Smaller Ed-ventures
The Temple Shalom Preschool is open to the community and provides
programs and learning opportunities for children ages two through
five. The purpose and primary responsibility of Temple Shalom
Preschool is to provide a safe, wholesome environment where
children enjoy socializing and learning. The preschool is in
session from September through May, with classes each morning from
9:15 a.m. through 12:15 p.m. Classes are organized by age, with
one class for 2-3 year olds, one class for 3-4 year olds, and one
class for 4-5 year olds. Each class has two teachers who have
backgrounds in childhood education, art, music and Jewish
education.
The preschool programs are designed to meet the individual child’s
needs and to promote growth in the social, emotional,
intellectual, physical and creative areas of development. An
important aspect of the preschool is to provide a foundation for
learning about Jewish life including the Jewish holidays and
Jewish traditions. Our program emphasizes the development of a
positive Jewish identity through experiences involving Shabbat,
Jewish holidays, blessings, culture and values. Shabbat is
celebrated each Friday morning as the children make challah to
bring home, and as the three classes gather together to say the
Shabbat prayers and sing Shabbat songs. Learning about Jewish
holidays is encouraged through art projects, stories, and songs.
The preschool provides a structured and relaxed environment, with
variety and age- appropriate challenges for each class. Field
trips are scheduled for the 3-5 year olds throughout the year and
celebrations (including music or plays) are held for holidays such
as Thanksgiving, Chanukkah and Passover. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the children
have an opportunity to bring a lunchbox and stay an extra hour for
“lunchbunch” and/or enrichment activities. Each day at the preschool, the children enjoy a snack, a
project of some type, reading, free play time, and of course, time
on the playground!
Play is a major activity of all young children and the basic
ingredient of their learning. It is the medium for self-expression
in the way each child organizes and makes sense of the world. To
play is to invent, hypothesize, test, and discover and thus, it
provides the most meaningful learning of cognitive concepts and
social values. Social skills are not achieved quickly, but rather
slowly by learning how to share, cooperate, and empathize with
others. Through play experiences, the child learns to initiate and
sustain relationships with others, building trust and emotional
maturity. At Temple Shalom preschool, we strive to nurture the
child’s most important skills and capability, in a fun, engaging
way.
For more information about the Temple Shalom Preschool, or to
obtain a registration packet, contact Elayna Rathmann, Director of
Congregational Learning and Programs, at 634-5311.
