AI and Tech

Submitted by Elliott on

The enormous powers and potential of AI render it a source of tremendous hope and fear. Articles in this issue are by people who are already well versed and immersed in AI, who have considered its potential and reflected upon its concerning features. Several of the pieces show extraordinary developments already taking place in the classroom and beyond. Some articles explore tech policies that schools are implementing, while others offer guidance for schools on how to use technology to enhance education. 

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Aimee Close

Aimee is Prizmah's director of Stronger Together, a new Boston-based initiative created in partnership with Combined Jewish Philanthropies and the Beker Foundation. Learn more about her here.

Stronger Together: A Boston Based Experiment in Day School Collaboration

The Greater Boston Jewish community is fortunate to be home to 14 Jewish day schools. They include Orthodox yeshivot, Modern Orthodox schools, a Reform day school, and several pluralistic schools, ranging in size from about 40 students to over 400 students. Each school operates independently, and all receive financial and non-financial support from Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP), Boston’s local Federation.

Last year, CJP, Prizmah, and The Beker Foundation partnered to launch a pilot initiative based on the premise that collaboration among these 14 Jewish day schools would strengthen the entire system by increasing quality and/or decreasing costs across the network. Prizmah was brought in as the operational partner for the project, and CJP, Beker, and other local funders are providing the initial investment for the three-year pilot. A full-time director was hired, working for Prizmah and based in Boston, and Stronger Together was born.

Laying the Groundwork

When the project launched in December, the first order of business was to build relationships and trust. We started by hearing what makes each school unique, identifying their most urgent needs, and learning about the types of collaboration that might interest them. What emerged from those initial conversations was a long list of potential initiatives that fell into four main categories: Shared Resources, Teacher Support & Professional Development, Student and Family Programming, and job-alike Groups.

While we initially began by casting a very wide net as we considered various types of initiatives, the focus of our efforts became narrower as we learned more about what would be most helpful to the schools and where we could potentially have the greatest impact. 

We were very clear from the beginning that all of our initiatives would be “opt in.” We believed that if we came up with the right projects that met real needs, schools would choose to participate. 

t was also clear early on that there were varying degrees of interest in collaboration, and that most of the interest was focused around shared resources and teacher support/professional development. That was where we decided to focus our energy.

First Initiatives 

One of the first things we did was to schedule regular monthly meetings for all the heads of school. While the heads had begun convening during the previous year, those meetings had been less frequent. As part of Stronger Together, the heads now meet every month on Zoom, with two meetings per year in person. Meeting monthly has allowed us to establish a regular cadence of communication, helping to build stronger relationships and greater trust among the heads.

We also realized that in order for our efforts to be successful, we needed to build relationships not just with the heads, but with other school leaders as well, and we needed to help them build relationships with each other. We began creating other “job alike” groups, starting with the admissions professionals and the Jewish learning directors, both of whom now meet approximately quarterly to discuss common issues, share ideas, and support one another. In the coming months, we hope to add a group for STEM coordinators and one for science teachers. 

In some of those early meetings with school leaders, we heard that many schools do not have the resources to research grant opportunities, or the time to write those grants once they are identified. We decided to use Stronger Together resources to hire a shared grant writer to do some research and identify foundations that may be a good match for our schools. Once the best matches are identified, we will subsidize the grant writer’s hourly rate for those who want her help in applying for those grants.

Community-wide Professional Development Day

The idea for a community-wide professional development day came out of a brainstorming meeting with the heads of school back in March. We were discussing several potential initiatives when someone noted that there had been conversations going on for years about shared professional development, but nothing had ever come of it. There was a general consensus that the idea was worth pursuing, and a few people agreed to attend an initial meeting to discuss it. We all agreed that the topic would need to be compelling, and something they could immediately use in their classrooms. We eventually landed on the practical uses of artificial intelligence in the K-8 classroom. We chose a date at the end of August, which was the first day of staff week for most of the schools, and we hired the Future Design School of Toronto to give the keynote address and facilitate breakout sessions.

