RELIGIOUS SCHOOL DIRECTOR, CONGREGATION BETH EMETH, HERNDON, VA
POSITION DESCRIPTION

GENERAL DUTIES AND STRUCTURE
At the Beth Emeth Religious School, we're committed to fostering Jewish identity, values, and community connections through engaging, accessible education that blends traditional learning with hands-on experiences. Our curriculum, developed in collaboration with our School Committee, balances historical perspectives with modern-day reflections to deliver a well-rounded, flexible program for learners of all levels. At the heart of our approach is a focus on connection: students connect with each other, with our community, and with their own Jewish identities.

We're seeking a full-time Director who shares our vision and can provide leadership and direction for our K-10 formal education programs. In this role, you'll create a positive school climate and have significant input in updating our current curriculum as we embark on a new model for our religious school. You'll work closely with the Rabbi and School Committee, as well as our lay leader for education, to ensure our policies and procedures align with our goals and budgetary needs.

The Director will report to our Executive Director and collaborate closely with our Preschool and Youth Directors to ensure consistency and continuity for our students and families. If you're passionate about education and community, we'd love to hear from you.

PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION
● Curriculum: Responsible for developing, planning, and assessing of program of instruction for Religious School Grades K to 10, with future consideration given to post-confirmation educational opportunities. The program of instruction should be designed to prioritize Jewish identity and culture, community, holidays, and Hebrew teaching related to Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation (for those grade levels where relevant), and engage post B’nai Mitzvah students in furthering Jewish education with compelling topics. Responsible for identifying resources/approaches to develop a Special Needs curriculum.
● Shabbatons/Family Events: Leads grade-level Shabbatons (including scheduling, planning, and implementation) along with other family social activities and instructional programming.
● Mifgashim (“Encounters”): As a central component of our curriculum, coordinates and manages an experiential program of instruction for grade-level mifgashim, including developing community relationships to identify and schedule volunteers to serve as experts/instructors for specialized programs as appropriate.

RITUAL COORDINATION
● B’nai Mitzvah Instruction: In collaboration with Rabbi, responsible for oversight of the B’nai Mitzvah program of instruction.
● Student Religious Services: In coordination with Rabbi and Youth and Engagement Director, support and participate in religious services for elementary school-aged children for Shabbat, High Holidays, and Festivals.

ADMINISTRATION
● Supervision: Responsible for recruiting, training, and evaluating Religious School staff, including Special Needs Coordinator (pending hire), B’nai Mitzvah instructor(s), leaders of student religious services, and Madrichim.
● Finance: Responsible for budget planning and oversight in consultation with the appropriate committees; manage payroll process for Religious School employees.
● Logistics: Responsible for developing and maintaining the Religious School calendar and for coordination of physical plant for all Religious School classes and activities; also, responsible for oversight of student registration, enrollment, class, and session placement.
● Communication: Responsible for communications with parents and families, synagogue staff, lay leadership, and congregation as a whole; also, responsible for networking with community-at-large, both Jewish and non-Jewish.

QUALIFICATIONS
● Hebrew knowledge
● Knowledge of Jewish texts, customs, and holidays
● Teaching and supervisory experience