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With joy, anticipation, and a true sense of community, San Diego Jewish Academy (SDJA) launched the 2025-2026 school year with an opening ceremony that brought together all students and their families. Under the bright San Diego sun, parents and children gathered to celebrate a fresh beginning and a school that has shaped generations.
“Welcome, it is great to be back here with all of YOU, and a special welcome to those joining us for the first time—bruchim haba’im,” Head of School Zvi Weiss said, offering a warm greeting that underscored the day’s spirit of belonging. “At SDJA, students don’t just learn facts- they learn how to think deeply, speak thoughtfully, and live with meaning.”
Building on a Tradition of Excellence
For more than 45 years, SDJA has been a leader in education, inspiring and supporting students with personalized, innovative learning guided by Jewish values. This year, SDJA introduced several innovative programs that are already underway, reflecting the school’s mission of empowering students to “learn for life, guided by Jewish values and rooted in the strength of community.”
Weiss emphasized the balance between academics and values.
“Now more than ever, our children need the character, strength, and clarity to be leaders and to navigate the complexities of today’s world, he said. “And thanks to our incredible faculty and staff, we do this better than anyone else.”
New Programs Driving Student Success
Several new programs for the 2025 school year are driving student success at SDJA. They are:
Academic Coaching: Personalized Student-Teacher Ratios
The Academic Coaching model has dramatically reduced class sizes in select Middle and Upper School courses during specific lessons being taught With as few as four students per teacher, and a maximum of 12:1 in many classes, the program creates space for individual attention, tailored feedback, and deeper learning. This ratio is unparalleled in the region, giving students the benefits of a private tutor within the community of a classroom.
Upper School Scholars Program: Advanced Learning and Internships
Students now have the opportunity to earn diploma designations as Scholars in Humanities, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Medical Science, Sports Medicine, or Jewish Studies. These distinctions honor rigorous academic achievement and give students access to mentorships and internships. For motivated students, it’s a chance to stretch their learning beyond the classroom and into the real world.
Advanced Academic Pathways: Accelerated Learning from 2nd–12th Grade
Starting as early as 2nd grade, Advanced Academic Pathways give students who are curious and motivated the ability to accelerate their studies. In the Lower School, learners are grouped for advanced math and language arts. In the Upper School, the program includes an expanded slate of 31 AP and Honors courses, with a new 8th-grade honors humanities option. This pathway ensures that students are not only challenged academically but also prepared for selective colleges and future careers.
New Courses and Support Opportunities
SDJA also added AP Macroeconomics, AP Pre-Calculus, Jewish Studies Honors−Moot Beit Din, and English 10 Honors, Summer school opportunities in Geometry and Chemistry are open to SDJA and non-SDJA students, extending the Academy’s reach into the broader community.
Voices of Leadership and Commitment
At the first day opening ceremony, Associate Head of School and Upper School Head Mike Quigley reflected on his two decades at SDJA.
“This year is full of opportunities for your children to learn, grow, and thrive—both in and out of the classroom,” Quigley said. “I look forward to an incredible year ahead together. Go Lions!”
Lower School Head Shani Abed spoke from the heart: “As I got up this morning for my 28th opening day, I was just as excited as I was in my first year. I love this place and all of you.”
And from the youngest learners, Early Childhood Center Director Shereen Ben-Moshe shared her daily inspiration: “I look forward to each morning seeing parents and children walk in, excited to start the day,” Ben-Moshe said. “In our ECC, we are committed to building curiosity and learning through play, creativity, and rich social interactions.”
The Student Perspective
For all the excitement about new programs, the heart of SDJA remains its students. Andrew Abeles, a recent alum in the Maimonides Upper School, described what he treasures most.
“My favorite part of the community here is the fact that everyone is supporting you no matter what you’re doing,” he said. “Everyone’s always cheering for you, and it’s great; we are very lucky to have that. As a senior, I will most definitely miss the strong sense of community and the relationships that I’ve created.”
Andrew’s words echoed the day’s theme of l’dor v’dor—from generation to generation. On opening day, this was symbolized as seniors escorted kindergartners through a chuppah, marking the beginning of their SDJA journey.
Looking Ahead with Confidence
With these innovative programs underway and the school year already off to a vibrant start, SDJA is preparing students for success in both academics and life. The school’s approach, which blends academic rigor with Jewish values, community strength, and a child-centred approach, ensures that students leave not only with knowledge, but also with the character to use it wisely. As Weiss said: ”We envision a vibrant community where students, from toddlers to teens, are inspired to achieve their fullest potential intellectually, ethically and spiritually.”
This year’s launch was more than just the start of another academic cycle, it was a celebration of what makes SDJA unique: a community where tradition and innovation walk hand in hand, and where every student is given the opportunity to thrive.
Learn more at www.sdja.com
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