1. SUCCEEDING AT
STRATEGIC
PLANNING:
From SWOT to
Board Agenda
Ida Crown Jewish Academy
PEJE Assembly Presentation
October 2010

2. 2
Presenters:
! Rabbi Leonard A. Matanky, Dean, ICJA
! Michelle Friedman, Immediate Past­President ICJA
Board
! Kevin Kirshenbaum, VP Strategic Planning
! HarryBloom, Process Facilitator, Institute for
University­School Partnership,Yeshiva University

3. 3
Executive Summary
1. External Consultants
2. Proven Process (It’s a Process, not a meeting)
3. Goal Setting Based on Facts
4. Partnerships of Professionals and Lay Leaders
5. Long Term Financial Plan that Forces Tradeoffs
and Promotes Affordability and Quality
6. Use as Platform for Strategic Governance

4. 4
Strategic Planning Overview
2007­2008
" Committee formed
" Initial S.W.O.T. Analysis
" Laid groundwork
" Process not completed

5. 5
Strategic Planning Overview
2007­2008
Lessons Learned:
" Need for objective analysis to break ties
" Need for outside consultants
" Need for Multiple inputs
" Faculty
" Administration
" Board
" Parents
" Community Leaders

6. 6
Strategic Planning Overview
New Beginning: 2009­2010
! YeshivaUniversity (YU) Institute for University­
School Partnership process facilitator
! PEJE/YU financial support
! Use proven process adapted to ICJA
! Commitment to planning as part of evolution to
strategic governance
! VP Strategic Planning as champion

7. 7
Strategic Planning:
Process Overview

8. 8
S.W.O.T. Analysis
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
! September, 2008 – Board Retreat / SWOT analysis
! Foci of study
! Affordability
! Fundraising
! Faculty Compensation / Recruitment
! Supervision / Professional Development /
Curriculum
! Student Achievement
“on a number of the above issues, there was a lack of consensus
over how we are currently doing, and a desire for analytic work
to validate ICJA’s position”

9. 9
S.W.O.T. Analysis Outcomes

10. 10
Strategic Planning:
Working Groups
! Student Achievement / Metrics
! Professional Faculty
! Curriculum Development
! Fiscal Viability
! Affordability/ Finances
! Fundraising / Endowment

11. 11
Strategic Planning:
Committee Members
! 9 ICJA Board Members
! 5 Professional Staff
! 3 Administrators / Principals
! 1 Associated Talmud Torahs (Central Agency)
! 5 Teachers
! 4 Community Leaders with expertise
! YU Institute for University­School Partnership consultants
(Overall planning process, education, finance)
! PEJE / Measuring Success: Sacha Litman
! 3 Peer Schools
( Weinbaum ­ Boca, Fuchs Mizrachi – Cleveland, Maimonides – Brookline)

12. 12
Strategic Planning:
Timetable
! September, 2008 – Board Retreat / SWOT Working
Session
! November­January: Sub Committees and SWOT
Analysis
! December – February 2009
! Committee Charters and Workplans
! Data gathering / refinement
! Benchmark / Comparative Data
! Thorough Educational Audit (Dr. Jeffrey Glanz,
YU)

13. 13
Strategic Planning:
Timetable
! March­April 2009: Buy­in and Goal Setting
! May­June 2009: Board Presentation and Approval
! July
2009: Implementation Committees Begin to
Work
! Ongoing Committee Reports to Board

14. 14

15. 15
Strategic Planning
Administrative Tracking Report

16. 16
Strategic Plan: Board Reporting
October 13th Meeting
! Development: Deva Zwelling
! Finance: Michael London
! Faculty Recruitment/Compensation: D. Harris
! Professional Development: Jeremy Kahan

17. 17
Strategic Planning
“The BIG Picture” – Critical Elements
! Every school needs future direction >> not just
those in trouble
! 360° perspective avoids tunnel vision
! Expertoutside counsel breaks bottlenecks and
helps identify solutions
! Administrative/Board partnership is imperative
! Long term financial planning is vital… as is
flexibility
! Planning as doorway to strategic governance

18. 18
Strategic Planning:
Chairing Strategic Planning
“Monday Morning Quarterback”
Kevin Kirshenbaum, M.D.

19. 19
Strategic Planning:
Role of the Chair
! Champion the Process
! Lay Leadership
! Administration
! Board
! Parents
! Keep Process Focused
! S.W.O.T., Data Research / Interpretation,
Goal/Action Plan Development, etc
! PER Strategic Area of Concentration

20. 20
Strategic Planning:
Successful Planning
! Developing Trust with Administration
! Time
! Research based data
! Intermediary (consultants with “outside” view)
! Buy in to every step along the way
! Keep Lay leadership focused
! Individual parent agendas NOT the priority of
Strategic Planning
! Buy in to every step along the way

21. 21
Strategic Planning:
Potential Pitfalls
! Administration
! Data Driven Decision Making vs. Historical
Assumptions
! Teacher sensitive areas of focus (benchmarking,
expectations for professional development, etc.)
! Stressing Administration
! Day to Day Operations
! Strategic Planning Process

22. 22
Strategic Planning:
Potential Pitfalls
! Lay Leadership
! Finding Sub Committee Leads that buy into
Strategic Planning
! Hold Sub Committee Leads accountable
! Process
! Deadlines

23. 23
Strategic Planning:
Lessons Learned
! Consultants/ Intermediary / Experts
! Impasses: Data, Goal /Action Plan Development,
Metric / Monitoring
! Set Firm Deadlines
! BoardCommunication
! Report Progress: Keep Board Informed and
engaged in process along the way
! Expected Timeline: holds ALL accountable

24. 24
Strategic Planning:
Implementation
! Head of School
! Key to Implementation
! True Partner in the process: EVERY STEP
! Joint Effort
! Cannot be Exclusively Board Driven
! Board President
! Allow the Strategic Plan to drive Agenda of Board
( give up some autonomy, hold VP’s /
Administration accountable to the Plan)

25. 25
Strategic Planning:
ICJA Accomplishments to Date
! Finances
! Establish line item for Strategic Planning that
impacts tuition / fundraising
! Consistent reporting of critical drivers of the
budget to board
! Ongoing impact on budget of priorities set by
Strategic Planning per domain
! Scholarship: revised scholarship process based
on benchmarking with other schools

26. 26
Strategic Planning:
ICJA Accomplishments to Date
! Professional Development
! Mentoring program
! 3 Tier Plan
! Curriculum Review/Revision
! Math
! Tefillah(Prayer)
! StudentAchievement
! College Guidance: Revised process for both
students/parents
! Data­based tracking of Achievement

27. 27
Strategic Planning:
ICJA Accomplishments to Date
! Student Achievement
! College Guidance: Revised process for both
students/parents
! Use of longitudinal standardized tests reports in
tracking of achievement

28. 28
Strategic Planning
Questions for Consideration and Discussion
! What would your school’s SWOT analysis indicate?
! What might your school’s top 3­5 year goals be?
Why?
! Whatwould your school’s top 3 strategic initiatives
need to focus on?
! How can Board and Administrative readiness for
strategic planning be enhanced?