the situation are still unfolding. There is reason to believe that there may
be an even greater negative impact in the school year that has just opened on
school finances and enrollment. "

The Kadima Board of Trustees recognizes this reality. And the Board stands ready to try to do something about it. Tomorrow's meeting will be the first step in this plan. It is important that all members of the Kadima community attend this meeting.

A Quick Note About The Process.

2008-12-05T08:17:00.000-08:00

The Committee plans to meet on December 15, 2008 to discuss the results of our initial round of advertising, as well as the various contacts and communications made by Committee members themselves. We will be reviewing potential candidates in our pool as well as examining the state of the candidate pool in general. We will also be discussing various other aspects related to the search process.

It is possible that we may find, from the initial round of resumes, that we have enough semi-finalists and we want to conduct personal interviews immediately. It is also possible that we will find that we have no semi-finalists. It is also possible that we may have a few semi-finalists, but need or want to look further. Or it may be that we want to conduct telephone interviews before deciding whether to bring any candidates back to the school for an interview. In short, there are a variety of permutations and possibilities, and it is impossible for us to determine, until the Committee meets and discusses it, whether this will be a quick search or a long one.

As we have said from the beginning, while we recognize the need to find a Head of School fast, we are mindful that our most important task is finding the right Head of School for Kadima.

Remember, good things come to those who wait.

Shabbat Shalom.

Technology. Laptops. Excitement.

2008-12-04T08:15:00.000-08:00

Last night, my sixth grader brought home his school issued Macbook for the first time. All of our Middle School students get their own laptops to use during their three years at the Middle School. The technology teacher had given the class specific instructions--followed up by an email to the parents--about how he was to care for the computer. He was thrilled to have the laptop, and excited to show all of its parts and software to the rest of the family. We were thrilled that he knew how to use the laptop and was learning to use it as a tool to complete his work, and that it was not just a toy.

We routinely speak about the need to teach our children to compete in a highly technological world and highly competitive world. At the Middle School, our technology program truly is second to none. We teach kids not only how computers work, but also how to work with computers. Whether it is downloading assignments from the school's website (the Middle School uses a great program, First Class, to connect the students and parents to the school's academic world), using software to create a musical composition, reviewing teachers' notes on line, learning to keyboard, or mastering software, the most important thing is that the technology program is fully integrated with the rest of the educational program. As our Middle School students use their computers for all of their regular subjects, "technology" becomes less of a class in itself (although students continue to learn about technology as a subject) and more a mechanism for them to use to achieve their educational goals. Just we all use our computers to accomplish certain tasks, our students similarly use their computers. A brief description of the Middle School's technology program is here.

We know that this off topic again, but one of the privileges of running a blog is that the author gets to go off topic sometimes. Rather than have the blog go silent while we review the resumes that arrive, this blog is a valuable tool to help our community remain connected to Kadima.

An Important Meeting

2008-12-03T07:56:00.000-08:00

This is somewhat off topic, but we wanted to remind all of our stakeholders to attend the very important meeting at the school on December 9 at 7:00 p.m. Our Board will be presenting important information regarding a revolutionary new model for addressing the cost of Jewish Day School education, so it is important that you all try to attend.

We know that these are difficult economic times. Educators around the country are trying to address the issue. For one interesting take on the economic downturn's potential effect upon private school education from the leader of the National Association of Independent Schools, take a look here.

With regard to our search, you can see our first on line advertisement here. We expect additional advertisements to be placed in the coming days.

You Found Us!

2008-12-01T21:20:00.001-08:00

We sent out an email to our parent community today informing them of the blog. Since then, our viewership has grown significantly. Hopefully, you all will like what you see (let us know your comments, either by listing them here, or sending us a message at kadimaheadsearch@gmail.com) and you will visit us often.

Some Interesting Poll Data

2008-12-01T12:02:00.001-08:00

We know that some of you may be curious about the results of the online survey we did about our short term and long term goals for new Head of School. We received 69 responses (out of about 200 emails sent, which is considered an excellent response); thank you to those who responded. Here are the results:

Of the following activities typically expected of a head of school, please select up to five activities that you believe should be the focus of the Head of School either immediately or during the next three years. PLEASE SELECT NO MORE THAN FIVE ACTIVITIES.

