Dr. Rochelle Brand » Directory

Biographical Info

Dr. Rochelle Brand joined the Sha’arei Bina family four years ago as the Head of School coming from serving as the Principal of HAFTR’s Middle School for six years. Dr. Brand served as Head of School of Yeshiva University High School for Girls for 17 years during which she rose from the position of Coordinator of Academic Administration to Assistant Principal, then Principal and Head of School.

Dr. Brand began her career as a math and science teacher in the public school system. When she and her husband moved to Israel, she taught science at Yavneh Middle School. Upon returning to the United States, she taught at Beth Tfiloh High School in Baltimore, developing and chairing the Grade Advisor Department before returning to NY where she became Assistant Principal at the Sephardic High School in Brooklyn.

With many years of teaching experience both in the U.S. and Israel, Yeshivot and public schools, Dr. Brand has impeccable educational credentials. She graduated cum laude from Brooklyn College, earning both a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Master’s degree in Biology; she also received her Hebrew Teacher’s Degree and graduated magna cum laude from Yeshiva University’s Teachers Institute. While in Baltimore, she pursued a second master’s degree in School Psychology from Towson State University. Dr. Brand received her Doctorate in Educational Administration from YU’s Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration. Her dissertation explored gender differences in spirituality.

Dr. Brand attained her Principal’s License from the National Board of Jewish Day Schools. She also possesses licenses to teach Biology and General Science from New York State and City, Baltimore City, and the State of Israel. She is licensed by New York State and the Jewish Education Committee as a Judaic Studies teacher and Principal.

In addition to her numerous degrees and licenses, Dr. Brand is an ardent believer in professional development and has participated in Harvard University’s Principals Leadership program. She has also served as a mentor at the Intensive Training Program for Aspiring Administrators through the Avi Chai Foundation, a Fellow at the Bar-Ilan Lookstein Center for Education in the Diaspora, and she has chaired a number of Middle States Committees evaluating other Yeshivot. Most recently, Dr. Brand completed a course given through the Avi Chai Foundation on Blended Learning. Dr. Brand is also recognized as one of the staff educators for the Names Not Numbers (c) project.