2013

Annual
Report
2 AYeshivat HeAtid 2013 Annual Report A3


Our commitment
At Yeshivat HeAtid we are committed to academic excellence
in Judaic and secular studies.
We are committed to serving as a premier model for
innovative and economically sustainable 21st century
Jewish education.
We are committed to fostering meaningful relationships
between teachers and students.
We are committed to using cutting edge technology to
differentiate and support a variety of learning styles and
learning levels.
We are committed to fostering condent, mindful, active
learners and analytical thinkers.
We are committed to instilling a true passion for Torah and
mitzvot, a deep connection to Klal Yisrael and Medinat
Yisrael, and a dedication to chessed and derech eretz.
At Yeshivat HeAtid we are committed to the success
and happiness of every child.
Our goal is to provide a personalized learning experience
for each and every child
Rabbi Netanel Gralla, head of school
4 AYeshivat HeAtid 2013 Annual Report A5
Dear Friends,
Tis rst Annual Report reects the eorts of everyone here at Yeshivat HeAtid who
has contributed to the school since its inception to help make our inaugural year
such a success.
First and foremost, we would like to thank our incredible faculty, sta, board members,
and volunteers at Yeshivat HeAtid for all of their hard work in making this vision a
reality. We also want to express our sincerest gratitude to the national organizations and
the 85 individuals and families who were eager and willing to contribute nancially to
get this school up and running. Finally, we would like to recognize our passionate and
caring parent body, who entrusted us with their 116 children in our historic rst year.
Te Board of Directors and our sta are committed to transparency. Tus, this report
will show how dollars are allocated, as well as expected trends in our nances as we move
toward self-sustainability.
Tis year we proved that a high quality, aordable yeshiva education can be a reality.
We are extremely proud of the standard we have set for communities across the United
States. But this is only the beginning, and we welcome your open and honest feedback as
we continue to grow and improve.
Kol Tuv,
Rabbi Netanel Gralla
Head of School
The minute you walk into school, kids and
parents are surrounded by happiness and
excitement. The teachers love their jobs
and the kids can feel that.
Lev & Maria Rozentul, Yeshivat HeAtid parents
6 AYeshivat HeAtid 2013 Annual Report A7
Our unique community
Our faculty of rst-rate educators make up a hand-
selected group of experienced teaching professionals
who are committed to developing every childs learning
potential and fostering a life-long love of learning.
Our models focus on small group instruction blended
with technology allows children to foster meaningful
relationships with their teachers and subjects. Te result
is Yeshivat HeAtids team of well-trained professionals
working to provide a happy, safe and nurturing
environment, cultivating self-esteem, independence, and
essential 21st century skills.
Our students play an active and integral role in the
learning process through engaging modes of study and
varied learning experiences including:
4interactive project-based learning
4inquiry-based collaborative work
4independent research
Tese dierent learning experiences allow each student
opportunities to contribute to their learning community
and to become active participants in the learning process.
Our parents play an integral role in our community.
Our teachers and sta are passionate about forming a
strong, open partnership with parents to ensure the best
possible experience for each child. Teachers provide open
and continuous communication with families and are
receptive to the unique needs of each family.
Our school community is a supportive and inclusive
learning environment that allows students, teachers, and
parents to grow together and thrive. Our personalized
education model and warm environment ensure that
students feel comfortable among their teachers and
classmates. Tis supportive atmosphere encourages
students to feel condent contributing to the class both
socially and academically, regardless of their individual
strengths and abilities.
The staff at HeAtid couldnt be a more positive group of people.
They are gentle, structured, energetic and caring with all the children.
We look forward to many more years with HeAtid.
Rizi Harris, rst grade parent
8 AYeshivat HeAtid 2013 Annual Report A9
Our customized instruction
Our curriculum is aligned with the National Common
Core State Standards for 21st century readiness. With a focus on
TEAMS subjects (Technology, English, Arts, Math, Science and
Social Studies), students gain essential skills needed to succeed
such as critical-thinking, problem-solving, communications, and
collaboration. Each student is encouraged to produce high-
quality work and strive for success.
We provide our teachers with intensive professional
development, curricular advisement, and the latest technology
to implement the curriculum most eectively.
Students retain 20% of what they hear and 80% of what they experience.
In the Yeshivat HeAtid model, students are active producers of knowledge as
opposed to passive consumers of knowledge.
