High School Principal

Charles E Smith Jewish Day School is pleased to work with DRG to conduct this search.

About Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School

Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School (CESJDS) is one of the nation’s leading pluralistic Jewish day schools, serving students from Junior Kindergarten through 12th grade. Rooted in Jewish values and academic excellence, CESJDS fosters intellectual curiosity, character development, community engagement, and meaningful Jewish identity. At CESJDS, strong relationships, deep community connections, and commitment to students are the foundation of the educational experience.

Located in Rockville, Maryland on two campuses, CESJDS serves a vibrant and diverse community of learners and families. The school's pluralistic mission creates an environment where students learn to appreciate and engage with multiple expressions of Jewish life, and Jewish identity is at the core of the CESJDS experience. CESJDS nurtures and develops confident, compassionate thinkers who approach the world through the lens of Jewish values and seeks to help students develop a strong sense of Jewish identity while preparing them to thrive in an increasingly complex world. Jewish learning extends beyond the classroom, and is reflected in the rhythms of school life, including meaningful engagement with Jewish history, culture, tradition, and with Israel. CESJDS is fortunate to have a large Israeli student-population who are an integral part of the school community.

CESJDS integrates rigorous academics, social-emotional learning, Jewish values, and community engagement to support students' intellectual, academic, and personal growth. Across all divisions, students are encouraged to ask questions, engage deeply with ideas, embrace challenges, and develop the confidence to contribute meaningfully to the world around them. High-caliber academics are the hallmark and foundation of CESJDS, shaping inquisitive, capable, and confident learners. The school offers academics at multiple levels in a broad range of subjects including STEM, world languages, genetics, journalism, Jewish history, and computer science, in addition to the core subject areas. CESJDS is consistently recognized as a leader for its outstanding academic program nationally among both independent and Jewish day schools.

For many faculty members and families, CESJDS serves as a lifelong community. Relationships among students, families, faculty, staff, and alumni are a defining strength of the institution, creating a culture marked by warmth, belonging, and shared purpose. As it looks toward the future, CESJDS remains committed to providing an exceptional education that combines academic excellence, Jewish values, and community connection while inspiring students to lead lives of meaning, learning, and impact.

The High School

The Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Upper School Campus is home to grades 6-12, administrative offices, and several acres of playing fields and green space. Intellectually curious high school students develop meaningful, lasting relationships with talented, dedicated faculty in classrooms where inquiry and debate are not only encouraged but expected. In community spaces celebrating leadership, excellence, and expressions of Jewish faith and identity and across signature experiences rooted in the school's pluralistic Jewish mission, students embrace opportunities to grow into confident, compassionate thinkers who engage the world through Jewish values. CESJDS welcomes and celebrates the diversity of Jewish backgrounds and practices, creating a community where every student feels valued and connected.
Foundational principles of DerekhEretz/EthicalBehavior, Ahrayut/Responsibility, and K’hillah/Community are infused into the daily experience of student life, while the school's eight core values serve as the centerpiece of a CESJDS high school education.

A rigorous, innovative integrated curriculum is the basis of CESJDS's 3.5-year high school program. Students typically take eight or nine courses comprised of traditional core curriculum and electives, all of which are at the college preparatory or honors level, and required courses in Jewish Studies, including Hebrew, Jewish History, and Jewish Text. Critical thinking, problem solving, resilience, independence, compassion, and collaboration are hallmarks of the classroom experience, in addition to discipline-specific skills and content.

Co-curricular opportunities abound and enrich the CESJDS experience, helping students pursue individual passions, build community, and develop leadership skills. During the school day and after school, offerings include, but are not limited to, 50+ student clubs, 16 interscholastic teams that compete in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference, Sports Medicine, STEM Fellows, Health & Wellness Fellows, service on the Student-Athlete Leadership Committee, athletic team captains