Day School Growth and Excellence

PEJE day schools are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of building and sustaining mutually beneficial relationships with early childhood education centers (ECECs) and synagogues. These partnerships are win-win-win, strengthening the Jewish community as a whole and illustrating the adage "A rising tide lifts all ships."

But where should schools begin, and what steps should they take? What happens if your day school has its own ECEC? Three of last year's PEJE Pipeline grant recipients--Ann and Nate Levine Academy in Dallas (infant-8), Shalom School in Sacramento (infant-6), and Solomon Schechter Day School of Metropolitan Chicago (K-8)--share their insights and advice.

Schechter's Head of School, Marci Dickman, observes that relationship building begins with a paradigm shift. "Help parents, teachers, and staff rethink how they view early childhood centers and synagogues," she advises. "Focus on the synergy. For example, day school families in synagogues strengthen synagogues, and synagogue affiliation is key to rounding out a child's Jewish education. When you believe in partnership, you'll be more conscious of ways to serve others."

Fred Nathan, Levine Academy's Head of School, agrees: "We have to remind people that we all have the same goal."

Reaching Out to ECECs (Including Your Own)

• Invite ECEC teachers and directors, center by center, to your day school. Ask to visit their schools. Discuss whether your missions connect, how your school can help theirs, and what concerns or questions they have about your school.
• Send your students to ECECs to read stories; send your choir to sing.
• Invite ECEC students to your day school--for example, to see a show (or a rehearsal) or to join a holiday celebration.
• Send your professional specialists to local ECECs.
• Send reports and photos of ECEC alumni to each ECEC. Note attributes common to their alumni.
• Hold kindergarten-readiness and elementary-school readiness programs.
• Hold professional development programs for educators.
• Hold joint programs with area ECECs, JCCs, and other Jewish organizations.
• Send your kindergarten teacher(s) to your own ECEC classroom(s). Shalom School's "Ready, Set, Grow" program sends its kindergarten teachers to its ECEC classes to teach language and math lessons. Students get rewarded with stickers saying, "I was an honorary kindergartener today." Lynette Otis, Coordinator for School Advancement, calls the program an ECEC-kindergarten "bridge" and a "good retention tool."
• If your day school has an ECEC, other ECECs may fear that when their alumni enter your kindergarten, younger siblings may transfer to your ECEC. "We go out of our way not to encourage this, and we try to have nonthreatening dialogue" with ECECs, says Levine Academy's Nathan.
• As day school professionals and ECEC professionals build relationships, "part of the conversation should be how to develop lay partnerships," says Ilene Vogelstein, Director of the Alliance for Jewish Early Education. "Most ECECs don't have a sophisticated lay leadership infrastructure" and rely instead on PTAs. Vogelstein recommends that day schools and ECECs "band together" to build networks, support each other, approach their Federation--and strengthen Jewish education in their community.

Reaching Out to Synagogues

• Invite rabbis to participate in school events. For example, they can lunch with their congregants' children, attend an assembly or holiday event, join a classroom activity, or read from the Megillah. "Kids love seeing their rabbis in their schools," says Schechter's Dickman. "It's a nice connection for rabbis and students," notes Jeanette Amrhein, Shalom School's ECEC Director.
• Arrange for your students to lead services at their synagogues or help with tot Shabbats.
• Encourage your students' families to join area synagogues. In your school's bulletin, list local synagogue events such as holiday celebrations.
• Meet with synagogue rabbis to discuss mutual concerns and goals.
• Attend a meeting of your local rabbinic group or council.

Reaching Out to the Community

• Join the discussion about strengthening Jewish education in your community. In Chicago, Schechter's board leaders meet, organization by organization, with board leaders from the Bureau of Jewish Education and the Jewish Community Center, which each run ECECs. Schechter's professional leaders do likewise.
• Host activities for the local Jewish community or your denominational community.
• Advertise JCC events, and ask the JCC to advertise yours. Share summer camp activities with the JCC, and host JCC-sponsored programs.
• If there's no JCC in your area, fill the void. Become the hub of your Jewish community by sponsoring Jewish events.
• Create programming for preschoolers. The Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston sponsors a PALS (Preschoolers And Little Siblings) program of monthly events.
• Offer programs for families in your community, such as car-seat safety seminars, parent-child exercise programs, and "ask the pediatrician" nights. Publicize them at ECECs and synagogues.

Implementing even a few of the above ideas "generates lots of good will, positive conversation, and trust between institutions," says Schechter's Dickman. For example, with open, amicable lines of communication, rabbis are more likely to call Schechter on behalf of their families "so we can serve them in partnership," she notes.

Anna Popp, Levine Academy's Director of Admissions, advises schools to develop relationships "in small steps. Your expectation has to be realistic. But it's worth it, to build a stronger Jewish community all around."

Read "Creating a Day School-Early Childhood Pipeline: Building the Relationship" >>

Read "Opening the Gateway from Early Childhood Programs into Jewish Day Schools" >>

Learn About the PEJE Pipeline Grant >>