The day was a huge success, with close to 350 teachers and administrators in attendance. As far as we know, this was the largest gathering of Jewish day school educators in the history of the Boston Jewish community. The topic was timely and relevant; the presenters were top-notch and highly engaging; and teachers were excited to be spending an afternoon with their peers from ten different schools, gathered together for a shared purpose as the school year was about to begin. Although many participants were required to attend, most reported that they really enjoyed the day, and the vast majority said they learned something new that they are bringing back to their classrooms.

New Initiatives 

As we continue to learn more about the needs of the schools and where there is appetite for collaboration, we are launching some new initiatives in the coming months.

Faculty Sharing Initiative 

Several of our Orthodox schools had part-time teaching positions that they were having difficulty filling. We encouraged the schools to see if they could work out arrangements to share teachers (rather than compete for them), which would also potentially make the positions more desirable for the teachers. Three pairs of schools are taking us up on our offer to subsidize the sharing of faculty. This has enabled these schools to hire teachers that they probably would not have been able to hire otherwise, and has had the added benefit of creating stronger, more cooperative relationships between the schools.

Coaching for Math Teachers 

To help increase excellence in math instruction, we are offering coaching for math teachers in our network. A public high school teacher and former day school parent, with many years of experience, will offer her services to teachers looking to improve their pedagogy around math instruction. A second coach, who is a math professor at a local college and has taught in Jewish day schools, is also available to coach math teachers on how to create content outside of their textbooks, and plan fun, motivating activities, which help students acquire basic skills and fundamentals. The hourly rate for these coaches will be subsidized by Stronger Together.

Shiluv Disability Educators Fellowship Program:

Stronger Together is excited to be partnering with Gateways, a Boston-based organization committed to the full inclusion of all students in Jewish education, to create a year-long program for day school teachers committed to building more inclusive communities in their schools. Teachers will participate in a series of ten trainings over the course of the year, as they develop foundational grounding in the philosophy of inclusion and strategies to implement programming in their schools that develops an inclusive mindset and appreciation of individual differences among students.

Some Early Lessons

For communities considering similar experiments ion collaboration, here are a few lessons we’ve learned so far: 

  • There needs to be a person on the ground in the community to serve as the home address for this work. As one head of school noted, “none of these things would be happening without a central coordinator.” 
  • Relationship building is the key to successful collaboration, and it takes more time than we think to build necessary trust. 
  • There was a limited response when we first asked the schools about their interest in our initial projects. As we began to have some success, the level of interest increased. The more successful initiatives we implement, the higher the participation rate we can expect as we continue to build trust and credibility with school leaders.
  • The most successful initiatives are the ones that emerge organically. The more conversations we have with school leaders, the more ideas bubble up. We have learned not to try to impose anything, not to get too attached to any particular idea, and not to be afraid to let go of things that are not getting sufficient support. 
  • Be patient! For many different reasons, even great ideas may not be successful. This work requires a certain tolerance of failure, and the curiosity to understand why something failed, so that the next attempt will have a better chance of success. 
  • Funding sparks interest. Offering subsidies to encourage collaboration gets people’s attention, especially in smaller schools where a little bit of funding goes a long way. 

Where Do We Go From Here?

Some initiatives we are considering for the future include a focus on teacher recruitment to help all of our schools recruit and retain the best teachers, a multi-school 8th grade Israel trip, and a shared benefits consultant to assist schools in putting together the best benefits packages for their staff. 

As we move into year 2 of this 3-year pilot, we will continue to build stronger relationships and continuously find creative new ways to help one another and to share resources for the benefit of the network. We are excited and energized by what we’re learning here in Boston, and hope that our focus on collaboration will ultimately lead to a more thriving and sustainable day school community, and will be a helpful model for other communities across North America.

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Perla_Dan_Headshot_800x1200

Dan is Prizmah's Senior Director of Prizmah School Services. Learn more about him here.

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Elissa is Prizmah's Chief Operating Officer. Learn more about her here.

Raising Endowments Together

On a Sunday this past July, when many people were fanning themselves on a beach, more than forty school professionals and lay leaders from ten Jewish day schools in Northern New Jersey gathered in their local federation’s conference room to learn about endowments and endowment building. Over the course of the day, the convening, organized by Prizmah and the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, provided the schools with some of the information and tools they need to begin or to renew their endowment building campaigns.

