Community Day School Preparing For Move to New School Campus

September 16 – Sarasota: Hershorin Schiff Community Day School, a Sarasota-based private Jewish day school serving children of all faiths in preschool through eighth grade, has announced it will be moving. The school is in the final stages of purchasing a new campus: the former Suncoast School for Innovative Studies / Temple Baptist Church property at the corner of McIntosh and Wilkinson Roads. The next step – the impending $5 million “Owning Our Future” capital campaign – will fund upgrades to the current spaces and the construction of two new buildings. The school plans to move onto its new, nearly 9-acre site, for the 2021-2022 school year.

“We are at a critical time in our history and we want to send a clear message that we care and recognize the importance and benefits of a CDS education to the children and to our community as a whole,” said board of trustees co-chair Mitch Blumenthal. “Even in the midst of a pandemic, we have been thrilled at the response from supporters who believe in our educational philosophy and understand how crucial it is for our school to design and own its future.”

The school has already raised enough money to purchase the property outright. Lead gifts have been made by donors including Mitch and Colleen Blumenthal, the Hershorin family, Rosenthal Roots Family Foundation, Gary and Barbara Rodkin, Daniel E. Offutt III Charitable Trust, Darren and Rachel Saltzberg, Jeffrey Bain and Rabbi Anat Moskowitz, and the Kaplan family. The school is also proud to have earned the support of 100% of its board of trustees.

At its new location, the school will be able to accommodate families who are currently on waitlists. It will achieve greater financial independence, without the burden of rent and with new potential revenue streams. The new location – just four miles from its current campus – will be convenient for families coming from areas southward like Palmer Ranch and northward through Sarasota all the way to Lakewood Ranch. As the owners and managers of the campus, the school will have the freedom to adapt and adjust its facilities to meet any arising need or new programming.

Academics will be positively impacted as well. Working with The Starling Group, the school plans to construct two custom-designed school buildings that will enhance its Reggio Emilia philosophy for preschoolers and support its project-based learning philosophy for grades K-8. Additional features already or will include a chapel for weekly Shabbat services and holiday observances, state-of-the-art science labs, full-sized, lighted outdoor athletic fields, a recently updated gymnasium, an organic garden/outdoor classroom, age-appropriate playgrounds, and much more. 

“I believe the school can have a positive impact on the community with the values that are instilled in students: respect, inclusion and intellectual curiosity,” said supporter Gary Rodkin. “The kids who go through Community Day School will figure out how to make the world a better place.”

The school, which has attracted attention from communities across the country interested in learning more about Community Day’s operations, is noted for its unique educational model that combines a global vision, religious and cultural diversity, project-based learning, small class sizes, service learning, and community partnerships.

For more about Community Day School or to learn how to get involved with the “Owning Our Future” campaign, go to communityday.org or call 941-552-2770.