iJED Conference Learning Lab: Financial Sustainability
Lab 2, Block 1
Build Your Skills-Fill in the Gaps: 4 Key Levers
Focusing on the levers for change identified in Lab #1, choose two from the workshops below to learn more deeply about the key strategies of story, data, plan, and relationships. Bring your notes from each workshop to Lab #3 tomorrow.
Block 1: 9:00 – 10:20 a.m.
Implementing Proactive Recruitment to Increase Enrollment: Forum 1
Harry Bloom (PEJE) will lead this Lab #2 workshop on utilizing market research and analysis of your school’s recruitment environment. You’ll learn cutting-edge market management techniques to help fill your recruitment funnel with qualified candidates, and manage those candidates through to matriculation. You will explore collecting and analyzing information about your current and prospective families, and creating a strategy that effectively addresses your school’s unique recruitment challenge. In Lab #3, Harry will be available to help your school team take what you’ve learned and develop an action-oriented plan.
Building Your School’s Board: The Role of Planfulness and Partnership: Forum 3
Josh Elkin (Josh Elkin Coaching and Consulting) will teach how a strategic board and a positive board culture are essential ingredients for a sustainable day school. Heads of School and board leaders will explore their respective roles in advancing the entire board and its members in positive directions. In this Lab #2 workshop, you’ll learn how to help your board function better and accomplish more of its responsibilities. Understand the collaboration required among the Board Chair (President), Committee on Trustees (Governance Committee), and Head of School to move a board from “okay” to exceptional performance. During Lab #3, Josh can help you integrate this board building plan into your school’s overall sustainability plan.
See PEJE’s Announcements page for pre-reading.
Ready. Set. Go? Are You Ready to Build an Endowment?: Forum 4
What does it take to raise endowment funds? Take PEJE’s new innovative tool, the Endowment Readiness Assessment (ERA), and find out. Heads of School, development professionals, and lay leaders will try the ERA in this Lab #2 workshop. This is appropriate for those considering launching endowment efforts, as well as those already raising endowment funds.
Jill Goldenberg, Francine Shron, and Suzi Schuller (PEJE’s Endowment & Legacy Institute team) will help analyze your data, consider key relationships, and create a plan for moving your endowment building forward. Jill will be available during Lab #3 to help integrate endowment into your overall plan for sustainability.
Note: This workshop is offered in both blocks.
See PEJE’s Announcements page for pre-work.
What's the Plan?: Forum 7
Everyone tells you need a development plan—but you're not quite sure if yours serves your school's needs. Or how to design and implement one. In this Lab #2 workshop, Pearl Kane (PLK Consulting Group LLC) shows the components of an excellent plan. Learn how lay leadership and professionals can work together more effectively, steps for implementation, and ways to tweak the plan all year-round. Bring a device that can access the Internet. In Lab #3, Pearl will help you design an effective development plan and make it come alive in your school.
Making the Case: An I -Thou Approach: Forum 8
Miriam Prum-Hess (Builders of Jewish Education of Los Angeles) and Rachel Slaton (Builders of Jewish Education of Los Angeles) will show how to strengthen relationships with parents, donors, alumni, staff, and communal stakeholders to secure the future of your school. In building these relationships, school leaders must find the right balance between being true to themselves and their institutions while listening to and acting upon feedback and data to build relationships. This Lab #2 workshop will use real life examples, from parent surveys to donor and alumni stewardship, to help you create, deepen, and widen your relationships with all stakeholders. Board members, Heads of School, development professionals, and communal leaders will leave with actionable ideas to build a trusting culture for a stronger future. Miriam and Rachel will be available during Lab #3 to help customize your plan.
Net Promoter Score: The One Number You Need to Grow and Activate: Forum 9
Arnie Zar-Kessler (SSDS of Greater Boston), Hannah Feinberg Romick (Measuring Success), and Jim Blankstein (PEJE) will teach you to understand which people promote your school and why. You’ll explore what “net-promoters” are. You’ll also learn to identify these folks, discern what they’re passionate about, and show how they can help feed your school’s admission pipeline. This Lab #2 workshop will show you how a proven strategy from the for-profit world can be productive for Jewish day schools. In Lab #3, Arnie, Hannah, and Jim will help your school team take what you’ve learned and develop an action plan. Your school will leave the conference with a better understanding of net promoters and specific next steps to help your school and your families.
