Syracuse Hebrew Day School
Head of School
Syracuse, NY
About Syracuse Hebrew Day School
The Syracuse Hebrew Day School is a joyful and warm learning environment with a close-knit, collaborative, and diverse community. Our students benefit from a rigorous dual-curricular program that also teaches decision-making and social responsibility. In addition to our regular curricula, students learn art, physical education, library, technology, general music, and take individual instrumental music lessons.
The value that children hold in their hearts and the service they provide to their community matter. At SHDS, we develop goodness in our students and instill strong moral character. The Syracuse Hebrew Day School is the only institution in the Central New York region to educate the mind and spirit through a curriculum based on Jewish tradition and values.
SHDS currently serves 60 students from throughout the greater area of Syracuse. The school’s annual budget is $1.1 million.
More information about the school can be found on the web at: https://www.shds.org/
Position
The Syracuse Hebrew Day School (SHDS) invites applications and nominations for the position of Head of School. SHDS was founded in 1960 as a pluralistic not-for-profit educational corporation operating under the laws of the State of New York. Current enrollment is approximately 60 students in kindergarten through sixth grade. SHDS is committed to providing leading secular and Jewish education for K-6 children in the Central New York area.
The Head of School is responsible for advancing the school’s mission to teach, inspire, and nurture future leaders of our Jewish community, through an unparalleled academic experience guided by Jewish studies and values. The Head of School serves as a role model for the Jewish culture and community of the school. This individual will work with the school’s Board of Directors to ensure financial success, recruitment and retention of students and faculty, and strengthen SHDS’s community presence.
The Head of School acts as the chief executive officer of SHDS, responsible for the day-to-day operations and future vision of the school. The Head of School provides leadership for faculty and staff in the development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive educational program geared toward excellence in secular studies, Judaic studies, and auxiliary programs. This individual must be committed to the following key objectives: 1) constantly elevating the educational initiatives of the school, 2) inspiring and mentoring teachers and students to reach their highest potential, 3) communicating effectively about the school and its mission with parents, students, alumni, and the greater community.
The Head of School is expected to be a charismatic, inspiring, engaging and warm presence within the school as well as the greater Jewish Syracuse community, a truly regarded presence externally. A successful Head of School for SHDS will be a dynamic ambassador to the wider Jewish communal and independent school scenes.
The Head of School will have an eye for talent and will possess strong management skills. The Head of School will attract, lead, and support a team of dedicated faculty and staff and continue to nurture a challenging and caring learning environment for students.
This position will require a leader who has a passion for Jewish education and appreciation for students and their well-being; an individual who knows how to support, lead and manage a team of talented faculty and staff.
Priorities
- Be a strategic visionary. Think creatively about enrollment, recruitment, communications and marketing
- Focus on supporting, empowering, and recruiting the best talent for the school
- Create, build, and maintain donor relationships (existing and new) to be able to raise dollars
- Secure funding through grants and contributions
- Maintain the Jewish, Hebrew, and academic excellence of the school and bring the school to the next level
- Be a Jewish communal leader in the Syracuse Jewish community
Qualifications
SHDS is looking for candidates who include significant experience in the field of education, dynamic leadership skills, and proven competence in institutional advancement and development, such as experience with successful grant writing and fundraising. A Master’s degree or above, or its equivalent, in the area of Judaic or secular elementary education, educational leadership, or academic administration is strongly preferred. The successful Head of School will also possess many of the following:
- Proven track record as an organizational leader and/or educational administrator with an ability to adapt and lead in changing circumstances and conditions.
- Understanding of and connection to Jewish education and Jewish continuity
- Displays empathetic leadership skills and the ability to connect with and move/transitioned communities into new things
- Open and collaborative management and leadership style. Comfort with soliciting input from others while still being decisive and independent in the decision-making process.
- Demonstrated track record of identifying, attracting, and developing top talent.
- Dynamic relationship builder who displays a sincere interest in each student, each teacher, each donor, each parent, each community member and engages them with the values and ethos of their community.
- Excellent people skills. Ability to interact and engage comfortably with a wide variety of key constituents including board members, parents, faculty, students, major donors and community leaders.
- Excellent and transparent written and oral communication skills that complement and enhance the role of being an inspiring leader and ambassador.
- High-level executive functioning (be responsive, be on time, etc.) and financial acumen; able to design and prepare budgets and set financial priorities.
- Successful track record of being engaged in and appreciative of fundraising; ability to partner with staff and lay leaders in the process.
- Experience in applying for, and successfully seeking, grant funding.
Salary
Salary starting between $95,000 – $110,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience
Benefits
Include a 403b retirement plan and free tuition for children attending the Syracuse Hebrew Day School.
About Syracuse
Central New York is a beautiful, friendly and very affordable place to live. Summer and winter, there are ample outdoor recreational options at our numerous nearby county and state parks. Downhill and cross-country skiing, ice skating, swimming, boating and hiking opportunities are all within a 30-minute drive of the medical center. The small but trendy downtown Armory Square and extra large mall, Destiny USA, district offers shops, restaurants, experiences and upscale housing.
Syracuse is the economic and educational hub of Central New York. It hosts several convention sites, including a large downtown convention complex, and is home to prominent institutions such as Syracuse University, SUNY Upstate Medical University, SUNY ESF, and Le Moyne College. It’s home to the Erie Canal Museum, tracing the waterway’s history in the 1850 Weighlock Building. In the old state armory, the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology (MOST) offers interactive exhibits and a planetarium. Designed by I.M. Pei, the Everson Museum of Art focuses on American artwork. The opulent 1920s Landmark Theatre hosts Broadway hits and concerts, and the new Empower FCU Amphitheater is the premier destination to see today’s biggest talent in a world-class outdoor amphitheater overlooking the shore of Onondaga Lake.
The Syracuse area offers all the amenities of Jewish life, including mikvah, eruv and school, and many kosher food options at nearby grocery stores, as well as kosher butcher delivery services monthly. There are four synagogues, a strong Jewish Community Center, a thriving Jewish Day School, a community Hebrew school for K-12 grades, a Jewish home for the elderly, and many nearby Hillel programs at universities in the area.
The pace of life in Syracuse also allows one to focus on family and community more than in big cities. The cost of living in Syracuse is well below that of most Jewish communities, and the quality of life is superior. We are extremely proud of our welcoming Jewish community, where each person is a vital contributor. We are a smaller community, and as such we all work together - all denominations, synagogues, and organizations - to ensure vibrant Jewish life thrives in the area. Our Jewish community is well established and offers much to draw on, and the school is a recognized vital part of the community.