Minutes from Board Retreat Conducted on September 1, 2011

Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School Annual Trustee Retreat

Minutes of Meeting Conducted on September 1, 2011

(Trustee Meeting #1 of 2011-2012 School Year)

Trustees Attending Meeting: Joelle Kaufman, Josh Smith, Roger Feigelson Madeline Benson, Abbe Braitman, Carrie Ridge, Sharon Hartley, Eyal Ofek, Brian Lipson, Sherry Lipson, Amy Sosnick, Jeremy Verba, Larry Lustig, Marina Milshtein, Shawn Becker, Rabbi Dennis Eisner, Caren Neydavoud, and Rabbi Dan Feder.

RCWJDS Staff Attending Meeting: Barbara Gereboff (Head of School) and Lindsay Waldman (Director of Development)

Meeting Minutes:

Joelle opened the meeting by informing everyone that Kevin Tabb (a current Trustee) has accepted a new job in Boston and will be relocating to Boston shortly.

Joelle then delivered an eloquent D’Var Torah.

Barbara then walked the Board through the parent survey that was completed last spring.  Several board members commented on how much useful information there is in the survey and various ways the school can act on the information. 

The board then had a break for dinner during which Joelle led an Executive Session.

After the dinner break, Roger updated the board regarding the mission statement and the school’s strategic plan.   

Barbara reported that the School has opened with at least 223 students this (vs. 211 students for the 2010-2011 school year). This includes 38 new kids in kindergarten. 

Barbara also informed the Board that there are fifty (50) new kids in the school this year and thirty (30) new families in the school this year.

Joelle outlined the development responsibilities of the Board, and urged Trustees to make their pledges to the annual campaign early.  Re-iterated that it is our desire that the School be in the top 3 giving priorities for all Trustees.  

There was a brief discussion of the need to cultivate new major donors, given the limited number of major donors who have already been supporting the school for a long period of time.

There was then a break for committee work – the Board divided into respective committees for 1/2 hour.

Good & welfare:  Mark Abelson had his 1st grandchild, Paul Lipman and Jeremy Verba have taken new jobs.

The Board then met in Executive Session and all non-trustees left the meeting.   Joelle led the discussion.  Questions were asked and discussion ensued.

The meeting adjourned at 9:15PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Josh Smith

RCWJDS Board Secretary 2011-2012

September 19, 2011