We've Arrived!

My almost three-year-old daughter had an interesting reaction to our move. When she arrived at the house, she began scampering around looking in each room to see what was there. Each look into a room was punctuated by her exclaiming, “wow”, there is a new toy, chair, etc. I had expected her to be excited, but I did not expect her to look at her old toys and furniture in such a new light. For her, everything seemed new, even if it was old, because it was placed differently in our new home and this brought with it excitement for her.

Her reaction has mirrored what I have felt as I have settled into my new professional home at Gross Schechter Day School. Yes, some things are truly new - the office, the much shorter daily commute, and the faces around me. On the other hand, some things are technically not new, such as the challenges and opportunities facing a Jewish day school. What my daughter has taught me is that context is incredibly important and seeing things in a new context can take the mundane and elevate it to a higher level.

As the summer builds towards the start of the school year, I am striving to learn about all things Schechter and getting to know our context better as I work to chart our course for the future. My commitment to you as the new Head of School is to listen, be transparent, and be honest. As the school’s lead administrator, I am partnering with our staff to create a culture of accountability, coordination, flexibility, and understanding. We are building a school that has capacity for growth.

We are already working to strengthen our communications. The staff is hard at work this summer ensuring that your child will have a meaningful year in the classroom and that parents will be more informed about and engaged with the activities happening throughout our school. We will be launching a new website that will make it easier for you to stay informed and create a strong digital presence for Schechter.

During the past two weeks, I have had the opportunity to sit with some key supporters of our school and hear why they have stayed involved with Schechter and how they think we can grow. I am looking forward to having many more of these opportunities. We will be setting up a series of open house gatherings during which you can tell me what you love about our school and offer suggestions where you see a place for change. The first one will be on Wednesday, July 31^st, at 7:00 PM in the Iris S. and Bert L. Wolstein Media Center at the school.

You will also find me enjoying a popsicle on the Schechter playground on Sunday, July 28^th, at 4:00PM -- a program open to all families -- and also at Wade Oval Wednesday on August 7^th, at 6:00PM (see attached Summer Family Events Schedule).  Please come, (re)introduce yourself, and enjoy some summer fun with us!

Warehouse

With about three weeks to go before our move to Cleveland, our house on Long Island is beginning to look a lot like a shipping warehouse. We’ve run out of places to discretely stack boxes and now they are beginning to take over the living spaces. As we have packed, we’ve had the opportunity to go through files and clean out the attic.

We’ve made some interesting discoveries along the way (e.g. why did I still have tuition bills from college in a filing cabinet?) and had some moments of warmth as we found early examples of our girls’ artwork and things from our wedding. As we worked to pack up our lives and transport them to another city, these touchstones with our past are making the transition easier, even as we look to eliminate some of the clutter that we have acquired.

I recently spent a very packed two days in Cleveland making a few discoveries of my own, even though we are not quite ready to begin unpacking in our new home. I am continuing to enjoy the warmth of the Cleveland Jewish community and our own community, Kehillat Schechter.  Each conversation that I had helped me uncover and unpack more about my new professional and personal home.

Perhaps the most important discovery is the fierce passion that the members of Gross Schechter’s kehillah have for the school. Parents and staff shared moments of pride for the school, as well as their hopes and requests for the future. Among the highlights were strong academics, caring students, and a staff committed to professional growth. Many people expressed a desire to strengthen our communication, both internally and externally. Also shared was a desire to enhance the bonds that connect us as a kehillah through volunteerism and social activities. As we move into the beginnings of a new recruitment season, we also need to make sure that we build a stronger community presence, so that no one thinks that the gem that is Gross Schechter is hidden.

These, along with our other objectives of continuing to enhance our academic offerings, support our students’ growth, and securing the school’s financial health, will be among the things that the staff, lay leadership, and I will be working on as the summer begins.

In these closing days of the school year, Susan Siegel and I have been in close communication as the transition nears. I am grateful for her help and support, as well as the support from the school’s staff and lay leaders. I join with the community in wishing Susan b’hatzlacha rabba (much success) with her new position in Greensboro.

With just a few short weeks to go, the excitement and anticipation is building.