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Hidden Sparks Named One of North America’s Most Innovative Jewish Nonprofits
Seventh Annual “Slingshot” Guidebook Names 50 Most Innovative Jewish Nonprofits in America
(New York, NY) – October 19, 2011 – Hidden Sparks has been named one of the nation’s 50 most innovative Jewish nonprofits in Slingshot ’11-‘12, a resource guide for Jewish innovation. Hidden Sparks Hidden Sparks is being recognized for its creativity, leadership and impact across the spectrum of mainstream Jewish and special education.
Hidden Sparks was chosen by Slingshot for the second time by a panel of 36 foundation professionals from across North America. Philanthropists, volunteers and program participants used Slingshot to identify path-finding and trailblazing organizations grappling with concerns in Jewish life such as identity, community and tradition.
Selected from among hundreds of nominees, Hidden sparks was chosen as a finalist based on its strength in four areas: innovation, impact, leadership, and organizational efficiency. Pleased to be among the leading organizations in the field of innovative Jewish education, Hidden Sparks strives to help children with learning differences reach their full potential in school and life. Through a series of professional development programs for Jewish day Schools, Hidden Sparks helps to increase understanding and support for teaching to diverse learners.
Debbie Niderberg, Executive Director, Hidden Sparks, explained, “Our curriculum is built upon the core belief that if teachers have enhanced understanding of how children learn and the roots of behavior and the tools to respond to struggling learners, they will not only feel more competent and introduce strategies for the struggling student, but will become more skilled in teaching the range of learners. Our approach is built on the belief that PD that is school and teacher based will have the most impact, and that the strongest way to build school capacity is through the scaffolded approach, using coaches to work with teams of teachers, and nurturing “Internal Coaches” to serve as resident experts when the “External Coaches pull out, supported by an attuned and supportive leadership.”
According to Will Schneider, Executive Director, Slingshot, “Slingshot celebrates the relative peace and prosperity that Jews enjoy in the United States and Canada while highlighting those organizations that work to ensure that Jewish life isn’t left behind as the world moves forward. Slingshot ’11-’12 is an inspirational look at a Jewish community that is adapting to changing needs in Jewish life. We had more applications than ever this year, with a wider variety of missions. In order to be selected by our evaluators, innovations and their impact had to resonate more than ever.”
About Slingshot
Slingshot was created by a team of young funders as a guidebook to help funders of all ages diversify their giving portfolios with the most innovative and effective organizations and programs in North America. This guide contains information about each organization’s origin, mission, strategy, impact and budget, as well as details about its unique character. Now in its seventh edition, Slingshot has proven to be a catalyst for next generation funding and offers a telling snapshot of shifting trends in North America’s Jewish community. The book, published annually, is available in hard copy and as a free download at www.slingshotfund.org.
About Hidden Sparks
Hidden Sparks, a nonprofit fund, develops and supports professional development programs for Jewish day schools to help increase understanding and support for teaching to diverse learners, with the goal of building long-term capacity within schools. Using a coaching model, its core program works with in mainstream Jewish day schools/yeshivas with teams of teachers per school and provides them with tools and teaching strategies for teaching children with social, emotional, and learning differences. It also nurtures “Internal Coaches” in each school and introduces a regular review of all students in participating classes through multiple learning and behavioral lenses. Through the regular review of all students through a team teaching approach and facilitated by a Hidden Sparks coach, Hidden Sparks aims to catch the children who might otherwise have fallen through the cracks, while increasing the understanding and tools for teachers that will impact all of the students. By implementing a scaffolded approach, school-based program, using “external coaches who work with teams of teachers, “internal coaches” who work with teachers, and leadership that is attuned and supportive, Hidden Sparks has seen strong direct impact on participating teachers and students , and believes this is the strongest approach to deepening school capacity to address the needs of struggling learners. Currently active in 30 Jewish , across the spectrum in New York, New Jersey and Boston, Hidden Sparks recently received a Covenant Award to expand the program to three additional cities. As a service to teachers nationally, Hidden Sparks launched Hidden Sparks Without Walls (WOW), in 2008, bringing free audio and online hour-long classes to educators to enhance their knowledge of the field of diverse learning.
