Top London educator bound for Bialik

BIALIK College  announced late last week that British educator Jeremy Stowe-Lindner (pictured) had been appointed principal of the school.

Currently the headteacher/principal of London’s Jewish Community Secondary School (JCoSS), Stowe-Lindner will take the reins at the Hawthorn East school in the coming months.

“Jeremy Stowe-Lindner is an outstanding educator, leader and administrator who brings a vision of Jewish education aligned to Bialik College values”, college president Graham Goldsmith said.

Stowe-Lindner, who has a background as a teacher of history, politics and religious education, has an MBA in educational management from Leicester University and a National Professional Quali­fication for Headship from the British government-funded National College for School Leadership. He has close links to primary education through his governorship of Clore Shalom, a Jewish primary school in London.

Before joining JCoSS in 2009, he was deputy head teacher of Swakeleys School in London and before that assistant head teacher of Copthall School in London.

Stowe-Lindner grew up in Leeds but holds Australian permanent residency and will make the move with wife Adele, originally from Melbourne, and his two young sons.

“My family and I are thrilled to be joining the Bialik community,” Stowe-Lindner said. “I look forward to working with students, colleagues, parents and council to lead Bialik in its next phase of development.

“Further enhancing the wonderful features of Bialik – our students, ethos, menschlichkeit, educational excellence and our determination to continue to grow as individuals and as a community – this is my mission and our shared goal.”

Gary Velleman has been acting principal at the school, since the sacking of Joseph Gerassi in August last year and will continue in the role until the arrival of Stowe-Lindner later this year.

Goldsmith said the appointment was the culmination of an “exhaustive international search” and that Stowe-Lindner had been the standout, impressing the selection committee and the school’s council. “In Jeremy Stowe-Lindner we have a principal who is committed to the pursuit of excellence in an enriching, innovative and nurturing environment. Through his leadership, Bialik will continue to be dedicated to empowering our students with the knowledge, skills, dispositions and values necessary to achieve their potential and to contribute meaningfully to the Jewish, Australian and global communities.”

Stowe-Lindner has been instrumental in establishing JCoSS as the UK’s first inter-communal Jewish school, which caters to students from denominations including Orthodox, Reform, Secular, Liberal and Masorti.

Former principal Gerassi has sued Bialik over his dismissal and the case is ongoing.

ADAM KAMIEN