Self Study Report

Self Study Report

TABLE OF CONTENTS SUBJECT

TAB

History of Ann & Nate Levine Academy Mission Statement Core Values Statement of Non-Discrimination

1

2

SELF-STUDY COMMITTEE REPORTS

TAB

Administrative Advancement Athletics and P.E. Auxiliary Services Communications

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Community

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Early Childhood Program

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Finance and Facilities

Fine Arts

Governance

Hebrew

Judaic Studies Language Arts Mathematics

Mission Statement

Social Studies

STEM

Student Activities and Community Service

Student Support

Technology

History of Ann & Nate Levine Academy Ann and Nate Levine Academy began as Solomon Schechter Academy of Dallas, founded in 1979 by Congregation Shearith Israel, one of the leading egalitarian congregations within the Conservative movement. It continued as a preschool through grade eight day school under the auspices of Shearith Israel until 1997. That year, following a formal separation agreement, Solomon Schechter Academy acquired its own 501c3 status and became independent. In June of 2005, the school was renamed Ann & Nate Levine Academy, honoring Ann and Nate Levine’s generous support of the school and the Jewish community. Levine Academy is an academically-oriented and values-focused school providing a nurturing Jewish environment emphasizing excellence in General Studies and Jewish Studies for students in Preschool (3 months) through 8th grade. Levine is an inclusive, dynamic community comprising the full spectrum of Jewish affiliations, the unaffiliated, many nationalities, and a diversity of socio-economic backgrounds. Throughout the school’s history, SACS, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, now known as AdvancEd, has accredited Levine Academy. In the 2014-2015 school year, Levine’s Board passed a major strategic plan, designed to elevate the school’s academic profile and to make significant upgrades to the curriculum. An aggressive phase of evolution followed, and in 2019, the Levine Board passed the next strategic plan, allowing the school to invest heavily into additional improvements across the school’s programs while including as one of the school’s four main strategic pillars the focus on Inclusivity. Levine’s eighth graders have experienced exceptional success in being admitted to their top choice high schools. Just over the last few years, Levine graduates have matriculated to the following schools: Yavneh Academy; Parish; Greenhill; Hockaday; Episcopal School of Dallas; Jesuit; St. Mark’s School of Texas; Booker T Washington; Ursuline Academy; Plano Academy; and several area ISD magnet schools in Plano, Dallas, Richardson, and others. In 2019, Levine formally began the accreditation process with ISAS. The Levine board and administrative leadership team have embraced the philosophy of perennial improvement in order to best deliver on its mission of fostering leadership, creativity, critical thinking, and Jewish values, while empowering its students with integrity, self-confidence, and intellectual curiosity.

Mission Statement Ann & Nate Levine Academy is an inclusive, dynamic, Jewish day school which fosters leadership, creativity, critical thinking, and Jewish values while empowering its students with integrity, self-confidence, and intellectual curiosity. Core Values The Levine Academy faculty and staff opens student’ minds to the wonders of learning, teaches with passion and demonstrates sincere caring for each student with a view to fulfilling our stated Mission.

A. Academic Excellence B. Focus on the Individual Student C. Integration of Ethical Covenant 1. Caring 2. Citizenship 3. Holiness 4. Responsibility 5. Justice

6. Respect 7. Integrity D. Love of Israel E. Spiritual Growth

Statement of Non-Discrimination "The Conservative Day School of Dallas, Inc., d.b.a. Ann and Nate Levine Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its education policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs."

