Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

What Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School does

Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) independent Jewish day school serving approximately 210 students in Transitional Kindergarten through 8th grade at a single campus on the North Peninsula Jewish Campus in Foster City, California. Founded in 1986 and renamed in 2004 in honor of philanthropist Ronald C. Wornick, the school delivers an integrated curriculum combining secular academics (STEAM, project-based learning, core subjects) with Jewish studies, Hebrew language immersion, and Israel education, including a signature Shinshinim program hosting Israeli pre-IDF volunteers. The school is accredited by CAIS, WASC, and is a member of NAIS, with average class sizes of 14 in elementary and 18-20 in middle school.

The school's revenue model is a hybrid of tuition (primary, recurring annual), fundraising (Annual Gala, Chai Excellence Fund, Reconstructing Our Future capital campaign, matching gifts), and grants from foundations such as the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund and the Koret Foundation. Go-to-market is community-led: families inquire through the website, attend virtual tours or open houses, and enroll via FACTS/RenWeb, with growth driven by word-of-mouth referrals within the Bay Area Jewish community and partnerships with PJCC, local synagogues, and the NorCal Jewish Day School Collaborative. The school is currently in a leadership transition, with Dean Goldfein serving as Interim Head of School from July 2026 while Heidrick & Struggles conducts a permanent Head of School search for summer 2027, against the backdrop of an 11,000-square-foot campus expansion project that began in 2025.

Name

Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

Legal name

Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

Website

https://wornickjds.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School is a non-profit TK-8 private Jewish day school in Foster City, California, serving approximately 210 students annually with integrated secular academics, Jewish studies, and Hebrew language immersion, funded by tuition, donations, and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-8 Jewish Day School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)

Keywords

• Private day school education
• Jewish religious education
• K-8 independent school
• Hebrew language instruction
• STEAM education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Foster City, California

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Primary revenue stream from student tuition for TK-8 grades. School offers tuition assistance programs for qualified families.
2. Annual Gala and Special Events: Major fundraising events including annual gala (Back to the 80s gala raised over $350,000), poker night, and generations celebration
3. Donations and Philanthropy: Chai Excellence Fund annual giving campaign, Reconstructing Our Future capital campaign, and matching gift programs
4. Government and Foundation Grants: Support from Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, Koret Foundation, and other grantmaking organizations for facility expansion and programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School operates a private, non-profit TK-8 independent day school in Foster City, California, delivering integrated secular academics with Jewish studies, Hebrew language, and Israel-centered education. Core offerings include Transitional Kindergarten through 8th grade instruction, signature programs (Shinshinim, Peleh Lab, STEAM), and supplementary after-school enrichment and athletics, supported by tuition, donations, and grants.

