About Us

Get To Know Us

History
Mission Statement
School Philosophy
Our Teachers

B’nai Israel Community Day School was founded in 1973 by a group of parents committed to a full-week Jewish education. Since its opening, it has grown from a small elementary school adding a part-time preschool and then in 2003 adding an Infant and Toddler program and a full-time preschool program. In 2015, BICDS opened its doors wider to welcome a new elementary school program premiering a Kindergarten program and expanding to add First Grade in 2019. We look forward to adding a Second Grade in 2020.

B’nai Israel Community Day School’s mission is to foster a safe and warm environment with an emphasis on Jewish character values to cultivate the next generation’s community leaders. We are committed to providing a customized education –academically, physically, and emotionally – to create a lifelong love of learning.

The philosophy of the school encourages exposing children to many activities throughout the day allowing them to learn what their preferences are as they grow and develop. Throughout the day, children experience yoga, sing-a-longs, outdoor gardening, Judaics, messy play, computers, time with the B'nai Israel Seniors group, circle time, nature walks, playground time, cooking and more.

The staff at B'nai Israel Community Day School is hardworking, devoted and committed to educating young children. They are driven to look at the needs of each child and work tirelessly to make everyday fun, diverse and exciting for all of their students.

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Administration Team

Debby Kinman-Ford

Day School Director

Debby Kinman-Ford has been director of B’nai Israel Community Day School since 2004. Prior to that, she spent five years in the Gainesville’s Jewish community as Program Director for the Jewish Community Center Without Walls and over ten years as an educator and consultant for both the Alachua County and Miami Dade County Public School systems. Her training specializes in social and emotional development. She feels her work at B’nai Israel blends her love of Judaism and education together seamlessly. She has two daughters, Alisha and Rebekah.

Lynn

Office Coordinator

Lynn Salter is the Office Coordinator at B’nai Israel Community Day School. With more than 20 years of experience in office administration, she began working with the Day School in 2015. Originally from Winder, GA, a small town in northeast Georgia, she and her husband moved to the Gainesville area in 2015. They have two grown sons, Brandon and Nick, and three fur babies, Prim, Apollo, and Fox. Outside of work, Lynn enjoys spending time with family, as well as exercise, tennis, hiking, kayaking, pretty much anything that gets her outdoors. She really enjoys the family-type closeness of the staff at B’nai Israel, along with watching the children learn and grow, year after year, with another exciting and successful year ahead!

Hannah Rynning

Student Services Administrator

Hannah Rynning is originally from Ocala, FL but moved to Alachua County with her husband in May of 2018. Hannah recently finished her Associate’s Degree with Liberty University and is working towards getting a Bachelor’s Degree. She has always loved working with children and plans on having children of her own one day. She loves the outdoors, traveling to see new sights, and playing sports – especially soccer and ultimate frisbee. Hannah also enjoys being crafty, creating home decor or remodeling old furniture. “I am so excited to be here and be a help to the B’nai community!”

A Message From Our Director

``Welcome to the Day School! We are so excited to share our school with you. Each staff is committed to providing your family with a warm and nurturing environment. We love working together with you every day, watching your children learn and grow and take pride in offering them an outstanding secular and Jewish education. Every staff is passionate about growing the next generation of people as caretakers of their local communities and our world at large. We hope you will allow us be partners with you on this wonderful journey.``