Administration Self Study Report Overview

Levine Academy’s administrative team structure underwent a review in 2015/2016 in order to broaden the responsibilities, promote delegation and leadership, create greater coverage of all areas of the school’s management and operations, and also to invest t he head of school with greater flexibility to enhance the success of the school’s strategic priorities. The most significant outcomes of this process were twofold: 1) the number of direct reports to the head of school dropped from 13 to 7 (or 9, if counting two positions with dual reports); and 2) simultaneously, we were able to begin a process of creating faculty deans and faculty leadership roles, such as the Dean of Instruction, Dean of Learning Support, Dean of Hebrew, and Coordinator of STEM. We also instituted faculty roles overseeing the elective program, overseeing Student Congress, and overseeing the new Summer Camp operations in the K-8 divisions. Other major changes in the areas of personnel and administration in recent years include: 1) growing the budgetary line to support faculty and admin professional development; 2) stepping up those professional development activities that are led by Levine faculty and staff; 3) creation of a full-fledged HR Director position who also provides all employees with a “Safe Channel of Communication” in order to allow employees a means to communicate any concerns in confidence; 4) a step up in employee benefits, such as specified time off days and an employer-match program for 403B accounts. Decision-Making Among the Administrative Team The “administrative team” is composed of several positions beyond those who are direc t reports to the head of school - in addition to the direct reports (which you can see in the bold-lined arrows in the organizational chart below), the Dean of Instruction, the Dean of Learning Support, the Athletic Director, the Coordinator of STEM and the Director of After Care and Educare sit in all of the weekly administrative team meetings. For these meetings, the agenda will be advanced to all members prior to the meeting which typically lasts for 90 minutes every Wednesday, beginning at 11:30am. Any member of the admin team may submit items for the agenda in advance. During most meetings, there is opportunity to do a “go - around” s o that all admin can share what is going on in their area of responsibility or pose topics for future discussion. The aim during any discussion where a decision is needed is to come to a consensus. Shy of a consensus, the HOS will make the decision or will delegate the decision to a member of the admin team. The meetings are therefore congenial; viewpoints are heard and responded to with respect; and all have an opportunity to have their voices heard. In addition to the full weekly admin team meeting, there are several smaller group meetings occurring each week, depending on the topic and the Head’s determination of who needs to be present at these ad hoc meetings. The HOS also meets with each member of his direct reports for a one-to-one meeting each week throughout the school year. These are mostly sessions whereby the admin team member will prepare an

agenda of items to report on to the Head; only on occasion, the Head will determine the subject of these one-to-one sessions and will direct the meeting accordingly.

Division of Responsibilities between Head, Board, Admin Team, and Faculty As the Head of School is invested with operational final authority, and the Board’s role, beyond its fiduciary responsibility, is to consult and advise the Head, and to oversee the strategic planning process, Levine’s lines of authority are always very clear. The Head sits on every board committee, in addition to a Board committee called “HOSEC” which is the Head of School Evaluation Committee, which serves as a support role to the Head. HOSEC meets monthly, and the Head determines the agendas for most of the meetings. This committee also conducts the Head’s evaluation on an annual basis, a process that includes the Head’s submission of goals for each year that will go through several drafts and several meetings before they are aired fully in front of the full board at the annual Board Orientation Meeting, in August. Also, the HOSEC board members will typically conduct surveys —such as a 360 survey of the Head’s direc t reports; a survey designed to secure input from board members; and also they will factor into their evaluation report

the Head’s own assessment of goals achieved, goals not fully achieved, along with the Head’s articulation of success and challenges each year. The communication flow between the admin teammembers and the board is more regular and formal for the Director of Development and the Director of Finance and Operations, in addition to the Head of School’s regular communication with the Board’s le adership. Each Board meeting will include reports from Admissions, Finance, Development, and then also from the Head of School, who will report on a range of topics throughout the year. The Board President (and the Board President-Elect) have a bi-weekly scheduled meeting, where the Head will introduce topics and the Board’s leadership will share topics and issues relevant to the Strategic Plan as well as current issues the school may be facing. Faculty and Administrative Professional Development The school has devoted considerable attention to faculty and administrative professional development in recent years. Among the main sources and conferences our teachers have attended and participated in include the Columbia University’s Reading and Writing Workshop programs; STEMs copes and STEM conferences; the University of Chicago’s EM4 Math Program; workshops provided by Independent School Management; programs offered by the Legacy Heritage Instructional Leadership Institute through the Jewish Theological Seminary; programs in Conscious Discipline and in Responsibility-Centered Discipline; the Next Generation Science Standards; iTaLAM Hebrew Language program; programs offered by the Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education; programs sponsored by Jewish Family Service; annual programs offered by Prizmah which is the professional support organization for Jewish day schools; programs offered through Region 10, our area public school professional development service; and there have been many more organizations and entities serving as providers to our faculty and staff. What we have always emphasized is that teachers or administrators attending conferences, workshops or courses should actively share with their Levine colleagues, and toward this goal, nearly all of our faculty meetings are organized around professional development presentations so that our own faculty and staff will serve as supporters and resources for our employees. Annual Employee Evaluations – Teachers and Administrators The Levine K8 faculty has implemented, since the 2016/2017 school year, the Danielson Framework for Teaching Excellence. All four domains of the Danielson Framework have become part of our evaluation system: Planning and Preparation; Classroom Environment; Professional Responsibilities; and Instruction. In addition to the annual teacher evaluation process, the HR Department incorporates into every contract — both teacher and administrative annual contracts - our Professional Expectations document. Here is our Professional Expectations document that is included along with the annual teacher contract:

