Educational Director

B’Yachad Oakland Mills Jewish School – PT Educational Director

B'Yachad seeks a joyful, inclusive, dynamic, and visionary Jewish leader.

We hope it's you!

The Congregations

B'Yachad, a project of Columbia Jewish Congregation and Kol Nefesh, offers a weekly religious school engaged in a values-based curriculum. Additionally, our 4th through 7th graders participate in one-on-one Hebrew tutoring culminating in Brit Mitzvah preparation that fits the individual needs of each student and family. B'Yachad continues to reimagine and reconstruct experiential education for all ages. 

Our members represent a beautiful diversity of Jewish observance, gender and sexual identity, race, and interfaith families. We are two hands-on, highly collaborative congregations with members leading many aspects of community life with our dynamic clergy.

The Position
The B'Yachad Education Director (ED) will develop and lead Jewish educational programming for children from kindergarten to grade 7 and their families. The position reports directly to the B’Yachad School Board.

B'Yachad seeks an experienced educator who approaches educational programming with excitement, energy, innovation, and respect for all ages, stages, and abilities. Our ED will demonstrate imagination, a passion for working with children and infusing Jewish values into all aspects of education. The ideal candidate will have significant teaching or educational leadership experience, will be detail-oriented and strategic in planning and communicating. We are seeking a joyful, inclusive, dynamic, and visionary Jewish leader.

The position requires attendance during school hours (from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm each Sunday) and an additional 7 hours of flex time each week on average to complete other job duties. B’Yachad meets approximately 28 weeks per year - from September to May. Students attend classes between 10:15 am and 12:15 pm at the Oakland Mills Interfaith Center in Columbia, MD.

Essential Job Functions

Religious School (B’Yachad) 

• Operations: Administers B’Yachad’s Sunday Jewish school and our one-on-one Hebrew program. Works with the B’Yachad Board, staff and lay leaders to create and manage school policies and procedures.
• Curriculum and Educational Design:
  • Creates, implements, assesses, and refines a multi-dimensional, engaging, experiential, and project-based curriculum for grades K-7.
  • Possible future work may include designing and running monthly dynamic family education programming for children and adults to learn together and in their own cohorts.
  • Guides one-on-one Hebrew tutoring curriculum.
  • Networks with Jewish and secular programs to bring in current and relevant methodologies, tools, and technologies to enhance programming and pedagogy.
• Calendar: In partnership with clergy and with the school board, the ED will create a calendar to disseminate to parents at the beginning of the year to provide dates for school, special programs and field trips. This calendar will take into account both the Jewish year cycle and the Howard County school schedule
• Disability Inclusion: Ensures programming is accessible for all brains and bodies, including neurodiverse students with varied learning needs.
• Supervision: Hires and provides ongoing supervision to all teachers, madrichim (teen assistants), and volunteers. Plans and implements professional development; creates and promotes a positive work culture.
• Lay Leadership: Works collaboratively with an active and supportive religious school board of lay leaders and clergy from the two congregations.
• Additional Programming: Designs and executes holiday programming for B’yachad students and families.

Administrative and Financial Oversight for all Education Programs

• Details: Prepares and manages budget, reviews financial reports, monitors income and expenses for all educational programs within the context of B'Yachad’s overall budget; reports payroll to the payroll administrator.

Communication

• Internal
  • Teachers: Maintains regular and clear communication with teachers, providing an open door to collaborate and reflect.
  • Families: Produces weekly newsletter for school families. Builds relationships with parents and regularly communicates regarding children’s experience.
• Congregations: Prepares mid-year and year-end updates for congregations and board.
  
  External
  • Collaborates with staff and lay leaders of both congregations to generate excitement for and increased enrollment in programs; communicates with prospective families.
  • Collaborates with networks of Jewish educators.

Core Competencies

Passionate about Judaism: The ED loves Judaism and, working with a team of staff, clergy, and lay-leaders, will strive to imbue this love of Jewish life, identity and community into our students. 

Inspiring, Visionary, and Creative Educator: The ED infuses excitement and joy into educational programming, and brings imagination, creativity, flexibility, and vision. They have strong knowledge of educational practices and design and experiential learning.

Collaborative Leader and Supervisor: The ED brings excitement to working with people of all ages and is willing to learn from and with the community. They are an experienced supervisor who can empower and develop staff, while giving and receiving constructive feedback with a growth mindset. A collaborative team player who is also decisive, they build strong relationships and are confident in problem-solving with all stakeholders.

Embracing of Diversity: The ED celebrates being part of a diverse community and implements anti-bias and anti-racist practices and curricula. The ED proactively creates an environment of respect that welcomes all.

Strategic Multitasker: The ED is able to see and communicate the big picture, while managing multiple tasks simultaneously. They demonstrate excellent time management and organization skills by meeting deadlines and managing all administrative, logistical and program details. The ED will reach out for help and support from staff and volunteers in a timely fashion when it is needed.

Tech-Savvy: The ED feels confident in using a wide variety of office technology, is familiar with education technology, and has ideas about implementing tech to create a more connected home and school community.

Excellent and Compassionate Communicator: The ED has strong verbal and written communication skills. The ED is visibly present and accessible as part of the fabric of the community. In all communications, the ED takes into consideration the social-emotional impact of their words and actions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in education, preferably with experience in Jewish community education
• Masters in Jewish Education or related field preferred
• Supervisory management experience
• Administrative capability including logistics and budgeting
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with youth, teens, families, colleagues, and community leaders
• Strong knowledge of Hebrew and Judaism or excitement to learn about liberal Judaism
• Exemplifies and is able to champion the mission and values of B'Yachad

Salary and Benefits

The salary range for this part-time position is 7-8,000/year commensurate with experience. To maintain a work-life balance, the ED will mutually agree with supervisors on regular days off and flexible scheduling.

To apply

Please send your resume and letter of intent to [email protected]

We strongly encourage applications from candidates reflective of the communities B'Yachad serves, including BIPOC/People of Color, those in interfaith relationships, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, and individuals with varied identities and backgrounds, including Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews.

Resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis through May 18.