The convening began with the question of why Prizmah and the federation believe that endowment building is so important. Senior leadership from Prizmah and the federation explained the critical role that endowments play in ensuring financial sustainability and noted how schools with large endowments were better able to navigate the financial challenges that arose during Covid than those without endowments. A kick-off session entitled “Making the Case for Endowment Giving” delved further into explaining why endowments are critical to a school’s long-term financial sustainability, 

Next, participants explored topics including fundamentals of endowment building, cultivating donor prospects, and engaging your board in endowment building. During lunch, participants got to hear about two different types of community-based endowment models from the major donors who funded them: Paula Gottesman (Greater Metrowest, New Jersey) and Sarena Koschitzky (Toronto). In the afternoon, participants were offered an opportunity to attend sessions that were targeted to their specific school role—the role of the head of school or the board in endowment building.

This full day convening, and the yearlong training sessions which will follow it, did not come about overnight. Ever since the outbreak of Covid, schools across North America have been reaching out to Prizmah and their local federations with increasing urgency for guidance on how to build their endowments. In truth, while a handful of the New Jersey schools that attended the convening were already engaged in endowment-building efforts, others had little or no experience. Some were rather circumspect and worried that endowment-building would cannibalize their annual campaigns. Others seemed overly protective of their school donors and viewed the other Northern New Jersey schools as competitors for the same donors. 

In the end, we managed to convince nearly all the schools to attend. We explained to them that endowment-building is part of an integrated ask (and therefore does not cannibalize annual campaigns) and that a rising tide lifts all ships. In other words, working together, as a community of schools, each school will be more successful than if they work alone. By working together, they will raise the entire profile and appeal of endowment building in Northern New Jersey.

As noted, we plan a series of additional training sessions going forward. Over the course of the next year, Prizmah will provide a range of content related to endowments through a series of follow-up trainings focused on the following topics:

  • Creating an endowment plan, including setting goals for number of donors and dollars raised
  • Recruiting, training, and retaining volunteers 
  • Donor cultivation and the integrated ask 
  • Marketing and Messaging 

The federation will provide funding and their own professional support. This is a true partnership in which Prizmah can bring a national lens to the field while the federation can provide an important local and communal lens. It is also a model that Prizmah plans to employ in other cities and communities in the near future. In fact, Prizmah believes that there are at least half a dozen communities in the US and Canada that would benefit from this type of partnership. 

Now that’s something that is far more valuable than a day on the beach.

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Amy is Prizmah's Senior Director of Catalyzing Resources. Learn more about her here.

Nurturing Growth and Excellence: The Vital Role of Collaboration and Community Engagement in Jewish Day Schools

Within the contemporary educational landscape, Jewish day schools and yeshivas hold a crucial position in cultivating cultural identity, teaching religious values, and upholding educational excellence within our Jewish community. Securing the long-term sustainability and advancement of our day schools and yeshivas necessitates strategic community engagements and collaborative initiatives. Many of our educational institutions have embraced this approach, recognizing community engagement as a cornerstone for effective retention and recruitment strategies for both students and donors.

Establishing a Solid Foundation Through Community Engagement 

Community engagement surpasses being a mere buzzword; it stands as a fundamental strategy for building a solid foundation for Jewish day schools and yeshivas. Active engagement with the community cultivates a sense of belonging and involvement, fostering a supportive ecosystem around the school. This involvement leads to increased awareness, advocacy, and a profound emotional bond with the school’s mission and goals. Altogether, it significantly bolsters our efforts in engaging potential families and donors for our schools.

Developing Partnerships: Catalysts for Progress

Collaborative endeavors amplify the impact of individual institutions. When schools collaborate to share resources, knowledge, and expertise, they pave the way for innovation and growth. These collaborations can include joint programs, the sharing of best practices, and the development of initiatives that benefit the collective community. By pooling resources and working in harmony, we can achieve more and provide a richer educational experience for our students.

