New Directors ICoP 2023-2024
Since reopening from COVID closures, there has been unprecedented turnover in Religious School Administration (Directors, Associate Directors, Assistant Directors), with 22 schools experiencing a change of one of their Directors since the beginning of the 2022-2023 academic year. In addition, there is a great variety of experience and training in these 22 new participants. The quest of this ICoP is to provide a safe and confidential space for professional support and a ‘walking down the same path as me’ professional community to help new Directors in our community survive and thrive in the first two years of their position.
Two existing supports for this ICoP continue into 2023-2024; the ICoP will discuss supports that could be added to increase the value to its participants.
New Directors Skills Building Workshop Series: The first core support of this ICoP is monthly meetings with New Directors to engage in skills building workshops for New Directors (e.g., last year we devoted multiple sessions to supervision as many had never supervised a non-teaching staff professional before) on topics that are essential to success. At our first meeting of the year, we will collectively determine areas of Directors practice on which participants would like to focus, and identify teachers to facilitate our learning and professional growth.
New Directors Mentor Program: Mentorships can be a valuable resource when in a new position. Having another voice in your ear, who is not part of your everyday professional team, can be a source of support, thought partnering, and inspiration. BJE’s Reshet-LA will provide a $360 stipend for a mentor and money for you to buy coffee at your mentor meetings. All you need to do is:
Meet with David Lewis to identify and agree upon a quality mentor for the interested New RS Director. Simply drop David an email at [email protected] to set up a meeting and get the ball rolling.
When a Mentor is confirmed, inform David Lewis and supply contact info to the selected Mentor so we can arrange/process your mentor's $360 stipend (BJE will handle all elements of the mentor stipend payment. You don’t need to do anything except when you ask your mentor to mentor you, that they will receive a $360 stipend for doing so for having 4 1-hour meetings with you over the next year). This will also trigger a $60 coffee card at your selected venue to utilize at mentor meetings.
Meet with your mentor a minimum of 4 times for one hour each over one year (once per quarter).
All New Directors Meetings occur on THURSDAYS FROM 1 PM - 2 PM (this is the only ICoP that does not meet on Tuesdays). The New Directors Meeting Calendar for 2023-2024 may can be found on our Network platform). Contact David Lewis for further information and login access.