{{short description|Jewish day school in Essex County, New Jersey, United States}} {{Use American English|date=October 2020}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox school | name = Golda Och Academy | motto = | image = | established = September 1965 as Solomon Schechter Day School Of Essex And Union, January 2011 as Golda Och Academy | grades = [[pre-kindergarten|Pre-K]]–[[twelfth grade|12]] | type = [[Private school|Private]] | religious_affiliation = [[Judaism|Jewish]] | head_label = Head of School | head = Carrie Zucker Siegel | principal = {{ubl | Paul-Michael Huseman (Upper School) | Heather Brown (Lower School) }} | address = 1418 Pleasant Valley Way | city = [[West Orange, New Jersey|West Orange]] | county = [[Essex County, New Jersey|Essex County]] | state = [[New Jersey]] | zipcode = 07052 | country = United States | coordinates = {{coord|40.77434|-74.28127|display=inline,title|format=dms|region:US-NJ}} | campus = [[Suburban]] | enrollment = 424 (plus 21 in PreK, as of 2023–24)<ref name=NCES/> | faculty = 75.9 [[full-time equivalent|FTEs]]<ref name=NCES/> | ratio = 5.6:1<ref name=NCES/> | us_nces_school_id = A0502343<ref name=NCES/> | tuition = $39,995 (9–11 for 2025–26)<ref>[https://www.goldaochacademy.org/admissions/affording-goa Affording GOA], Golda Och Academy. Accessed October 17, 2025.</ref> | athletics = | colors = {{ubl | {{Color box|blue}} Blue | {{Color box|White}} White | {{Color box|Gold}} Gold<ref name=NJSIAAprofile/> }} | team_name = Road Runners<ref name=NJSIAAprofile/> | athletic_conference = [[Super Essex Conference]] | website = {{URL|https://www.goldaochacademy.org/}} }} '''Golda Och Academy''' is a private [[Jewish day school]] in [[West Orange, New Jersey]]. It educates Jewish students from [[pre-kindergarten]] through [[twelfth grade]] at two campuses. Previously known as '''Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union''', the current name was adopted in June 2011. It primarily serves families from [[Essex County, New Jersey|Essex]] and [[Union County, New Jersey|Union]] counties, while also drawing students from other parts of [[North Jersey|North]] and [[Central Jersey]], along with [[New York (state)|New York]].
As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 424 students (plus 21 in PreK) and 75.9 classroom teachers (on an [[full-time equivalent|FTE]] basis), for a [[student–teacher ratio]] of 5.6:1.<ref name=NCES>[https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&ID=A0502343 School data for Golda Och Academy], [[National Center for Education Statistics]]. Accessed September 1, 2025.</ref>
On July 1, 2021, [[Daniel S. Nevins]] became the 8th Head of School, succeeding Adam Shapiro.<ref>[https://www.goldaochacademy.org/about-us/welcome-from-the-head-of-school "Welcome from the Head of School"]</ref> On the same date, Eytan Apter began serving as the Upper School Principal and Carrie Zucker Siegel became the Lower School Principal.
