(Courtesy of JNTP) Jewish New Teacher Project (JNTP) of New Teacher Center is marking its milestone anniversary with the launch of a special fundraising campaign. For over 20 years, JNTP has been improving student learning and strengthening Jewish day schools by accelerating the effectiveness of new teachers and promoting the growth of school leadership.

The anniversary campaign celebrates 20 years of advancing the field of Jewish day school education and supports JNTP’s growth plan for the future. The goal is to raise $100K in individual gifts by the end of June 2024 with support from alumni and the wider Jewish community, who have benefited both directly and indirectly from JNTP’s work in driving educational excellence in Jewish day schools.

Nina Bruder, JNTP executive director, shared, “Our 20th anniversary campaign is meant to be transformative for JNTP, enabling us to build on our past successes to meet the needs of the field moving forward. JNTP works behind the scenes with hundreds of schools across the continent and across denominations, helping teachers and administrators do better faster and stay in the field longer. Our work also helps create a pipeline of talented educators: 30% of JNTP new teachers and 50% of JNTP mentors go on to take leadership roles in their schools. Having educators who feel skilled, effective, successful and supported leads to retention, which is critical as the field grapples with a Jewish day school educator crisis.”

As part of the campaign, JNTP is honoring the collective achievements of its dedicated alumni, staff and school partners. Specifically, the campaign recognizes Fayge Safran Novogroder, director of JNTP’s Administrator Support Program and member of JNTP’s first mentor cohort, for her role in advancing the field, her instrumental role in establishing JNTP 20 years ago, and her leadership over many years. Through 20 years of mentoring new teachers, facilitating training for mentors and administrators, and the one-on-one coaching of novice administrators, Fayge has made a tremendous impact on the field of Jewish day school education, promoting instructional excellence and professional standards of practice.

Since 2003, JNTP has considerably raised the level of professionalism in Jewish day schools across North America, introducing standards of practice and a shared language around reflection, collaboration, and teaching excellence. As a self-funded division of the acclaimed, award-winning New Teacher Center (NTC), JNTP brings NTC’s proven and field-tested approaches, innovations and best practices into the Jewish day school field. In its Teacher Induction Program, JNTP has worked with 1,728 new teachers and 839 mentors in 317 schools in 23 states and Canada. Over 40,000 students this year alone are being taught by a teacher trained through JNTP. JNTP also offers cohort-based professional learning and one-on-one coaching to new school leaders through its Administrator Support Program. Since 2013, JNTP has worked with 210 early career administrators in 101 schools in 19 states and Canada.

Approximately 50% of JNTP schools are in the New York tri-state area, with the rest spread out across the country. JNTP has been connected to the majority of Jewish day schools across denominations in the area. For example, Ramaz was in JNTP’s first cohort and has participated for the better part of the last 20 years. SAR has also been a long-time partner. Luria Academy of Brooklyn, The Moriah School and Ben Porat Yosef participated in both JNTP programs. This year, custom work at Golda Och Academy and Magen David Yeshivah is bringing JNTP practices to their entire faculties. The SAM School was also added this past year.

Many partner schools provide mentors to every one of their new teachers, embedding JNTP’s work within the fabric of their culture. Perhaps most importantly, as teachers and administrators trained by JNTP change jobs, they bring what they’ve learned to new schools, disseminating JNTP’s approach and boosthttps://jntp.org/support-us/ing its impact on teaching and learning across the field.

On Wednesday, May 29, JNTP alumni and school partners are invited to celebrate the accomplishments of JNTP and “toast” Fayge Safran Novogroder at a virtual event. To learn more about the event, contact Lauren Katz, JNTP’s director of development, at [email protected]. To support JTNP’s 20th anniversary campaign, visit www.jntp.org/supportus.