The Pre-School at Temple Emanuel

At The Pre-School at Temple Emanuel it is our goal to provide a safe, nurturing, non-pressured environment where inquiry, exploration and discovery are encouraged. We broaden each child's horizons by providing a wide range of experience with materials and equipment in language arts, reading and math readiness, nature and science, large and small muscle skills, cooking, music and art.

Our experiential curriculum encourages natural curiosity and instills in our children the foundation for a lifetime love of Judaism and learning. Our dedicated, experienced staff looks forward to providing your child with a nurturing atmosphere in which to learn and develop.

It would be my pleasure to share with you what makes the Pre-School at Temple Emanuel special. I encourage you to call me at (856) 489-0035 to learn more about our programs and to schedule an appointment to observe our classes.

B'shalom,

Rabbi Debbie Cohen
Director of Life Long Learning

Philosophy

We believe in the value of play. Through play, children consolidate their understanding of their physical, intellectual, social and emotional skills, their language and their world.

Our primary goal is to meet the diverse needs of each child by paying close attention to his/her developmental level, interests and strengths. Children are given numerous opportunities to gain mastery in many areas at their own pace. Our environment will be rich, varied, dynamic and fluid, in order to support the ever changing and developing needs of each child. Our teachers let children know that their opinions and ideas are highly valued in classrooms where each child learns about his/her own uniqueness and self-worth. Children are guided to problem solve, to appreciate one another, to play cooperatively and gain appropriate levels of independence and success.

Another important goal of the Pre-School is to convey to each child a strong feeling of self- worth, love of learning and a strong Jewish identity. Our Judaic program is based on ritual, values, customs and holiday celebrations. We are committed, however, to respecting and validating the cultural and religious background of each child and family. Respect for one another, individual dignity and self-worth are fostered. Our staff sets limits in positive ways, guiding children toward appropriate social behaviors and moral understanding. Conflicts are viewed as an opportunity to help children develop meaningful ways to solve problems. Our task is to nurture the child's social development, to help him or her participate constructively in peer relationships and to teach the language of cooperation, negotiation and compromise.

Parents are our partners in the process of educating children. Ongoing channels of communication are provided and encouraged. Our school recognizes the importance of building strong relationships among parents, staff and children. Staff development and parent involvement contribute to the overall success of our program. Children do not need to be potty trained to attend our 2 or 3-year old programs. Our state of the art classrooms lend themselves to the attainment of our goals. Our school, classrooms and minds are always open to what is best for our children.

The Pre-School at Temple Emanuel welcomes all to attend and does not discriminate regarding race, creed or religion. We cherish all children.