From the Desk of Rabbi Dr. Heshy GlassAugust , Av

Th ink Tankat

cojds cedarhurst officeIt was a typical day in July. Th e bright sun and humidity

created an uncomfortable steamy atmosphere. Th e

heated climate of war-like conditions in Eretz Yisrael

contributed to everyone’s desire to escape for even just

a brief moment of time, to a safe place where positivity

and enthusiasm reigned. For the educators and

principals who were participating in the 2014 CoJDS

Th ink Tank, this is exactly what happened.

Beginning on the evening of July 28th and ending on

the afternoon of July 30th, almost 80 principals and

heads of schools found themselves ensconced in an

oasis fi lled with cool temperatures but warm embracing

smiles. Th e usual routines and mundane activities

were replaced with exciting and lively discussions on

best practices for education. With tefi los constantly in

our hearts for Eretz Yisrael, a temporary distraction

replaced worry with creative thoughts and revitalized

commitment to chinuch.

Sitting in the newly constructed, state-of-the-art offi ces

of the CoJDS, session leaders and participants volleyed

new and traditional pedagogical theories in animated

discussion and thoughtful refl ection. Th e principals’

session for women only on the evening of July 28

allowed this cadre of principals and menahalos to

openly share not only the triumphs of this challenging

profession but the unique concerns as well.

On Tuesday morning, July 29, to set the tone and

mindset of all those attending the conference, Rabbi

Sholom Kamenetzky, shlita, shared heartfelt words of

our Sages to build and constantly uplift the spirit of

our children through the succor that Torah learning

represents. Whether you were a veteran principal or

someone entering the fi eld for the fi rst time, you felt

inspired, energized and dedicated to the ideals of a true

mechanech/mechaneches. No one could leave the room

feeling otherwise.

Th e subsequent sessions were the refl ections of the

mirror that the Rosh Yeshiva held up for all to see. We

saw ourselves as emissaries to prepare our children

for a world fi lled with Hashem’s beauty, soul satisfying

spirituality, and character strengthening challenges. We

shared, compared and concluded that what unites us is

greater than what divides us.

All too soon our brief respite came to a halt. Th e

diff erence, however, was that an oasis is an illusion. Th e

Th ink Tank Conference was reality.

Th e principals representing a cross section of yeshiva

day schools across North America were privileged to

participate in a total of 22 sessions total dealing with a

range of topics, from Tefi la, and Fiscal Responsiblities, to

Appropriate Use of Technology in Yeshiva Day Schools.

All the participants, both men and women, who are

leaders of schools, were unanimous in their acclaim that

this was an exceptional conference. �

L’HAVINU’LEHASKIL

L’HAVINU’LEHASKILUUUUUUUUU LLEHASKIIL

HAHH VAA INLEHASKIIL

HHHHHAAAAAHHHH VAA INHAH VAA INLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLHHHHHLLLLLLLLLLLLLLHUUUUUUUUUUUUUU’UULLLLLLLLL

A step-by-stepapproach to understanding

Chumash text independently

KIILLEHASKIIL’LHAH VAA INH

TEACHER TRAINING--MRS. TAMAR NUSBAUMCOJDS CURRICULUM COORDINATOR

UNDERSTANDING THE YESHIVA DAY SCHOOL

CHILD OF TODAY --CONNECTING TO HASHEM

THE THREE “C”SOF RUNNING AN

EFFECTIVE SCHOOL

LIVE PRESENTATION

METHODOLOGY

TECHNOLOGYSCOPE AND SEQUENCE

WEBINAR

TAL SEGEL-TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION

RABBI KESTENBAUM-TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES

MONIQUE LOPEZPRINCIPAL, PS 101

MR. ALAN STEINBERGLAY LEADER, HAR HATORAH

PRINCIPAL CONFERENCE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITIES

RECRUITMENT

MRS. AMY GOLDMAN

WOMEN’S PRINCIPAL TRAINING

TECHNOLOGY

MORE REGIONAL WORKSHOPS ATLANTA, CHICAGO, FLORIDA, LOS ANGELES.

WEBINAR SCHEDULED IN MID-AUGUST.

PIT

PRINCIPALtraining initiative

THINKTANK2-D

AY HOW DID COJDS

INAUGURATE ITS NEW FACILITY?

