Governance

Akiba-Schechter has the superb leadership of the following professional educators. In addition to the professional leadership, Akiba is privileged to have an active volunteer board of directors.

Mrs. Miriam Schiller, Principal

Miriam Schiller has been the principal at Akiba-Schechter since 1988. Mrs. Schiller has a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education and Special Education Certification from University of Illinois at Chicago, and a Masters in School Administration from Loyola University. Mrs. Schiller taught at several suburban public schools, teaching 2-year-olds in early-childhood programs to 8th graders, and all ages in between. Mrs. Schiller has worked with students in both mainstream and special education classrooms, and has also taught Sunday school. In addition to her responsibilities as Principal, Mrs. Schiller teaches Reading in the 1st and 2nd grade class.

You can reach Mrs. Schiller directly at 773.493.8880, ext. 212 or by email at principal@akibaschechter.org.

Carla Goldberg, Pre-School Director

Carla Goldberg has been the Akiba-Schechter Pre-School Director since 2001, and is only the second Pre-School Director in the School’s history. Carla started at Akiba in 1991 as a teacher, and has since taught in the 1st & 2nd grade, Kindergarten, 3 and 4 year-olds, Ready!Set!Go!, and Parent/Tot. Carla’s experience teaching the range of early childhood years as well as in the grade school is evident in the thoughtful care Akiba places on easing children’s transitions from one year to the next. Carla’s first love is teaching, and she continues to teach in the Parent/Tot class.

Carla Goldberg has a BA in Early Childhood Education from the University of Massachusetts, and a Masters in Early Childhood Education for Leadership and Advocacy from National Louis University. Carla has taught Sunday school at Sinai Congregation and was the Early Childhood Educational Coordinator at Congregation Rodfei Zedek. In 2000 Carla was honored with the prestigious Kohl/McCormick Early Childhood Teaching Award. In 2001 Carla was named one of the 10 Chicagoans of the Year by Chicago Jewish News.

You can reach Carla Goldberg directly at 773.493.8880, ext. 290 or by email at preschooldirector@akibaschechter.org.

Rabbi Jeff Holman, Director of Judaic Studies

Rabbi Holman challenge students to think critically when analyzing a text and to support their ideas with proofs. He fosters a love of learning through pride and accomplishment.

Rabbi Holman is a graduate of Ida Crown Jewish Academy for High School. At Yeshiva University he earned a B.A. in Computer Science, an M.A. in Jewish Education, and rabbinic ordination. Rabbi Holman worked at Akiba from 1994-1996. In the years between he taught at the Bi-Cultural Day School in Stamford, Connecticut.

Board of Directors

The Akiba-Schechter Board of Directors acts on behalf of the School’s constituents, including students, parents, and donors. The Board of Directors does not intervene in the daily affairs of the School, such as curriculum development, and hiring/evaluation/firing of faculty and staff. Instead, the Board focuses on four areas critical to the success of any independent school:

It selects, evaluates and supports the Head of School, to whom it delegates authority to manage the School.
It develops broad institutional policies that guide the Head in running the School.
It is accountable for the financial well-being of the School.
It represents the School in the community.

The policies that are most important for the Akiba-Schechter Board to develop and oversee are:

Defining the School’s mission and charting the School’s long- and short-range goals (Long Range Planning Committee)
Setting goals for and overseeing the School’s financial operations (Finance Committee)
Creating a fundraising plan and obtaining funding resources to sustain the School (Development Committee)
Ensuring strong Board leadership and succession (Board Development Committee)
Setting goals for and overseeing the School’s communications, public relations, marketing, recruitment (Communications Committee)

Board members accomplish their function through regular meetings and by establishing a committee structure. By attending Board meetings each member of the Board plays a central role in helping the Board fulfill its mandate. The Akiba-Schechter Board is made up of current parents from both the Pre-School and the Day School, Parents of Alumni, Alumni, and Community members. Members are elected to a two-year term at the Annual Meeting of the Membership in late Spring. Officers of the Board are elected by the Board and serve for a one-year term.

2009-2010 Board of Directors

Larry White – President
David Given – VP – Facility
Larry Goldstein – VP – Technology
Alexandra Lee Hobaugh – VP – Development
Mitch Roitman – VP – Communications
Lee Bloom – Treasurer
Rebecca Kirstein – Secretary
Brian Altgold
Rabbi Yossi Brackman
Avy Dachman
Rabbi Elliot Gertel
Douglas Glick
Sherry Glick
Stacey Gordon
Ree Grossman
Rob Hochman
Rebecca Klaff
Matthew Klionsky
Leslie Landman
Sara Segal Loevy
Nancy Schankerman
Sarah-Anne Schumann
George Siegel
Neil Stempel

Staff Members

In addition to the Board of Directors, a professional staff supports Akiba’s leadership in daily operations.

Elliot Cohen, Director of Operations
Annette Gendler, Communications
Robin Lisak, Controller
Ronald Lisak, Building Engineer
Dawn Loeb, Development Staff
Millie Miller, School Secretary, a.k.a. School Matriarch
Reada Sabes, Administrative Assistant
Mindy Schiller, Director of Marketing