Founding Head of School

St. Pete Jewish Academy | St. Petersburg, Florida

Anticipated Start: 2027

St. Pete Jewish Academy is seeking an inspiring, entrepreneurial, and mission-driven educator to serve as our founding Head of School. This is a rare opportunity to build a new Jewish day school from the ground up and shape its educational vision, culture, faculty, and community for generations to come.

Located in St. Petersburg, Florida, St. Pete Jewish Academy is being established to provide families throughout the greater St. Petersburg area with an exceptional secular and Jewish education in a warm, inclusive, and nurturing environment. The school is expected to open in August 2027, initially serving students in VPK through second grade and adding additional grades in subsequent years.

St. Pete Jewish Academy will be a non-denominational Jewish day school grounded in traditional Jewish values, Torah learning, mitzvot, Hebrew language, prayer, the Jewish calendar, and a strong connection to Israel. The school will welcome families from a broad range of Jewish backgrounds while maintaining a clear, substantive, and authentic Jewish identity.

Our educational vision combines rigorous academics, meaningful Jewish learning, Hebrew language instruction, character development, experiential learning, and opportunities for outdoor education. We aim to create a school where children are known, challenged, supported, and inspired to become confident learners, thoughtful individuals, and engaged members of the Jewish community.

The Opportunity

The founding Head of School will work closely with the Board of Directors to transform the school’s vision into a thriving educational institution. During the planning and launch period, the Head of School will lead curriculum development, student recruitment, faculty hiring, community engagement, school operations, and preparations for opening.

Following the school’s launch, the Head of School will serve as its educational, Jewish, and organizational leader. The Head of School will be responsible for maintaining academic excellence, cultivating a strong Jewish identity, supporting faculty and families, and building a healthy and sustainable school community.

Primary Responsibilities

Refine and implement the school’s academic and Jewish educational vision.

Develop an engaging and academically rigorous curriculum for the school’s opening grades.

Build a meaningful Jewish studies program rooted in Torah learning, Hebrew language, prayer, Jewish values and traditions, the Jewish calendar, and Israel.

Recruit, hire, support, and evaluate outstanding faculty and staff.

Lead student recruitment, admissions, and family engagement.

Build meaningful relationships with prospective families, community leaders, synagogues, donors, and partner organizations.

Establish school policies, procedures, systems, and daily operations.

Help develop a warm, inclusive, joyful, and values-driven school culture.

Collaborate with the Board on strategic planning, budgeting, fundraising, facilities, and long-term growth.

Ensure compliance with applicable educational, health, safety, and regulatory requirements.

Serve as a visible and enthusiastic ambassador for the school throughout the Tampa Bay Jewish community.

Guide the school through its opening and the addition of future grades.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

Significant experience in educational leadership, preferably within a Jewish day school, independent school, elementary school, or early childhood setting.

A deep personal and professional commitment to Jewish education, Torah learning, Hebrew language, Jewish traditions, and the State of Israel.

The ability to lead a non-denominational Jewish school grounded in traditional Jewish values while warmly welcoming families from a broad range of Jewish backgrounds and levels of observance.

Experience developing curriculum and supporting excellent teaching and learning.

Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.

The ability to recruit, inspire, and lead faculty and staff.

An entrepreneurial mindset and enthusiasm for building a new institution.

Experience working collaboratively with a board, parents, donors, and community partners.

Sound judgment, integrity, flexibility, and a genuine love of children.

A master’s degree in education, educational leadership, Jewish studies, or a related field is preferred.

Experience opening a new school, growing an educational program, leading admissions, or participating in fundraising is highly desirable.

About St. Pete Jewish Academy

St. Pete Jewish Academy is a new non-denominational Jewish day school being developed in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school plans to open in August 2027 with VPK through second grade and grow by adding grades in future years.

Our mission is to provide an outstanding academic education grounded in traditional Jewish values, Torah learning, Hebrew language, prayer, Jewish traditions, a love of Israel, and a strong sense of community. Students will experience the rhythms of Jewish life through daily learning, meaningful observance of the Jewish calendar, and opportunities to put Jewish values into practice.

The school will not be affiliated with a particular Jewish denomination. We are committed to welcoming families from across the Jewish community while maintaining a clear, substantive, and authentic Jewish identity rooted in the traditions, texts, values, and practices that have sustained the Jewish people for generations.

We aim to create a school that is welcoming, forward-thinking, academically ambitious, and responsive to the needs of today’s Jewish families.

The founding Head of School will have the extraordinary opportunity to leave a lasting imprint on the Jewish future of St. Petersburg and the greater Tampa Bay region.

Compensation

St. Pete Jewish Academy intends to offer a competitive compensation and benefits package commensurate with the candidate’s experience and qualifications. Relocation assistance may be available.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit:

A résumé or curriculum vitae

A cover letter describing their interest in becoming the founding Head of School

A brief statement describing their educational philosophy and vision for a non-denominational Jewish day school grounded in traditional Jewish values

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. All inquiries and applications will be handled confidentially.

St. Pete Jewish Academy is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds.