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A Case Study of a Liberal Jewish Day School's Middle School Transition Jill Beloff Af Rrell Florida International University

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A Case Study of a Liberal Jewish Day School's Middle School Transition Jill Beloff Af Rrell Florida International University Florida International University FIU Digital Commons FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations University Graduate School 11-16-1999 A case study of a liberal Jewish day school's middle school transition Jill Beloff aF rrell Florida International University DOI: 10.25148/etd.FI15101350 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd Part of the Curriculum and Instruction Commons Recommended Citation Farrell, Jill Beloff, "A case study of a liberal Jewish day school's middle school transition" (1999). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3283. https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3283 This work is brought to you for free and open access by the University Graduate School at FIU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of FIU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY Miami, Florida A CASE STUDY OF A LIBERAL JEWISH DAY SCHOOL’S MIDDLE SCHOOL TRANSITION A dissertation in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION in CURRICULUM AMD INSTRUCTION by Jill Beloff Farrell 1999 To: Dean Linda P. Blanton College of Education This dissertation, written by Jill Beloff Farrell, and entitled A Case Study of a Liberal Reform Jewish Day School's Middle School Transition, having been approved in respect to style and intellectual content, is referred to you for your judgement. We have read this dissertation and recommend that it be approved. Betty H. Morrow, Member of Committee Judith J. Slater, Member of Committee Stephen M. Fain, Major Professor Date of Defense: November 16, 1999 The dissertation of Jill Beloff Farrell is approved. Dean Linda P. Blanton College of Education Dr. Richard L. Campbell Dean of Graduate Studies Florida International University, 1999 ii COPYRIGHT © 1999 by Jill Beloff Farrell All rights reserved. iii DEDICATION This is dedicated to my family for their patience, love and support throughout my years of study. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The writing of this dissertation would not have been possible without the help and support of a number of individuals. I would like to thank Dr. Stephen Fain, my major professor, mentor, and friend who served as guide and advisor throughout my entire doctoral program. Dr. Fain's advice, criticism, and encouragement were invaluable as I labored through my research and writing and I am deeply indebted to him. I am also grateful for the suggestions and editorial comments from Dr. Judith Slater, who introduced me to qualitative research and evaluation, and forced me to always look at my work with a critical eye. Dr. Betty Morrow lent insight to this study from a different perspective, and her feedback regarding my methodology contributed greatly to the successful completion of this dissertation. I would also like to thank my friend and colleague Dr. Susan Neimand for working with me on the final editing, as well as for her moral support and encouragement all along the way. I would like to thank the many dedicated people with whom I work at Temple Sinai who willingly gave their time and energy to work on this project and allowed me to document all of the proceedings. The passion and dedication for this change effort shown by v Lourdes Gittelman and Linda Stein-Fraynd motivated and inspired me throughout our many months of working together and I am greatly appreciative to them both. I would also like to thank my colleague Jan Goldmann, Director of the Academy, for her support and encouragement as we worked together to see the middle school become a reality. I am appreciative to Rabbi Ralph Kingsley for his erudite guidance and support, as well as for his willingness to always listen whenever the need arose. Thanks also go to Richard Bergman, Temple Sinai President, Brian Tarasuk, former Vice- President for Education, Susan Warech, past Day School Commission Chair, the members of the ad-hoc middle school committee, and finally, to George Berlin, whose vision and tenacity helped our dream come true. This project, and the study derived from it, would not have been possible if not for the collaborative working relationship that exists between the professionals and lay leaders at Temple Sinai. Finally, thanks go to my children Joshua, Jason, and Jenna, for all the times that you gave up your Mom to her studies and research. Your unconditional love and support were always a source of inspiration to me. My sincere appreciation goes to my loving parents, Martin and Helen Beloff, who have always supported my vi efforts and decisions and. been there for my children and me through thick and thin. And to my husband, Dr. Robert V. Farrell, who through his example, has inspired and challenged me to go further and to reach higher and has motivated me to persevere. Thank you, honey. vii ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION A CASE STUDY OF A LIBERAL REFORM JEWISH DAY SCHOOL'S MIDDLE SCHOOL TRANSITION by Jill Beloff Farrell Florida International University, 1999 Miami, Florida Professor Stephen M. Fain, Major Professor The Jacobson Sinai Academy is a Liberal Reform Jewish Day School, in North Miami Beach, Florida. When the Academy was started over 18 years ago it was designed as a K-6 school. This was in keeping with the existing model for Reform day schools at the time and met the needs and desires of the early founders. The philosophy of the school addressed meeting the needs of the individual child as well as the fostering of Judaic values and traditions in an academically nurturing and experiential setting. Upon graduation, students moved from the Academy to a variety of public and private options, all of which served the needs of the families at the time. In recent years, due to numerous factors within the community, parents voiced concerns as to where their children would continue their education during the critical middle school years. As a result of viii these concerns, and through the efforts of a dedicated group of parents and lay leaders, the decision was made to add an upper school component to the existing elementary configuration. This study is a qualitative case study which chronicles the organizational change effort that was undertaken for this purpose to determine facilitating conditions and impediments leading to the change. The analysis serves to inform others wishing to advance such an undertaking. Results of the study indicated that certain conditions are necessary for the successful implementation of any change effort. The culture of the organization must be acknowledged and is a primary factor to be considered when advancing change. Collaboration with those committed to the enterprise must occur, and this in turn can lead to an agreed upon philosophy which expresses the diversity of needs and values of all of those involved. Resistance, while expected from certain individuals within the organization, can be overcome through the efforts of key players who assume leadership positions that are transformational in nature. Additionally, the rationale for middle schools, and the need for this one in particular, are factors which led to the success of this initiative. ix TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION ................... 1 Overview ..... 2 Background and Significance of the Problem ... 2 The Researcher .................................... 6 Statement of the Problem ....................... 9 Statement of the Purpose........................10 Research Questions ............................ 10 Subsidiary Questions . 11 Assumptions . 12 Limitations . ................................... 13 Delimitations ............................ .. 14 Definitions of Terms .............................14 II. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW ..... .......... ... 19 Introduction .......... 19 History of Reform Day Schools .................. 20 The Establishment of Sinai Academy.......... 2 6 Historical Antecedents to Current Middle School Initiative ......... .......... 31 III. REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE ........ 42 History of Middle School Movement ...... 42 Change Theory ................ 51 Planned Change and Resistance ...... 52 Strategies to Overcome Resistance to Change69 x Organizational Culture 75 IV. METHODOLOGY.......... .................. .. 84 Background .................. 84 Methodology .......... ........... 96 V. PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS ..... 103 Results and Themes ............................ 105 Vision ................. ........ 105 Organizational Culture . ............. 121 Resistance to Change .......... 148 Leadership ................... ..... 158 VI. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS . 173 Summary ........................................ 173 Discussion ......................... ..... 174 Conclusions.......... 181 Implications ......... 182 Recommendations for Further Research ..... 183 REFERENCES .................................. ...185 APPENDICES .................... 194 VITA............ 391 xi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The following case study research represents an in-depth compilation of qualitative case data. The documentation of this case was intended to provide an analysis of the factors and issues inherent in an organizational change effort so that others involved in such efforts may benefit from this experience. At the onset of this change effort it would have been helpful to have had the opportunity to read about similar efforts to advance change in other Jewish day schools or similar organizations. The researcher is an administrator in a private Jewish day school with practical
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