Community Day School pushing forward with new campus, set to open this fall

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Throughout the pandemic, a dedicated group of people have been hard at work raising millions of dollars to provide teachers and students with the best possible learning environment.

The Hershorin Schiff Community Day School is now in the final weeks of construction of their new campus on Wilkinson Road in Sarasota. In just a few weeks, they will welcome in more than 250 kindergarten through eighth grade students into the new school.

“I’ve never seen our teachers so excited and almost giddy about the new learning opportunities they can build in these new spaces,” said Dan Ceaser, the head of school.

This past year has been a whirlwind for the school. “We are on the campus of our dreams and it’s just so exciting because we’re now just a short few weeks away from being able to let kids run these halls and playing these playgrounds and under new science labs and those are things that we haven’t really been able to provide, to the extent that we’re able to provide them now,” Ceaser added.

Throughout the pandemic, the school was able to secure a new location, buy and renovate the building during a time when much of the world was shut down. School leaders have raised millions in this venture to move to their dream campus.

The new campus will provide students with facilities they did not have before, including a new gym, lighted sports fields, science labs and media centers.

“For kids to look forward to a little bit of normalcy, but also ... something really special when they come back to school in August -- it’s really going to be gratifying for all of us to see that,” said Ceaser.

Third grade student Cayden Stolarski is excited about the improvements.

“It’s going to be new whiteboards, new chairs and new desks. There’s going to be a new playground and the whole school is new,” said Stolarski.

The resiliency of the school is something staff members hope resonate with their students.

“We want our kids to learn not to give up and we had no intention of giving up,” said Rachel Saltzberg, a member of the school’s board of trustees.

Hershorin Schiff Community Day School is focused on programs of diversity and project-based learning. The school mixes both Jewish and non-Jewish believing families.

“By bringing non-Jewish kids into a Jewish environment and having them learn together you’re not just fighting antisemitism you’re nurturing a generation of kids who are going to lookout for each other and be compassionate and stand up for each other,” Saltzberg added.

To learn more about the school, click here.

Copyright 2021 WWSB. All rights reserved.