Krieger Schechter Chooses New Headmaster from Massachusetts

Krieger Schechter Day School has chosen a new headmaster after a seven-month, nationwide search, according to a news release from the school.

On July 1, Bil Zarch, who is head of school at the Lander-Grinspoon Academy in Northampton, MA, will be the second headmaster at , the release states.

The current headmaster, Dr. Paul Schneider, is retiring after 29 years in the role, according to the school website. This winter, the school held a celebration tour in honor of Schneider.

“We are extremely excited to have Bil coming to KSDS,” Mark Neustadt, incoming chairman of the school's board of directors, said in the release. “He has a proven track record of success, and philosophically he aligns perfectly with where we want to take the school. The entire Jewish community of Baltimore will benefit by his presence.”

Zarch also served as director of the high school at Prozdor Hebrew High School at Hebrew College in Newton Centre, MA.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in public communications from State University of New York—Buffalo; a master's degree in Jewish education from Hebrew College in Boston, and he is a fellow and graduate of the Day School Leadership Training Institute.

Zarch served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts, among other board positions.

"In 2011 he was awarded for Exemplary Jewish Community Leadership by the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation," the release states.

Rabbi Ron Shulman said the school selected Zarch because he had experience as a successful Schechter school administrator. “his passion for day school and his love of children, his educational vision for teachers and classrooms and his warm, engaging personality,” were other factors, Rabbi Ron Shulman said in the release. “We are very excited that Bil will lead our school community into the future.”

Zarch said he's honored to have been chosen.

“During the entire process, it was electrifying to see how committed so many members of the community were to the success of this fine school," he said in the release. "I understand that KSDS holds a unique place in the Baltimore community and I am looking forward to working with the entire team of administrators, faculty and lay leaders as we envision the next phase of life at KSDS."

KSDS trustee and parent Ari Zaiman led the search, along with faculty, administrators, KSDS board members, board members and members of other Baltimore synagogues, the release states. The national firm Independent Thinking assisted.