In the Jewish day school ecosystem, schools can range from a few dozen students to more than a thousand. How does school size impact education, school governance and administration? Articles in this issue address a range of challenges and successes found in small day schools, while looking at the issues large schools face as well.
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This article was adapted from a post that appeared on eJewish Philanthropy.
Forty-two of the 130 schools in the RAVSAK network of Jewish community day schools are considered “small,” enrolling fewer than 100 children. Yet the role they play in the bigger picture of Jewish education is just beginning to be recognized and appreciated.
In small Jewish communities, day schools and federations need to work together fully as partners that strengthen each other. Here are a number of important ways to connect these silos.
While this portrait is adapted from a larger case study project developed for the AVI CHAI Foundation, which focuses on strengthening the Judaic mission of day schools, all articles in this section are studies of day school adaptibility, ingenuity and foresight.
The head of a new school for students with language-based disabilities explains the kinds of conversations, choices and relationships that have informed the school’s vision and formation.
The author argues that for all that they may lack in funding for technology, small schools may have an advantage in getting it right: introducing technology where and when it supports strong education.
Leaders of an ambitious partnership in Jewish studies between a day school and a yeshiva seek to draw lessons from the collaboration while simultaneously expanding the project’s impact to other schools.
How do small schools transition from the intimacy and excitement of the early years to becoming financially sustainable? The authors offer a host of initiatives that they are implementing to try to strengthen their school’s economic footing.
Small schools often find themselves in an economic bind, having much less revenue and comparable expenses compared to larger schools. Here is a diagnosis and some suggested remedies.
Cohen describes the long list of expectations that small-school heads often confront, and the inner resources they need for their role. Her advice is geared especially for boards to help their heads succeed in this daunting work.
