Jewish School Improvement Programs

The Lookstein Center maintains that the most effective means of promoting school improvement in the Jewish school is to work with the total school organization over an extended period of time. Therefore the Center has engaged in on-going Jewish education projects and cooperative relationships with schools and communities in the FSU, South America, North America, England and Australia. These school-based improvement programs include:

School Evaluations and Consultations

School evaluation teams, composed of experts in General and Jewish studies from Israel and the Diaspora, initiate a thorough analysis of the school organization, program and culture in partnership with the total school community. Following a detailed diagnosis of the current situation, a prescription for improvement and an implementation plan are presented to the school administration.

Based on the needs of the school, a tailored-made program is designed including professional and lay leadership development, professional development for faculty, curriculum design and implementation, all part of an overall process of school change in which the school can re-envision itself to meet the new challenges of a changing community. These programs include further school visitations by The Lookstein Center team, workshops and seminars in Israel, and ongoing electronic communication so that support is available daily to the school community.

Curriculum Development

The Lookstein Center curriculum-writing team works in collaboration with school staff to write Jewish Studies curriculum for elementary, middle and high schools. The writing process includes school visitations by the Lookstein Center team, curriculum writing workshops and ongoing correspondence with the staff. Each curriculum is written specifically to meet the needs of the respective school.

The topics include: Hebrew language, Bible, Jewish History, Oral Law/Rabbinics, Israel Studies and Moreshet (an analysis of contemporary issues through the study of primary texts from the Written and Oral Law). Curriculum include detailed work plans, sample lessons, and diagnostic tests.