1. Avi Chai Academy Sharefest! #1 Featuring: Westchester Hebrew High School Solomon Schechter Westchester SAR Academy

2. Sharefest! Goals A chance to reflect on your own work as you present, and to tell your story Gain feedback from your peers and mentors Learn about the thinking and strategy of others See other perspectives and skills in action Sharing, supporting, learning, inspiring, challenging!

3. Westchester Hebrew High School:P.O.S.T plan

5. Graduated from WHHS in 2003-2010.

6. Most living and studying in the NE corridor (New York, Boston, DC), with very few in other locations. Some studying in Israel.

7. Still have relatively strong connection to school; come back to visit teachers; attend each others’ smachot, read email newsletters, etc.

8. Currently attending undergraduate and graduate programs; recently graduated, looking for or working at first job.

10. Graduated from WHHS in 1997-2002.

11. Many living in the NE corridor, with some venturing further afield for job opportunities or as a result of marriage.

12. Connection to school has waned; though some with younger relatives still keep in touch with mild interest. These alumni attend WHHS’ annual alumni basketball reunion and also stay in touch with their peers, perhaps via Facebook, LinkedIn or other social media.

13. These alumni have been working for 4-10 years; many have married and are starting families.

15. Graduated from WHHS in 1996-1970.

16. Uncertain as to where these alumni live, though many are located in the Tri-State area.

17. Connection to school varies, but many have lost touch.

18. These alumni are mostly established in their careers and have 10+ years of work experience.

19. They are more likely to be involved in various volunteer capacities in their communities – i.e. synagogues, JCC, secular community organizations.

20. Tech knowledge varies with age, so there is a wide range of technical abilities within this group. Email seems to be common as is Facebook, though not nearly as prevalent as with the younger groups.

22. Most alumni parents remain local, though some have relocated to Manhattan and Florida (some are snowbirds).

23. Connection to school varies; many have lost touch. A few staunch supporters remain, usually living in the area. A small number has become alumni grandparents with their grandchildren attending the high school.

24. Alumni parents are extremely established in their careers, or are retired. They are often involved in various volunteer capacities in community organizations.

25. Tech knowledge varies with age, so there is a wide range of technical abilities within this group. Email seems to be common as is Facebook, though not nearly as prevalent as with the younger groups.

27. Alumni grandparents live in the area, as well as Florida.

28. Connection to school is weak. Alumni grandparents are mostly retired, though grandparents of recent alumni are still active in the workplace.

29. They are often involved in various volunteer capacities in community organizations.

30. The tech knowledge of this group varies significantly as well, with younger alumni grandparents savvier and older ones – less so. Some grandparents rely on facebook and certain photography sites (Snapfish, etc.) to remain in touch with grandchildren and great grandchildren, though their abilities with these functions is limited.

31. O= OBJECTIVES Alumni: WHHS Goals: Find and connect Engage and involve via Facebook and alumni events Become ambassadors and mentors Become donors and leaders Their Goals: Reconnect with classmates and teachers Forum to remember their days at WHHS Keep posted about births, marriages, deaths and other life cycle events Networking for career and employment opportunities Alumni Parents and Grandparents: WHHS Goals: Connect Cultivate and involve via Facebook and events Ambassadors/loyalty Become donors Become leaders Their Goals: Pride in children and grandchildren’s achievements Hearing about life cycle events Keep families connected

32. S=STRATEGY Alumni: Create opportunities for alumni to connect with each other and with WHHS teachers and staff. Offer a variety of ways for alumni to share memories of high school days as well as news events in their lives (births, engagements, marriages, deaths, etc.). Support the professional development of alumni though networking events online and in person. Encourage alumni to get involved with WHHS as mentors, ambassadors and volunteers. Raise funds from alumni to support WHHS. Alumni Parents and Grandparents: Create opportunities for alumni parents to connect with each other and with WHHS teachers and staff. Offer a variety of ways for alumni parents and grandparents to share s news events in the lives of the alumni children and grandchildren (births, engagements, marriages, deaths, etc.). Encourage alumni parents and grandparents to get involved with WHHS as mentors, ambassadors and volunteers. Raise funds from alumni to support WHHS.