On July 1, 2025, Carrie Zucker Siegel was named Head of School.<ref>[https://www.goldaochacademy.org/news-story?pk=1576001 "Golda Och Academy Names Carrie Zucker Siegel ’92 as Head of School"], Golda Och Academy, July 1, 2025. Accessed March 22, 2026. "Golda Och Academy is proud to announce the appointment of Carrie Zucker Siegel ’92 as Head of School following unanimous approval by the Board of Trustees, and met with enthusiastic support from our donors and the wider GOA community.</ref><ref>Palmer, Joanna. [https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/finding-home-at-golda-och-academy/ "‘I want to create the magic’ Golda Och Academy's new head of school describes how her job is part of her life"], ''[[The Jewish Standard]]'', September 4, 2025. Accessed March 22, 2026. "It’s not hyperbole to say that Carrie Zucker Siegel ’92 is woven into the Golda Och Academy in West Orange so profoundly that she’s already inextricably part of it, even though her tenure as head of school there began just this summer."</ref>
==History== '''Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union''' opened in September 1965 at Congregation Beth Shalom in [[Union Township, Union County, New Jersey]], founded by Rabbi Elvin I. Kose, Horace Bier, and Nat Winter. Its inaugural classes included kindergarten and a first grade with 18 students. A new grade was added each year for the initial cohort, culminating in the graduation of the first high school class of nine students in 1977. This was the first high school associated with the [[Schechter Day School Network|Solomon Schechter Day School Association]].<ref>[http://goldaochacademy.org/future-families/about-us/history/ Our History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110508082419/http://goldaochacademy.org/future-families/about-us/history/ |date=May 8, 2011 }}, Golda Och Academy. Accessed June 14, 2011.</ref>
In 1979, the school acquired its first dedicated facility, the former Roosevelt School in [[Cranford, New Jersey]] after holding classes in various locations across Union and Essex counties. In 1986, it purchased the Irving Laurie Building (Formerly Fairmount Elementary School part of the [[West Orange Public Schools]]) in [[West Orange, New Jersey]]. In September 1991, the Upper School moved to a newly constructed building on Pleasant Valley Way in West Orange, later named the Eric F. Ross Campus in 1995.
The Lower School underwent a $7 million renovation and expansion beginning in 2012. Additions included new science and technology labs, an outdoor classroom and garden, a synagogue, a playground, a library, and a cafeteria. The project also created dedicated art and music spaces, modernized classrooms with updated wiring, and improved accessibility.<ref>Ginsberg, Johanna. [http://njjewishnews.com/article/9516/golda-och-breaks-ground-on-major-renovation#.VUeP2kYXtc9 "Golda Och breaks ground on major renovation; Wilf family kickstarts construction to update 1950s lower school"], ''[[New Jersey Jewish News]]'', May 23, 2012. Accessed May 4, 2015.</ref>
Since 2014, Golda Och Academy has expanded its [[Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics|STEM]] programming. This has included a new STEM class and the founding of a robotics club called CodeRunners. A STEM facility was completed in September 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://patch.com/new-jersey/westorange/golda-och-academy-west-orange-see-new-state-art-stem-center|title=Golda Och Academy Of West Orange To See New State-Of-The-Art STEM Center|work=West Orange, New Jersey Patch}}</ref>
The school has over 1,800 alumni.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}
==Accreditation==
The school is accredited by the [[New Jersey Association of Independent Schools]].<ref>[http://www.njais.org/page.cfm?p=489 Golda Och Academy], [[New Jersey Association of Independent Schools]]. Accessed January 14, 2017.</ref> It exceeds [[New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards]]. Golda Och Academy is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest New Jersey and the [[United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism]].
==Athletics==
