Our History
Gross Schechter Day School is a member of the Solomon Schechter Day School Association (affiliated with the Conservative movement) that began about 80 years ago and now has about 79 member schools all across the United States and Canada.
The school began modestly in 1980 when it opened its doors as Solomon Schechter Day School of Cleveland with 15 students in kindergarten and grade one in classrooms at Congregation Beth Am in Cleveland Heights. As grades were added, the school outgrew the available rooms at Beth Am and moved to Greenview School in South Euclid where it prospered for several years. It grew to over 150 students in kindergarten through 8th grade.
When the local school system needed its building, Schechter moved to Park Synagogue and in 1992 to its immediate past location in the former Malvern School in Shaker Heights, where a preschool was added.
We opened our own new campus in Pepper Pike in August 2002 with 280 students. Today, Gross Schechter Day School remains a vibrant and growing community of 333 students with a bright future.
Timeline of Significant Events
| 1979 | Founding members met to discuss establishment of a third option for a Jewish day school in Cleveland. Dr. Coleman Brosilow serves as founding President of the Board through 1984. |
| 1979 | Founding members joined Solomon Schechter Day School Association |
| August 1980 | First Day of School – Solomon Schechter Day School of Cleveland; Beth Am Congregation, Cleveland, Heights Enrollment: 15 students |
| 1983-84 | Schechter moved to Greenview School in South Euclid Enrollment: 150 students |
| 1984-85 | Gained support of Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland (JCF) |
| 1985 | Middle school established |
| 1986-87 | Became beneficiary agency of JCF |
| 1987-88 | First 8th grade graduation (six students graduate) |
| 1990 | School district re-opens Greenview, Schools moved to Park Synagogue, Cleveland Heights |
| 1992 | Moved to Malvern School, Shaker Heights Enrollment: 170 Students |
| 1992 | First Schechter Alumni to Attend Ivy League University |
| 1992 | Tribute Dinner Honoring Founding Benefactors Sidney Caplan and Nathan Shafran |
| 1993 | Tribute Dinner Honoring Bill Heller |
| 1993 | Preschool Opens |
| 1993 | First Totally Kosher Rib Burn Off |
| 1995 | First 8th Grade Israel Trip |
| 1997 | Tribute Dinner Honoring Gary Gross |
| 1999 | Schechter begins seven year domination of local Math competition before the competition disbans |
| 2002 | State-of-the-art 10 acre campus built |
| 2003 | Co-ed Soccer Established |
| 2005 | Gross Schechter Day School establishes Great Lakes Regional Schechter Showdown Regional Basketball Tournament |
| 2008-09 | Matok Bible curriculum adopted |
| 2007 | First Jewish Day School in America to Win the USDA’s Team Nutrition Gold Award |
| 2007-09 | Rabbi Jim Rogozen, Chair, National Schechter Principal’s Council |
| 2007 | Rabbi Jim Rogozen Appointed to Advisory Board, Davidson School of Education, Jewish Theological Seminary |
| 2008 | Girls Tennis Established |
| 2009 | Preschool Full for Third Year in a Row |
| 2010 | Alumni Association Established |
| 2010 | 30th Anniversary Sefer Torah Dedication – Schechter’s First Sefer Torah |
