Name of Committee/Area: Education

Staff Director: Lyanna Lindgren             Board Member Liaison: Brian Pearl

Report for month(s) of:  Dec/Jan

Activities:  (What should the Federation Board know about the work accomplished the past month - numbers served, meetings, action taken, statistical data, activities, accomplishments?)

1. New Engman Camp Shalom Director for 2013 summer

2. High School Program Restructured

3. Jr. High School Program Changes

Our Mission at Work:  (What made you feel good about the work accomplished this month:  something positive that occurred, success story, positive feedback, goal met, anecdote of client/student served, etc.)

1. With the ECS Committee approval, Allie Weiss was recently hired as our new camp director.  She was highly recommended by Kathryn Engelbrech, a previous camp director.  Allie comes to us with not only an education background, but involvement and experiences in her local Jewish community in Indiana.  

2. Rabbis Edelman-Blank and Kaufman and I met on several occasions in addressing the low attendance numbers for our Wednesday evening Jr/Sr High School program.  Briefly, the high school program has been restructured as follows:  this program will include 11th and 12th graders; students will meet twice a month on Sunday afternoon; classes will be split between Caspe and Synagogues; additional opportunities such as social action will be offered; etc.  This is still a work in progress.

3. With the high school program moving to Sundays, it was decided to move the fourteen 7th and 8th graders to attend along with the 3rd through 6th graders on Wednesday and Sunday.  This program meets two Wednesdays a month and runs from 4:30pm – 6:30pm.  This is a change from offering dinner and having classes run through 8:30 pm.  These students will also meet one Sunday a month from 9am-Noon.  Social time and snacks will continue to be part of this program.