Religious School Director

Religious School Director Job Description 2026-2027

Salary: starts at $10,000 / year

Professional Responsibilities

Building Community and Curriculum

1. Foster Community: Create a welcoming and inclusive school environment that reflects Beit Haverim's values and connects families to the broader temple community.
1. Greet parents and students at religious school
2. Participate in Friday night potlucks and other family events
3. Along with teachers, manage end-of-year religious school-led Shabbat.
2. Retention Outreach: Foster continued engagement and excitement for the upcoming school year by organizing one or two summer events for returning, new, and potential families.
1. Examples include Shabbat dinner followed by children’s service or a Pups in the Park Picnic
3. Curriculum Development: Develop and implement a Reform Jewish curriculum aligned with URJ standards, incorporating holidays, Torah study, and Jewish history.
4. Teacher Support: Recruit, hire, and supervise a diverse faculty. Provide ongoing support, mentorship, and professional development.
5. Communication: Maintain open communication with parents, teachers, the Rabbi, and the board of trustees.
1. Provide weekly parent emails with class summaries from teachers, class schedules, and upcoming events 
2. Meet regularly with teachers, Rabbi, and religious school chair
3. Update board of trustees of any relevant issues and activities

Administrative Duties

1. Staff Management: Oversee teacher schedules, lesson plans, and timekeeping.
1. Oversee teacher preparation for classes, including lesson planning
2. Ensure teachers arrive with adequate time to prepare for student arrival.
3. Collect time sheets and provide to Office Manager for payroll
2. School Management: Prepare building for religious school days
1. Unlock/lock doors, turn on lights, cover the sanctuary cross, turn on temperature control, prepare kiddush and Motzi (juice and challah).
3. Record Keeping: Maintain accurate student attendance and performance records, as needed.
4. Budgeting: Participate in the school's budget development and review teacher salaries annually with the Religious School Chair.
5. Event Coordination: Organize and facilitate school events, including Purim event, field trips, etc.
6. Substitute Teacher Management: Maintain a list of qualified substitutes and ensure lesson plans are available.

Student Development and Engagement

1. Student Growth: Foster student's spiritual, intellectual, and social development through meaningful curriculum and programming.
2. Family Engagement: Encourage parent involvement and create opportunities for family participation in school activities.
3. Community Connections: Build relationships with local Jewish organizations and institutions to enrich the school experience.
4. Tefillah: Develop students' proficiency in prayer through instruction and participation in synagogue services. 
1. Lead religious school Tefillah service, along with Rabbi Berg (trade-off and co-lead)
5. Hebrew Language: Enhance students' Hebrew language skills through integrated curriculum and dedicated classes.
6. B’nai/B’not Mitzvah: Support students and families in the B’nai/B’not Mitzvah process through collaborative preparation and communication.
1. Work with Rabbi Berg to annually review and update as needed the online B’nai/B’not Mitzvah handbook
2. Co-lead with Rabbi Berg an informational session and Q&A for parents early in the school year

Leadership and Collaboration

1. Collaboration: Work closely with the Rabbi and school committee to achieve shared goals.
2. Professional Development: Attend relevant professional development opportunities to stay current in educational trends.
3. Evaluation: Evaluate the school's effectiveness and implement necessary improvements.
4. School Marketing and Visibility: Collaborate with the Marketing Chairperson to raise the visibility of the religious school within the congregation and the wider community. Develop marketing strategies to attract new students.