The Golda Och Academy Road Runners<ref name=NJSIAAprofile>[https://www.njsiaa.org/schools/golda-och-academy Golda Och Academy], [[New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association]]. Accessed October 20, 2020.</ref> compete in the [[Super Essex Conference]], following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the [[New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association]] (NJSIAA).<ref>[https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2020-10/2020-2021-lc-officers-schools.pdf League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021], [[New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association]]. Accessed October 20, 2020.</ref> With 95 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Non-Public B for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 37 to 366 students in that grade range (equivalent to Group I for public schools).<ref>[https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2020-11/general-classifications-2018-2020.pdf NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020], [[New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association]]. Accessed November 20, 2020.</ref>
The school offers soccer, tennis, volleyball, cross-country, and basketball for both boys and girls at the middle school or varsity level. Baseball, softball, and a golf club are also available.<ref name=NJSIAAprofile/>
In 2013, the school's gymnasium was dedicated to gym teacher and coach Sandy Pyonin in recognition of his 40 years of service at the school. Pyonin has trained more than 30 professional basketball players and coached three teams to National Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) championships.<ref>Teicher, Jordan. [http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/120945/the-nbas-jewish-playmaker "The NBA's Jewish Playmaker; Sandy Pyonin helped stars like Kyrie Irving and Al Harrington go pro. Why doesn't he have a Wikipedia page?"], ''[[Tablet (magazine)]]'', January 8, 2013. Accessed December 15, 2015. "But with Pyonin, legacy comes down to one number: 34. That's the number of his players who have made it to the NBA.... In September, Golda Och held a ceremony to rename their basketball court the 'Sandy Pyonin Court.'"</ref>
==Notable alumni== {{Category see also|Golda Och Academy alumni}} * [[Jessica Antiles]] (born 1996, class of 2015), competitive swimmer<ref>Ginsberg, Johanna. [http://njjewishnews.com/article/31552/faster-faster#.WfNPhHa1vIU "Faster, faster; Golda Och alum at Olympic swimming trials"], ''[[New Jersey Jewish News]]'', July 13, 2016. Accessed October 27, 2017. "Jessica Antiles of South Orange stood behind the block at the Olympic swimming trials in Omaha, Neb., on June 26, and closed her eyes, visualizing herself doing her best. She repeated her mantra, 'Try 100 percent. The rest is up to God.'... Antiles, 19, a graduate of Golda Och Academy in West Orange and a member of the Maplewood Jewish Center where her father is president, qualified for the Olympic trials two summers ago while swimming with a club team in Israel, for the 400-meter long course individual medley (two laps each of butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle)."</ref> * [[Rachel Antonoff]] (born 1981), fashion designer (didn't graduate)<ref>Scheinfeld, Jillian. [http://jewcy.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/spotlight-on-fashion-designer-rachel-antonoff "Spotlight On: Fashion Designer Rachel Antonoff; Talking to Antonoff about her family, inspiration, and journey to becoming a successful designer"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116165404/http://jewcy.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/spotlight-on-fashion-designer-rachel-antonoff |date=January 16, 2017 }}, ''[[Jewcy]]'', October 15, 2013. Accessed January 14, 2017.</ref> * [[Zach Bruch]] (born 1993, class of 2012), technology [[entrepreneur]]{{Citation needed|date=February 2025|reason=Source that had been previously provided made no mention of the school.}} * [[Steven Fulop]] (born 1977), (didn't graduate), [[Mayor of Jersey City]]<ref>Mandell, Meredith. [http://observer.com/2013/07/down-to-the-river-newly-minted-jersey-city-mayor-steve-fulop-plans-big/ "Down to the River: Newly Minted Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop Plans Big; From Goldman Sachs to the Marine Corps to mayor of New York's sixth borough"], [[Observer.com]], July 30, 2013. Accessed December 15, 2015. "Livingston is adjacent to West Orange, which is home to the Solomon Schechter day school that Mr. Fulop attended."</ref> *[[Ben Jorgensen]] (born 1983, class of 2001), former lead singer and guitarist of [[Armor for Sleep]]<ref>Aberback, Brian. [http://patch.com/new-jersey/teaneck/armor-for-sleep "As Band Says Goodbye, Armor for Sleep Frontman Reflects on Teaneck Roots; Rock and pop-punk band's farewell tour includes New York City show July 14"], Teaneck Patch, July 8, 2012. Accessed November 11, 2014. "Influenced by pop-punk, indie rock and emo bands such as New Brunswick's Lifetime, Princeton's Saves the Day and Floridians New Found Glory, Jorgensen formed the punk band Random Task with friends from Solomon Schechter Upper School in West Orange."