A major shift is coming to Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School, reshaping Jewish education in St. Louis.

On Feb. 27, families received an email announcing that Mirowitz will transition to kindergarten through sixth grade starting in the fall. Seventh and eighth grades will be combined for one year before being phased out entirely for the 2026-27 school year.

Mirowitz board Chairman Scott Levine and Head of School Raquel Scharf-Anderson framed the decision as a strategic move amid challenges facing private education. 

“While many small, independent schools nationwide face closure, we are taking proactive steps to ensure our school survives and thrives,” Scharf-Anderson said.

The news came as a surprise to many families who had planned for their children to continue at Mirowitz through eighth grade. 

“We’re kind of heartbroken,” said Leslie Fogel, a fifth-grade parent. “We were really looking forward to our son staying at Mirowitz for middle school.” 

She emphasized that middle school years can be particularly challenging socially and academically, which may make this transition especially difficult for some Mirowitz families.

Scharf-Anderson acknowledged the disappointment, saying, “Many families are saddened that their children won’t have the opportunity to participate in our beloved middle school traditions.”

Patty Bloom, former Mirowitz director of admissions, highlighted the school’s historical significance. 

“Since the 2013 merger (of Solomon Schechter Day School and the Reform Jewish Academy), over 50 families have moved to St. Louis inspired by the fact that the city boasted a thriving community day school,” she said.

Though Mirowitz’s middle school division has always been smaller than its elementary grades, families have long valued the option. At the same time, some parents, such as Margo Newman, had already planned to transition their children after fifth grade. 

“We felt our son needed more of a variety of academic and social options that only public school could provide,” she said.

Scharf-Anderson said that limited extracurricular, athletic and social club opportunities were among the reasons families often left after fifth grade. She emphasized that transitioning to a K-6 model will strengthen the school. 

“By consolidating our resources, we are able to ensure long-term financial viability while maintaining vibrant programming for our students,” she said.

Financial considerations also played a role. 

“The middle school model, with specialized teachers for each subject, was significantly more expensive to staff,” Scharf-Anderson said. “This was an incredibly difficult decision, but one made to protect Mirowitz’s future.”

The move by Mirowitz comes at a time when Jewish day school enrollment has been growing across North America, said Paul Bernstein, CEO of Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day School.

“(In the past five years,) we’ve seen pretty consistent growth overall in North America, including this school year where enrollment went up by 1.3% in the United States and Canada,” he said. 

That said, he sees Mirowitz’s shift as a move toward stability. 

“I’ve seen first-hand that Mirowitz is a very dynamic school with a beautiful community,” Bernstein said. “If focusing on K-6 means the school can strengthen what it has to offer, that gives me confidence in its future.”

Despite the transition, families like the Fogels remain hopeful. 

“Mirowitz has been a great school for our kids and family,” Leslie Fogel said. “Maybe one day, middle school will be an option again.”