The Jewish Leadership Academy

We are thrilled to welcome David Markus as JLA's new Academic Dean!
David brings over 15 years of senior leadership experience across international, independent, and urban public school settings — most recently as Upper School Principal at Zurich International School in Switzerland. A passionate advocate for student and faculty agency, deeper learning, and values-driven leadership, David is dedicated to building school cultures where every student and educator can thrive.

Throughout his career — from Washington International School in Washington, D.C., to the classroom as a history teacher and department chair at Durham Academy — David has championed innovative curriculum, mental health and wellness programming, and meaningful community partnerships. He holds degrees from Tufts University, Harvard Kennedy School, and Trinity University, and has presented at international conferences including ECIS and NAIS.

We are so excited to have David join the JLA family and help bring our mission to life.

We are thrilled to announce that Ms. Lee Nuckolls will be joining JLA this fall as our new Director of College Counseling!

A 23-year veteran of independent school college counseling, Ms. Nuckolls currently serves as the Senior Associate Director of College Counseling at Ransom Everglades School. Previously, she served as WashU’s Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions for 11 years, overseeing the review of roughly 20,000 applicants a year. She has also held college counseling leadership roles at top independent schools across the country, including Pace Academy in Atlanta and Fountain Valley School of Colorado.

We can't wait for you to meet her!

What a way to close out the school year. 💙

Last Friday was filled with the moments that make our community so special. Through our Kindness ATM, students had the opportunity to celebrate faculty members and recognize the everyday acts of kindness that help our school thrive. At our Kindness Fair, students put values into action by creating soup jars, hygiene kits, enrichment toys for shelter animals, and heartfelt notes of appreciation for teachers and staff.

What made the day even sweeter? Yearbook distribution and a visit from the ice cream truck! 🍦

A special thank you to our Parent Volunteer Corps for showering our faculty and staff with so much love and appreciation.

As we turn the page on another incredible year, we’re reminded that kindness, gratitude, and community are at the heart of everything we do.

Wishing all of our families a wonderful summer! ☀️

The JLA Ripple Challenge wasn’t just a pitch competition, it was proof of what happens when bold ideas meet purpose, preparation, and perseverance.

Today, we watched our juniors step confidently into the role of innovators, leaders, and changemakers, presenting solutions designed to create real impact and lasting ripples.

From increasing access to sunscreen and sun safety education for elementary school students, to creating a teddy bear and companion book that helps children face doctor visits with less fear, these ideas were rooted in empathy and impact. Students also pitched initiatives dedicated to empowering young people to combat bullying in their communities, and organizations focused on bringing camaraderie, academic support, and tutoring to children navigating extended hospital stays.

After months of preparation, collaboration, coaching, and refinement alongside their dedicated teachers, our students took the stage with creativity and conviction.

Our incredible panel of judges helped bring this idea to life. A special thank you to Avi Naider, Daniel Ades, Rebecca Fishman Lipsey and Zola Honig.

By the end of the event, $20,000 in seed funding was distributed among four outstanding teams, empowering these students to continue developing ideas with the potential to spark meaningful change.

Every big movement starts with a single ripple. Today reminded us that when young people are given the opportunity to dream boldly and lead courageously, those ripples can become waves.

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

This week, we proudly welcomed a new class of inductees into our Junior National Honor Society and National Honor Society chapters.

These students have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to scholarship, leadership, service, and character — not only through their academic achievements, but through the way they contribute to our school community.

Congratulations to all of our newest NJHS and NHS members on this well-deserved accomplishment. We are so proud of the example you set and cannot wait to see the impact you continue to make both inside and outside the classroom.