MRS. AMY GOLDMANTEACHER CENTER SPECIALIST, ASST. PRINCIPAL, PS #2

MRS. BESIE KATZ

REGIONAL MEETINGS TO PROMOTE PRINCIPAL CONNECTIONS, VISITATIONS, PEER CONSULTATIONS.

TECHNOLOGY FOR EXISTING INTEGRATION WITH CURRENT CURRICULAR AND INITIATIVES TO GUIDE TECHNOLOGY BEFORE TECHNOLOGY GUIDES THE SCHOOLS.

EXPANSION OF LIMUDEI KODESH CURRICULUM BEYOND L’HAVIN U’LEHASKIL TO V’TAHER LEEBAINU, A TEFILLAH CURRICULUM SO DESPERATELY NEEDED IN OUR YESHIVA DAY SCHOOLS

NEW INITIATIVES FOR TEACHER MENTORING IN SCHOOLS TO INSURE SUCCESS OF ENTRY LEVEL TEACHERS

OUTCOMES

RABBI HILLEL ADLERRECRUITMENT INITIATIVE COJDS

RAV SHOLOM KAMENETZKY

CHARLIE HARARYH3 & COMPANY

FOUNDATIONS CURRICULUM--MRS. SURI GANZ, MRS. CHANA NOA GELBFISH

TEFILA--RABBI HESHY KLEINMANFOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, V’ANI TEFILA FOUNDATION

RED FLAGS IN THE CLASSROOM--MRS. BESIE KATZPRINCIPAL, POLITZ HEBREW ACADEMY,

JEWISH DAY SCHOOLSCONSORTIUMof

L’havin U’lehaskil Training Sessions andCoJDS Think-Tank Conference 07.29.14–07.30.14

FLASHBACKS

Th e following is an abstract of a Dvar Torah that

Rabbi Zev Leff shared with the Consortium:

Th e Jewish people reached a high level at

Kriyas Yam Suf. Th is was evidenced by their

ability to point at the Shechinah when they

sang the Shira. Chazal tell us that handmaidens saw

more at the upper worlds. Not only had B’nai Yisroel

reached a high level, but

they also felt a strong

connection to the Avos.

Yet, only three days later

they were complaining

bitterly. Th ey

complained that they

had no water. Allegorically, this means they couldn’t

accept or receive the Torah. Th at is why we read the

Torah on Monday and Th ursday; there should never

be more than a three day lapse between the readings

of the Torah.

We need to understand that achieving a high level is

one thing, but sustaining that level is something else.

We can be given the motivation from Above, but we

have to exert (hishtadlus) from below. Th is principle

applies to children as well. Help from Above and

eff orts from below are what help adult and child to

maintain a high level of spirituality. Th e following are

recommendations for one to achieve and maintain a

high levels of spirituality:

Firstly, one needs a good environment. A good

environment helps to create a Ruach HaKodesh - a

spirit of holiness.

Secondly, one has to develop an appreciation for the

beauty of Torah. Loving the Torah, respecting the

Torah, and honoring the Torah, aff ects the emotional

state of a person. Th ese emotions make a lasting

impression.

Lastly, intellectually we can preserve our high spiritual

level by imitating the traits of Hashem. Th is allows a

person to strengthen

his connection to

Hashem which also

aff ects the neshama of

the person.

Th e Jewish people did

not remember these

three things. Th ey recognized what they had to do,

but went three days without working on them. Th is is

one of the basic reasons why children may go off the

Derech. Th ey reached high levels in Yeshivos, from their

families, etc. However, everything they learned was not

internalized.

How did Hashem help B’nai Yisroel rectify their negative

behavior. In Mara, Hashem gave them three mitzvos

that would re-establish the holiness of the environment,

love and appreciation for mitzvos, and emulating the

ways of Hashem. So, Hashem gave them the mitzvos

of Kibud Av v’Em, Shabbos, and dinim - civil law. All

three mitzvos focus on respect, honor, and kedusha.

Th ese emotions envelope the body and the soul. Th e

idea of Kibud Av V’Em reminds us of the importance of

life, Shabbos reminds us that there is a purpose to life,

and to reach that purpose we need boundaries - dinim.

Forming these emotional connections results in forming

spiritual connections resulting in connections from one

generation to the next.

Internalizingtorah experiences

Parshat Beshalach

Rabbi Zev Leff

...achieving a high level is one thing, but

sustaining that level is something else.

Th ere’s another opinion that says the people received

the mitzvah of Parah Adumah at Mara. Th is was to

teach us that we have to be able to subjugate ourselves

to mitzvos which are beyond the rational. We cannot

understand everything. Th ere are limits - limits in the

way we think and in the way

we act.

