yeshivat he'atid annual report 2013

2013 Annual Report

2 A Yeshivat He’Atid 2013 Annual Report A 3

Our commitment

At Yeshivat He’Atid we are committed to academic excellence in Judaic and secular studies.

We are committed to serving as a premier model for innovative and economically sustainable 21st century Jewish education.

We are committed to fostering meaningful relationships between teachers and students.

We are committed to using cutting edge technology to differentiate and support a variety of learning styles and learning levels.

We are committed to fostering confident, mindful, active learners and analytical thinkers.

We are committed to instilling a true passion for Torah and mitzvot, a deep connection to Klal Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael, and a dedication to chessed and derech eretz.

At Yeshivat He’Atid we are committed to the success and happiness of every child.

“ Our goal is to provide a personalized learning experience for each and every child”

— Rabbi Netanel Gralla, head of school


Dear Friends,

This first Annual Report reflects the efforts of everyone here at Yeshivat He’Atid who has contributed to the school since its inception to help make our inaugural year such a success.

First and foremost, we would like to thank our incredible faculty, staff, board members, and volunteers at Yeshivat He’Atid for all of their hard work in making this vision a reality. We also want to express our sincerest gratitude to the national organizations and the 85 individuals and families who were eager and willing to contribute financially to get this school up and running. Finally, we would like to recognize our passionate and caring parent body, who entrusted us with their 116 children in our historic first year.

The Board of Directors and our staff are committed to transparency. Thus, this report will show how dollars are allocated, as well as expected trends in our finances as we move toward self-sustainability.

This year we proved that a high quality, affordable yeshiva education can be a reality. We are extremely proud of the standard we have set for communities across the United States. But this is only the beginning, and we welcome your open and honest feedback as we continue to grow and improve.

Kol Tuv,

Rabbi Netanel Gralla Head of School

“ The minute you walk into school, kids and

parents are surrounded by happiness and

excitement. The teachers love their jobs

and the kids can feel that.” — Lev & Maria Rozentul, Yeshivat He’Atid parents


Our unique community

Our faculty of first-rate educators make up a hand-selected group of experienced teaching professionals who are committed to developing every child’s learning potential and fostering a life-long love of learning. Our model’s focus on small group instruction blended with technology allows children to foster meaningful relationships with their teachers and subjects. The result is Yeshivat He’Atid’s team of well-trained professionals working to provide a happy, safe and nurturing environment, cultivating self-esteem, independence, and essential 21st century skills.

Our students play an active and integral role in the learning process through engaging modes of study and varied learning experiences including:

4interactive project-based learning

4inquiry-based collaborative work

4independent research

These different learning experiences allow each student opportunities to contribute to their learning community and to become active participants in the learning process.

Our parents play an integral role in our community. Our teachers and staff are passionate about forming a strong, open partnership with parents to ensure the best possible experience for each child. Teachers provide open and continuous communication with families and are receptive to the unique needs of each family.

Our school community is a supportive and inclusive learning environment that allows students, teachers, and parents to grow together and thrive. Our personalized education model and warm environment ensure that students feel comfortable among their teachers and classmates. This supportive atmosphere encourages students to feel confident contributing to the class both socially and academically, regardless of their individual strengths and abilities.

“ The staff at He’Atid couldn’t be a more positive group of people. They are gentle, structured, energetic and caring with all the children. We look forward to many more years with He’Atid.”

— Rizi Harris, first grade parent


Our customized instruction

Our curriculum is aligned with the National Common Core State Standards for 21st century readiness. With a focus on TEAMS subjects (Technology, English, Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies), students gain essential skills needed to succeed such as critical-thinking, problem-solving, communications, and collaboration. Each student is encouraged to produce high-quality work and strive for success.

We provide our teachers with intensive professional development, curricular advisement, and the latest technology to implement the curriculum most effectively.

Students retain 20% of what they hear and 80% of what they experience. In the Yeshivat He’Atid model, students are active producers of knowledge as opposed to passive consumers of knowledge.

