I don’t know about you, but for me, Spring is a chaotic season. Between Purim and Passover, and doing my best to end the school year strong, it’s definitely busy.
I don’t know about you, but for me, Spring is a chaotic season. Between Purim and Passover, and doing my best to end the school year strong, it’s definitely busy. And whether it’s because productivity breeds productivity, or because I love “altruistic procrastination”, Spring is when my brain likes to bombard itself with new and novel ideas and projects.
And so, I tell myself, don’t worry, summer is coming! Summer, you know, the days that lend themselves to endless free time, relaxation and inspiration that only warm weather can bring?
And then of course, with June and the end of the school year comes a reality check. Because now it’s summer. Summer, you know, the days full of mosquito bites and constantly changing schedules and heat that can make it difficult to breathe, and days that seem to rush by at the speed of light despite the additional hours of light each day?
But I am determined to make this summer different. To truly utilize the days that I do have, to implement some of those ideas and goals. On top of my list is Hebrew School to You. What started out as a side project, has taken on a real life of its own. After all, we’ve tripled in enrollment size and hired 5 additional staff members in just 2 years!
Of course, with growth like that comes new challenges: How do we track student progress and achievement across instructors and across time? How do we bring together our students when they span generations? How do we get the word out to an even broader audience? Which new learning methods can we implement to make our classes even more exciting and engaging? What forms of professional development will be most effective for teachers with classes as diverse as we have? How do we allocate our budget to enhance quality and growth?
And while we work on all of these questions, we keep in mind the one that is most important: How do we guarantee that our program continues to provide accessible, quality, authentic Jewish education to all who seek it?
So, dear friends, as we at Hebrew School to You are enjoying our summer days, we are also working for you - ensuring that you and your children can continue to enjoy our programs and experience our growth right along with us!