33. T=TECHNOLOGY Launch cause page and ask students to develop a supporting YouTube video. Incorporate Facebook page and cause link on all communications and website Consider overhaul of website & if not feasible, consider update of alumni pages. Update website with alumni profiles Import updated contact information once received from Avi Chai Foundation, into database Set up e-mail and other communication templates and schedule for alumni communication. Alumni spotlight in e-newsletter and post on website Conduct picture contest to get alumni to tag themselves Assign staff to post items and to review postings daily and respond with useful info when needed or facilitate getting info from other WHHS staff

35. Increase alumni participation/like of Facebook page by 20%

36. Recruit 10 key alumni who serve as gateway to other alumni

37. Increase “discussions” on our Facebook page to reach one per month.

38. Secure 10 new alumni volunteers to serve on 40th Anniversary Dinner Committee

39. Secure 5 new alumni donors per month (exceeded this via our Cause Campaign)

40. Improve e-mail capture

42. Solomon Schechter Schoolof Westchester

49. SAREntering the Twitter World One Tweet @ a Time

50. Where is Tweeting Taking Place @ SAR? SAR Academy – school gave it a try with little effort or promotion @SARAcademyTrans Not active, 92 Followers (about 50% parents, 50% lurkers) @SARAcademyNews Active for 50 tweets and 89 followers – then we questioned value Was not publicized or pushed Did not have clear ownership or purpose Great first attempt Next steps– Decisions: Purpose, Ownership, Promotion, Consistency, SAR High School Rabbi Jon Kroll, early adapter and popular HS Administrator Followers primarily students Tweets game scores in real time and then other items Development Office (me) in my parent/professional capacity Junior College trip Junior two-day trip

52. Ownership

53. Promotion

55. Enter Avi Chai Social Media Academy Increased knowledge re SM tools Increased interest Desire to begin

56. Parent / Professional Role Understood that parents had a keen interest in school programs that their kids were involved in but had no direct access Teens often non-communicative My Relationship spectrum with parents ranges from personal to professional and everything inbetween Opportunity for cultivation without any strings and recipients had high interest level

57. Looking for the Right Opportunity Wanted to start small Test technology Assess parent interest in controlled setting Spark interest from Administration Socialize concept and begin the discussions

58. Moving Parents to the Twitter World Challenges: Changing behavior requires significant energy People who don’t normally tweet and use a smart phone ↑challenge Content needs to be relevant, compelling, in this case personal

59. Making the Content Personal

60. Results Lots of buzz, in the office and with a circle of parents Actual ‘followers’: small number- 4 from the trip but more lurkers who read posts but were not inclined to register Thankful parents More great cultivation More to talk about with prospects In line with the SAR brand, open lines of communication, transparency

61. Results/Feedback Fun Loved the pics Parents expressed interest and gratitude College Counselor now on board

62. Tweets Can Help Cultivate Relationships, Even after the Fact

63. Resources A few ideas: The Twitter Guide Book http://mashable.com/guidebook/twitter/ : Twitter: I think I get it. Now what do I tweet? http://www.bigducknyc.com/blog/twitter-i-think-i-get-it-now-what-do-i-tweet : Avi Chai Academy: Tools Workshop 2 http://www.slideshare.net/darimonline/avi-chai-academy-tools-workshop-2 Take a Twitter Audit http://www.chrisbrogan.com/take-a-twitter-audit/

64. Journal DueToday! SHIFTS IN MINDSET AND WORK PATTERNS. We're interested in knowing how your thinking, observations, engagement, planning, work patterns or creative problem solving is changing. Email to lisa@darimonline.org