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Strategic Plan

Our roadmap to harness innovation, embrace diversity and uphold the highest standard of academic and personal development.

Overview

Our Strategic Approach

Our 2022 – 2027 Strategic Plan envisions goal setting from a holistic approach. This provides us with a broader view of our intent and acknowledges that our goals do not stand alone. The integrated design allows us to achieve more, recognizing that each action impacts multiple objectives.

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“Our Strategic Plan is represented using a Venn diagram featuring Leo Baeck’s four main objectives and how they intersect. Each strategic decision we make furthers at least two, if not three or all four, of our objectives simultaneously.” 

– Eric Petersiel, Head of School

Explore the interactive diagram below by clicking on a section to learn more about each area.

Leading Program

Provide a leading academic program that meets the varying learning needs of our students, enabled by teachers equipped to support differentiated learning.

Inspiring Students

Inspire students to explore and strengthen their personal Jewish identity and use the principles of Reform Judaism to examine their individual responsibility to the world around them.

A Nurturing Program

Foster a nurturing culture that promotes the seamless intersection between social-emotional wellbeing (SEW), academics and Jewish values. Promote this culture by defining and implementing a SEW framework that supports the overall well-rounded development of students and the wellbeing of our community of teachers and families.

Effective Execution

Execute effectively on the most critical supporting functions of the school, including development, marketing and communications, operations, and financial management to ensure long-term sustainability.

Read our Statement of Belonging

Strategic Plan Audio Series

Hosted by Leo Baeck alumnus Toby Gottlieb, this inaugural series features Leo Baeck staff exploring the central pillars of our Strategic Plan.

Part 1 – Social-Emotional Wellness (SEW)
with school Social Workers Jayme Ozier & Lauren Maisels

Part 2 – Academic Excellence
with Dean of Student Services, Danielle Applebaum & Dean of Academic Development/IB Coordinator, Sheryl Faith

Part 3 – Jewish Identity
feat. Dean of Jewish Living Noam Katz
& Tikkun Project Curriculum Development Director Daniel Abramson

SEW
Episode 1
Leo Baeck Social Workers Jayme Ozier and Lauren Meisels introduce Social-Emotional Wellness (SEW) is top of mind, connected to academics and integrated across all grades.
LISTEN HERE
SEW
Episode 2
Jayme and Lauren share how the school's systematic approach to SEW supports self-regulation, problem-solving and confidence-building, and who to approach for different kinds of support.
Listen HERE
SEW
Episode 3
There's so many proactive things that caregivers can do. Jayme and Lauren chat with Toby on the topics of parent involvement, inclusion, friendgroup challenges and what parents can do at home.
LISTEN HERE
SEW
Episode 4
How do we measure and evaluate social-emotional success? How do we track issues at hand and intensity of need? Jayme and Lauren break it down with Toby in the last installment of Part 1.
Listen here
Academic Excellence Episode 1
Dean of Student Services Danielle Applebaum on Differentiation
LISTEN HERE
Academic Excellence Episode 2
Dean of Academic Development and IB Coordinator Sheryl Faith discusses Student Agency
LISTEN HERE
Academic Excellence Episode 3
Sheryl shares with Toby: how do we track success at school?
LISTEN HERE
Academic Excellence Episode 4
Danielle speaks on the "zone of proximal learning" and diversity and inclusion in the classroom.
LISTEN HERE
Jewish Identity Episode 1
Hear from Rabbi Noam Katz about the role of Reform Judaism in our school culture, academics and leadership.
LISTEN HERE
Jewish Identity Episode 2
Our Tikkun Project Director Daniel Abramson speaks with Toby about the nature and structure of this impactful program and what we have achieved so far.
LISTEN HERE
Jewish Identity Episode 3
Spirituality with Rabbi Katz: a discussion about the importance of spiritual growth and how Judaism can resonate at all points in our lives.
LISTEN HERE
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Jewish Identity

Over the next five years, The Leo Baeck Day School will invest in continued ways to inspire students to explore and strengthen their identity using the principles of Reform Judaism to examine the world around them.

In Reform Judaism, a person’s Judaism is self-defined based on what is important to them. Our job at The Leo Baeck Day School is to help students choose positive, meaningful Judaism as a core element of their self-identity and create belonging, resilience, self-understanding, and awareness.

At The Leo Baeck Day School, we teach and model:

  1. What it means to observe the traditions of Shabbat and the holidays;
  2. Connection to Jewish history and the people and land of Israel; and
  3. Hebrew language so students can engage with the Torah and other ancient texts.
  4. The responsibility to make positive and meaningful Jewish choices in life.

We are a Zionist institution with a core responsibility to preserve Israel and encourage a democratic state. Our ability to engage meaningfully, yet not unquestioningly, on Israeli governmental policies is an example of the importance of teaching multiple perspectives and what students need to understand the complexity of modern Israel. Our students learn that they can both hug and wrestle as part of a positive relationship with Israel.

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Social-Emotional Wellbeing

Students who are not comfortable coming to school will not succeed. Students must feel school is a safe place to handle difficult emotions; this is why we invested over $200,000 in social-emotional wellness this year alone. We aim for every child to find a safe home at Leo Baeck so they can thrive, regardless of gender expression, ethnicity, religious practice, or other differences.
 
Social-Emotional Learning is a methodology that helps students understand their own emotions and how to demonstrate empathy for others. These learned behaviours help students make responsible decisions and foster positive relationships with others.

Just like math or reading skills, social-emotional skills are learned. The Social Work Team and Division Coordinators oversee this learning for our school to ensure we look at the whole child, including how they engage socially, whether they interact with their peers appropriately, listen effectively, and regulate themselves.

Practicing self-awareness and empathy in the classroom helps students become better, more productive, and socially minded people inside and outside school.

