Nursery School
MUSIC IN THE PRESCHOOLWe do a lot of singing and creative movement in our program. Singing and moving to music allow the children a chance to hear and appreciate different types of music, express themselves through movement and practice new skills. The children love singing together, and it helps them to learn to cooperate in a group. Here are some of the things we do to encourage a love for music and movement:
Jewish holiday songs help us get into the spirit of upcoming holidays. Hebrew songs and songs with Hebrew words teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. We play and sing Jewish music from around the world. We learn Jewish and Israeli folk dances. Sharing music with your child is a wonderful way to build a warm, loving relationship. It is a gift that will last forever. Gail Weinstein
During the last decade attention has been given to the education of young children before they are exposed to formal schooling. A variety of reasons have contributed to this trend. The working mother and the change from large and extended families have led to the necessity and establishment of daycare centers and nursery schools. What applies to general education is equally valid for Jewish education. The present day American Jewish family is, as a rule, singularly not able to supply the young child with both the general and Jewish knowledge, skill, and experiences, which a desirable education in the early years should afford. It is for this reason B'nai Israel encouraged the opening of our nursery school. Our focus is not only the welfare of the individual child in a group situation, but the fulfillment of educating parents through the child's activities and therefore enriching the family as a whole. We are currently enrolling for the 2004-2005 school year. Our programs are varied. Congregational families have priority registration. Please call the school to set up an appointment to visit our programs. Coffee
& Cuddles Two's
Three's Four's
We also offer after school enrichment programs and a summer camp! We Welcome You!!
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| Three year olds change so quickly! Each day it seems they’ve discovered something new about themselves and their world. Here’s a bit about the caring staff who help them in their explorations at school: Liz Nigrosh: Liz lives with her husband, their fourteen year old twins, and the latest additions to the family – Harpo and Chico, their new kittens. In her free time, Liz enjoys singing and reading, especially “really good mysteries.” And she has a soft-spot for turkeys. About the upcoming holiday, Liz says “there are no happy turkeys on Thanksgiving.” She likes to focus on other aspects of the day such as being thankful and the Native Americans story. Jill Ellen: Jill enjoys using her artistic abilities to create stamping and scrap booking projects. You may have also noticed her wearing an article or two of Mickey Mouse clothing. She’s been a devoted fan since childhood, and has many prints adorning the walls of her home — and an entire bathroom decorated with the round-eared fellow! |
Bobbie Gross: Bobbie says she feels she’s made a difference to a child when she sees that “love of learning” develop. She believes it’s important to set age appropriate challenges for children, to adjust the level of information presented and to nurture their sense of accomplishment. Bobbie’s has two daughters and two grandchildren. Her hobbies include reading (she has worked at the Fairfield Woods library for almost 20 years) and traveling. She enjoys being with her family and friends. Alexa Cohen: Alexa’s husband is in the same field and is a childcare director in Westport. Their son and daughter are 9 and 5, and she says being a mom definitely helps her be a
BOOK NOOK
Call for Submissions Have you read a good
book lately? How about writing a short summary about it for our next newsletter?
| | Please contact Susan Freed, Ivy Travisano or Loretta Stepanskiy and you can be published too! PARENTING
SOLUTIONS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playdates:
| By three and four years of age friendships with other children become important to children and they are able to empathize with others. When disputes break out during playtime, Myrna Shure (developmental psychologist and educator) suggests asking the more verbal child how he thinks the action makes the other child feel. Follow up with a question about how your child would feel if Johnny didn’t want to play with him anymore, thus demonstrating to your child that his feelings are important too. As children mature, helping them recognize social expectations are important to develop social skills. So, keep on scheduling those playdates, and be available to help the kids work out any differences that may come up. And most of all, let them have fun!
