About Us

Head of School

Dr. Laurence Kutler, Interim Head of School
 
Dr. Kutler comes to our community with a tremendous amount of professional Jewish Day School knowledge and outstanding experience. He has more than 30 years working at Jewish Day schools, of which 20 of those years he served as the Head of School. He also serves as a professional mentor at Jewish Day Schools across the country. Most recently, Dr. Kutler served as Interim Head of School at Tucson Hebrew Academy where he implemented a strategic plan, increased enrollment and ensured the school was on a successful financial path. He is also one of the founders and Past Presidents of RAVSAK, now known as Prizmah, the international network for the support and advancement of pluralistic Jewish Day School education. With a proven track record in management, a wealth of teaching experience and a deep understanding of admissions and marketing, Dr. Kutler will establish a solid foundation for the permanent Head of School. 





Dr. Kimberly Schwartz, Incoming Head of School


With tremendous excitement and pride, we are thrilled to share that the Valley Beth Shalom Day School Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Kimberly Schwartz as our new Head of School effective July 1, 2024.
 
Dr. Schwartz comes to VBSDS with an impressive background and decades worth of experience in the fields of both Jewish and secular education and is a nationally known and highly respected leader in the independent school community. Dr. Schwartz received her B.A. in English with a minor in Jewish Studies from Stanford University and her Ed.D in the Educational Leadership Program from UCLA. She is currently the Chief Curriculum and Program Officer at Milken Community School and has served in a variety of leadership roles, including Upper School Principal and Dean of Students, throughout her 15 year tenure there. 
 
Dr. Schwartz is very familiar with working with elementary school aged children and their families, having served as the Religious School Principal for grades 4-7 at Temple Judea and as a grades 1-5 religious school teacher. Dr. Schwartz is also a sought after presenter and lecturer at conferences across the country. In addition to her professional work, she is a member of the current cohort of leaders in the prestigious Day School Leadership Training Institute for Aspiring Heads.
 
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Larry Kutler for leading, advising and supporting VBSDS this year and ensuring a seamless transition as we plan for the 2024-2025 school year. We would also like to extend a tremendous amount of thanks to our Head of School Search Committee for their unwavering commitment to finding an exemplary candidate to lead VBSDS into the future.