Faculty and Administration Learn and Connect at Quest Conference

Last Tuesday, on November 7, we were excited to have our faculty together at this year’s Quest for Teaching Excellence Conference of 2023: Cultivating Joy, Skills & Wellness in Our Schools. As part of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, six hundred faculty members joined together from the four local day schools: Golda Och Academy, Gottesman RTW Academy, Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy/Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School, and The Jewish Educational Center. 

The conference began with an engaging presentation by keynote speaker Tal Ben-Shahar who spoke about how applying the science of happiness in the school setting leads to increased resilience and academic performance, deeper relationships, and decreased levels of anxiety. 

GOA Faculty, administrators, and Board of Trustees enjoyed participating in several interesting workshops on a variety of topics such as effective note taking and study strategies, the power of deep listening, learning through play with recycled materials, and how to be an effective day school Board member. Participants met in Affinity Groups in the afternoon to review the keynote address and best practices on common themes. Upon returning from the conference, there was a positive buzz in our buildings, as faculty members shared key take-aways and reflections with their Deans of Faculty. We are looking forward to seeing our faculty apply their learning through practical application and to continue to build upon this meaningful day.