Pho to by !3i11 Hansen

JULIE WIENER
Staff'Writer

E

illel Day School,
which has become
the elementary
school of choice for
many of Detroit's most influen-
tial Jews, has unveiled an ambi-
tious five-year plan.
The plan touches virtually
every aspect of the 41-year-old
Conservative day school, which
has experienced a decade of solid
enrollment growth. With 718
students in grades kindergarten
through eight, it is second in
size, among Detroit area day
schools, to Yeshiva Beth
Yehudah.
Among the plan's most dra-
matic recommendations are:
• Developing a profile of "the
student Hillel can effectively
serve and possibly scaling back
services for children with behav-
ioral problems and learning dis-
abilities.
• Increasing tuition "to a
point still significantly lower
than that charged by local inde-
pendent schools and allocated
Plan
from tax dollars to local public
schools, yet sufficient to provide
responsible finding."
• Launching a $50-million endow-
ment campaign.
• Exploring the possibility of creating
satellite campuses.
The Hillel board of directors unani-
mously approved the 36-page plan on
Feb. 9; it was presented to parents the
following evening.
The plan flows from a nine-month
process commissioned in response to
board-identified school growing pains as
well as to requests by the teachers for an
independent review of the school cli-
mate.
The plan assesses the strengths and
weaknesses of the school, outlines a
timetable of recommended actions
and suggests issues for subcommittees
to explore in the coming years.
At the meeting for parents, mem-
bers of the long-range planning com-
mittee urged the approximately 50
parents assembled to get involved,
inviting them to sign up for commit-
tees of particular interest to them.
The parents were generally support-

It also recommends hiring a
director of admissions to over-
see admissions and financial
aid, while working with the
board to develop equitable pro-
cedures. Currently, several
Hillel administrators handle
admissions; the majority of
those who apply are accepted,
and 28 percent of students
receive financial aid.
tuition
At $7,500,
has increased by more than 50
percent in the past decade and
is higher than any other Jewish
day
school in Detroit.
•
vai
fitileiparents it-
But it needs to go higher,
ing to pick lip their
says the plan, noting that it is
cbiltiren at the end
still far cheaper than private
of the (lay.
schools like Bloomfield Hills
Cranbrook and Detroit
Country Day, which charge
between $12,075 - $14,000 for
elementary and middle school.
Hillel's current tuition structure
also generates less money per
pupil than area public schools.
Tuition at Conservative day
schools nationwide averages
around $8,000, said Rabbi
Robert Abramson, director of
education programs for the
says tuition rise, satellite campus, new endowment may be needed. United Synagogue of
Conservative Judaism and for-
mer
headmaster
of Hillel.
reserving judgment on the plan until
ive of the plan as presented, but some
Noting
that
day schools are
she
has
had
time
to
carefully
read
it.
were concerned that major changes
extremely
expensive
operations,"
"It
will
take
some
to
digest"
she
said.
would be made without their input.
Hillel's
long-range
plan
calls for revised
Hillel President Steven Margolin
Defining Students
fund-raising
strategies,
along
with the
responded that "nothing is set in
While praising Hillel for its students —.
tuition increase, in order to be fiscally
stone," noting that for the most
"a happy crowd who enjoy their school"
responsible.
part, the plan merely provides guide-
— the plan urges the school to more
Easing the pain of the tuition
lines for further discussion.
clearly define its population.
increase
will be stepped-up efforts to
"The plan gives a lot of people
"No school can meet the needs of all
ensure
that
there is adequate financial
the opportunity to shape the future
students," it states. It goes on to note,
aid;
the
plan
requires Hillel's board to
of the school," he said in an inter-
"The planning process itself made clear
announce
plans
by December 1999 to
view this week, adding that the plan
the community's desire to provide the
provide Hillel with the funding neces-
will help Hillel make the transition
financial support required for any
sary to "make it accessible to all Jewish
from "mom and pop operation to
Jewish family to come; there is less sup-
families wishing to enroll qualified chil-
something more professionally run,
port for meeting all levels of academic
dren at Hillel."
while keeping the mom and pop
need, and little conviction that the
feeling."
school can or should handle all levels of
Some parents at last week's meet-
Endowment Needed
behavior."
ing voiced concern about the plan to
With only a $3 million endowment in
The plan calls for a Task Force on
narrow the definition of who should
place, Hillel is charged with raising $47
Student Profile to explore factors such as
attend Hillel, while others asked
million in the coming years.
the desired size and scope of the special
about potential tuition increases and
The plan calls on the school to
needs program (which currently serves
Hillel's ability to recruit enough staff
approve a capital campaign by July
approximately one third of the student
in the wake of national shortages of
2003, scheduled for completion around
body) and the school's commitment to
Jewish educators.
its 50th birthday in 2008. "A goal of
financial aid. It recommends developing
Malka Littman, president of
$50 million of endowment in recogni-
a student profile and mission statement
Hillel's teachers' union, said she's
tion of 50 years of life is necessary and
by September 1999.

y ro

Hillel Looks Ahead

2/19
1999

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