PROJECT-BASED
LEARNING
optional small
group work
IN CLASS LEARNING LAB
practice, enrichment,
and remediation
INDEPENDENT LEARNING
independent study, reading,
kinesthetic learning
COMMUNITY SPACE
class instruction,
discussions and activities
INSTRUCTIONAL AIDE
LED INSTRUCTION
small group
instruction
TEACHER LED
INSTRUCTION
small group instruction
student classroom
teacher
asstistant
teacher
Our instructional model includes a proven
educational approach that personalizes the learning
experience for each child by blending traditional instruction
with the best that interactive technology has to oer. By
complementing individual and small-group instruction with
modern approaches to learning, teachers can customize lesson
plans to each individual student. Tis approach:
4 Enhances a students experience in the classroom.
4 Enables teachers to monitor students progress in real-time
and hone in on areas of diculty in small, rotating groups.
4 Allows for a more ecient utilization of class time, with
a better student-teacher ratio, regardless of class size.
4 Enables students to learn at their own pace with lessons
customized to their unique learning styles, strengths,
and academic needs.
4 Allows teachers to work in small rotational groups, giving
teachers more direct instructional time with their students.
4 Fosters meaningful relationships between teachers and
their students
Our classroom incorporates a variety of learning
environments that enable students to ow seamlessly from
whole group, small group, and individual instruction, to
small group project-based learning, to independent study
and practice.
During classroom rotations, students alternate between
working in small clusters on group projects, engaging
in computer-based learning in the Learning Lab, and
working independently or with the guidance of a teacher in
learning spaces. Tere is one Lead Teacher Station, where
small groups of students can gather to reinforce skills or
concepts. Tis model has proven successful in schools such
as Rocketship and KIPP Empower.
We spend time at the beginning of each year teaching
our students how to problem solve, brainstorm, and
work independently and collaboratively so they become
accustomed to the model and in-class rotations. Troughout
the year, our students grow in these skills, thus strengthening
their 21st century skill set each year at Yeshivat HeAtid.
I am incredibly impressed at how thoughtfully Yeshivat HeAtid is approaching
blended and personalized learning. They are one of the best examples Ive
seen of a school that brings together its core values with modern technology to
further their mission and service their community.
Chris Liang-Vergara, Director of Instructional Technology for Personalized Learning, FirstLine Schools
10 AYeshivat HeAtid 2013 Annual Report A11
Our innovative approach
Our digital tools engage students, allow teachers to
create powerful and eective lessons, and also oer parents
accessibility to the classroom like never before. Te i-Ready
program weve adopted is a proven and exemplary digital
content and assessment provider that is mapped to the
Common Core State Standards and is used by nearly 1
million students nationwide.
Beginning in Pre-K, teachers use the i-Ready curriculum to
create fun and engaging animated lessons for language arts,
science, social studies, and math skills. Tis curriculum
spirals with each grade to support continued mastery
in literacy and math, as well as Hebrew language skills.
Simultaneously, the i-Ready program allows teachers
to monitor students progress and understanding every
day and assess students knowledge and skills to further
dierentiate direct instruction.
With the i-Ready program, we can also allow parents to
log in from their own computer or smartphone, to see
which activities and topics students are working on in
school in order to facilitate the ability to provide additional
support at home, if necessary.
We read the detailed emails about the class and what is accomplished
every week. We so appreciate the time the teachers spend to keep us
in the loop and the individual attention they give to our daughter.
Yocheved Wiesel, kindergarten parent
Our blended learning
model allows me to know
my students social and
academic personalities
in detail
Mrs. Amanda Pransky
rst grade general studies teacher
50%
individual
& small group
instruction
30%
whole group
instruction,
collaborative
learning &
special
activities
20%
digital
learning lab

Our differentiated blended learning model
gives teachers a collection of progress-monitoring and
informal assessment data for each individual student that
enables teachers to dierentiate, adapt, and tailor their
instruction to target students needs.
Te result is that when our students learn a lesson, they learn
it in a way that accommodates their individual learning
style and level, and they are working harder and pushing
themselves to further their personal success every day.
* Rotations constitute approximately 50% of in-class
instructional time
Average Breakdown of Rotation Model*
12 AYeshivat HeAtid 2013 Annual Report A13
Yahadut and Medinat Yisrael
One of the primary goals of Yeshivat HeAtid is to
encourage our students to feel a connection to and love
for their Yahadut and Eretz Yisrael. We instill within
our students a true passion for Torah and mitzvot, a
deep connection to Klal Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael, a
dedication to chessed and derech eretz and a sense of
responsibility to the welfare of the people and institutions
of the State of Israel.
At Yeshivat HeAtid our dedication to active student
engagement and development of 21st century skills is
as critical to our Judaic Studies program as it is to our
General Studies program. Trough project based learning,
our students have the opportunity to learn about parshat
hashavuah, chagim, tellah, chumash (starting in 2nd
grade), and Jewish traditions in an exciting and interactive
way. By playing an active role in the Judaic learning
process, each child feels a strong passion for their learning
which translates into a deep and prideful connection to
Torah, mizvot, chessed and derech eretz.