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A NURTURING AND CARING PLACEAs relative newcomers to Connecticut when our daughter Michele, now almost 18, was born, we looked for a temple with which to affiliate. We shopped and shopped as we sought a comfortable religious home. We happened upon B'nai Israel Nursery School much by chance. A three-year-old class with warm, competent and nurturing teachers appeared to be just perfect. That provided the introduction to the temple and we affiliated a short time later. Since then, our two children have attended religious school. Michele became a Bat Mitzvah and subsequently was confirmed. Our son, Michael, also a B'nai Israel Nursery School alumni, is about to become a Bar Mitzvah. The B'nai Israel Nursery School, under Gail Weinstein's direction, provided us with an initial sampling of the talented and dedicated staff as well as an inviting Reform Jewish environment which is at the heart of B'nai Israel. The Varon Family | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A HUGE thank you to our boutique committee. This boutique would not be possible without the assistance of these volunteers: Sheila Hazen, Susan Freed and Danielle Weisblatt.
 Parenting
& Early Childhood Programs - because children don’t come with User Manuals! | ||
| Keshet—A Place of Support for Parents of Preschoolers with Special Needs Dates to be determined Keshet (“rainbow”) responds to the special needs of the youngest members of our Jewish community. One Shabbat (Saturday) morning each month, we will bring your 3-5 year old(s) together to engage in a Jewish enrichment and social skill experience with our credentialed special education teachers, while parents meet separately to support one another and meet other B’nai Israel members who are experts in their fields. For more information, contact Rabbi Greene at 336-1858. (Keva = 1.5) |  | |
| A Taste of Judaism: Are You Curious? Tuesdays, November 22, 29, December 6 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. This class will be taught again and open to parents with young children, in conjunction with our Early Childhood Education Center. See the Unique Opportunities section for a full description. Registration is required. (Keva = 1.5) |
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Stages of Development in Children Ages 3-5 |
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| The Blessings of a Skinned Knee March 20 and 27 at 9:30 a.m. Clinical psychologist and Jewish educator Wendy Mogel distills the ancient teachings of the Torah, the Talmud, important Jewish thinkers, and contemporary psychological insights into nine blessings that address key parenting issues. Join Rabbi Greene, Gail Weinstein and other parents to explore a path of effective, enlightened parenting in an increasingly speedy, material, and competitive age. Books are available for purchase from the Early Childhood Center office or via our website’s link to amazon.com at right. (Keva = 1.5)
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Click on the book to order! |
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The Department of Jewish Education has developed a brochure for bedtime rituals. This is part of a UAHC initiative by Rabbi Eric Yoffie that seeks to ensure "that no Jewish child goes to sleep without having read a Jewish book, listened to a Jewish tape, sung a Jewish song." And so, to introduce this program, Ira Wise and I presented a workshop for families of young children.
It was suggested to the group that creating family memories and traditions begins at an early age. A wonderful way to begin is putting together a family book or album. Through pictures, the album serves as a record of capturing Jewish times together. The first year could include photographs at birth, the naming ceremony or Brit Milah, pictures of the child with grandparents. Other "Kodak moments" include lighting Shabbat candles, making challah, eating a latke, dressing up as Esther, crunching on a matzah. Blank pages could be labeled in anticipation of life cycle events that might include Bar/Bat Mitzvah and Confirmation. As the child gets older, he/she may dictate a label about what the pictures describe. The memory book may be read over and over just like a storybook.
Transforming bedtime into Jewish time lets your child understand that being Jewish is a way of life and a source of comfort.
Gail Weinstein Preschool Director
Congregation B'nai Israel Nursery School provides a nurturing and stimulating Jewish environment for newborns through preschoolers. The school allows the opportunity for each child to develop at his/her own rate. The curriculum is designed to meet the individual's specific needs and to promote optimal physical, social, emotional and cognitive development. Jewish life, culture and holidays are also an integral part of a child's experience at Nursery School.
** DUE TO THE INCREASE IN FOOD ALLERGIES, WE ARE A NUT FREE ENVIRONMENT.
Our teachers prepare the environment for the children to learn through active exploration and interaction with adults, other children and materials.
Enrollment begins in November of each year
- NEWBORNS AND ONE YEAR OLDS- Meet once a week for 90 minutes with mother/ caregiver. Led by a trained facilitator.
- TWO YEAR OLDS- Meet for 2 1/2 hours, twice a week There are three classes that have a 4 to 1 student/teacher ratio.
- THREE YEAR OLDS-There are two classes that meet three, four or five times a week for 2 _ hours. An hour extended day is offered for lunch Monday through Thursday for and additional fee. One classroom offers a 6 to 1 student/teacher ratio, another offers an 8 to 1 student/teacher ratio.
