Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education - Supporting Jewish Day Schools
About > History > A Chronological Review: 1997-2007

A Chronological Review: 1997-2007

1997: PEJE founded

Grants
  • 4 Pilot Challenge Grants awarded (2 elementary schools, 2 middle schools).

1998-1999

Grants
  • 10 day schools awarded Challenge Grants (2 elementary schools, 7 middle schools).

Expertise

Advocacy

  • "Making the Case for Jewish Day Schools: A Compilation of Advocacy Writings" is published.

1999-2000

Grants
  • 9 day schools awarded Challenge Grants (3 elementary schools, 6 middle schools).
  • 2 high schools awarded pilot challenge grants. Program is revised and the High School Madrikh Program is later established.

Expertise

  • PEJE pilots the Lead Expert Program, later re-named the Madrikh Program and provided to all Challenge Grant recipients.
  • 2nd conference for Challenge Grant recipients. 130 people participate.
  • PEJE launches the Pre-Application Consultation for Elementary Schools (PACES) program to provide consultation support for groups planning new elementary schools.

2000-2001

Grants
  • 9 day schools awarded Challenge Grants (4 elementary schools, 5 middle schools).

Expertise

  • High School Madrikh program established (7 high schools participate).
  • PEJE holds 1st Madrikh Orientation and Training program. Orientations are now held semi-annually.
  • PEJE launches its website.
  • Publication of "Self-Assessment Toolkit for Jewish Day Schools" - inspired by the "Evaluation Toolkit" published by the Continuity Commission of the UJA-Federation of New York.
  • Publication of "Noteworthy Practices, Vol. 1: Tzedakah, Tikkun Olam, and Hesed".

Advocacy

  • PEJE convenes inaugural day school Donor Assembly (donors contributing $100,000 or more to one day school invited to attend). 233 people participate in White Plains, NY.
  • Three-Year Report chronicles PEJE's initial accomplishments.
  • PEJE pilots partnerships with two Jewish communities (Boston and Milwaukee) for purposes of increased resource development.
  • PEJE holds 3rd conference for Challenge Grant and High School Madrikh program recipients. 160 people participate.

2001-2002

Grants
  • 15 day schools awarded Challenge Grants (4 elementary, 11 middle schools).
  • PEJE launches Charles Schusterman Small Communities Enhancement Program for Jewish Day Schools.
  • Judaic Excellence Project is piloted with teachers from four Jewish high schools.
  • PEJE establishes the Resource Development Initiatives program to offer fundraising expertise to new and established schools across North America.

Expertise

  • PEJE convenes its first Resource Development Conference open to all day schools in North America. 113 people from 78 schools participate at Brandeis University.
  • 4th conference for Challenge Grant and High School Madrikh Program recipients. 177 people participate (numbers affected by September 11th).
  • Publication of Jewish Day School Head Search Process: Strategies and Resources.
  • Publication of "Noteworthy Practices, Vol. 2: Tefilah".

Advocacy

  • Second Donor Assembly is held. 164 people participate, White Plains, NY (numbers affected by September 11th).
  • "Making the Case for Jewish Day Schools", Vol. II is published.

2002-2003

Grants
  • Delivering Expertise Assistance (DE'AH) trial balloons approved for support to existing schools in five areas: financial management, matching grants, lay leadership, joint purchasing, and coach development.
  • 5th conference for Challenge Grant, High School Madrikh Program, and Schusterman Grant recipients. 250 people from 57 schools participate.

Expertise

  • DE'AH lay leadership initiatives launched in cooperation with the Solomon Schechter Day School Association and the Association of Modern Orthodox Day Schools.
  • PEJE convenes first Financial Management Conference. 90 people from 68 schools participate at Brandeis University.

Advocacy

  • Third Donor Assembly takes place February 2003 in Los Angeles.
  • First Leadership Assembly takes place February 2003 in Los Angeles for lay and professional leadership from day schools, federations, community endowments, and bureaus of Jewish education.

2003-2004

Grants
  • North American Challenge Grant for Day School Growth developed with targeted grants for new and existing schools and consortia of schools working collaboratively.

