Director of Education

At Congregation B'nai Tikvah, the goal of our religious school is to spark a lifelong thirst for learning, foster tikkun olam in our students, and build strong connections to our shared traditions and Israel. Our program is designed to engage students with Judaism and develop in each one a sense of ownership over values and meaning.

We believe that a strong Jewish identity is discovered by celebrating holidays together, feeling a sense of belonging, understanding the gift of our shared history and Torah, and through bringing our Jewish values to life in a constant desire to be a community that makes the world a better place. While at the end of our program our children are prepared for their B'nai Mitzvah, the focus of our program is to set our students on a path of lifelong exploration of Judaism.

We are looking for a Director of Education to join our leadership team, lead the school for continued success, and cultivate a variety of programs designed to meet different needs within our congregation: social, cultural, educational, spiritual.

Congregation B’nai Tikvah’s Director of Education will design, administer, direct, and supervise all the educational programs for K through 7th grade, as well as our preschool programs, K’tan tan and Gan Gani, family education programs, grade level shabbatot and the madrichim (teen) programs.

The Director of Education reports to both the Rabbi and Executive Director of the congregation, and will have the support of the Education Committee and Congregational Board in a variety of areas such as budget, personnel and curriculum implementation.

Responsibilities:
Cultivate and maintain a warm relationship with students and families
Engage the school families in community building through a variety of programs including Mesibaba
Create a positive Jewish experience for all students and families in collaboration with the teachers
Maintain operations of the religious school:
Recruit, interview, and hire staff as needed
Supervise faculty and maintain close communication with entire staff and parent volunteers
Administer and lead madrichim program for teens
Develop, prepare, and track annual Religious school budget in conjunction with the Executive Director and Finance Committee
Register and maintain students in the Religious School database and emergency binder
Stay informed about Covid-19 State and County policy changes and work with Covid Response Team on plans for the school
Plan school events in collaboration with community partners, such as Purim Carnival and Israel Live
Lead weekly Sunday morning Tfilah
Have a good working knowledge of both Jewish traditions and prayer book Hebrew
Foster professional development for teachers
Provide guidance to all teachers on all aspects of teaching and classroom experience
Work with B’nai mitzvah tutor to ensure readiness
Lead High Holiday junior congregation services
Communicate with and engage families as partners in the education process. For example: grade level shabbat dinners, holiday celebrations, field trips, etc.
Provide monthly and timely email bulletin updates to all parents during the academic year, and prepare articles for quarterly congregational newsletter
Engage prospective families and promote the religious school in conjunction with the Executive Director
Communicate with Temple Staff and Congregational Board by attending weekly staff and monthly General Board meetings
Ad hoc projects as needed
Desired Skills and Experience:
5-10+ years of relevant work experience
Experience training, mentoring, leading, and managing a team within an environment with multiple stakeholders and decision makers
Experience in creative program development and execution with strong project management and interpersonal skills
Experience with instructional content development and delivery positive experience for students
Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize varied tasks
Upbeat, energetic, confident personal presence with stellar listening and leadership skills
Can adapt, learn quickly and be resourceful; flexible and willing to pivot to keep pace with evolving needs
Ability to work a 30+ hour work week and have flexibility to respond/communicate when needed by the community