The Sheva Center Leadership Institute for Early Childhood Professionals is now accepting applications for candidates for this newly-funded initiative of JCC Association of North America’s Sheva Center for Innovation in Early Childhood Jewish Education & Engagement.
This effort, made possible by generous support from the Jim Joseph Foundation, is focused on retaining, nurturing and enhancing the skills of high-quality staff to create a pipeline for management and executive staff. Raising the excellence in JCC early childhood care and education programs (ECE) throughout North America is a strategic priority for the JCC community.
The 2018 institute builds on the Sheva Covenant Directors Institute originally funded by the Covenant Foundation in 2014.
JCC Association’s primary goals for the new Sheva Center Leadership Institute for Early Childhood Professionals are to increase the number and quality of early childhood educators who are ready to assume increased responsibilities and leadership in early care and education at JCCs. Thirty fellows will be notified of acceptance by April 30 and the first virtual meeting will take place in May. A first retreat will take place in June.
The initiative will not only include the work with the fellow, but the nurturing of the entire JCC using “Growing Jewish ECE,” a new platform being developed to ensure a holistic approach to excellence. This Institute will require work with the executive leadership of the JCC, lay leaders and staff, and families.
Visit JCC Association’s website for additional information and the application links. All applicants must currently be employed by a JCC in the United States or Canada affiliated with JCC Association of North America. The deadline for nominating a fellow is Monday, March 26, 2018.
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I am very interested in this program, excited and thrilled that such programming and preparation for nurturing, caring for, instilling Jewish values in very young children and their families is about to begin.
As a Jewish early childhood professional for many, many years, I am interested in becoming an instructor/consultant, planner, etc. for this innovative, exciting program.
As the founding director of Early Childhood at the Center for Jewish Education (formerly, Board of Jewish Education) of Baltimore; it was under my leadership and guidance that college courses in Jewish ece were established, that a directors council was begun, that curriculum material that integrated both secular and Jewish knowledge was developed and is still being used, that for parents, workshops, programs were introduced and developed to aid in the understanding and appreciation of these very important developmental years, that an exit survey was created to find out the impact of Jewish early childhood education on the family was created (results and comments brought tears to my eyes),
As an educator, I was involved in creating, developing and implementing Machon L’Morim, an innovative Jewish early childhood program that helped to combine Jewish and secular knowledge, resources in learning opportunities for those already in this field and for those who wish to become part of this wonderful area of education.
I also taught general courses in early childhood at local colleges, served as a supervisor for ed students in their field placement sites, and continues my involvement in a full time Jewish child care setting.
I am an author of curriculum guides for each Jewish holiday and Shabbat, Gmilut Hasadim; also, co-author of Torah Talk.. An Early Childhood Teaching Guide and Lively Legends.. Jewish Values