These professional expectations are always a part of our assessment of teachers (administrators have a very similar document, with some minor changes). Any concerns that we may have regarding upholding these expectations will require a conference with a supervisor and very likely will mean a filing of documentation with the HR Department.

The Early Childhood faculty will experience a different approach to evaluation than the K8 faculty. For all EC teachers, the EC Director visits classes very frequently throughout the year; the teachers write their own self-evaluation; a formal meeting is set up with the Director to discuss this evaluation and the Director’s assessment of job performance; the Director will then write up a summary of this formal meeting and the teacher will receive this write-up and can add or comment upon the form, and once signatures are completed, the form is then submitted to the HR department. Also, it should be noted that State Licensing requires that all of our EC teachers receive 24 hours of continuing education in Child Development and/or Early Childhood Education every year. Recent examples of these trainings have included: How To Talk To Parents About Difficult Topics; Kid Talk Trainings; and CJE’s (Council for Jewish Education) Par adigm Project conferences. All direct report administrators receive an annual written evaluation from the Head of School —these evaluations then become step one in the subsequent year’s goal setting process. The Head of School’s direct reports include the following positions: Direct or of Finance and Operations; Director of Development; Director of Admissions; Director of Communications; Early Childhood Director; HR Director; K8 Principal; Director of Jewish Life and Learning; and the Assistant to the Head of School. In each of these evaluations, the Head of School will compose a two-three page appraisal of the entire school year just completed, then will follow this overview with six bullet points that enumerate that administrator’s “Strengths and A ccomplishments, ” followed by three bullet points that point to “Areas for Continued Improvement.” Each administrator will then construct his/her goals for the upcoming school year, usin g the Head’s evaluation of his/her performance as an initial step in the process. Recruitment of Teachers and Personnel The divisional directors in the school [EC Director; K8 Principal; and Director of Jewish Life and Learning] will assume the lead responsibility when it comes to faculty hiring for their departments. The HR Director will be notified of any positions that are open and will collaborate with the Director when it comes to devising any public postings or position announcements and any formal engagement with one of the teacher recruitment agencies. There are many avenues we have used to publicize openings — our own website, our local Jewish agencies, national search firms and various online recruitment services. Of course, we commonly process our own faculty about openings and encourage them to disseminate the word and to suggest candidates. The teacher recruitment process will almost always include an observation of their teaching, whenever this can be arranged. References are contacted and a comprehensive employment application is filled out. Background checks are done on all potential employees. We do not establish any preset number of candidate visits to campus, as we will hire the candidate when we know we have come across the right fit. All administrative hires (direct reports to the Head of School) will undergo a national search, and accordingly the lead agencies will typically be informed and engaged for their services during these searches. Several administrative searches concluded with the

successful candidate having been selected from a different part of the country, reflecting the national nature of these search approaches. For all hiring processes, there is an effort to be fully inclusive in terms of making sure a broad spectrum of faculty and administrators will have an opportunity to meet with and/or interview the candidates. For administrative hires, the Head of School may include multiple constituents in the hiring process — students, parents, board members, in addition to faculty members and administrators. In addition, the Head of School may bring in area clergy from our partnership synagogues to interview candidates. Compensation and Benefits Levine’s administrative team has been working for several years to upgrade employee benefits, and we are proud to share that we have added several features to the benefit package recently that bolsters the attractiveness of working at Levine Academy. Such added benefits as an employer retirement match, a specified number of “personal days,” an annual effort to keep our medical benefits consistent, short-term and long-term disability insurance, time off for Jewish holidays and for Life Cycle events, gap insurance options, and much more. We are working to bring employee compensation in equity alignment internally, and also with independent school compensation >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116 Page 117 Page 118 Page 119 Page 120 Page 121 Page 122 Page 123 Page 124 Page 125

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