EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

Our Early Childhood Center (ECC) with its exceptional reputation is part of Temple Sinai of Bergen County, a Reform congregation located in northern New Jersey. The founders of our school believed that the early childhood years are an ideal time to begin a child’s Jewish education. Through the celebration of Shabbat and festivals, doing acts of kindness and mitzvoth, our children gain an appreciation of the richness and traditions of our Jewish heritage.

Philosophy and Goals

We believe that the first five years of life are instrumental in determining the type of learner a child will become. Your child’s first school experience is a milestone and should occur in a warm, trusting environment. Young children learn through their senses. In our Early Childhood Center with its developmentally appropriate curriculum we provide many opportunities for children to develop their senses and abilities to grow cognitively, socially, emotionally and spiritually. Our toys and materials are selected to stimulate exploration, foster independence and reflect the similarities and differences in society. We believe that parents are an integral part of making the transition from home to the school setting. We welcome and encourage parents to become partners in their child’s educational experience. The goal of our Center is to foster interest, excitement and independence in learning. In order to achieve these goals, we seek to develop within our children the fundamental ingredient necessary for successful learning-a positive sense of self. To this end we are committed to helping young children make sense of their world through learning in a trusting, nurturing environment.

Teaching Staff

Our Early Childhood Center prides itself on our devoted teachers who have many years of experience in nurturing children and meeting their uniquely individual needs. Each class is led by two or three teachers, many holding Master’s Degrees. Our teachers are required to continue their professional development by attending conferences and workshop, taking courses and visiting other early childhood programs. The entire faculty is certified in Infant/Child CPR and First Aid. Our high ratio of teachers-to-children enables our staff to work with children in both small groups and on an individual basis. We are blessed with very talented teachers. Several of them play guitar making singing and dancing a constant in the ECC. We are known for our warmth and caring. You will often see children on a teacher’s lap or huddled together at circle time.

Temple Sinai’s ECC Programs

All early childhood classes take place in large bright, sunny classrooms. We offer sports, music and nature to enrich our curriculum. We have a large outdoor play area which includes climbing apparatus, sand play, tricycles and scooter area. The children celebrate Shabbat in their classrooms with a visit from the rabbi. Our older children are invited to the sanctuary for singing and music with the Cantor.