Strelitz International Academy

What Strelitz International Academy does

Strelitz International Academy (SIA) is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) Jewish day school located on the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded in 1955 (formerly the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater), the school operates the only International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) for elementary grades in the Hampton Roads region. SIA serves children from infancy (6 weeks) through fifth grade across three core programs: Infant/Toddler (6 weeks to 24 months), Early Years (Age 2 to Pre-K), and the IB Primary Years Programme (Kindergarten to Grade 5), supplemented by the SIA Sundown after-school program, STEM/STEAM education, enrichment activities, and extended-day care.

The school's core technology is the IB PYP curriculum framework, organized around six transdisciplinary themes with inquiry-based learning and student agency as central design principles. Classroom technology includes Activboards, Smartboards, Epson BrightLink projectors, weekly computer-lab instruction covering digital citizenship and keyboarding, and a recording studio introduced in 2025 for podcasting. The proprietary Bienstock-designed natural playground supports nature-based, risk-positive learning. Operations run on RenWeb (enrollment), ParentSquare (communication), FACTs (administration), ManageBac (IB curriculum management), and Canva (publication design).

SIA's revenue model is tuition-based recurring revenue (rates not publicly disclosed) supplemented by a structured fundraising stack: the Strelitz Fund, Life & Legacy program, Birthday Book Donation program, VA State Tax Credit opportunity, and annual events including the Bob Josephberg Classic golf tournament that raises approximately $150,000 annually. Customer segments span Hampton Roads families (primary), Jewish families seeking day-school education with Hebrew instruction from Kindergarten, and international families including NATO military personnel at Naval Station Norfolk. Enrollment is described as at record levels since relocation to the Sandler Family Campus. The school is led by Head of School Heather Moore, Director of Advancement Carin Simon, Business Manager Irina Komarovsky, Admissions and Marketing Manager Ally St. Pierre, and Director of the Early Years Program Elyssa Brinn, with a Board of Trustees chaired by Steve Zuckerman.

Name

Strelitz International Academy

Legal name

Strelitz International Academy

Website

https://strelitzinternationalacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Strelitz International Academy is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Jewish day school in Virginia Beach operating the only IB Primary Years Programme for elementary grades in Hampton Roads, serving children from infancy through Grade 5 with inquiry-based curriculum, Hebrew instruction, and integrated community programming on the Sandler Family Campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Elementary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM), Bilingual & Language-Immersion Early Learning Academies (EDACADAG)

Keywords

• Private elementary education
• International baccalaureate program
• Jewish day school
• Early childhood education
• Inquiry-based learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Virginia Beach, Virginia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Private school tuition for infants through fifth grade programs including Infant/Toddler (6 weeks to 24 months), Early Years (Age 2 to Pre-K), and Primary Years (Kindergarten - Grade 5). School offers flexible tuition applications with deadline of February 15.
2. Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser: Annual golf tournament (Bob Josephberg Classic) raising approximately $150,000 annually to support students and families, including scholarships, faculty development, and quality programming. Event includes sponsorships ranging from $400 to $10,500.
3. Donations and Annual Fund: Donations through Strelitz Fund, Life & Legacy program, Birthday Book Donation program, and general support appeals. Tax credit opportunity through Virginia State Tax Credit program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Strelitz International Academy (SIA) is a private Jewish day school delivering the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) for children from infancy (six weeks) through fifth grade, organized into three program tiers: Infant/Toddler (6 weeks to 24 months), Early Years (age 2 to Pre-K), and Primary Years (Kindergarten through Grade 5). It is the only IB World School authorized for PYP in the Hampton Roads region, combining inquiry-based, transdisciplinary learning with Jewish values, Hebrew language instruction starting in Kindergarten, and a natural playground environment.

Product overview

Strelitz International Academy offers a comprehensive educational program spanning infant/toddler care through fifth grade, organized into three core programs: the Infant/Toddler Program (6 weeks to 24 months), the Early Years Program (age 2 to Pre-K), and the IB Primary Years Programme (Kindergarten through Grade 5). The school is the only IB World School authorized to deliver the IB Primary Years Programme in Hampton Roads. Supplemental offerings include enrichment activities, athletics, arts, clubs, and the SIA Sundown after-school program. Campus partnerships with the Jewish Community Center provide additional programming including Camp JCC, swim lessons, and youth athletics. All programs are integrated with school management platforms including RenWeb (enrollment), ParentSquare (communication), FACTs (administration), and ManageBac (IB curriculum management).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Infant/Toddler Program
• Early Years Program
• IB Primary Years Programme (PYP)
• SIA Sundown After-School Program
• Enrichment Activities
• Extended Day Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Record enrollment levels since moving to Sandler Family Campus
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PJ LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 October 2025Jewish family engagement program partner providing free Jewish books to families. PJ Library participates in school community events including Fall Festival.
• Camp JCCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYear-round youth camp program on Sandler Family Campus. Shared facilities and programming with SIA; playground designed for both Camp JCC and SIA students.
• Simon Family JCCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for community events including hosting speaker Lenore Skenazy, founder of Let Grow movement. Co-hosts educational events for families.
• Jewish Family ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner participating in school events and providing family support services to SIA families.
• Let Grow MovementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Lenore Skenazy's organization promoting childhood independence. SIA adopted Let Grow Projects for Primary Years students to build independence, resilience, and confidence.
• Virginia Beach National Golf ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for annual Strelitz International Golf Tournament (Bob Josephberg Classic), the school's major annual fundraiser.
• Hebrew Academy of Tidewater / Konikoff Center of LearningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of same campus and community ecosystem. Co-located on Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus, sharing facilities and community programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Norfolk Academy: Premier independent K-12 day school in Norfolk/Hampton Roads, serving similar affluent Virginia Beach families. Direct competitor for private elementary enrollment with comparable tuition tier and college-prep orientation.
• Cape Henry Collegiate: Independent preK-12 college preparatory school in Virginia Beach. Competes head-to-head for Hampton Roads families seeking private school options with athletics and enrichment programming.
• Akiba-Schechter Jewish Day School: Chicago-area Jewish day school serving preschool through 8th grade with inquiry-based learning. Similar size and mission profile to SIA, making it a strong operational and curriculum comparable.
• Norfolk Christian School: Independent Christian day school in Virginia Beach/Norfolk serving PreK-12. Competes for families in the same Hampton Roads market seeking faith-rooted private education alternatives.
• Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School: Large K-12 Jewish day school in the DC area offering IB curriculum framework. Closest direct comparable in combining Jewish values with internationally minded education at scale.
• Hebrew Academy (RASG) Miami: Jewish day school in Miami serving infants through 8th grade with Hebrew language instruction and IB-style curriculum. Comparable as a small Jewish day school serving similar age span and dual-curriculum model.

Broad incumbents

• Georgetown Day School: Washington DC independent preK-12 school offering IB PYP and MYP. Larger, more established IB World School with broader programming; represents what SIA could scale toward regionally.

Emerging players

• Temple Beth Sholom Day School: Jewish day school in another mid-sized market offering early childhood and elementary education. Smaller-scale comparable demonstrating alternative Jewish day school operating models in non-NY/DC markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/strelitz-international-academy

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Strelitz International Academy