Background
The Brotherhood Synagogue, located on Gramercy Park, is the largest Jewish congregation in downtown New York City with 800 member units. It is an independent, progressive community following the Conservative tradition. This combination allows the Synagogue to honor the spiritual and ethical heritage of the Jewish faith and celebrate the deep commitment and wide diversity of their membership. Brotherhood is a very special place - the beautiful, warm, and welcoming atmosphere provides a home for many synagogue activities, meaningful spaces for prayer and for celebrations, education for children of all ages, classes for adults, social outreach and other programs which support and enhance the community.
Position
Brotherhood Synagogue Early Childhood Programs (ECP) and Nursery School (NS) are an integral part of Brotherhood Synagogue and often serves as a family’s introduction to the community. The Synagogue is seeking a Director to lead and grow these programs, and to develop programming for families with children ages 0-5.
Our Early Childhood Programs help our community’s youngest children grow and flourish in an atmosphere where Jewish life, learning, values, and traditions are nurtured and celebrated. Cognitive skills along with social, emotional, and physical development are encouraged through music, movement, theater arts, storytelling, learning activities, play, and arts & crafts with a special focus on Shabbat, holidays, and Hebrew language. Our weekly classes emphasize joyful Jewish experiences and a connection to community in a safe and fun learning environment. We currently offer five classes on Tuesday and Thursday.
Our Nursery School, heavily inspired by the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy, is designed to provide a warm and nurturing environment for children. The school recognizes that children are eager to explore and learn, they are competent, resourceful, ready to collaborate, and full of wonder and delight. Our interactive classroom environments stimulate all areas of a child’s development, including social, emotional, spiritual, physical and cognitive. We seek to nurture a child’s curiosity and sense of community and cultivate a connection to Jewish values and traditions in our youngest pupils. Our graduates are well-adjusted and well prepared for kindergarten and attend a variety of public and private kindergartens. We are looking for an experienced, well organized, energetic and nurturing leader well adept at managing not only the pedagogical aspects of a Nursery School but also the operational aspects within the confines of a larger Synagogue center.
Currently staffed by 6 teachers and an administrator, the Nursery School is housed in the lower level, a modernized area of the synagogue (redone in 2001 and updated over the years) and includes an outdoor play space. Currently 28 children are enrolled with a capacity for 40. Core school hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The school calendar runs from September through May, with a June camp offering.
The ideal candidate will be warm and approachable with a passion for childhood development and interacting with the students and their families and has experience creating a collegial and cooperative work environment within the larger Synagogue community. The Director will report to the Executive Director of the Synagogue, and will work closely with clergy, senior staff, and the lay leadership of the Synagogue. This is a full-time position with occasional nights and/or weekends. Anticipated start date is July 1, 2025.
Core Responsibilities
- Personnel: Staffing, retention and development of teachers, ensuring at a minimum all State required trainings and requirements are met on an annual (or where applicable bi-annual) basis; support and coach staff in working towards professional goals; inspire and lead staff, providing the direction, supervision and oversight to become an even more cohesive and motivated team;
- Curricular oversight: for ECP, partner with teachers on curriculum; for the NS, continue to develop and deploy the Reggio-inspired curriculum infused with Jewish content;
- Community Building: partner with the Parent Association and other nursery school committees to engage families in nursery school and synagogue life; actively facilitate the relationship between the ECP and nursery school and the synagogue; lead and/or organize holiday and Shabbat programming throughout the school year that occurs outside of the normal school day; attend at least four (4) Synagogue sponsored programs, beyond those sponsored specifically designed to engage young families (e.g. Purim Carnival)
- Marketing: author a monthly Nursery School column for the synagogue monthly newsletter; work with nursery school assistant to produce weekly e-bulletin to the Nursery School community; and develop and execute on a plan in partnership with the Synagogue staff to promote both ECP and NS to the internal and external community, including but not limited to social media; help with marketing efforts to grow enrollment and assist with fundraising when applicable.
- Communication: ensure effective and ongoing communication with parents; oversee providing information to families about individual students’ learning, behavior and experiences; address sensitive issues with families using strong interpersonal skills to help families and guardians make informed decisions;
- Administrative: ensure at a minimum compliance with state and city licensing requirements; lead admissions process for new nursery school enrollees and set standards above those required by the state or city as may be needed based on professional experience and judgment;
- Budget and Finance: work with the Executive Director to develop and oversee management of the budget, including tuition pricing and expense tracking and management; coordinate and implement fundraising plans in concert with synagogue staff and volunteer lay leaders;
- Facilities and Security: provide for the safety and well-being of children and teachers; coordinate with the Executive Director and other synagogue staff on security and facility needs; plan and manage emergency response procedures and drills.
Skills, Competencies & Experience
- A creative, resourceful solutions-oriented mindset
- Ability to work collaboratively with staff, fostering collegiality and a positive work environment.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, relationship building with families, staff, and the wider community.
- Demonstrated successful experience in growing preschool enrollment through effective marketing and community outreach and engagement.
- Knowledge, experience and demonstrated ability to leverage digital channels to raise awareness and promote what distinguishes the Brotherhood Nursery School from other options available in our community.
- Ongoing School placement expertise/experience.
- Attention to detail, highly organized leader with strong operational skills.
Qualifications
- Master’s degree in early childhood education
- Licensure to be a Director in NY nursery school
- Strong knowledge of Judaism and it practices
- Minimum of 5 years’ classroom experience
- Minimum of 5 years’ supervisory experience preferred, flexible based on the candidate
- Familiarity with current trends in early childhood education such as Reggio Emilia, RIE, Montessori and other educational and teaching philosophies
- If you have most but not all of the above referenced qualifications, we encourage you to submit your application.
Compensation
The salary range for this position is $120,000 - $145,000. Benefits include medical and dental, 403(b) savings plan, and 4 weeks paid vacation to be taken in the summer months. The high end of the salary range would be for a unique candidate fitting all our needs.
To apply:
Please send a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Please include ECP and Nursery School Director in the subject line.