New Leader For MetroWest Jewish Day School

Press release from MetroWest Jewish Day School:

July 20, 2020

The Board of Directors of MetroWest Jewish Day School (MWJDS) is proud to announce the appointment of Brian M. Cohen as Head of School.

Mr. Cohen comes to MWJDS with over 20 years of experience in the field of K-12 education, including 13 years of school administration and leadership. He began his career in the public schools of San Francisco and Oakland as a teacher and curriculum leader. Since his move to the Boston area in 2008, he has been a principal at Maimonides School and most recently New England Hebrew Academy. He brings experience mentoring teachers, developing curricula, managing school operations, and leading community partnerships.

“In this moment of unique challenge and opportunity for educators all over the world, Brian brings a wealth of educational experience matched only by his energy and leadership abilities,” said Renee Finn, President of the MWJDS Board of Directors. “Brian‘s educational philosophy, to teach each child ‘according to their way’ reflects the MWJDS approach to education. The Board of Directors enthusiastically welcomes him to our community as our new Head of School.”

“I’ve been passionate about individualized education, meeting the needs of diverse learners, and building inclusive Jewish communities throughout my career,” says Brian Cohen. “MetroWest Jewish Day School is a beacon on each of these fronts. I look forward to bringing a collaborative approach to leadership as we work to enhance and amplify the work already underway. Together, we will strengthen the school for generations of students to come.”

A graduate of Indiana University Bloomington, Brian earned his Master’s degree in School Leadership at Harvard University. Brian lives in Newton with his wife and two children, and serves as a board member of Congregation Shaarei Tefilah.

MetroWest Jewish Day School, founded in 2002, is a rich and vibrant community school serving the greater Framingham/Natick area as well as drawing students from a wide range of communities, spanning from Newton to Worcester. MWJDS, the only Jewish day school in Greater Boston’s Metro West region, is a nurturing institution where children are highly engaged in their education and inspired to learn, excelling both within the school and in the world beyond. MWJDS delivers exceptional Jewish and secular education with an individualized level of attention to each student from extra support to advanced enrichment or both.

For over 15 years, the individualized education offered at MWJDS has provided students leveled curricula in a nurturing and collaborative K-8 learning community designed to help them to succeed and develop at their own pace. While many students start in kindergarten, every year families transfer to MWJDS seeking smaller class size, collaboration with proactive teachers, and a program where their child loves learning. Because of their solid foundation from MWJDS, graduates have gone on to earn honors in high school and attend top-rated colleges across the country. In 2016, the Alfred and Gilda Slifka Foundation chose MWJDS to be the inaugural site of their comprehensive Slifka Inclusion Initiative, in recognition of our unique educational model.

Cohen succeeds Ed Frim who tragically passed away in April after a battle with cancer. Having joined MWJDS in June of 2019, Ed brought love, dedication and menschlichkeit to our community in ways that far outsized his short tenure with the school. The Edward Frim Curriculum Fund has been established in his memory. During his illness, MWJDS Board Member Rena Mirkin stepped in as Acting Head of School, and was quickly tested with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her work leading our community through a rapid pivot to remote learning was crucial to our success in this period. Mirkin will continue to serve MWJDS as a board member, as well as a resource to Head of School Brian Cohen in the coming year.

MetroWest Jewish Day School is now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 school year. To learn more, contact Gary Alpert, Director of Admissions and Community Engagement and Head of After School Programming, at 508-868-9833.

This press release was produced by MetroWest Jewish Day School. The views expressed here are the author's own.