Th e Ramban says that the

common denominator of

what was given at Mara were

lessons in manners and derech

eretz. When a child or adult

learn derech eretz, he learns

boundaries and is then able

to internalize the lessons of

the Torah.

A further lesson is learned

by the Seforno where it says

that Moshe Rabbeinu told

the Jewish people that there

wouldn’t be any “mon” on

Shabbos, and don’t go out

and collect them. Th ere were

those who didn’t listen. Th ey

did the exact opposite of what

was demanded of them. What

should Moshe Rabbeinu have

done? He should have taught

them the breadth and depth

of why they weren’t allowed to

collect the Mon on Shabbos.

He should have taught them

the forbidden melachos; he

should have taught them the halachos and the hashkafa

of Shabbos. He also should have spoken about the

rewards and consequences.

From here we learn that when we want to help

someone maintain the Torah world that he built up,

they need to be given the

proper environment, an

appreciation of Torah

and mitzvos, and proper

boundaries and limits.

Rabbi Leff ends his article

with the following vort:

We learn that when the

Jews went into Galus, they

hung their harps. Th e

Babylonians asked them to

sing “Misherei Tzion”. Th e

Jews could not imagine

singing in a strange land in

Galus. Th ey, therefore, hung

their harps on the willows.

From where did they get the

harps? Is it really logical to

grab one’s harp when going

into Galus?

Th e Jews understood that

no matter the place, no

matter the circumstances,

there will always be a

reason to sing. A Shirah to

Hashem never ends. Th ere

is always hope.

...no matter the place, no matter the circumstances, there

will always be a reason to sing.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVELS OF SPIRITUALITY:

One needs a good environment.

Develop an appreciation for the beauty of Torah.

Preserve our high spiritual level by imitating the traits of Hashem.

It was Sunday, May 4th. Th e NYC bike tour created a bit of havoc with bridge closings, and tangled traffi c.

However, this did not deter the launch of the East Coast Principal Training Institute introductory session

in Long Island City. Participants from the tri-state area attended the session as Mark Moskowitz, lead coach

and facilitator of the NYCLA, presented his stimulating workshop on the eff ective use of the Leadership

Performance Planning Worksheet (LPPW).

Th e participants were guided through the self-assessment standards that will be reviewed during the

intensive course beginning in September.

During the workshops all participants were able to work collaboratively in networking and sharing ideas.

A practical experiential session utilizing a real-life scenario gave the cohort an opportunity to share their

knowledge in small group settings. �

Th e East Coast PTI is comprised of the following schools:

CoJDS Expands its PTIto the east coast

Th e COJDS is proud to provide quality leadership as we continue to strive and achieve excellence in our day

schools throughout the country. �

Some of the goals for improvement that have

been set include but are not limited to:

- A sequential curriculum across the grades and the curriculum- Staff evaluation- Professional supervision and development- Communication and feedback- Networking and strategizing best practices- Defi ning professional roles and responsibilities- Consultation with professional experts- Designing survey instruments

Once the goals were defi ned the various schools

created a calendar pacing the implementation of the

improvement plan.

Th e schools that are currently participating

in the CoJDS Improvement Plan are:

Menorah AcademyEmek Hebrew AcademyYeshivat Ohr ChanochSouth Peninsula Hebrew Day SchoolVancouver Hebrew AcademyYULA Boys HSMaimonidesHebrew Academy of Huntington BeachPhoenix Hebrew AcademyYeshiva Day School of Las Vegas

Th e Consortium of Jewish Day Schools is dedicated

to quality education from the administrative level

to the pedagogical level. To that end, CoJDS assists

schools in the development and implementation of

a school improvement plan. Th e improvement plan

is an interactive tool between all the members of the

planning team. Once the plan has been designed and

put into place, benchmarks of goal achievement are

determined and measured at diff erent intervals.

Th is past spring, several schools as far as the West

Coast committed to designing a planning tool to

achieve and sustain school excellence. Th e guidelines

of the plan are governed by rubrics of excellence.

East Meets Westin training for

excellence

Th e producers of the L’Havin U’Lehaskil program

have been conducting a pilot program to test

the viability of merging the L’Havin U’Lehaskil

curriculum with technology.

Th e pilot program in collaboration with Gaon

Education designed games, supporting activities

which reinforced the skills of the six stages of Sofi ot

skill development in the second grade curriculum.