Ivrit bIvrit Learning
Our Hebrew immersion program ensures that there is a
Hebrew-speaking teacher in each class with grammatical
and written uency in Hebrew. Beginning in Grade 1,
the Tal Am curriculum is utilized to teach students the
fundamentals of letter and sound recognition in Hebrew.
Having Hebrew-speaking teachers in the classroom as
students advance fosters a growth and understanding of
the Hebrew language in an organic way. Our Ivrit learning
method will enable students to graduate with the ability to
read, write, and speak Hebrew with uency.
My child is really beneting from having Hebrew spoken
in the classroom and it is becoming natural for her to hear
Hebrew conversation. I love that!
Elissa Siev, pre-k parent
Our passion for Torah
Our co-curricular activities
Yeshivat HeAtid provides a variety of programs
that allow our students to learn and explore beyond
the primary classroom. Regularly scheduled weekly
specials include:
Physical Education (twice weekly) students
engage in fun physical activity and movement
exercises, rene motor skills, and learn the
importance of tness, sportsmanship, teamwork
and self-discipline.
Music (once weekly) students delve into the
many fundamental areas of music, such as: melody,
use of instruments, harmonies, tone, rhythm,
recognizing sounds and group/individual singing.
Fine Arts (once weekly) students are free to
explore creativity, ingenuity, and inspiration while
being exposed to the masters of art and the many
dierent movements, mediums and styles they have
created throughout history.
We have in-school programs that are featured
throughout the year as well as after-school clubs
including karate, ballet, and science.
2
0
1
2

2
0
1
3
2
0
1
3

2
0
1
4
2
0
1
4

2
0
1
5
2
0
1
5

2
0
1
6
2
0
1
6

2
0
1
7
14 AYeshivat HeAtid 2013 Annual Report A15
Enrollment and Class Size
Yeshivat HeAtid had 116 students
enrolled in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and
1st Grade during the 2012-13 school
year. Tere were six classes total with
an average of 19.3 students per class.
Each class had two teachers allowing
for a better than 10:1 student-to-
teacher ratio in the classroom.
Over 160 students are enrolled in
Pre-K through 2nd Grade for the
2013-14 school year. Yeshivat HeAtid
will continue to add one grade per year
and looks forward to graduating its
rst 8th grade class in 2020.
Financial Aid
Yeshivat HeAtid is committed to providing need-based
nancial aid to all families who cannot aord to pay full
tuition. Total nancial aid needs for the 2012-13 school
year based on community-wide nancial aid standards
totaled $19,000. Financial aid as a percentage of tuition
revenue (2%) was signicantly lower than in other
schools, primarily because of the already reduced tuition
levels at HeAtid. As promised, all of Yeshivat HeAtids
scholarship needs were covered outside the operating
budget using private fundraising dollars, and our goal
is to continue to fund nancial aid separately from the
schools operating budget going forward.
Start-Up Costs
Start-up costs represent one-time costs that were incurred
by Yeshivat HeAtid in order to take the school from
concept to reality.
Tese costs include: blended learning consulting fees (Te
Alvo Institute), pre-opening rent and renovation costs,
pre-opening salaries & benets for administrators, and
legal fees. Tese costs totaled approximately $600,000
and were not included in rst-year operating costs.
All of the start-up costs were paid for using donations
from national organizations such as Aordable Jewish
Education Project and Te AVI CHAI Foundation
as well as from over 85 private donors. We are deeply
indebted to all those in our community who contributed
and are thrilled with the number of people, those from
both inside and outside the HeAtid family, who helped
make this idea a reality.
Tuition Revenue: $ 995,000
Donations: $ 354,000
Other Income: $ 16,000
Total Income: $ 1,365,000
Financial Aid: $19,000
Donations to Financial Aid: $19,000
Revenues
As with the majority of Jewish day schools, Yeshivat HeAtids primary source
of revenue is tuition. Tuition revenue including nancial aid (gross tuition)
in 2012-13 was $995,000, an average of $8,600 per student. Tuition was not
raised for the 2013-14 academic year and remained at $7,990 for Pre-K and
$8,990 for all other students. For the 2014-15 school year, tuition will be
raised in line with ination.
In addition to tuition, Yeshivat HeAtid was fortunate to receive generous
nancial support from organizations and individuals that accounted for the
remaining operating budget. Contributions from national organizations
totaling approximately $270,000 were made by Te AVI CHAI Foundation,
Aordable Jewish Education Project (AJE), and the Orthodox Union (OU).