Partnering with the Board to set the agenda.		22%
Strategic planning for the future/visioning.		54%
Fundraising.		20%
Nurturing the school's community and values.		52%
Financial management/stewardship of resources.		39%
Improving communication among all stakeholders.		22%
Enhancing admissions and enrollment.		49%
Providing educational leadership (program/curriculum).		84%
Evaluation and professional development of faculty.		78%
Managing image/community relations (external public relations)		29%
Other, please specify		9%

Which five of the following strategic priorities do you believe are in need of completion by the new head of school over the next three to five years? SELECT NO MORE THAN FIVE ACTIVITIES.

Recruiting, retaining and compensating quality faculty.		80%
Expanding parent and alumni giving/support.		6%
Developing a sound five year financial plan for the school.		52%
Creating a state of the art program and curriculum.		74%
Managing and expanding effective use of technology.		33%
Communicating with internal and external audiences.		19%
Creating a diverse and inclusive school community.		30%
Improving parent/school relationships.		35%
Marketing/branding the school.		39%
Renovating/enhancing school facilities.		13%
Developing a more global outlook and programming for the school.		20%
Creating a more environmentally sustainable school building and practices.		20%
Developing a more cohesive school community.		36%
Other, please specify		9%

As you can see, most respondents focused upon educational aspects of the Head of School's job. These tasks concern the Head of School's role as "guarantor" (as discussed a few posts below) of the school's educational achievements. While the Head of School normally does not, directly, involve himself or herself in the details of a school's educational program (that's a job for the principal), the Head must still ensure that the school is achieving the educational results demanded by the school's stakeholders. The poll results show that parents overwhelming want a Head of School that will guarantee the continued academic quality of Kadima.

We also found interesting that our parents did not focus upon fundraising and admissions; yet, conversely; our Board members overwhelmingly voted that these were the most critical goals for the new Head of School. Board respondents unanimously stated that admissions was the most important immediate goal of the new Head of School, with fundraising and community relations tied for second.

When you think about it, this makes sense. While parents focus solely upon educational aspects of the school, the Board of Trustees also works to ensure that Kadima remains a center of Jewish education in the San Fernando Valley. Board members certainly demand excellence from Kadima's educational product, but Board members also look at the school's budget, and they know that such excellence costs a lot of money. The easiest way to raise this money is not fundraising from already strapped stakeholders; the most efficient way is to create a program that attracts huge numbers of kids to the school. When viewed in this light, it is hardly surprising the Board members would look at increasing student admissions as being one of the primary goals for a new Head of School.

The Search Begins...

2008-12-01T11:27:00.000-08:00

We hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving holiday.

We've finalized our initial advertisement for the Head of School position. This advertisement will be placed in a variety of strategic media, as well as being used by Committee members who make direct recruiting calls for potential candidates.

Here's the text of the advertisement.

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Founded in 1970, Kadima Hebrew Academy provides an excellent Jewish and secular education to students from pre-school to eighth grade through comprehensive, fulfilling, and outstanding Judaic, Hebrew, and General Studies curricula. Our Jewish studies program encourages critical thinking, and teaches fluency and literacy in Hebrew language, Torah, and other Jewish texts, skills and traditions. Our General Studies program is rigorous and provides a broad range of educational experiences for our students. Kadima’s graduates are literate communicators, self-aware individuals, problem solvers, collaborative workers and life long learners who possess the tools and the desire to live effective, committed, compassionate, socially responsible and motivated Jewish lives.

Kadima seeks a charismatic and entrepreneurial leader and a community builder who will guide Kadima to greater achievement and increase significantly Kadima’s student population. Our next Head of School will exemplify dynamic leadership skills, integrity, and a commitment to academic excellence, the Jewish people and Jewish values.

Our new Head of School will possess:

¨ Demonstrated success at inspiring community and creating enthusiasm for Jewish education;

¨ Established leadership skills with faculty, staff, Trustees, parents, students in a diverse community;

¨ Proven success with institutional advancement, fundraising, marketing, and financial management; and,

¨ Recognized accomplishment in managing and creating innovative and effective curricula, pedogogy and educational program development that both inspires the school community and results in tangible academic success.

Kadima is located in West Hills, California, in the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles. It is part of a thriving and energetic Jewish community. Kadima offers a competitive salary and benefits package.

