DREAM BIG- Prizmah 2019 reflections by Jodi Hirsch Rein, Principal & Jennifer Scher, Director of Development

This week we attended the 2019 Prizmah Conference in Atlanta. Over three days, we engaged with 1100 Jewish day school educators and leaders to DREAM BIG about the future of Jewish education, the day school world, and to talk about our own personal dreams for our school and for our children.

On Monday, we used the design thinking method to focus on four areas Financial Sustainability, Educational Innovation, Deepen Talent, and Making the Case. We used prototyping methods to respond to the design challenges.
The prototyping methods included:
Create a storyboard – include sequential or interactive teps across days or months
Draw a Diagram – test how your complex system might function
Letter from the Future – Imagine what the future might look like if your ideas were brought to life
Make a mock-up of Wireframe – Get visual. Show the flow or journey
3D Build – Make a model for ideas that are objects or involve space
Role Play – helps text experience-based ideas. Create different roles and act it out

Post conference, we are opening two of the design challenge questions up to our Gesher community.

Jennifer’s Financial Sustainability Design Challenge…..
How might we expand the quality and accessibility of Gesher JDS, rethinking our business model and educational practices?

Jodi’s Educational Innovation Design Challenge…..
How might we harness, learn, and build leading practices to foster a culture of continuous improvement and experimentation within Gesher JDS and/or across the field of Jewish day schools?

We are all designers of our Jewish future. Join us as we DREAM BIG!

Using the prototyping methods above, submit your answers to our challenge questions!
CLICK HERE to submit
Jpegs/photos of hand drawn models are welcomed and encouraged!