Product overview

Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School offers a TK-8 independent Jewish day school education as its core product, integrating rigorous academics with Jewish learning and Hebrew language instruction. The school provides a comprehensive educational experience through its core TK/Kindergarten, Elementary School (Grades 1-5), and Middle School (Grades 6-8) programs. Supplementary offerings include after-school enrichment (Chugim), extended care (Gesher Program), athletics, and specialized programs such as the Peleh Lab maker's space, Shinshinim Israeli cultural program, and 8th grade Israel trip. The school also offers annual outdoor education trips at various grade levels and community programs including the Chavurot peer group initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TK/Kindergarten Program
• Elementary School Program (Grades 1-5) Grades 1-5 program with core curriculum emphasizing connections across academic subjects, integrated with Jewish learning, with average class size of 14 students.
• Middle School Program (Grades 6-8) Grades 6-8 program preparing students for high school with accelerated academics, Hebrew language learning, and Jewish studies, with average class size of 18-20 students.
• Hebrew Language Learning Comprehensive Hebrew language education program including Hebrew Ulpan for transfer students, with focus on modern Hebrew and religious texts.
• Jewish Studies Program Integrated Jewish learning covering Torah study, Jewish history, traditions, ethics, and Israel education with experienced faculty directors.
• STEAM Program Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics program integrating project-based learning across the curriculum.
• Peleh Lab (Maker's Space) Innovation and maker space for hands-on learning including coding, 3D printing, robotics, and creative problem-solving activities.
• Shinshinim Program Program hosting Israeli young adults for a year of volunteer service before IDF recruitment, bringing Israeli culture and Hebrew language to the school community.
• Athletics Program Physical education three times weekly for TK-5 and twice weekly for grades 6-8, plus after-school sports including basketball, volleyball, and participation in JCC Maccabi Games.
• Gesher Program (Extended Care) After-school extended care program running from 3:30-6:00 PM on weekdays, providing supervision and enrichment activities.
• Chugim - After School Enrichment After-school enrichment classes including Spanish, Art, Coding, 3D Printing, Video-making, Robotics, Improv, Yearbook, Cooking, Photography, Podcasting, and Music.
• Outdoor Education Trips Multi-day educational trips including 4th grade Gold Country, 5th grade Marin Headlands, 6th grade Pinnacles National Park, 7th grade Civil Rights Journey, and 8th grade Israel trip.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% of alumni lead clubs or student government in high school
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Heidrick & StrugglescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 5 June 2026Executive search firm engaged to lead the Head of School search process. Consultants Meghan Ashbrock, J.J. Cutler, and Elliana Sinykin are supporting the search committee.
• M²: The Institute for Experiential Jewish EducationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2025Co-Directors of Jewish Studies Roy Meron and Rina Mangurten selected as 2025 M² Fellows, joining network of 2,500+ educators from 20+ countries.
• JIMENA (Jews of the Islamic Middle East and North Africa)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 September 2024Head of School Adam Eilath serves as Educator-in-Residence, providing support for Jewish educators and helping advance JIMENA's mission.
• Preside CohortminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Selected as one of 13 Jewish organizations for 15-month program addressing partnership between professional and board leadership.
• North Peninsula Jewish CampuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWornick is a proud partner of the North Peninsula Jewish Campus, sharing facilities with Peninsula Jewish Community Center (PJCC). The campus provides shared infrastructure and community programming.
• California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWornick is accredited by CAIS and WASC, and is a member of NAIS. These accreditations ensure adherence to high academic standards.
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWornick is accredited by WASC and CAIS, demonstrating commitment to academic excellence and continuous improvement.
• NorCal Jewish Day School CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of Northern California Jewish day schools partnering in innovative ways for six years, including collaboration between Contra Costa JDS and Wornick.
• Peninsula Sinai CongregationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal synagogue that graciously hosted the 5th grade Aliyah L'Torah ceremony when campus construction was underway.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• San Francisco Day School: Independent K-8 school in San Francisco competing for the same secular-curriculum-focused families seeking small class sizes, though without the Jewish studies component.
• Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit: K-8 Jewish day school in metropolitan Detroit with a similar integrated curriculum model. Thematic/mission peer for benchmarking purposes, not a direct geographic competitor.

Direct peers

• Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School: K-8 Jewish day school in Palo Alto serving the southern Peninsula. Closest geographic peer competing for the same family demographics as Wornick.
• Contra Costa Jewish Day School: K-8 Jewish day school in the East Bay, founded by incoming Interim Head of School Dean Goldfein. Operates a similar model with collaborative ties through the NorCal Jewish Day School network.
• Brandeis School of San Francisco: K-8 Jewish day school in San Francisco offering integrated secular and Jewish studies curricula. Direct competitor for Jewish families on the broader Bay Area.
• Yavneh Day School: K-8 Jewish day school in Los Altos Hills offering integrated Jewish and secular education. Directly comparable in mission, grade range, and Bay Area Peninsula footprint.

Regional players

• Jewish Community High School of the Bay: 9-12 Jewish high school in San Francisco that is a common matriculation destination for Wornick alumni. Successor institution rather than direct competitor.
• Kehillah Jewish High School: 9-12 Jewish high school in Palo Alto serving as a primary high school destination for Wornick graduates. Indirect peer — successor institution rather than a competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Menlo School: Large independent K-12 school on the Peninsula. Competes for the same affluent Peninsula families seeking premium private education, though at substantially larger scale and without the Jewish curriculum.
• South Peninsula / Mid-Peninsula Jewish Day School alternatives: Broader network of Bay Area independent K-8 schools (e.g., Stratford, Challenger, Harker) that compete for the same tuition-paying Peninsula families, though without the Jewish-day-school mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WornickJDS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ronald-c-wornick-jewish-day-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/wornickjds

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School