Retaining and Attracting: Talent and Students 

Community engagement and collaboration also play a pivotal role in attracting and retaining talented educators and staff. When potential employees witness an active and engaged community rallying behind an educational institution, it creates a positive image around the institution. A robust community presence and investment in a school often translate to increased enrollment, leading to further growth and sustainability.

Engaging Alumni

Alumni represent an invaluable asset for any school, and their engagement can significantly impact the growth and development of the institution. Alumni can serve as mentors, donors, or potential advocates, contributing to the institution's progress. Establishing a robust alumni network through strategic engagement and collaboration ensures that the institution maintains lifelong relationships with its graduates, who, in turn, become ambassadors for the school. 

Looking Ahead: Embracing A Collective Future 

Jewish day schools and yeshivas must persist in fostering partnerships and actively engaging with the community. This work ensures their individual growth and excellence while contributing significantly to the vibrancy and strength of the wider Jewish and general community. Schools possess a wealth of knowledge, values, and cultural heritage that they can share with the community at large. Through outreach programs, educational opportunities, and volunteering initiatives, schools can enrich the lives beyond their walls and promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of our traditions, values, and history.

Schools are valuable resources and possess an expertise that extends beyond the classroom. They can offer adult education classes, workshops on various aspects or traditions within Judaism, parenting classes rooted in Jewish ethics and values, and much more. Collaborating with local organizations, synagogues, and community centers can amplify the positive impact, fostering unity and a shared sense of purpose. By doing so, schools not only fulfill their educational mission but also act as catalysts for a more connected and informed Jewish community, reinforcing the communal fabric and ensuring an enduring legacy.

Collaboration and community engagement are more than strategies; they represent the pillars upon which our Jewish day schools and yeshivas can construct a flourishing future. Let us collectively invest in these principles to nurture educational excellence and fortify our communities for generations to come.

Lisa is the Chair of Prizmah's Board of Directors.  Learn more about her here.

Paul is Prizmah’s founding Chief Executive Officer. Learn more about Paul here.

Uniting in Solidarity In These Challenging Times

חִזְקוּ וְאִמְצוּ אַל־תִּירְאוּ וְאַל־תַּעַרְצוּ מִפְּנֵיהֶם כִּי ה' אֱלֹקיךָ הוּא הַהֹלֵךְ עִמָּךְ לֹא יַרְפְּךָ וְלֹא יַעַזְבֶךָּ׃

Be strong and resolute. Do not fear or dread them; for indeed God marches with you and will not fail or forsake you.
דְּבָרִים/Deuteronomy 31:6

We hope this message finds you and your school communities safe, knowing we all face the devastating news of the attacks on Israel that unfolded over the Chag. As we navigate the trauma and emotions of the current situation, we recognize the profound impact these events have on our schools, communities, and our students.

Am Yisrael is suffering, and we stand together in this moment of crisis. Many of us are dealing with personal loss experienced among friends, family, and colleagues. There are many day school alumni and other current and former members of our community in Israel. We pray they have not been harmed in the attacks, and we pray for the safety of those who are called to serve in the days and weeks ahead.

Jewish day schools and yeshivas play a unique role in fostering deep and enduring connections with Israel. Our commitment to Israel is at the heart of our mission, and it is during times like these that the importance of this commitment becomes even more apparent.

The bonds that our students forge with Israel are deeply personal, spiritual, and emotional. Through the connections formed with Israeli teachers and families, and through those many have made on school study tours to Israel, our students gain knowledge about Israel’s rich history and culture and a deep sense of peoplehood that transcends borders. The educators who bring the spirit of Israel into our classrooms play a pivotal role in nurturing an authentic connection that goes beyond headlines and geopolitical complexities.

As teachers, parents, and school leaders, we have the responsibility to guide our students through moments of uncertainty, helping them navigate the emotional landscape that may arise from the events unfolding in Israel. Our schools will continue to serve as beacons of strength, resilience, and unity.

Thank you for your steadfast dedication to Jewish education. It is through our united efforts that we can make a lasting impact on the lives of our students and contribute to a future of shared values and enduring connections.

