The School Services Department of the BJE acts to enhance the quality of Jewish education in Los Angeles by providing the following services to affiliated schools:

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EDUCATORS (FORMAL)

• Annual Conferences for Religious School and Early Childhood educators
• Seminars and Courses (3-15 sessions duration) on specific topics of Jewish content and pedagogic method designed for teachers (individual subscription, in diverse locations)
• Regional Workshop Grants for Religious School educators (for geographically based intensive workshops for combined faculties of neighboring congregations)
• Intensive Day School seminars on important topics in  education designed for educators in Jewish day schools.

Training initiatives to bring current materials and methods for effective Hebrew language education into selected schools (L’shoneinu).

NETWORKING AND SYSTEM BUILDING

• Coordination of Principals Councils (networks of principals of “like” schools; Early Childhood, Religious Schools, Day Schools, Yeshivot)
  
• School Board lay leadership development (programs for school board members designed to enhance understanding of board responsibilities and “best practices”)
  
• Coordination of Youth Professionals Advisory Council (a network of youth group leaders of the various youth groups in L.A.) and of an annual professional development conference for youth group leaders and educators of teens
  
• Liaison with governmental institutions and other educational agencies for updates on legal issues relating to education as well as funding opportunities
  
• Information and Referral re:  special education services/opportunities (targeting parents)

EDUCATIONAL CONSULTATION

• Consultation re:  Hebrew language curriculum and instruction to schools and individual teachers.
• School consultation/seminars re: identifying Israel education goals and developing/accessing school-appropriate curricular approaches
• Ad hoc educational consultation to principals, teachers and school boards re:  curriculum and instruction
• Educational support of the L.A.-Tel Aviv School Partnership (providing educational expertise to the Federation’s School Twinning Program, which includes 15 BJE-affiliated schools).

SCHOOL ACCREDITATION

• Coordinating with schools and allied accrediting agencies; organizing visiting teams; providing consultation re:  accreditation process, self-study and grant development; working with accredited schools on grant implementation

TEACHER RECOGNITION

• Teacher Recognition Programs (Milken, Lainer, and Smotrich awards)

YOUTH EDUCATION SERVICES

• March of the Living (a teen study tour trip to Poland and Israel for Holocaust Memorial Day and Israel Independence Day).

We're Just A Click Away

The BJE offers consultation to more than 150 affiiated pre-schools, day schools, religious schools and youth groups serving close to 30,000 children throughout Southern California.  Consultations are available by phone or e-mail to directors, principals, school board chairs, rabbis and presidents.