</ref> * [[Daniel Och]] (born 1961), businessman and private equity investor<ref>Ginsberg, Johanna. [http://www.njjewishnews.com/njjn.com/091108/mwDaySchoolEndowment.html "Day school endowment hits $20 million mark; On first anniversary, schools see funding for tuition, high tech"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130504115715/http://njjewishnews.com/njjn.com/091108/mwDaySchoolEndowment.html |date=May 4, 2013 }}, ''[[New Jersey Jewish News]]'', September 11, 2008. Accessed April 4, 2013. "Daniel Och, one of the first students to attend SSDS, is chief executive officer and chair of the board of directors at Och-Ziff Capital Management Group, a global institutional alternative asset management firm with approximately $30 billion in assets."</ref> * [[Micol Ostow]] (born 1976, class of 1994), author, editor and educator<ref>Rubin, Debra. [https://njjewishnews.timesofisrael.com/day-school-and-punk-rock-collide-in-teen-novel/ "Day school and punk rock collide in teen novel"], ''[[New Jersey Jewish News]]'', December 6, 2010. Accessed October 8, 2018. "In her latest book, So Punk Rock (And Other Ways to Disappoint your Mother), Ostow, a graduate of the Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union in West Orange, outlines the misadventures of four New Jersey suburban day school teens who form a punk rock band and make a splash on the bar mitzva circuit."</ref> * [[Adam Pally]] (born 1982), actor / comedian (didn't graduate)<ref>Barshad, Amos. [http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/qa-a-short-strange-chat-with-adam-pally-about-writing-for-himself-confidence-building-through-bombing-and-the-future-of-the-knicks/ "Q&A: A Short, Strange Chat With Adam Pally About Writing for Himself, Confidence-Building Through Bombing, and the Future of the Knicks"], [[Grantland]], August 18, 2015. Accessed December 15, 2015. "Well, I went to [Jewish day school] Solomon Schechter. I see an A-M-O-S I'm gonna say 'Ahmos.'"</ref> * [[Gabe Saporta]] (born 1979, class of 1997), lead singer of [[Cobra Starship]]<ref>[http://ultimategabesaporta.org/about-gabe/biography/ Biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528033856/http://ultimategabesaporta.org/about-gabe/biography/ |date=May 28, 2015 }}, Ultimate Gabe Saporta. Accessed June 2, 2015. "In 1996 Gabe and his friends Chris Delvecchio and Joshua Scott-Dicker (which he met at the 'Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union' in New Jersey) formed the Band Humble Beginnings."</ref> * [[Joshua Weinstein (director)|Joshua Weinstein]] (born 1983, class of 2001), independent filmmaker who directed the [[A24]] film, ''[[Menashe (film)|Menashe]]'' (2017), and the feature documentaries, ''[[Drivers Wanted (2012 film)|Driver's Wanted]]'' (2012) and ''Flying on One Engine'' (2008)<ref>Wiener, Robert. [https://njjewishnews.timesofisrael.com/jersey-bred-filmmaker-delves-into-world-of-chasidim/ "Jersey-bred filmmaker delves into world of chasidim Joshua Weinstein says viewers see ‘Menashe’ as ‘loving portrait’"], ''[[New Jersey Jewish News]]'', August 2, 2017. Accessed September 12, 2019. "While he was growing up in a Conservative Jewish family in Morristown, and attending what was then Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union in West Orange (now the Golda Och Academy), few would have suspected that Joshua Weinstein would become heavily entrenched in the chasidic communities of Brooklyn."</ref><ref>[https://issuu.com/goldaochacademy/docs/alumni_society_newsletter_-_spring_ "Alumni Profile: Josh Weinstein '01; The writer/director discusses his newly released Yiddish-language film, ''Menashe''"], ''Schechter / Golda Och Academy Alumni Society News'', Spring 2017. Accessed September 13, 2019. ""There was a band called ''Random Task'' made up of four students from the Class of '01: Matt Goldman, Evan Winiker, Jeremiah Glazer and Ben Jorgensen.""</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
*[http://goldaochacademy.org/ Golda Och Academy] *[https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&ID=A0502343 Golda Och Academy], [[National Center for Education Statistics]]
{{Essex County, New Jersey High Schools}} {{NJAIS}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1965 establishments in New Jersey]] [[Category:Conservative Jewish day schools]] [[Category:Conservative Judaism in New Jersey]] [[Category:Educational institutions established in 1965]] [[Category:Jewish day schools in New Jersey]] [[Category:Private elementary schools in New Jersey]] [[Category:Private high schools in Essex County, New Jersey]] [[Category:Private middle schools in New Jersey]] [[Category:Schools in Union County, New Jersey]] [[Category:West Orange, New Jersey]]