PrOject-based Learning optional small group work

in cLass Learning Lab practice, enrichment, and remediation

indePendent Learning independent study, reading, kinesthetic learning

cOmmunity sPace class instruction,

discussions and activities

instructiOnaL aide Led instructiOn small group instruction

teacher Led instructiOn small group instruction

student classroom teacher

asstistant teacher

Our instructional model includes a proven educational approach that personalizes the learning experience for each child by “blending” traditional instruction with the best that interactive technology has to offer. By complementing individual and small-group instruction with modern approaches to learning, teachers can customize lesson plans to each individual student. This approach:

4 Enhances a student’s experience in the classroom.

4 Enables teachers to monitor students’ progress in real-time and hone in on areas of difficulty in small, rotating groups.

4 Allows for a more efficient utilization of class time, with a better student-teacher ratio, regardless of class size.

4 Enables students to learn at their own pace with lessons customized to their unique learning styles, strengths, and academic needs.

4 Allows teachers to work in small rotational groups, giving teachers more direct instructional time with their students.

4 Fosters meaningful relationships between teachers and their students

Our classroom incorporates a variety of learning environments that enable students to flow seamlessly from whole group, small group, and individual instruction, to small group project-based learning, to independent study and practice.

During classroom rotations, students alternate between working in small clusters on group projects, engaging in computer-based learning in the Learning Lab, and working independently or with the guidance of a teacher in learning spaces. There is one Lead Teacher Station, where small groups of students can gather to reinforce skills or concepts. This model has proven successful in schools such as Rocketship and KIPP Empower.

We spend time at the beginning of each year teaching our students how to problem solve, brainstorm, and work independently and collaboratively so they become accustomed to the model and in-class rotations. Throughout the year, our students grow in these skills, thus strengthening their 21st century skill set each year at Yeshivat He’Atid.

“ I am incredibly impressed at how thoughtfully Yeshivat He’Atid is approaching blended and personalized learning. They are one of the best examples I’ve seen of a school that brings together its core values with modern technology to further their mission and service their community.”

— Chris Liang-Vergara, Director of Instructional Technology for Personalized Learning, FirstLine Schools


Our innovative approach

Our digital tools engage students, allow teachers to create powerful and effective lessons, and also offer parents accessibility to the classroom like never before. The i-Ready program we’ve adopted is a proven and exemplary digital content and assessment provider that is mapped to the Common Core State Standards and is used by nearly 1 million students nationwide.

Beginning in Pre-K, teachers use the i-Ready curriculum to create fun and engaging animated lessons for language arts, science, social studies, and math skills. This curriculum spirals with each grade to support continued mastery in literacy and math, as well as Hebrew language skills. Simultaneously, the i-Ready program allows teachers to monitor students’ progress and understanding every day and assess students’ knowledge and skills to further differentiate direct instruction.

With the i-Ready program, we can also allow parents to log in from their own computer or smartphone, to see which activities and topics students are working on in school in order to facilitate the ability to provide additional support at home, if necessary.

“ We read the detailed emails about the class and what is accomplished every week. We so appreciate the time the teachers spend to keep us in the loop and the individual attention they give to our daughter.”

— Yocheved Wiesel, kindergarten parent

“Our blended learning model allows me to know my students’ social and academic personalities in detail”— Mrs. Amanda Pransky

first grade general studies teacher

50% individual & small group instruction30%

whole group instruction,

collaborative learning &

special activities

20% digital

learning lab

Our differentiated blended learning model gives teachers a collection of progress-monitoring and informal assessment data for each individual student that enables teachers to differentiate, adapt, and tailor their instruction to target students’ needs.

The result is that when our students learn a lesson, they learn it in a way that accommodates their individual learning style and level, and they are working harder and pushing themselves to further their personal success every day.

* Rotations constitute approximately 50% of in-class instructional time

Average Breakdown of Rotation Model*


Yahadut and Medinat Yisrael

One of the primary goals of Yeshivat He’Atid is to encourage our students to feel a connection to and love for their Yahadut and Eretz Yisrael. We instill within our students a true passion for Torah and mitzvot, a deep connection to Klal Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael, a dedication to chessed and derech eretz and a sense of responsibility to the welfare of the people and institutions of the State of Israel.

At Yeshivat He’Atid our dedication to active student engagement and development of 21st century skills is as critical to our Judaic Studies program as it is to our General Studies program. Through project based learning, our students have the opportunity to learn about parshat hashavuah, chagim, tefillah, chumash (starting in 2nd grade), and Jewish traditions in an exciting and interactive way. By playing an active role in the Judaic learning process, each child feels a strong passion for their learning which translates into a deep and prideful connection to Torah, mizvot, chessed and derech eretz.

