Planting the Seeds of Educational Excellence

August 1, 2025

When the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta launched the SEEDS Grant (Supporting Excellence in Education in Day Schools) in November 2024, it planted more than just an acronym. It planted an idea—that increasing targeted, high-quality professional development for educators is essential to cultivating excellence in Jewish education. 

In its first year alone, the SEEDS Grant provided over $38,000 to five Jewish day schools, allowing them to deliver transformative training to faculty on topics like emotional regulation, meeting the needs of diverse learners, and Hebrew language instruction. Now in its second year, the program is expanding—$51,000 in grants have already been awarded to six schools for the 2025–26 school year. 

Shelley Fogelson, Manager of Day School Relations and former day school teacher and principal, says, “Teaching is a dynamic field— Teaching practices, curriculum content, technologies, and standards are constantly evolving. While all of our day schools are committed to providing professional development, we understand that this can be expensive. We wanted to help schools shoulder the burden through the creation of the grant.” 

The SEEDS Grant is one of the clearest examples of how the Federation is investing in its impact area of Jewish education by supporting the very people who shape it: the educators. With up to $10,000 per school (and up to $12,000 for collaborative efforts), the grant alleviates financial strain and enables schools to pursue training that might otherwise be out of reach. 

“High-quality professional development is costly,” said David Welsher, Associate Head of School at The Epstein School. “But with support like SEEDS, we’re able to invest in the kind of training that makes a real difference for both teachers and students.” 

“Federation is committed to supporting day schools in their critical role of educating our children. The SEEDS grants directly impact teachers, ensuring that they refine their practices and have the tools to provide the highest quality educational experience for the 2,100 students currently enrolled in our day schools,” Shelley adds.  

Unlike one-off workshops that quickly fade from memory, SEEDS-funded initiatives are designed to be sustained, collaborative, and directly tied to student needs. They allow teaching teams—not just individuals—to grow together through coaching, peer dialogue, and implementation of new practices throughout the year. 

“We developed the SEEDS grant according to research on effective adult learning and professional development – when learning is collaborative in nature and ongoing it leads to deeper learning, sustained growth, and improved outcomes for both educators and students,” says Shelley. 

Schools have used SEEDS funding to help address everything from neurodivergent learning needs to social-emotional resilience.  

“For seasoned educators, it was refreshing to unite around a shared focus,” said Polina Nagla, Assistant Principal at Temima. “We believe the strides we’ve made this year are just the beginning—and we’re hopeful that the seeds we’ve planted will take root, grow, and eventually bear fruit.” 

The SEEDS Grant is also a testament to Federation’s commitment to long-term strategic vision. The program was created just months after hiring Shelley Fogelson as Manager of Day School Relations—a new role designed to strengthen partnerships across schools, support innovation, and align resources with school needs. 

“When I started, I spent time networking with professionals in similar positions in Federations around the country. I wanted to hear what other communities were doing to support and partner with their day schools and professional development was a recurring theme,” Shelley says. 

In this way, the SEEDS initiative not only uplifts individual educators—it strengthens the entire ecosystem of Jewish day schools in Atlanta. It’s a smart investment in the future of Jewish identity, values, and learning. 

And it’s a prime example of responsible donor stewardship. Every dollar granted through SEEDS is used for scalable, measurable professional development that schools must evaluate and report on at year’s end. These insights help ensure long-term accountability and impact.  

Shelley adds, “We have a wonderful lay committee of seasoned educators who carefully read each SEEDS grant application, ask thoughtful questions, and discuss the impact of each proposal on teaching and learning.’ 

As the SEEDS Grant continues to grow, its effect is already visible in classrooms across Atlanta—where students benefit every day from better-prepared, better-supported educators. Federation’s support doesn’t just help teachers teach. It helps students thrive—and that’s a harvest worth celebrating.