Below are some resources to assist in your conversations and work, and more will be added to our Knowledge Center as they become available. Secure Community Network (SCN) is available to provide guidance about safety and security for your schools

Wishing all of our schools and communities strength and resilience in the face of adversity. 

Paul Bernstein 
CEO, Prizmah Center for Jewish Day Schools 

Lisa Coll 
Chair, Prizmah Center for Jewish Day Schools 

Paul is Prizmah’s founding Chief Executive Officer. Learn more about Paul here.

Seizing the Momentum

This time between the Yamim Noraim and Sukkot is one of the busiest weeks in the Jewish calendar, and in addition to the work, errands, and meal-planning we squeeze into a “short” week, we crunch our spiritual muscles as we move from existential fear to unbridled joy.

As we make this transition, I am captivated by the image of an old-fashioned scale. In the Unetaneh Tokef prayer, we call out, “Uteshuvah, utefillah, utzedakah can undo the evil decree,” praying that Hashem sees that our good deeds on one side—repentance, prayer, charity—outweigh the accumulation of our missteps, that the scale tilts toward good in the year ahead. And then, the balance shifts, and we are rewarded with Sukkot, z'man simchateinu, the time of our rejoicing.

At Prizmah, I find myself in a similar position, looking back to the year we have left and anticipating ahead to what is to come. Specifically, where has our scale tipped and how can we hope to maintain or accelerate the positive momentum that so many schools have experienced in recent years?

There is great reason for optimism: enrollment across the field is up, the perceived value of day schools is increasing, and we have seen a significant rise in investments in our schools. Prizmah’s determination to make an impact on thriving day schools and yeshivas has been strengthened by the thousands of school professionals, lay leaders, and devoted

funders who continue to believe in the unique capacity of day schools to ensure a vibrant Jewish future. This is simply an extraordinary time for Jewish day schools.

Looking back over the last year, we can point to quantitative indicators of positive momentum:

  • Enrollment is UP. Continuing the positive trends in enrollment we have seen since 2020, two-thirds of Prizmah’s member schools maintained or increased enrollment for 2022-23. Read our Enrollment Pulse Survey Report for more details.
  • New families stayed, and more are coming. Seventy-two percent of students who enrolled due to the pandemic re-enrolled for the 2022-23 academic year. These families fell in love with day schools, finding them to be institutions of excellence and centers of community where the values-driven education—content, culture, and context–engages the whole child and nurtures lifelong relationships and love of Judaism. Additionally, we are seeing more transfer students—in the 136 schools participating in Prizmah’s survey, last year nearly 1,000 new students enrolled from public schools and 343 from other private schools.
  • Significant Investments are growing. Headlines in Jewish and general press were filled with news of exceptional gifts to Jewish day schools this past year. Multimillion dollar contributions were designated for educational excellence, creative tuition models enhancing affordability, and endowments. These “big bets” emerged from an overall rise in the awareness that day schools make an impact over generations, exemplified in Prizmah’s #JDSalumniproud video campaign.

Our schools have collectively seized this moment, and Prizmah has helped by doubling down on the critical needs which remain core to our strategy: supporting and deepening leadership and talent, activating funding sources, and advancing educational excellence and innovation. These remain top strategic priorities of the Prizmah Network, powered by learning through sharing.

As we see the scale tip with our accomplishments from last year, we look ahead to some of the opportunities and challenges facing us.

  • Our leadership and educator pipeline demands cultivation. At a time when exceptional leadership is one of our most precious commodities, we must increase the tenure of heads of school and create attractive pathways to headships. Prizmah programs like DSLTI (Day School Leadership Training Institute), Orthodox Women's Leadership Cohort, and YOU Lead, as well as the invaluable contributions of coaches and mentors, continue to give veteran and new heads skills and encouragement to persevere in what some would call the toughest job in the Jewish world.
  • Finances matter more than ever. Affordability will remain a challenge, and schools and communities are practicing ever more creative approaches to meet the needs of all families in fair and effective ways. With broader recognition of the value of Jewish day schools, now is an opportune time to expand efforts in deploying creative affordability models and in raising endowment funds.
  • Excellence drives growth. Whether in facilities management or curriculum development, nothing at a school can flourish without ongoing care and tending. Day in and day out, the trust parents place in their schools must be rewarded with impeccable service and the delivery of a first-class education. Post-Covid realities such as increased mental health and social-emotional challenges will continue to push our schools to strengthen the way they support all students, academically, spiritually, and socially.