Interested candidates should submit (1) a cover letter explaining their interest and their qualifications for the position; (2) a current resume; (3) a statement of educational philosophy; (4) the names of three to five professional references with addresses and phone numbers (we will not contact references without permission from the candidate); and any other supporting material that would be useful to the committee. Materials should be sent by email, attention Head of School Search Committee, to kadimaheadsearch@gmail.com. All submissions will be kept in strict confidence.

If you have any possible candidates, we'd appreciate it if you could forward the advertisement to them so they can apply for the position.

What is a Head of School, anyway?

2008-11-21T08:17:00.000-08:00

We often hear comments from stakeholders that suggest that there is some confusion about the nature and role of the Head of School. This is hardly surprising, since the job of a Head of School is somewhat amorphous. To quote Potter Stewart, we all know it when we see it, but nonetheless, it is useful to to clarify certain basic principles (and not principals) regarding the issue.

First, the Head of School is not a principal. The school principal develops curriculum, supervises teachers, visits classrooms, works with students, meets with parents, and monitors all aspects of the school's educational program. Because the principal reports to the Head, the Head needs some amount of background in education in order to supervise the principal. However, it is the principal, and not the Head of School, that is most directly involved in developing, managing and supervising the school's educational program. The principal must be the educational expert. For example, when parents have an issue with a teacher (hopefully that never happens at Kadima), the parents should, at least in the first instance, go to the principal, and not to the Head of School. Similarly, if a student has an issue at school the first stop after the teacher is to go to the principal, and not to the Head of School. One of Kadima's challenges in recent years has been the blurring of this role, and the Board is intent upon correcting this in the future. We hope to have both a Head of School and principal on board in the future.

Second, the Head is not a business manager or Director of Finance. Throughout this process, several people have expressed that what Kadima really needs is a person who will "run the school more like a business." But this misses the point. The school has a Director of Finance--Arnold Rudnick--and he's capable of handling the business aspects of the school. While the Head must understand basic financial issues and be able to understand a balance sheet and income statement, as well as managing a budget, the Head need not be a financial wizard in order to be successful.

If the Head is not a principal and not a financial person what is the Head of School?

Most importantly, the Head of School serves as the school's public face. The Head of School must be charismatic and inspirational; the best Head of School succeeds by effectively convincing parents that they should entrust their children's educations to the school and also similarly convincing the community that they should financially support the school. Ultimately, it boils down to leadership: the Head--and the school--will only succeed if the Head is an effective, charismatic and compelling leader who can build community commitment to the school.

But leadership alone is not enough. To build commitment to a school, the Head of School must also deliver results. Hence, the Head of School must also be the guarantor of the school's educational product. It is not enough for the Head simply to sell the school and make the case for the school. The Head and the school will both fail unless the Head also ensures that the school is, in fact, fulfilling the goals promised to the parents and community. In this capacity, the Head must be an effective manager; the Head must hire the right people and properly supervise them (but not do their jobs for them) in order to ensure that the school is operating effectively.

It is a hard job. But it is absolutely critical to the school's success. And that's why the Committee, along with the Board, is working so hard to get this right.

Shabbat Shalom.

The Qualities We Seek.

2008-11-18T15:33:00.001-08:00

At last night's Board meeting, the Board of Trustees spent time analyzing what it believes Kadima needs in a new Head of School. We had a great discussion as we considered what we wanted Kadima to become under its new Head of School and what skills and characteristics we'd ultimately want from a new Head of School.

We all agreed what we want Kadima to continue its present successes and have the new Head of School ensure that Kadima is a sustainable, effective, visionary, and preeminent center of Jewish education. We want Kadima to be a locus of the Jewish community; a place where people not only know that their kids are receiving the best in secular and Jewish education, but a place where they can be part of a nurturing and committed Jewish community.

We hope to hire a Head that will build upon our history, continue it, and advance it.

The Board also talked about the following characteristics and talents of the new Head of School:

Charisma, Communications, and General Leadership. We want a Head of School that will inspire our stakeholders and encourage our community to send their children to Kadima. We need a Head that will continue the legacy of trust, inspiration, and belief that has allowed Kadima to exist for nearly 40 years. We want a Head of School that will be an embodiment of a Kadima education; an individual who will present an image of bold and confident leadership to the public, as well as demonstrating the menschlekeit that is emblematic of Kadima.
Educational Leadership. We want a Head of School that will serve as the guarantor of the Educational philosophy and educational results expected and desired of a Kadima education. While the Head of School will not handle the details of educational management--a principal will ultimately do that--the Head will oversee the educational product and make sure that it comports to the vision the Head is charismatically presenting to our community.
Management Capacity and Skill. We want a Head of School that can effectively build, oversee and manage the entire school operation; an executive that can also raise the means necessary to keep the school sustainable.
Board Mentoring and Stewardship. The Board wants a Head of School that will work closely with the Board and the stakeholders to develop and refine Kadima's vision and Mission.