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Operational Excellence

The last Strategic Plan dealt with some of the most challenging financial realities in the 50-year history of our school. But at its conclusion, our school had its highest recruitment and lowest attrition rates to date. It also left us in the strongest-ever financial position, allowing us to make significant investments in our priority areas.  

This is largely due to:

  1. Generous donors who understand the significance of securing the future of our school’s unique place in this community;
  2. Strong financial management; and
  3. A very positive response to the excellent product being delivered by our teachers and school community.

Being a member of CAIS ensures we track and measure our admissions, fundraising, operations and governance practices to ensure that our school meets the strictest standards of independent school education in Canada, and we are proud of our unique place in the world of independent schools.

Our 50th anniversary provides an opportunity for big-picture planning –  to reflect on how far we have come and where we want to invest in the next 50 years for continued success.

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Differentiated Learning

Differentiated learning is about better teaching  and is a complement to the IB philosophy. In the coming five years, we will add additional professional development and resources for teachers to enhance their ability to integrate differentiated instruction into their classrooms.

Differentiation strategies will play a big role in our pandemic recovery and in ensuring no child is left behind. In this framework, teachers understand that academic ability and social-emotional status and executive functioning ability are equally important to success in school.

A differentiated learning environment also contributes to the creation of a safe and pluralistic space within our community, where learning diversity – whether it be neurodiversity or diversity in preference, interest and ability – is valued and thoughtfully considered in planning and instructional approaches.

At the heart of this framework is truly knowing the students and what each needs to succeed in real time. One method to do this is to emphasize formative assessments throughout the year so teachers can identify where students are at in their understanding throughout a lesson or unit and whether it is time to move forward with the material or provide further support. When formative assessments for instruction purposes are done frequently, it impacts student achievement far more than waiting for summative assessments that only assess students’ mastery of a concept once the unit and its related learning experiences are complete.

“Train a child according to his way…even when he grows old, he will not turn away from it.” Proverbs Chapter 22 verse 6.

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Tikkun Project

The Tikkun Project is one example of the overlap between Jewish education and differentiated learning.

Tikkun Project curriculum blends critical thinking, cultural and community values, and hands-on action to promote students’ sense of agency and ability to tackle real-world problems like poverty, climate change, and inequality.

The Tikkun Project also provides tools for teachers to support students through the investigation of Jewish texts. These tools connect Jewish ethics and values with a framework for engaging in social action to solve real-life questions in ways that are reflective of the tenets of Reform Judaism.

Tikkun Project units have been developed at The Leo Baeck Day School for Grades K-8.  These units have been collaboratively designed in consultation with a broad group of expert educators and with the ongoing guidance of committed community partners.

As part of the Tikkun Project, The Leo Baeck Day School has worked with Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Greater Toronto (JIAS) to better understand Canadian newcomers and refugees, and Ve’Ahavta to delve into poverty, housing, and food insecurity. Additional partners have included: The Toronto Zoo, Romero House, Toronto & Region Conservation Authority, Na Me Rez, Rick Hansen Foundation, Sistering, Love My Neighbour, Dr. Jill Andrew MPP, and Anishinaabe Cultural Consultant Kim Wheatley.

Learn more about the Tikkun Project —>

The Tikkun Project has a dual effect: learning about social action and making Jewish education more relevant by connecting day-to-day actions to students’ identities as Jewish people.

Tikkun Project
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Building Belonging

One of the benefits that come from the intersect of Jewish identity and social-emotional wellbeing is the ability to create a deep sense of belonging.

In Reform Judaism, a person’s Judaism is self-defined based on what is important to them. Our job at The Leo Baeck Day School is to help students choose positive, meaningful Judaism as a core element of their self-identity and create belonging, resilience, self-understanding, and awareness.

A big strength of Reform Judaism and Leo Baeck is that it is a big tent where each person can find their place. We instill progressive, egalitarian Jewish values in a spiritually rich environment, an ethic of Tikkun Olam (social justice), and a love of Israel.

Our students are empowered with a strong foundation in Jewish prayer and ritual and are exposed to the concept of personal choice and diversity in Jewish identity and practice.

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Teacher Development

One advantage of being in a strong fiscal position is the ability to invest meaningfully in ongoing professional development and resources for teachers to enhance their ability to integrate differentiated instruction into their classrooms.

One of the best examples of teacher development is the training provided by Carol Ann Tomlinson, the educational guru on Differentiated Instruction. Over the past several years, she has worked with LBDS teachers on differentiated instruction, and our school continues to build on her Five Key Elements of Differentiated Learning:

  1. An invitational learning environment;
  2. High-quality, focused, and meaning-rich curriculum;
  3. Assessment that informs teaching and learning;
  4. Instruction that responds to the variance in student readiness, interest and learning profile; and
  5. Classroom leadership and management that supports both flexibility and predictability.
Teachers at Leo Baeck receiving further learning and development around a table.
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Supportive Infrastructure

The ability to create a supportive infrastructure is one example of what can be done when operational excellence overlaps with social-emotional wellbeing.

Long before COVID-19, we saw a rising need for social-emotional support to ensure a healthy community and academic success. This meant working with students early to develop better self-control, empathy, and other valuable behaviours, such as teamwork and problem-solving. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased this need even further, which is why this area of focus is more important than ever before.

The Leo Baeck Day School uses a systemic approach to anxiety and mental health concerns.

  1. Our teachers are provided with the training to show students how to manage anxiety, work better in groups, and handle difficult situations and conflicts. This approach improves student mental health and the well-being of everyone in the class.
  2. Division Coordinators work with teachers to help with dynamics at recess and social concerns.
  3. If needed, the Division Coordinator will request the support of one of the school social workers.

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