American Hebrew Academy

American Hebrew Academy
Address
Map
4334 Hobbs Road

Greensboro, North Carolina
27410

United States
Coordinates36°06′32″N 79°52′15″W / 36.1089°N 79.8708°W / 36.1089; -79.8708
Information
Religious affiliation(s)None
Established2001 (2001)
CEEB code341579
CampusGated, 100 acres (0.4 km²)
Websitewww.americanhebrewacademy.org

American Hebrew Academy is a non-profit 501(c)3 domiciled in North Carolina. Previously it was an international college-preparatory school located in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was open to students of all faiths but was originally founded as a Jewish international school, American Hebrew Academy, the only such school in the world for boarding and day students between 9th and 12th grade.[1] The coeducational school's 100-acre (40 ha) campus was designed by Aaron Green, protégé of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright.[2] The school closed in June 2019 but later announced plans to reopen for the 2021–2022 school year.[3] A reopening as AHA International School never occurred.

History

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American Hebrew Academy opened in 2001, known as "AHA". The school was founded by several leaders in Jewish education, including Alvin Mars, to create a pluralistic learning and leadership environment. The initial objective of the school was simply to create a high school option for the local Jewish community near Greensboro, and to draw a critical mass of students from other regions of the country where Jewish day school was not a feasible option.[4] Subsequent to the school's founding, the school's unique identity as a coed, pluralistic Jewish boarding school attracted students globally and hosted a diverse student body from over 35 countries.

The academy's inception was sponsored and spearheaded by Maurice "Chico" Sabbah, a philanthropist, businessman, Sephardic Jew, and Zionist, and longtime resident of Greensboro. Sabbah's nephew, Glenn Drew, continued to manage the school and served as CEO executive director, and General Counsel since the school's beginning.[5] Drew resigned in November 2020.[6]

Board members included Leeor Sabbah, Glenn Drew, Joseph Weilgus, Joel Fleishman of Duke University, investor Michael Steinhardt, Jehuda Reinharz of Brandeis University, Marsha Cohen, Bonnie Lipton, Scott Shay of Signature Bank, Douglas Greene, Abe Tawil and Larry Heyman.[7]

Closing and rebranding

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On June 11, 2019, Glenn Drew notified community members that the school would close after 18 years, citing financial distress.[8] The news was broadly reported as abrupt and unexpected.[1] On September 13, 2019 the academy announced plans to reopen in for the 2020-2021 school year.[9]

In May 2020, the academy announced plans to rebrand itself for reopening in 2021, after negotiating a $26 million debt refinancing from a Chinese education company Puxin Limited.[10] As part of its rebranding, the school would encourage international enrollment, including countries in the Middle East and Asia.[3]

The academy was briefly rebranded as AHA International School and was scheduled to reopen in September 2021.[11] As part of its reopening, the school's college prep program was expanded to place a higher emphasis on Advanced Placement courses and professional experience opportunities for students.[12] The rebranded AHA International School also released a video announcing that campus tours would resume in September 2020, and students would be admitted for classes beginning in August 2021.[13] Abe Tawil served as head of school.[14] Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the school did not reopen.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a $50 million dollar 5 year lease of the campus to use as a transitional housing facility for unaccompanied migrant children.[15] HHS's plans for the campus include hosting up to 800 unaccompanied minors, ages 13-17. These children will receive physical and educational assessments as they prepare for a reunion with family member(s) or a sponsor. Children will live in campus dormitories, take meals in the dining hall, classes in the academic buildings and receive medical care in the health center.[16] AHA will be operating an educational program for the children hosted on the campus according to educational requirements of the State of North Carolina. This program is known as Greensboro Global Academy.[17]

Campus

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The location is a 100-acre (40 ha) campus, adjacent to a 22-acre (8.9 ha) lake. Following a national architectural competition to design the campus, Frank Lloyd Wright’s associate architect, Aaron Green, was commissioned to create the master plan for the campus and building designs for every building the academy would eventually need for the immediate future and for years to come.

As of 2016, American Hebrew Academy had the largest closed-loop geothermal exchange well field in the United States to heat and cool its campus. In 2016, the academy dedicated the new Charlotte K. Frank Center for Plant Science & Ecology which provides a state of the art research and experimentation facility for advancing the study of hydroponics, aquaculture, soil and water conservation and Israel's leadership in the development of agricultural technology.[18]

References

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  1. ^ a b Pink, Aiden; Feldman, Ari. "American Hebrew Academy, Prestigious Jewish Boarding School, Closes Abruptly". The Forward. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  2. ^ Slutsky, Carolyn (October 12, 2008). "Room, Board — And 'Jewish Peoplehood'". The Jewish Week. Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved February 16, 2010.
  3. ^ a b "American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro rebranded briefly as AHA International School as it sought to reopen". myfox8.com. March 6, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  4. ^ Cone, Edward (September 30, 2002). "Who Is Chico Sabbah?". Forbes. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  5. ^ "Against The Odds, AHA Nearing 15th Year". Jewish Week. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  6. ^ Pounds, Jessie (November 18, 2020). "Leader of AHA International School in Greensboro leaving at the end of November". Greensboro News and Record. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  7. ^ "American Hebrew Academy Inc - "Form 990" for fiscal year ending June 2017". ProPublica. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  8. ^ Cohen, Phil (June 17, 2019). "What Went Wrong at the American Hebrew Academy?". Tablet. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  9. ^ Web Staff (September 13, 2019). "American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro to reopen for 2020–2021 school year after suddenly closing earlier this summer". WGHP. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  10. ^ "Jewish Boarding School That Closed After Financial Struggles Will Reopen". The Forward. September 13, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  11. ^ Warfield, Andy (May 12, 2020). "Shuttered international school rebrands, anticipates 2021 re-opening". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  12. ^ Warfield, Andy (November 18, 2020). "Glenn Drew stepping down as head of Greensboro's AHA International School". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  13. ^ Drew, Glenn. "AHA International School Announces Future Plans". YES! Weekly. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  14. ^ "American Hebrew Academy Plans To Reopen as AHA International School". The Rhino Times of Greensboro. May 12, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  15. ^ "Feds pen nearly $50-million deal with American Hebrew Academy to house immigrant children in Greensboro". FOX8 WGHP. July 11, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  16. ^ "U.S. to house migrant children in former North Carolina boarding school later this summer". wfmynews2.com. June 27, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  17. ^ "Greensboro Global Academy". www.greensboroglobalacademy.org. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  18. ^ "CIJE Update – Journey to Israel, STEM Down South | Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education". www.thecije.org. Archived from the original on January 13, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
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