Jewish Week Looking to Interview HALB/Tiferet Parents

Julie Wiener of the Jewish Week is looking to do an article on the HALB/Tiferet merger.  She asked me to post the following:

I'm doing an article about this for The Jewish Week, and would love to speak to Tiferet and HALB parents to find out how they feel about this. If any of you are on this blog -- or if any blog readers have friends at these places with whom they can put me in touch -- please e-mail me at julie.inthemix@gmail.com. 

Thanks! Julie Wiener, Associate
Editor, The New York Jewish Week

Chag Sameach to everyone,
YD

Update: Article can be found here: http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/short-takes/startup-day-school-finds-established-home

Tiferet "Merges" with HALB

The start-up school Tiferet, in the 5 Towns, was supposed to follow the He'atid model of using blended learning to reduce costs and lower tuition.  They just announced that rather than starting a new school they are going to merge with Hebrew Academy of Long Beach and try to incorporate their methods into the existing school (see the announcement, from their website, after the jump).  They haven't yet announced what the tuition will be but if tuition is not significantly reduced people won't consider this a merger but simply Tiferet giving up on its plan to open up an  affordable school.  At the very least, the funds from AJE should help with tuition reduction in the short run.

BPY Increases, Moriah stays flat for 2013/2014

Link to the right shows the new BPY tuition schedule.  Tuition stays flat for Pre-K though they still haven't cut tuition for that grade as every other BC school has in order to compete with some of the new low-cost options.  1st-4th grades go up by $400 & 5th-7th goes up by $600.  They sent this letter explaining it.

Meanwhile, Moriah announced that they are keeping tuition flat for next year though they are adding a $285 assessment per family to cover security upgrades. They are also adding 5 more days to the calendar.  See their letter here.

As the letter explains, Moriah is making some budget cuts to reflect their smaller enrollment, which is something Westchester Day School should consider now that they have a low-cost competitor poaching some of their students.

If Paramus Public Schools Jumped Off A Bridge.....

Anyone else think it's ridiculous that school was delayed for 2 hours at some Paramus Day Schools because of an inch of slushy snow on the ground?

Public Schools were delayed, which was unnecessary in its own right.  But if you're about to give off for 2 weeks you should be making an extra effort to stay open this week.

Central Jersey Starts Version of NNJKIDS

http://www.cnjkids.org

OU Clarifies Position on Blended Learning

After OU president Simcha Katz wrote an article endorsing blended learning in yeshiva day schools, including in new schools like He'atid but also in Yavneh, Maury Litwack from OU issued the clarification below.

I agree with the author that "Tuition relief will only come with all the available solutions working in collaboration."  I don't know why anyone reading the original article by Dr. Katz would assume otherwise. Nothing in his article suggests that blended learning would be a panacea to the tuition crisis all by itself.

My guess is that the clarification was driven by some angry phone calls or emails by supporters of existing schools that are threatened by the new models.   

Note from Maury Litwack Regarding Tuition Reduction Efforts

Posted on Friday, March 8th, 2013 at 12:04 pm.

Recently, OU President Simcha Katz published an editorial in the Jewish Action regarding his thoughts on blended learning and the new schools that are built on this model. Some have construed this editorial as a singular endorsement for the future of Jewish education by the Orthodox Union. This is not the Orthodox Union position on tuition reduction

In the last eighteen months, we’ve spent a majority of our staff time launching state lobbying efforts to advocate for increased government funding for Jewish education. As we’ve stated many times in public and in the report that followed the OU tuition summit, we believe that government advocacy is a unique area that the OU can focus its expertise.

Additionally, we’ve worked with many other organizations such as Yeshiva University, Avi Chai and PEJE on collaborative efforts where available. Tuition relief will only come with all the available solutions working in collaboration.

I want to reaffirm the OU’s overall commitment to work with local community leaders in an effort to strengthen existing schools, shuls, and all similar entities, which are invaluable to Jewish life.

Maury Litwack
Director of State Political Affairs & Outreach

Bergen County Exec Meets With Day Schools

 Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan Meets with Jewish Day School Leadership

The New Jersey Orthodox Union office of the Institute for Public Affairs coordinated a meeting with Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan and Jewish Day School Administrators at The Moriah School in Englewood on Thursday, February 28.

Ms. Donovan was provided with a tour of the school led by its Principal, Dr. Elliot Prager.

Following the tour, she met with the 20 attendees, to become better acquainted and to discuss what the County can provide for the Schools in these financially trying times.

Amongst the suggestions made were the possibility of providing security assessments, security training, use of County parks and recreational activities, a free presentation on New Jersey history, and Special Education opportunities. Ms. Donovan emphasized that the County “has the ability to help you and your kids” and encouraged quarterly meetings between schools and the County for increased dialogue and cooperation.

Attending the meeting with the County Executive was Peter Incardone, Jr. her Deputy Chief of Staff, Councilman Yitz Stern and the Orthodox Union’s NJ IPA staff including its Director Josh Pruzansky, Arielle Frankston-Morris, Associate Director of Community Engagement, Sara Rosengarten, Associate Director of Voter Outreach and Ira Treuhaft a resident of Bergenfield.

Schools represented at the meeting were The Moriah School, The Frisch School, Yavneh Academy, Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey, Yeshivat Noam, Yeshivat He’Atid, Ben Porat Yosef, Torah Academy of Bergen County, Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls and Solomon Schechter of Bergen County.