Ivrit b’Ivrit Learning

Our Hebrew immersion program ensures that there is a Hebrew-speaking teacher in each class with grammatical and written fluency in Hebrew. Beginning in Grade 1, the Tal Am curriculum is utilized to teach students the fundamentals of letter and sound recognition in Hebrew. Having Hebrew-speaking teachers in the classroom as students advance fosters a growth and understanding of the Hebrew language in an organic way. Our Ivrit learning method will enable students to graduate with the ability to read, write, and speak Hebrew with fluency.

“ My child is really benefiting from having Hebrew spoken in the classroom and it is becoming natural for her to hear Hebrew conversation. I love that!”

— Elissa Siev, pre-k parent

Our passion for torah

Our co-curricular activitiesYeshivat He’Atid provides a variety of programs that allow our students to learn and explore beyond the primary classroom. Regularly scheduled weekly “specials” include:

Physical Education (twice weekly) — students engage in fun physical activity and movement exercises, refine motor skills, and learn the importance of fitness, sportsmanship, teamwork and self-discipline.

Music (once weekly) — students delve into the many fundamental areas of music, such as: melody, use of instruments, harmonies, tone, rhythm, recognizing sounds and group/individual singing.

Fine Arts (once weekly) — students are free to explore creativity, ingenuity, and inspiration while being exposed to the masters of art and the many different movements, mediums and styles they have created throughout history.

We have in-school programs that are featured throughout the year as well as after-school clubs including karate, ballet, and science.

2012

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2013

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4

2014

–201

5

2015

–201

6

2016

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7


Enrollment and Class Size

Yeshivat He’Atid had 116 students enrolled in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade during the 2012-13 school year. There were six classes total with an average of 19.3 students per class. Each class had two teachers allowing for a better than 10:1 student-to-teacher ratio in the classroom.

Over 160 students are enrolled in Pre-K through 2nd Grade for the 2013-14 school year. Yeshivat He’Atid will continue to add one grade per year and looks forward to graduating its first 8th grade class in 2020.

Financial Aid

Yeshivat He’Atid is committed to providing need-based financial aid to all families who cannot afford to pay full tuition. Total financial aid needs for the 2012-13 school year based on community-wide financial aid standards totaled $19,000. Financial aid as a percentage of tuition revenue (2%) was significantly lower than in other schools, primarily because of the already reduced tuition levels at He’Atid. As promised, all of Yeshivat He’Atid’s scholarship needs were covered outside the operating budget using private fundraising dollars, and our goal is to continue to fund financial aid separately from the school’s operating budget going forward.

Start-Up Costs

Start-up costs represent one-time costs that were incurred by Yeshivat He’Atid in order to take the school from concept to reality.

These costs include: blended learning consulting fees (The Alvo Institute), pre-opening rent and renovation costs, pre-opening salaries & benefits for administrators, and legal fees. These costs totaled approximately $600,000 and were not included in first-year operating costs. All of the start-up costs were paid for using donations from national organizations such as Affordable Jewish Education Project and The AVI CHAI Foundation as well as from over 85 private donors. We are deeply indebted to all those in our community who contributed and are thrilled with the number of people, those from both inside and outside the He’Atid family, who helped make this idea a reality.

Tuition Revenue: $ 995,000

Donations: $ 354,000

Other Income: $ 16,000

Total Income: $ 1,365,000

Financial Aid: $19,000

Donations to Financial Aid: $19,000

Revenues

As with the majority of Jewish day schools, Yeshivat He’Atid’s primary source of revenue is tuition. Tuition revenue including financial aid (“gross tuition”) in 2012-13 was $995,000, an average of $8,600 per student. Tuition was not raised for the 2013-14 academic year and remained at $7,990 for Pre-K and $8,990 for all other students. For the 2014-15 school year, tuition will be raised in line with inflation.

In addition to tuition, Yeshivat He’Atid was fortunate to receive generous financial support from organizations and individuals that accounted for the remaining operating budget. Contributions from national organizations totaling approximately $270,000 were made by The AVI CHAI Foundation, Affordable Jewish Education Project (AJE), and the Orthodox Union (OU). He’Atid also received modest funding as part of its participation in JEFG’s NNJKIDS program with all other Bergen County elementary schools. An additional $79,000 was received from individual donors, which does not include donations directed to financial aid.

