“Checking the Pulse”
by Keren Packman Alpert, Director of Education
This is the time of year when we are involved with check-ups. Our children have to have up-to-date physicals before they enroll in school. Even President Bush recently had his yearly medical examination at Bethesda Naval Hospital. (I noticed he had very low fat content…) So, too, it is a good time to check the pulse of our school. What are we doing well? What are the signs of our health?
l Our religious school faculty retention rate is unparalleled in the city. Between last year and this year, we only had to hire one new teacher for all of our classes from PreK-12th grade. We have more “leads” of teachers who want to teach in our school than places right now, and we have a growing list of substitutes. Temple Beth El is perceived in the Jewish community as a stable religious school with manageable class size, involved clergy and strong curriculum. That’s a good sign of health.
l Our Monday Night School numbers remained strong throughout the past year. Typically, when students feel disaffected with Monday Night School, their attendance will taper off. Since I have to “give a count” to catering prior to Monday Night School for our dinners, I watched our numbers like a hawk. Temple staff and members prepared me for a winter/spring drop-off. It didn’t happen. That is a healthy sign.
l Our Family Education programs are well-attended. In addition, very few children show up as “orphans” with no parents who remembered to attend. We ask a commitment from our parents when we occasionally ask them to come to school with their children, but it pays off when they feel connected to our teachers, to me, to the other parents, and to the Temple. Fostering connections is a healthy thing.
l Tot Shabbat ended the year with significantly more children than it began. This monthly mini-service, with snack and crafts continues to be popular for the “swing set” set. It is a fun way to do something Jewish on a Shabbat morning and leave the rest of the day free for family activities. Popularity of young children’s programs bodes well for Beth El.
Just like President Bush’s cholesterol, which was a tad high, we have areas of concern that we monitor regularly. We’re addressing the continuing challenges of running a religious school. We’re constantly assessing if our materials and methods are up-to-date. We try to make sure school is accessible for our students who need the most assistance and stimulating for our gifted students. Our calendar is full; there is interesting activity every week. Our teachers have good attendance and our students are making progress.
On the whole, we are healthy. And we will continue to keep checking our pulse.
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