This liminal time of year, when we emerge from awe and ramp up joy, sets the stage for a promising school year. Just as our days begin to grow shorter, we start a new balancing act. In our vision for the year to come, may we accrue the confidence and success to find ourselves once again in a position to reflect back on achievements just as we look ahead to new challenges.

As a means of reflection, we are pleased to provide you with Prizmah’s annual Year in Review report, featuring highlights from the 2022-23 academic year, including trends in enrollment, advancement, school finance and leadership, along with future-focused insights.

Z’man Simchatainu | זְמַן שִׂמְחָתֵנוּ
With best wishes for a truly joyful year ahead.

Lisa is the Chair of Prizmah's Board of Directors.  Learn more about her here.

Introducing Prizmah’s Next Board Chair

Lisa Popik Coll, Prizmah’s new board chair, knew from her first date with her husband, Arieh Coll, that if things worked out, she’d be sending her children to Jewish day school. “While I grew up in a very Jewishly identified community and loved my summers at camp, Arieh made the case that in day schools, Jewish life thrives year-round,” she said.

Coll understood what this really meant when her oldest child was in fifth grade at Solomon Schechter of Greater Boston and parents were invited to tefillah where their children chanted from the Torah for the first time. Eighth graders in the room next door were tapped to help make a minyan so kaddish could be recited.  “Without any typical adolescent eye-rolling, they came into the room,” said Coll. “You could literally see everything come together in that moment—the values the school had instilled, the sense of community, Jewish literacy, and the idea that each student in the school was truly a link in the great chain of our tradition,” said Coll.

Her path to day school lay leadership took off when she was invited in 1997 to a meeting for the new Jewish high school (now Gann Academy) that had just opened on the campus of Brandeis.  “What struck me was that almost none of the people there had kids who would benefit from this new school. Their kids were mostly beyond high school age,” she said. “It was like the midrash come to life about Honi planting carob seeds for the next generation.”  With her children still in grade school, Coll recognized that it was her opportunity to step up and take on a lay leadership role—and she hasn’t stopped since.

Coll’s leadership is powered by a passion for taking advantage of new opportunities to get involved, and she is the quintessential networker. “Through Boston-area day school advocacy and collaboration efforts, like the recently launched Stronger Together initiative, and meeting donors from across North America at Prizmah’s Investor Summits, I have found that sharing what works makes all the difference,” said Coll. As Prizmah’s chair, Coll is excited to leverage the opportunities for school leaders to continue learning from each other.

“Whether we are addressing affordability, tackling the educators pipeline, or strengthening leadership, it all starts when we share what is working in a particular school or community,” said Coll. Prizmah, for Coll, has the sacred responsibility to make sure that happens. “You will never come away more inspired about the future of the Jewish people than at a Prizmah gathering.

Paul is Prizmah’s founding Chief Executive Officer. Learn more about Paul here.

Jewish Day School Alumni Proud

Caps and gowns, passionate speeches, festive music, and no doubt more than a few parental tears mark this time of year at day schools throughout North America. Our students become our graduates, and we celebrate these inquisitive, lifelong learners on the path to becoming engaged Jewish adults with a commitment to make the world a better place. As they join the ranks of day school alumni, they will continue to make us proud. 
 
Over the past year, Prizmah launched the #JDSalumniproud campaign, which highlights the long-term, generational impact of Jewish day school education. The personal stories of alumni from a variety of geographic, denominational, and professional backgrounds all share a common theme: Jewish day schools provide deep-rooted values that last a lifetime, a strong sense of Torah and Jewish pride, and an enduring love for Israel. We hope you have had a chance to be inspired through these videos and invite you to share them throughout your school community.