Th e Moriah School in Englewood and Yeshivat He-

Atid in Bergenfi eld used a rotational model, rotating

students on various computer stations. Yeshivat

He’Atid used the program daily while Moriah had

sessions once a week. Hebrew Academy (RASG)

in Miami Beach, also participated in the program

by utilizing the Alternative Model. Th ey had an

entire class use the software in the computer lab

periodically. A total of 140 students logged on to the

program.

Rabbi Tal Segel, Director of Gaon Education outlined

the 3 basic guiding principles of the piloted software

and its implementation:

Diff erention: Diff erention is achieved by

incorporating mastery based learning and responsive

feedback. Benchmarks of achievement were

determined for each of the students so that the

students’ profi ciency was validated before moving

on to the next level. Immediate feedback allowed the

students to self-correct or move on as indicated.

Gamifi cation: Letters falling from Shamayim,

colorful activities, challenging activities. All

enticements to help a child master through creative

and constructive fun skills focusing on the Sofi ot.

Students voluntarily attempted the challenge placed

before them no less than fi ve times per session.

Failure is not an option when learning through

having fun. Badges were awarded as an incentive

when a new level of profi ciency was achieved.

Groundbreakingl’havin u’lehaskil initiative at cojds

Our analysis of student results showed:

• In a single session where students attempted an activity multiple times, average improvement rates for activities ranged from 26% to an impressive 330%. The average overall improvement rate for an activity over a single session was 140%.

• Over multiple attempts and/or sessions over the length of the pilot, average improvement rates for activities ranged from 22% to 223%. On average, students who made multiple attempts over the course of the pilot saw their scores increase by 121.2%.

Assessment and the reporting of the results: Metrics

in the form of graphs were made available to the

school professionals. Tables and graphs were made

available for a quick visual on the various scores.

More detailed reports were made available for each

activity broken down into several components.

Th is pilot program was only the beginning, of what

promises to be, a new era in education technology.

However, further development and progress will

only be achieved through feedback, discussion, and

insights from the professionals who are piloting the

program.

For further clarifi cation or for information to

implement the software in your program, please

contact lehavin@cojds.org. �

“I believe that the direction that the L’havin U’Lehaskil curriculum is moving in, is exactly in line with what I would like to see in the future of educational technology in Jewish education. While there are certain modalities of teaching Torah that can never be replaced by technology, I believe that it is essential to provide students with engaging, exciting, and up-to-date modalities to review and solidify core skills, root words, and vocabulary. As our school is adopting a station rotation model of blended learning for General Studies, I am hoping that in the near future there will be enough digital content similar to the pilot technology, that will allow us to adopt this method in Jewish Studies as well.” Morah Chaya Dvora Senft, The Moriah School

JEWISH DAY SCHOOLSCONSORTIUMof

T u e s d a y , J u l y 2 9 a n d W e d n e s d a y , J u l y 3 0 2 0 1 4

The Consortium of Jewish Day Schools invites Administrators to participate in our upcoming forum to help us shape the Chinuch agenda going forward. We seek your input in the very important areas of: · Curriculum Development · Technology Integration· Fiscal Responsibilities · Promoting Tips Most Successful Principalship· Board Relations · Identifying the Red Flags in the Classroom· Ivrit as an Effective Curriculum Component · Helping Students Internalize Tefilah· Combating Apathy: Inspiring a Desire for Yiddishkeit

to be held at CoJDS Cedarhurst Office · 395 Pearsall Ave. · Cedarhurst, NY 11516

NYCL E A D E R S H I PL E A D E R S H I PAC A D EM YAC A D EM Y

Attendance by reservation only. RSVP by July 14. Travel and lodging subsidies available.

PIT

PRINCIPALtraining initiative

THINK TANK2-DAY

T u e s d a y , J u l y 2 9

10:30 Doors open/refreshments11:00am-12:30pm Join concurrent L’havin Workshop12:30-6pm Session followed by invitation to dinner Lunch will be served

forthe

W e d n e s d a y , J u l y 3 0

12:30-5pm Session Lunch will be served

the CoJDS cedarhurst office is moving:

PLEASE NOTE: NEW PHONE #

WWW.COJDS.ORG

366 Pearsall Avecedarhurst, ny 11516

395 Pearsall Avecedarhurst, ny 11516

516.368.3333

FROM to

as of july 16