New Heads Cohort

Registration opening soon

This multi-dimensional year-long cohort experience is tailored to support the needs of new heads of school in the Jewish day school field. This cohort is uniquely designed to meet the opportunities and challenges of leaders starting their headship careers, usually within the first or second year, or, who are assuming roles as interim heads of school looking for a supportive network and resources. Research shows that heads of school experience deeper professional fulfillment, and are equipped to be more effective in their roles, when engaged in successful onboarding processes, aligned with their school board leadership, and supported by a strong community.

To best support your work as a new head of school, in this cohort you will:

• Strengthen your relationships and create a strong network of colleagues and mentors across North America.
• Connect to critical resources to support your work.
• Enable strong partnership, communication, and alignment between you and your boards.
• Support your transition into a new community and role.

Components of this year long experience will include the following engagement opportunities:

• Monthly facilitated cohort meeting: These will focus on building strong connections, discussing dilemmas of practice, and navigating transitions within a supportive cohort.
• Topic-specific workshops: Led by experienced leaders from across North America, these interactive workshops will expand your network of support and provide relevant resources.
• Special session for board chairs: Ensure lay partners have the knowledge, leading practices and tools needed to support an effective onboarding process and ensure heads are supported to thrive in their new roles.
• In-person meetup at the Prizmah Conference 2025 in Boston: All heads of school and lay leaders are encouraged to attend the Prizmah Conference.* Conference registration will open this fall and is not included in the cohort registration cost. 

Registration Fees

Registration opening soon

For more information, please contact Ilisa Cappell, Senior Vice President, Leadership Development and Engagement, at [email protected].

Additional Resources for Heads of School

In addition to this specific cohort, connect with other heads of school to share ideas and brainstorm solutions with colleagues from across the field through Prizmah meetups, designed to regularly connect colleagues across North America to discuss current topics and challenges:

• Heads of Small Schools Meetup
• Head of School Meetup

We encourage all heads of school to join a Reshet community, a peer-to-peer professional development community, enabling you to ideate, collaborate, brainstorm, and share resources with Jewish day school and yeshiva colleagues from around North America, including the Heads of School Reshet.