The Jewish Leadership Academy will resemble a college campus. “The school will have ample collaborative spaces and access to the outdoors, creating a campus experience where learning can happen anywhere. It will celebrate learning, inspire curiosity and empower young leaders,” says Jordan Goldstein, Gensler’s managing principal.
Miami’s newest middle and upper school, Jewish Leadership Academy, has launched enrollment for the 2023-24 school year. Set to open its doors in the fall of 2023, the academy, designed by the prestigious Gensler architectural firm, will resemble a college campus, with a central courtyard connecting its four academic buildings and outdoor athletic facilities.
Centrally located at 975 NW 95th Street on more than five acres of land in Miami’s Pinewood neighborhood, JLA’s rigorous and holistic admissions process will be focused on students’ academic ability, passion, and commitment. In an effort to create a diverse student body and attract Miami’s brightest Jewish minds, the school will follow a need-blind admissions model, to ensure that every student who is accepted can attend JLA.
Founding Head of School, Rabbi Dr. Gil S. Perl, brings to the Jewish Leadership Academy a pedigree that includes a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania as well as a Master’s Degree and Ph.D. from Harvard University. Additionally, he brings with him over 15 years of experience leading highly regarded college preparatory Jewish Day Schools.
In a first for Jewish Day Schools anywhere in the world, JLA students in grades eight through twelve will begin every school year with four weeks in Israel in partnership with Jewish National Fund’s Alexander Muss High School located in Hod HaSharon, a suburb of Tel Aviv, students will kick off the school year immersed in Hebrew language, Judaics Studies, Israeli History, and experiencing firsthand what it means to live in their ancestral homeland.
In order to ensure that each student receives a high level of attention, each grade will be kept under 45 students for a student-to-teacher ratio of 8:1. Offerings include courses such as Hemingway and Fitzgerald, advanced economics, marine biology, and machine learning. Independent research will be at the forefront of learning at JLA, while the school’s math track will focus on preparations for national and international math competitions.
“Gensler’s vision created in partnership with the Jewish Leadership Academy founders supports the innovative nature of the curriculum, providing a dynamic, interactive environment for students and faculty to unite as a community. The school will have ample collaborative spaces and access to the outdoors, creating a campus experience where learning can happen anywhere. It will celebrate learning, inspire curiosity and empower young leaders,” says Jordan Goldstein, Gensler’s managing principal.
