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February 12, 1999/26 Shevat 5759, Vol. 51, No. 20
Director search among changes in works at school
LOU HIRSH
Contributing Editor
Organizers have begun work on a series of changes being made to transform the local Solomon Schechter Day School into an independent entity.
A top priority on their list is finding a replacement for director/principal Barbara Gereboff, who resigned from the post last week, effective today (Feb. 12).
"We're going to launch a national search," school board president Judy Laufer said this week. Laufer said a search committee led by board member Mark Searle will set criteria for the position and devise a strategy for hiring the school's next director. Searle and Gereboff could not be reached for comment this week.
Meanwhile, the school's board recently decided to disaffiliate the school from the Conservative movement's Solomon Schechter Day School Association, effective July 1, which cleared the way for the school to move to facilities at Reform Temple Beth Israel in Scottsdale, beginning with the 1999-2000 academic year.
Gereboff, who has a son attending the school, was among several parents who raised concerns about the way in which the changeover was handled by the school's board of directors. However, despite their differences with the school board, Gereboff and her husband, Joel, plan to remain involved with the school on a volunteer basis. Joel Gereboff, chairman of religious studies at Arizona State University, told Jewish News that the couple will serve on the school's newly formed Judaic Studies Committee, which will set curriculum objectives.
A meeting at which board members were to discuss and possibly choose a new name for the school was scheduled for Wednesday evening, Feb. 10. No results of that meeting were available at press time. Laufer said the board was to discuss a list of 72 possible names, which have been suggested by students, parents and administrators.
By early summer, the school will begin its move from Conservative Beth El Congregation, where it currently leases space, to facilities at Beth Israel's Mark L. Haberkorn Religious School building. Arrangements have been worked out for the day school and the temple's religious school to share classroom and playground space, as well as the social hall, art room and library.
Under a recently approved lease agreement, said temple President Herman Lewkowitz, a section of Beth Israel's kitchen facilities will be set aside for the exclusive use of the day school, which will arrange to have the section kashered (made kosher). Lewkowitz said the temple also will reserve a portion of a classroom to be converted into office space for the new day school.
Also, Lewkowitz and Laufer said, the day school plans to build a new athletic field on land currently owned by Beth Israel on 56th Street, across the street from the temple. Lewkowitz said the temple will retain ownership of the land, as well as the final say on any future uses of the parcel.
Among issues still to be resolved is how the school will transport students who currently use the school's two buses. The move will bring routing and scheduling changes, and more buses may eventually be needed.
"One factor is that we still don't know what our enrollment is going to be for the first year," said Laufer. "We should start getting an idea of that once we open registration later this month."
Schechter school Vice Principal Jennifer Traulsen, who will serve as interim director until Gereboff's replacement begins work, said there are currently about 10 students making use of the school's transportation service, but it is not known how that will change once the school begins operations in Scottsdale.
The school has received several queries from parents about using the service, Traulsen said, but the actual number using the bus may not change. "There are some people using the bus now who won't need to use it once we move, so it may end up being an even trade-off."
In a recent Schechter board news release, Ken Goldfine, chair of the school's negotiating team, said he was impressed by the temple's facility because of its size, which "provides for doubling student enrollment" if the need arises, and that its location will allow many Jewish families, particularly those in Scottsdale and north Phoenix, to more conveniently attend the school.
While things such as enrollment could change dramatically, school officials have told Jewish News they do not foresee major alterations in the curriculum.
Board member Ben Cooper, who is chairing the school's Judaic Studies Committee, said the committee is tentatively scheduled to begin meeting Feb. 24.
The main goal is to put the current curriculum objectives in writing, not to change the curriculum, he said.
"Even when we were part of the Schechter association, we were very much left independent to set our own objectives. It's just that now we have to document a lot of things that we might have taken for granted before," Cooper said.
In addition to the Gereboffs, the committee includes teachers and administrators from the day school, as well as local Conservative rabbis Rick Sherwin, Bonnie Koppell and Mark Bisman. Cooper said the panel hopes to get input later from other religious leaders in the community.
The day school is planning a public open house for current and prospective students and their families on Thursday, Feb. 25, at Temple Beth Israel. Call 944-6179.
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