If you know of anyone who meets these qualifications, be sure to let us know at kadimaheadsearch@gmail.com.

It was a great meeting.

A Blog for the HOS Search Committee

2008-11-18T09:47:00.000-08:00

Welcome!

Kadima Hebrew Academy's Head of School Search Committee now has a blog. This blog will be the central location for all things related to Kadima Hebrew Academy's search for a new Head of School.

After ten years under the able leadership of Dr. Barbara Gereboff, Kadima is looking for a new leader for its school. Look to this blog for updates and communiques regarding our efforts. It is also place to provide comments regarding our efforts as we go through this process.

As many of you know, we have assembled a terrific and broad Search Committee. The Committee members include:

Jack Sholkoff, Chair. Jack has served on Kadima’s Board of Trustees for seven years and am currently serving my fifth year as Executive Vice President. My son attends sixth grade in the middle school.

Rabbi Richard Camras. Rabbi Camras is the Rabbi of Shomrei Torah Synagogue and is a teacher, educator, and leader in the Jewish community. Rabbi Camras’ daughter is in the sixth grade at Kadima Heschel West Middle School.

Shawn Evenhaim. Shawn is the President of Kadima. He has served tirelessly in leading the school for the past several years, and in particular, was instrumental in providing the school with its permanent home. His oldest son is a recent Kadima graduate. He also currently has a son in the middle school and a son in the elementary school.

Brett Grauman. Brett is a member of the Board of Trustees and currently serves as our Treasurer. He has a son in Kadima’s pre-school and a daughter in second grade.

Leora Raikin. Leora’s son is in the fourth grade at Kadima and she has been actively involved in recruiting and volunteering for Kadima.

Mari Siegel. Ms. Siegel teaches social studies in the middle school and has taught at Kadima for thirty years.

Natalie Spiewak. Natalie is the President of Kadima’s parent teacher organization (PTO) and a member of our Board. She has a son in kindergarten and a daughter in third grade.

Mark Teitelbaum. Mark has served on the Kadima Executive Board for the past 5 years and currently is Executive Vice-President. He also served for many years on the Executive Committee of Heschel Day School (Northridge), and served on the Search Committee that found and engaged Heschel’s present Head of School. He is also a founder of New Community Jewish High School and a parent of a Kadima graduate.

Rabbi Stewart Vogel. Rabbi Vogel is the Senior Rabbi at Temple Aliyah and President of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California. He has extensive experience and training as an educator, administrator and teacher. His four children have attended Kadima and his youngest son is in the seventh grade.

Howard Wang. Howard is the founding director of Sierra Canyon School, one of the premier secular private schools in the United States. Howard has been a leader in private school education for more than three decades.

Elana Zimmerman. Elana is the immediate past president of New Community Jewish High School. Both of her daughters graduated from Kadima.

The Committee has met and has discussed the merits of using a Search Consultant or going it alone, since we have several members who have significant contacts within the education community. We have also had a detailed discussion concerning the type of leader we believe will best serve Kadima in the post-Gereboff era, and are also working closely with the Board of Trustees in this area. We are seeking input from a variety of sources--parents, teachers, community leaders and other experts as we move forward with the search process.

We are also conducting a brief internet survey regarding the tasks that our stakeholders believe are most important for the next Head of School. The survey results are coming in, and they are interesting, as they reveal that different stakeholders--board members, parents, teachers--have different perspectives on what the major priorities are. It will be the Search Committee's job to synthesize this information as we move forward with the search.

We've been pleased with the survey tool--Zoomerang--which allows us to conduct surveys quickly and inexpensively. We may use this material again as we seek to get as much input as we can from our various constituencies.

Stay tuned to this blog for more information and more reports as we move forward toward finding a new leader for Kadima Hebrew Academy. And you can always send an email to kadimaheadsearch@gmail.com with your confidential comments.

And please forgive the formatting errors, we are still learning how to blog!