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- Provide an organizational framework and support group for Reconstructionist Education Directors
a. Maintain ties to the JRF and its education staff
b. Have an ex-officio representative on the JRF board
c. Have a group of officers that will help strengthen the organizational structure
d. Have a strong conference planning committee to be responsible for planning and implementing a RENA conference on a biennial basis and workshops at the biennial JRF convention. Thus, RENA will meet once each year.
e. Have a liaison to the RRA/RRC if possible
f. Continually welcome and update new members and to seek to broaden the active membership in RENA.
g. Institute dues (a very small amount) to help pay for conferences and other costs.
- Clarify and develop the roles of Reconstructionist Education Directors within their individual institutions and within J.R.F., the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
a. Share job descriptions with JRF and with Reconstructionist synagogues
b. Help write a sample job description for Education Directors
c. Promote the professional nature of the education director
d. Advocate for continual collaboration with rabbis, cantors and other professionals
- Advocate within individual institutions and within J.R.F. for the needs of education programs and educators
a. Advocate for participation in the RRC/RRA so that educators can share the needs of education programs with rabbinical staff
b. Allocate money for Reconstructionist educators to support both Reconstructionist ideology and basic Jewish knowledge
c. Promote communication between education directors and JRF staff (including regional directors) to ensure that professional development needs are met
d. Promote communication among education directors so that they can provide each other with support and/or a sounding board as needed
e. Set up a central information network to provide services such as a list of speakers, placement of Reconstructionist education directors
f. Encourage the inclusion of early childhood educators in Reconstructionist education
g. Re-establish the Education Commission at JRF
- Promote development of long-term goals and vision for Reconstructionist Jewish Education
a. Continually set and revise goals for RENA as needed
b. **Develop a strong Reconstructionist curriculum
c. **Create educational documents and templates for use by schools
d. **Provide basic Reconstructionist guidelines and training materials to help train teachers to teach in schools with Reconstructionist philosophy and teaching techniques
e. Advocate for publishing of Reconstructionist materials by the Reconstructionist Press and by other publishers, as appropriate
f. Advocate for and help implement the publishing of Reconstructionist curriculum pieces in the texts currently published by major publishing companies
g. Establish framework for sharing information if a student moves from one Reconstructionist synagogue as needed
h. Establish standards for Reconstructionist education (i.e., time in school, knowledge base)
i. Promote various successful models of education, and provide an opportunity for sharing and learning
j. Provide resources for adapting educational models (ie Reggio) and professional educational practice to Reconstructionist education
k. Promote welcoming of diversity in Reconstructionist schools, and share successful practices and programs relating to diversity
- Promote sharing of current practices and goals in Reconstructionist education in the areas of curriculum, personnel issues, administration of youth and adult education programs
a. Formally record and then share information/statistics about Reconstructionist schools
b. Provide information about personnel issues, such as salaries and benefits
c. **Set up a web-based database of Reconstructionist programs and materials
d. Plan and provide regional training opportunities for Reconstructionist education staff
e. **Provide opportunities for sharing professional resources/materials (i.e., conference calls)
f. **Set up a mentoring program for new directors
g. Provide information/support to education directors in the areas of personnel issues, supporting lay leadership and encouraging parental involvement in schools
h. Provide opportunities for program collaboration and coordination with children in various schools
i. Provide opportunities for teachers in different Reconstructionist schools to network
j. Provide links between congregations to help support preschools and youth group activities
**Listed as a great priority at the 2005 RENA conference.
Drafted November 11-14, 2004. These goals will be revisited/updated every two years at the RENA conference.
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