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Oasis hires Jerry D. Isaak-Shapiro as its Founding Head of School

Jerry Isaak-Shapiro Founding Head of School

After a national search, Jerry D. Isaak-Shapiro has been selected as the Founding Head of School for The Oasis School, a co-educational, community Jewish High School in Scottsdale, Arizona. Jerry comes to Oasis as a proven, highly effective national Jewish school leader.

Jerry served as Head of School for 17 years at The Agnon School (renamed in 2015 as Joseph & Florence Mandel Jewish Day School), a community K-8 Jewish Day School in Beachwood, Ohio. The Agnon School, under Jerry’s leadership, became a national model in the practice of integrated project-based learning.
Beyond his proven experience as a Head of School, Jerry brings to Oasis and the greater Phoenix/Scottsdale community a wide ranging background of scholarship, experiences and contacts.

He is a graduate of the prestigious two-year Mandel Jerusalem Fellowship (2001-03), which offers senior Jewish educators an opportunity to learn with colleagues from North America, Latin America, Europe and Israel, while conducting post-doctoral level research in Jewish education in Jerusalem, Israel.

Jerry served as Jewish Education Director at the San Francisco Jewish Community Center; as Northern California Regional Director for Hillel; and as Associate Director for the Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties, during which time he was the community’s media spokesperson. Before moving to San Francisco, Jerry also served as Young Judaea Regional Director in the Southwest, and as Camp Director for Camp Young Judaea West.

Jerry received his Masters in International Affairs from The George Washington University and specialized in Middle East history and foreign policy. While in Washington, he also served as Program Director for the U.S.-Japan Economic Agenda, a D.C.-based think tank, and as Chief Researcher for a series of articles on Israel and the Middle East for the Washington Bureau of The Chicago Tribune.

Jerry was one of five national mentors in SuLaM, a two-year program of Study, Leadership and Mentoring for current Heads of School, sponsored by RAVSAK (the Jewish Community Day School Network). He has also served as a mentor in the DSLTI (Day School Leadership Training Institute) program of mentoring and leadership facilitated by the Jewish Theological Seminary. Jerry continues to work as mentor and coach to Jewish community non-profit CEOs.

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Non-Discriminatory Policy: The Oasis School admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The Oasis School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.