The Mission vs Admission Challenge in Jewish Day Schools
Rabbi Jim Rogozen Almost every Jewish day school has a Mission Statement. It usually appears on the school’s web page and in marketing materials. It explains what the school is about, its target audience, and the nature and goals of the school. Some of these Mission Statements are very specific about the families they serve and the religious nature of the school, while others are broader in scope, hoping to attract families with a wider range of Jewish practices and beliefs. A school’s religious policies, curriculum, program, and faculty will (or should) reflect what’s contained in the Mission Statement. A school’s ability to accomplish all the elements contained within its Mission Statement depends on several factors: enough students to constitute each grade of the school, sufficient revenue from tuition and fundraising, a group of qualified teachers and specialists, trained administrators, a facility that supports the school’s program, and the support of the Board and paren