- FOUR YEAR OLDS-There are two classes that meet five times a week for 2 _ hours. An hour extended day is offered for lunch for an additional fee. One class has a 6 to 1 student/ratio and the other offers an 8 to 1 student/teacher ratio.
- AGE REQUIREMENTS
Two's class- A child must be 2 years old by December 31.
Three's class- A child must be 3 years old by December 31.
Four's class- A child must be 4 years old by December 31.
EXTRA ACTIVITIES/ SUMMER PROGRAM
A variety of after school programs is offered for 3 and 4 years olds for an additional fee.
A 6 week Summer Program is available for children who meet the age requirements for the 3 and 4 years old program. Emphasis is on water play, cooking , Jewish culture, arts and crafts, and independent activity time.
STUDENT TRANSITION
A staggered entrance is utilized to ease the child's transition into the classroom at the beginning of each school year.
TOILET TRAINING
The staff works cooperatively with the parents to facilitate and encourage independence in toileting for children in the two and three year old classes. Children should be fully trained upon entering the four year old program.
Gail Weinstein became the first Teacher/Director at B'nai Israel Nursery School 16 years ago. Two years ago she became the full time director. She has 30 years of teaching experience including elementary school in the Fairfield school system and nursery school at the Jewish Center for Community Services. She has a B.S. in Elementary Education, an M.S. in Education and an M.A.T. in Early Childhood Education. She also holds a Head Teacher Certification from the Connecticut State Licensing Bureau. Gail and her husband Peter live in Trumbull and are members of B'nai Israel. Her children, Andrea and Brad, became Bat and Bar Mitzvah and were confirmed at B'nai Israel.
Our teachers hold a variety of degrees, many in education and early childhood education. The majority have more than 7 years of teaching experience, and some have as many as 16. All of our teachers are trained in the use of the Epi Pen. The faculty is a member of NAEYC (National Association Education Young Children) and the local Mid-Fairfield Association.
The children attend music with the Cantor twice a week and a creative movement class once a week with a specialist. Regular visits by the Rabbi and the Family Education Director foster a sense of belonging to the synagogue.
Parents are encouraged to be involved in the nursery school experience. There are a variety of ways for parents to get involved including: serving as a room parent, chaperoning field trips, attending class parties and being an active member of the Nursery School Committee. The Nursery School Committee, which is comprised of the Director of the Nursery School and parents of children enrolled in the school meets monthly. The Committee determines school policy that promotes the developmental approach to early childhood education. The Chairperson of this committee reports to the Board of B'nai Israel.
Several times a year the preschool families gather for social and educational events including pasta night, an ice cream social, end -of-year picnic/Havdalah service, workshops and speakers.
You can see more Family programs on our Family Education page on this site.
Scholarship funds are available based on financial needs.
Tu B'shevat Recycling Project — Clean Mud
Ingredients
6 rolls of toilet paper (cheap brands are okay)
2 small bars of
Ivory soap
1 1/2 cups of Borax
Water
Directions
In a large container, unroll all 6 rolls of toilet paper. Pour water
on top of the toilet paper until it is wet. (Not a lot of water!) Using a cheese
grater or serrated knife, grate the 2 bars of soap on top of this. Add the Borax
and mix together (please see Caution* below). I would suggest using a wooden spoon
at first as the Borax can be very drying to your hands. Add a small amount of
water to the mixture if it appears too dry. At first, it will feel gritty. As
the Borax begins to work on the mixture you'll no longer feel this. You can store
this mixture for months in a closed container. You will probably need to add more
water when you use it again.
Play
time
Put the clean mud in a sand table -or- Put the clean mud on an
individual tray or cookie sheet. Use spoons, cars, trucks, little people, etc.
You will be amazed at the dramatic scenarios generated with this media!
Works great outside as well!
Cleans their hands as they play! Feels just like real mud!
*Caution
Borax is harmful if it gets into eyes. When you make this, do not allow the
children to help with the Borax portion. Once the Borax is mixed in and diluted,
there should be no problem. Alternatively, you can leave the Borax out of the
mixture the first time you make it and add it after the children have played with
it the first time and before storing it.