Donations totaled $386,000 amounting to $3,300 per student. These funds and contributions account for all donations for this past academic year, with no additional facility or capital commitments.

300

200

100

0

Actual and Projected Enrollment through 2017

Financial summary 2012 —2013


Cost Per Student

Total spending per student during the 2012-13 school year was $11,900. With tuition averaging $8,600 per student, there was a “gap” of $3,300 per student that was made possible through fundraising. We anticipate cost per student and the “gap” being reduced for the 2013-14 school year, with the “gap” ultimately being eliminated over the next several years such that tuition reflects the actual cost per student. It is important to note that despite being a relatively small school, our per-student cost is already among the lowest in Bergen County. Our cost per student is also at least 10% lower than the average cost per student in Bergen County Public Schools (source: NJ Taxpayers’ Guide to Education Spending).

Looking Forward

For the 2013-14 year we have increased from six classes to eight classes: one in 2nd Grade, two in 1st Grade, three in Kindergarten, and two in Pre-K.

Our projected operating budget for 2013-14 is approximately $1.75 million, which represents a cost per student of less than $10,800. Average tuition increased to approximately $8,800 as a result of having a larger percentage of students paying higher tuition for Kindergarten and above. We therefore anticipate a per-student “gap” of below $2,000, which is a 35% reduction from the 2012-13 school year.

Over the next several years we will continue to work tirelessly to maintain an excellent quality of education and grow the school through increased enrollment while keeping our fixed costs and cost per student as low as possible. We will also continue to be transparent with our finances in future reports.

We are thrilled with the success of our first year of operation and look forward to continuing to offer families in our community a high-quality, affordable Jewish education for many years to come.

Professional Compensation

The teachers and administration of Yeshivat He’Atid are the engine that powers the school. Their pride in their work and consistent excellence in providing personalized educational experiences to each of our children were what made Yeshivat He’Atid’s first year a success. In order to properly and competitively compensate the faculty at Yeshivat He’Atid, we devote the largest portion of our resources to the teachers and administration of our school. For the 2012-13 school year, 70% of Yeshivat He’Atid’s costs were spent on salaries and benefits. This number is expected to rise moving forward as additional teachers are hired for new classes, while fixed costs such as administration and facilities remain relatively constant.

Our administration consisted of 3 full-time employees, including a Head of School, Director of Business Operations, and Nurse/Secretary. No new administrators were hired for the 2013-14 school year.

There were a total of 12 full-time-equivalent classroom teachers for our six classes in the 2012-13 school year (1 lead and 1 assistant per classroom). Four new full-time-equivalent teachers were hired to teach an additional two classes for the 2013-14 school year.

Specialty teachers (compensated as part-time employees because of the size of the school) were responsible for Physical Education, Music, and Art. Yeshivat He’Atid is proud to provide a full range of activities for students in every grade and are excited to continue providing a well-rounded school experience moving forward.

Facilities & Education Costs

The total cost of facilities, including rent and all maintenance, was approximately $234,000, representing less than 17% of the total budget for the year. The percentage of spending dedicated to facilities costs is expected to decrease next year as enrollment and staffing are increased and facilities expenses stay relatively constant.

Expenses for education & miscellaneous costs totaled approximately 13% of the total budget for 2012-13. Included in this category are education costs such as computers, supplies, textbooks, as well as miscellaneous costs such as insurance and consulting.

Salaries & Benefits Facilities Costs Cost Summary

classroom teachers

59%administration

36%

specialty teachers

3%substitute teachers

3% janitorial services

8%education & misc.

