Marketing Across the Spectrum

This issue of HaYidion was being prepared by the RAVSAK staff as most of us were getting ready to dip apples into honey. It reaches you about the time that your apples are being turned into applesauce to accompany your latkes. As a Chanukah gift, this issue will prove to be of immense value.

Where the Orthodox community is large enough, it will have its own day school(s). Where the Modern Orthodox community is not sufficiently large to have its own day school, members may choose to send their children either to more right-wing schools or to a community school (or lacking the latter, to a Conservative school). In reference to educational issues pertaining to N-8 community day schools, the Modern Orthodox community is generally differentiated from more liberal communities by:

The David Posnack Hebrew Day School (DPHDS) is a kindergarten through twelfth grade institution that consists of three campuses, two elementary campuses and one upper school campus comprised of a middle school and a high school. Although the DPHDS has been in existence for over thirty years, the high school only started in 1998. Because of the competitive religious and secular private schools in the area, the DPHDS has to offer something unique and special to its students. As with most Hebrew day schools, the DPHDS has a strict dual curriculum which has been instrumental in helping our students develop great time management and study skills. In fact, returning alumni have said that the dual curriculum has benefited their college career.

“We offer so many wonderful programs and events that no one ever hears about. Our students excel academically and have the awards to prove it. How can we let our community know?”

In communities across North America where there is no PARDeS (Progressive Association of Reform Day Schools) School, the Community Day School is the logical home for families who identify themselves as Reform Jews.

"You talkin' to me?"
It's funny how a quote from "Taxi Driver", a 30 year old movie, has evolved into an inside joke for our family. In essence, though, it's also the story of day school marketing.

What tools do you need to market a Jewish preschool to families of pre-school aged children? The answer is quite simple: offer families the best Jewish educational experience possible for their children. All parents want nothing but the best for their children and what is better than an excellent model of early childhood education that inspires children to see consistently through a Jewish lens?

Whether we have been trained in public relations or not, marketing has become a serious consideration for the Jewish Community High School. East coast or west, city or suburbs, "selling" the Jewish educational experience when families have the alternatives of public, magnet and private schools makes this a challenge to all of us committed to the mission of Jewish education.

You know that old saying: "If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you always got." Admission directors participating in PEJE's Admission Community of Practice recently learned how to positively impact their recruitment efforts by changing their programming philosophy in a conference call featuring Audrey Jacobs, Director of School Advancement at Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School.

I wish I could recommend a magic marketing bullet to attract Conservative Jewish families in a community day school catchment area, but, alas, I cannot.