In this month’s Kaleidoscope, the final issue for the 2023-24 academic year, learn more about Prizmah’s #JDSalumniproud campaign, and find out about how some Jewish day schools are celebrating their own milestones and engaging meaningfully with alumni across generations. Recent graduates, alumni who have become new parents, parents and grandparents of alumni—all become a part of our greater community and can become our best advocates, new prospects, powerful lay leaders, and day school supporters.

Kol hakavod and thank you to all of you—Jewish day school professional and lay leaders, faculty and staff, for working so passionately all year long to make our students and our schools shine brightly.

Mazal Tov to all the graduates from the Class of 2023! We can’t wait to see the things you do.

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Amy is Prizmah's Senior Director of Catalyzing Resources. Learn more about her here.

The Value of an Alumni Professional

The age range of your school’s alumni may vary depending on when it was established, encompassing individuals from the Baby Boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1964) to Generation Z (born after 1997). Each of these alumni segments have distinct values and mindsets regarding engagement and philanthropy, each bringing unique opportunities of how to engage them. The presence of a dedicated professional working with your alumni can contribute to strengthening your school’s network, fundraising efforts, engagement and overall reputation across the generations. Here are some essential areas where a school can leverage the expertise of alumni professionals to further your schools mission.

School-Community Connection

Alumni represent invaluable resources for schools. Throughout their time at your school, it is crucial to foster an environment that cultivates a strong and enduring connection between students and the school. After students graduate, a dedicated alumni professional can steward these alumni, building an alumni network. It can be as simple as organizing a get together for Shabbat dinner or drinks while they are on their college break or in the summer. 

Alumni that are building their career are a great resource for mentorship of current students, offering internships or job opportunities to other alumni just starting their career. Simply acting as a connector can play a big part as they are building their career, and simultaneously, you are deepening their connection to your school. Dedicate time to creating opportunities for alumni to connect with each other and with the school, as it forms a crucial part of a comprehensive strategy to maintain their engagement. Keeping alumni connected enhances the overall school-community relationship, deepens alumni connection to the school and fosters a sense of pride and loyalty among alumni.

Networking Opportunities 

Alumni hold positions in various industries and organizations, locally, nationally and even internationally. With a dedicated alumni professional on your team, and a strategy to engage them, schools can connect to these networks and leverage them for the benefit of current students and possibly other alumni. They can be supportive in organizing networking events, alumni panels and career fairs. Creating a space for connection can support students as they explore career options, seek advice and establish professional relationships.

Fundraising and Development 

Alumni represent one of your many donor segments. Alumni professionals play a pivotal role in leading or coordinating alumni giving campaigns, designing fundraising events and building a culture of philanthropy within the alumni community. They can share updates about the school’s achievements, initiatives and programming. With their leadership, they contribute to building a culture of shared responsibility and commitment to giving back among the alumni, further strengthening the school’s fundraising efforts.

Alumni Communication 

A dedicated alumni professional ensures consistent and effective communication between the school and the alumni. The alumni professional can manage inline platforms to share news, alumni digital newsletters or magazines, and achievements of the school and its alumni. Regular communication helps to maintain a strong connection between the alumni and the school and encourages their involvement in various activities and events.

Institutional Reputation 

A robust and active alumni network can contribute to the reputation and credibility of a school. Alumni who excel in their fields and are recognized for their achievements reflect positively on the institution that nurtured their development. Through showcasing your alumni success stories and accomplishments (personal and/or professional), a dedicated professional can enhance the school’s reputation, aid in both retention and recruitment of students, and strengthen relationships within your community.

Allocating funds for a dedicated alumni professional might not be feasible for every school. Nevertheless, at some point, every school needs to set a goal for its work with alumni and just jump in. You don’t need to do everything at once. If you haven’t started work with alumni, pick one thing that you can incorporate into your planning for the upcoming year and commit to doing it. Each year, reflect on what you did accomplish and add a bit more to expand your impact. 

Getting started can be the hardest part; an easy way to begin is to hire an alum to build up your alumni database. With summer around the corner, the timing is perfect for a college student or two to roll up their sleeves. Using the new database, you can start to create connections on social and professional platforms. By end of summer, you can have an updated database of alumni to engage with in the coming year.