HeAtid also received modest funding as part of its participation in JEFGs
NNJKIDS program with all other Bergen County elementary schools. An
additional $79,000 was received from individual donors, which does not
include donations directed to nancial aid.
Donations totaled $386,000 amounting to $3,300 per student. Tese funds
and contributions account for all donations for this past academic year, with
no additional facility or capital commitments.
300
200
100
0
Actual and Projected Enrollment
through 2017
Financial Summary 2012 2013
16 AYeshivat HeAtid 2013 Annual Report A17
Cost Per Student
Total spending per student during the 2012-13 school
year was $11,900. With tuition averaging $8,600 per
student, there was a gap of $3,300 per student that was
made possible through fundraising. We anticipate cost
per student and the gap being reduced for the 2013-14
school year, with the gap ultimately being eliminated
over the next several years such that tuition reects the
actual cost per student. It is important to note that
despite being a relatively small school, our per-student
cost is already among the lowest in Bergen County.
Our cost per student is also at least 10% lower than the
average cost per student in Bergen County Public Schools
(source: NJ Taxpayers Guide to Education Spending).
Looking Forward
For the 2013-14 year we have increased from six classes
to eight classes: one in 2nd Grade, two in 1st Grade,
three in Kindergarten, and two in Pre-K.
Our projected operating budget for 2013-14 is
approximately $1.75 million, which represents a cost
per student of less than $10,800. Average tuition
increased to approximately $8,800 as a result of having
a larger percentage of students paying higher tuition for
Kindergarten and above. We therefore anticipate a per-
student gap of below $2,000, which is a 35% reduction
from the 2012-13 school year.
Over the next several years we will continue to work
tirelessly to maintain an excellent quality of education
and grow the school through increased enrollment while
keeping our xed costs and cost per student as low as
possible. We will also continue to be transparent with our
nances in future reports.
We are thrilled with the success of our rst year of
operation and look forward to continuing to oer
families in our community a high-quality, aordable
Jewish education for many years to come.
Professional Compensation
Te teachers and administration of Yeshivat HeAtid are the engine that
powers the school. Teir pride in their work and consistent excellence in
providing personalized educational experiences to each of our children were
what made Yeshivat HeAtids rst year a success. In order to properly and
competitively compensate the faculty at Yeshivat HeAtid, we devote the
largest portion of our resources to the teachers and administration of our
school. For the 2012-13 school year, 70% of Yeshivat HeAtids costs were
spent on salaries and benets. Tis number is expected to rise moving forward
as additional teachers are hired for new classes, while xed costs such as
administration and facilities remain relatively constant.
Our administration consisted of 3 full-time employees, including a Head
of School, Director of Business Operations, and Nurse/Secretary. No new
administrators were hired for the 2013-14 school year.
Tere were a total of 12 full-time-equivalent classroom teachers for our six
classes in the 2012-13 school year (1 lead and 1 assistant per classroom). Four
new full-time-equivalent teachers were hired to teach an additional two classes
for the 2013-14 school year.
Specialty teachers (compensated as part-time employees because of the size of
the school) were responsible for Physical Education, Music, and Art. Yeshivat
HeAtid is proud to provide a full range of activities for students in every
grade and are excited to continue providing a well-rounded school experience
moving forward.
Facilities & Education Costs
Te total cost of facilities, including
rent and all maintenance, was
approximately $234,000, representing
less than 17% of the total budget for
the year. Te percentage of spending
dedicated to facilities costs is expected
to decrease next year as enrollment
and stang are increased and facilities
expenses stay relatively constant.
Expenses for education &
miscellaneous costs totaled
approximately 13% of the total
budget for 2012-13. Included in this
category are education costs such as
computers, supplies, textbooks, as
well as miscellaneous costs such as
insurance and consulting.
Salaries & Benets Facilities Costs Cost Summary
Classroom
Teachers
59%
Administration
36%
Specialty Teachers
3%
Substitute Teachers
3%
Janitorial Services
8%
Education & Misc.