Expertise

Advocacy

  • PEJE Strategic Plan aligns program areas to support growing day school enrollment.
  • Monthly e-newsletter launched to share resources and best practices with wide audience.
  • PEJE Series on Affordability, booklets on Tuition Setting, Endowments, and Affordability in Perspective, widely distributed.
  • Joint Purchasing Initiative enables over 400 schools to save upwards of $500,000 on purchases from more than 25 leading vendors.

2004-2005

Grants
  • Challenge Grant for Growth awards made to 32 schools for School Improvement Journey, Pipeline, Consortium, and New School projects.

Expertise

  • Twenty PEJE Coaches work with grantee schools.
  • PEJE sponsors day school leaders to attend ISM summer workshop, "Dollars and Sense: Financial Management for Heads.
  • In collaboration with the AVI CHAI Foundation, PEJE hosts a conference on "Strategic Planning, Strategic Financial Planning, and the Head/Board Leadership Team."
  • In collaboration with UJA-Federation of New York, PEJE hosts a conference on "Admission, Recruitment, and Attrition Prevention."
  • Communities of Practice launched in areas of admission, financial management, and governance.

Advocacy

  • October 2004 Donor & Leadership Assembly convenes 700 leaders to address "Portraits of Excellence: Leading the Day School Movement with Vision, Passion, and Influence." Featured speakers include Jeff Solomon and Senator Joseph Lieberman.
  • Regional groups in San Francisco, Phoenix, Greater Boston, and other communities professionalize their collaborative operations in support of day school education.
  • PEJE website redesigned to deliver resources, knowledge, and information about PEJE.
  • First annual PEJE Jewish Day School Calendar published and disseminated.

2005-2006

Grants
  • Challenge Grant for Growth awards made to 51 schools for School Improvement Journey, Pipeline, Consortium, and New School projects. Pilot grant for Executive Leadership Transition.
  • Grantee Perception Report commissioned of Center for Effective Philanthropy.

Expertise

  • Day School Peer Yardstick™ provides field with benchmarking management tool based on extensive data from 110 schools.
  • Management Assistance expertise referral program piloted.
  • Four regional conferences ("Ready, Set Govern," "Admission, Recruitment, and Attrition Prevention," "The Board-Head Relationship," and "Admission") attended by 142 individuals from approximately one hundred schools.
  • Communities of Practice becomes key strategy with the hiring of a coordinator for the growing number of CoPs (admission, financial management, governance, regional advocacy, diverse learners, fundraising)
  • Publication of Noteworthy Practices: Trends in Growing Enrollment and Serving Diverse Learners in Jewish Day Schools

Advocacy

  • March 2006 PEJE Assembly for Jewish Day School Education convenes +1000 leaders to address "Visioning, Collaborating, and Adapting for Day School Growth and Vitality." Featured speakers include Ron Heifetz and Doug Reeves. Over 100 workshop sessions with expertise and leading practice from the day school field.
  • February 2006 Reform Movement Think Tank mobilizes 28 rabbis and movement leaders to confront what it will take to increase Reform enrollment in day schools.
  • MATCH (collaborative initiative with Jewish Funders Network) engages 296 new day school donors to make gifts that are matched to generate a total of $26 million into 159 day schools.
  • Monthly e-newsletter distributed to more than 3000 school and community leaders.

2006-2007

Grants
  • Challenge Grant for Growth awards made to 26 schools for School Improvement Journey, Pipeline, and New School projects.
  • Special New York initiative launched with the support of UJA-Federation of New York.
  • Follow-up coaching grants made to 35 conference participants.

Expertise

  • Day School Peer Yardstick™ analysis stimulates the creation of the Proactive Admission Tracking Tool and Strategic Financial Modeling Tool.
  • Eight regional conferences take place across the continent ("Admission, Recruitment, and Attrition Prevention," "Strategic Financial Modeling for Day School Stability," "Marketing Your Day School," "Beyond the Usual Suspects: Vision, Strategies, and Tactics for Your Annual Campaign," "Partners in Leadership") attended by 454 individuals from 161 schools.
  • Communities of Practice initiative expands to includes Israel Engagement and Professional Development
  • LeadershipLine email hotline with follow-up phone calls piloted.
  • Financial Management section of PEJE website launched.

Advocacy

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