13%

repairs & maintenance

4%

security

2%

rent

77%salaries & benefits

70%

utilities

9%

Facilities

17%


Ahavas Torah DiscretionaryAXA AdvisorsFreda & Yoni BakMeira & Sander BakShoshana & Daniel BalsamYael Bloom & Daniel Barenholtz Justin Charles BraschEsther & Myron ChaitovskyTamar & Avi-Gil ChaitovskyChesed AvrahamSheila DardikNaomi & Boris DavidsonRachel & Akiva DistenfeldDr. Aviva & Gershon DistenfeldLisa & Doni FarkovitsMeryl & Eli FeldblumAndrea & Ian FieldsBeatrice & Jack FineAbby & David FlamholzEllen & Alex FlamholzTalia & Yitzi FlynnLeah & Avi GreengartLenny GrunsteinAnna & Boris GulkoChani & Daniel HermannTamar & Dr. David Hochstein

Elisheva & Ariel JasieAndrea & Steven JutkowitzTamar & Rony KalinaMicah KaufmanMichelle Kaufman & David GulkoRuth & Jerry KestenbaumMatthew KleinAriella & Daniel KramarzYael & Jacob KramerAdina & Aaron LefkowitzJessica & David LefkowitzLori & Kevin LemmerRebecca & Benjamin LopkinAdam LoskoveGregory MantoAtara & Eric MauskopfNaomi & Isaac MezeiDavida & Josh MenashaSherrie & Joshua MillerDina & Judah MillerValerie & Seth MillerRachel & Aaron NeufeldNorthwestern Mutual Financial NetworkRonit & Scott OrlanskiOU Grant

Daniela & Daniel PomerantzZach PrenskyMichal & Jason PruzanskyRachel & Judah RabinowitzShani & David RatzkerSharon & Michael RifkindShuli & Ben SandlerMarcia & Bob SandlerMrs. Gerson SchenkerDevorah & Jonathan SchlossLori & Eric SchwartzSusan & Ira S chwartzMichelle & Dov SchwartzAvril & Clive SheftsGabrielle & Avi SilverbergShira Silverberg & Joseph WaghRebecca & William WienerDina Pruzansky & Hillel WeingartenLea & Yitz WeinrebRachel & Aaron WertentheilRuth & David WertentheilShanna & David WolfShmuel YahalomDaffy & Yonatan YahalomDebbie & Dimitriy YusterSara & Sammy Zoldan

Operating Income & Expenses Yeshivat He’Atid, Inc.

12 Month Operating Income and Expenses for the School Year Ending June 30th, 2013 Accrual Basis of Accounting

Operating Revenue:

Tuition Obligations $995,186

Less: Financial Aid Scholarships $(19,050)

Add: Commitments to Fund Financial Aid $19,050

Net Tuition Income $995,186

Non-Refundable Deposits $15,735

Amazon Commissions $438

Total Other Income $16,173

Annual Fundraising and Grants:

Affordable Jewish Education Project, AviChai Foundation and OU $270,000

General Contributions $78,748

NNJKids $5,345

Total Annual Fundraising $354,093

Total Annual Operating Revenues $1,365,452

Operating Expenses:

Salaries, Benefits, and Payroll Taxes $968,793

Other Expenses:

Rent and Utilities $201,397

Education Materials, Supplies and Infrastructure $89,289

Consulting Fees $51,001

Building Maintenance and Security $32,451

Insurance $28,033

Promotional and Advertising $7,932

Admissions/Registration System (TADS) $7,281

Staff Professional Development $1,984

Total Other Expenses $419,368

Total Annnual Operating Expenses $1,388,161

Net Operating Revenue and Expenses $(22,709)

Balance Sheet as of June 30th, 2013 Accrual Basis of Accounting

Assets:

Cash in Bank $360,937

Tuition Receivable $20,235

Prepaid Expenses $8,537

Certificate of Deposit on Building Lease $91,050

Total Assets $480,759

Liabilities:

Accrued Expenses Payable $144,853

Deferred 2013/2014 Tuition Revenue $260,261

Payroll Tax Payable $18,007

Total Liabilities $423,121

Net Assets $57,638

“ Josh is continually engaged throughout the day working in small groups. At the same time, he is enabled to progress at his own pace and move through the material as quickly or slowly as he needs to, with a goal of mastery before moving on to new material.“

— Kate Davis, first grade parent

Our donorsThank you to the following list of founding supporters, as well as the many others who chose to remain anonymous, for believing in and investing in Yeshivat He’Atid. Your passion and generosity are vital to the continuing success of our school and have truly made a difference in the lives and triumphs of our students. We look forward to an enduring partnership with all of you as we continue to realize our collective dreams together.

139 south Washington ave

bergenfield nj, 07621

telephone: (201)374-2272

www. yeshivatheatid.org

yeshivat he'atid annual report 2013

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