13%
Repairs &
Maintenance
4%
Security
2%
Rent
77%
Salaries
& Benets
70%
Utilities
9%
Facilities
17%
18 AYeshivat HeAtid 2013 Annual Report A19
Ahavas Torah Discretionary
AXA Advisors
Freda & Yoni Bak
Meira & Sander Bak
Shoshana & Daniel Balsam
Yael Bloom & Daniel Barenholtz
Justin Charles Brasch
Esther & Myron Chaitovsky
Tamar & Avi-Gil Chaitovsky
Chesed Avraham
Sheila Dardik
Naomi & Boris Davidson
Rachel & Akiva Distenfeld
Dr. Aviva & Gershon Distenfeld
Lisa & Doni Farkovits
Meryl & Eli Feldblum
Andrea & Ian Fields
Beatrice & Jack Fine
Abby & David Flamholz
Ellen & Alex Flamholz
Talia & Yitzi Flynn
Leah & Avi Greengart
Lenny Grunstein
Anna & Boris Gulko
Chani & Daniel Hermann
Tamar & Dr. David Hochstein
Elisheva & Ariel Jasie
Andrea & Steven Jutkowitz
Tamar & Rony Kalina
Micah Kaufman
Michelle Kaufman & David Gulko
Ruth & Jerry Kestenbaum
Matthew Klein
Ariella & Daniel Kramarz
Yael & Jacob Kramer
Adina & Aaron Lefkowitz
Jessica & David Lefkowitz
Lori & Kevin Lemmer
Rebecca & Benjamin Lopkin
Adam Loskove
Gregory Manto
Atara & Eric Mauskopf
Naomi & Isaac Mezei
Davida & Josh Menasha
Sherrie & Joshua Miller
Dina & Judah Miller
Valerie & Seth Miller
Rachel & Aaron Neufeld
Northwestern Mutual Financial
Network
Ronit & Scott Orlanski
OU Grant
Daniela & Daniel Pomerantz
Zach Prensky
Michal & Jason Pruzansky
Rachel & Judah Rabinowitz
Shani & David Ratzker
Sharon & Michael Rifkind
Shuli & Ben Sandler
Marcia & Bob Sandler
Mrs. Gerson Schenker
Devorah & Jonathan Schloss
Lori & Eric Schwartz
Susan & Ira S chwartz
Michelle & Dov Schwartz
Avril & Clive Shefts
Gabrielle & Avi Silverberg
Shira Silverberg & Joseph Wagh
Rebecca & William Wiener
Dina Pruzansky & Hillel Weingarten
Lea & Yitz Weinreb
Rachel & Aaron Wertentheil
Ruth & David Wertentheil
Shanna & David Wolf
Shmuel Yahalom
Day & Yonatan Yahalom
Debbie & Dimitriy Yuster
Sara & Sammy Zoldan
Operating Income & Expenses
Yeshivat HeAtid, Inc.
12 Month Operating Income and Expenses for the School
Year Ending June 30th, 2013
Accrual Basis of Accounting
Operating Revenue:
Tuition Obligations $995,186
Less: Financial Aid Scholarships $(19,050)
Add: Commitments to Fund Financial Aid $19,050
Net Tuition Income $995,186
Non-Refundable Deposits $15,735
Amazon Commissions $438
Total Other Income $16,173
Annual Fundraising and Grants:
Aordable Jewish Education Project,
AviChai Foundation and OU $270,000
General Contributions $78,748
NNJKids $5,345
Total Annual Fundraising $354,093
Total Annual Operating Revenues $1,365,452
Operating Expenses:
Salaries, Benets, and Payroll Taxes $968,793
Other Expenses:
Rent and Utilities $201,397
Education Materials, Supplies and Infrastructure $89,289
Consulting Fees $51,001
Building Maintenance and Security $32,451
Insurance $28,033
Promotional and Advertising $7,932
Admissions/Registration System (TADS) $7,281
Sta Professional Development $1,984
Total Other Expenses $419,368
Total Annnual Operating Expenses $1,388,161
Net Operating Revenue and Expenses $(22,709)
Balance Sheet as of June 30th, 2013
Accrual Basis of Accounting
Assets:
Cash in Bank $360,937
Tuition Receivable $20,235
Prepaid Expenses $8,537
Certicate of Deposit on Building Lease $91,050
Total Assets $480,759
Liabilities:
Accrued Expenses Payable $144,853
Deferred 2013/2014 Tuition Revenue $260,261
Payroll Tax Payable $18,007
Total Liabilities $423,121
Net Assets $57,638
Josh is continually engaged
throughout the day working in
small groups. At the same time, he
is enabled to progress at his own
pace and move through the material
as quickly or slowly as he needs
to, with a goal of mastery before
moving on to new material.
Kate Davis, rst grade parent
Our donors
Tank you to the following list of founding supporters, as well as the many others who chose to remain anonymous,
for believing in and investing in Yeshivat HeAtid. Your passion and generosity are vital to the continuing success
of our school and have truly made a dierence in the lives and triumphs of our students. We look forward to an
enduring partnership with all of you as we continue to realize our collective dreams together.
139 South Washington Ave
Bergeneld NJ, 07621
Telephone: (201)374-2272
www. yeshivatheatid.org