Hidden Sparks Named One of North America’s Most Innovative Jewish Nonprofits
Seventh Annual “Slingshot” Guidebook Names 50 Most Innovative Jewish Nonprofits in America
(New York, NY) – October 19, 2011 – Hidden Sparks has been named one of the nation’s 50 most innovative Jewish nonprofits in Slingshot ’11-‘12, a resource guide for Jewish innovation. Hidden Sparks Hidden Sparks is being recognized for its creativity, leadership and impact across the spectrum of mainstream Jewish and special education.
Hidden Sparks was chosen by Slingshot for the second time by a panel of 36 foundation professionals from across North America. Philanthropists, volunteers and program participants used Slingshot to identify path-finding and trailblazing organizations grappling with concerns in Jewish life such as identity, community and tradition.
Selected from among hundreds of nominees, Hidden sparks was chosen as a finalist based on its strength in four areas: innovation, impact, leadership, and organizational efficiency. Pleased to be among the leading organizations in the field of innovative Jewish education, Hidden Sparks strives to help children with learning differences reach their full potential in school and life. Through a series of professional development programs for Jewish day Schools, Hidden Sparks helps to increase understanding and support for teaching to diverse learners.
Debbie Niderberg, Executive Director, Hidden Sparks, explained, “Our curriculum is built upon the core belief that if teachers have enhanced understanding of how children learn and the roots of behavior and the tools to respond to struggling learners, they will not only feel more competent and introduce strategies for the struggling student, but will become more skilled in teaching the range of learners. Our approach is built on the belief that PD that is school and teacher based will have the most impact, and that the strongest way to build school capacity is through the scaffolded approach, using coaches to work with teams of teachers, and nurturing “Internal Coaches” to serve as resident experts when the “External Coaches pull out, supported by an attuned and supportive leadership.”
According to Will Schneider, Executive Director, Slingshot, “Slingshot celebrates the relative peace and prosperity that Jews enjoy in the United States and Canada while highlighting those organizations that work to ensure that Jewish life isn’t left behind as the world moves forward. Slingshot ’11-’12 is an inspirational look at a Jewish community that is adapting to changing needs in Jewish life. We had more applications than ever this year, with a wider variety of missions. In order to be selected by our evaluators, innovations and their impact had to resonate more than ever.”
About Slingshot
Slingshot was created by a team of young funders as a guidebook to help funders of all ages diversify their giving portfolios with the most innovative and effective organizations and programs in North America. This guide contains information about each organization’s origin, mission, strategy, impact and budget, as well as details about its unique character. Now in its seventh edition, Slingshot has proven to be a catalyst for next generation funding and offers a telling snapshot of shifting trends in North America’s Jewish community. The book, published annually, is available in hard copy and as a free download at www.slingshotfund.org.
About Hidden Sparks
Hidden Sparks, a nonprofit fund, develops and supports professional development programs for Jewish day schools to help increase understanding and support for teaching to diverse learners, with the goal of building long-term capacity within schools. Using a coaching model, its core program works with in mainstream Jewish day schools/yeshivas with teams of teachers per school and provides them with tools and teaching strategies for teaching children with social, emotional, and learning differences. It also nurtures “Internal Coaches” in each school and introduces a regular review of all students in participating classes through multiple learning and behavioral lenses. Through the regular review of all students through a team teaching approach and facilitated by a Hidden Sparks coach, Hidden Sparks aims to catch the children who might otherwise have fallen through the cracks, while increasing the understanding and tools for teachers that will impact all of the students. By implementing a scaffolded approach, school-based program, using “external coaches who work with teams of teachers, “internal coaches” who work with teachers, and leadership that is attuned and supportive, Hidden Sparks has seen strong direct impact on participating teachers and students , and believes this is the strongest approach to deepening school capacity to address the needs of struggling learners. Currently active in 30 Jewish , across the spectrum in New York, New Jersey and Boston, Hidden Sparks recently received a Covenant Award to expand the program to three additional cities. As a service to teachers nationally, Hidden Sparks launched Hidden Sparks Without Walls (WOW), in 2008, bringing free audio and online hour-long classes to educators to enhance their knowledge of the field of diverse learning.