PJCC Preschool Brochure

PRESCHOOL

PJCC

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

WELCOME TO OUR COMMUNITY At the PJCC, your child is welcomed into our caring, nurturing environment where we honor and value each individual and their family. We invite you and your family to join us on this once-in-a-lifetime journey of discovery.

EXPLORATION “From physical education to music to learning Jewish culture, the program has provided an important and diverse education.” — PJCC Preschool Parent

OUR PHILOSOPHY OF VALUES-INSPIRED GROWTH Our preschool offers a play-based learning environment. Emphasizing the importance of relationship building, social development, and guided by Jewish values and culture, we recognize each child’s unique and special abilities. Every child is respected as a competent and capable learner, full of potential and talent.

FRIENDSHIP “We are bowled over by the quality, the genuine kindness, and olive branch of friendship the PJCC has offered us.

Thank you for making the most important choice for us so simple, so wonderful, so truly blessed.”

— PJCC Preschool Parent

OUR CURRICULUM Children learn about themselves, the world around them, and the richness of Jewish life in an atmosphere of love, joy, respect, and safety.

Fundamentals include: Social Development Building self-esteem, social interaction, self-control, conflict resolution skills, self-help skills, and friendship Cognitive Development Early literacy, foundational mathematics, science exploration, music, language development, and creative arts Physical Development Motor development, personal hygiene, nutrition, safety, music, and movement

DEVELOPMENT

DISCOVERY SPECIALTIES Music and Physical Education Specialists Children learn about rhythm and different instruments with our music specialist, as well as learning to celebrate their own voices. Our physical education specialist fosters gross motor development through a wide array of games and activities.

CATCH Program Our CATCH program nurtures a love of physical activity and encourages children to develop life-long, healthy-eating habits.

Through a Jewish lens, children learn to make healthy choices while enjoying gardening, nutrition, and fun physical activities.

Justice Garden Children visit our Justice Garden, learning about Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World). They are taught lessons about how plants grow, help care for the garden, and harvest fresh produce that is donated to families through our partners at InnVision Shelter Network.

Enrichment Classes Weekly special-interest classes are available for children ages three to five. Classes are offered in three sessions during the school year and are a wonderful addition to our program. Class topics include soccer, basketball, cooking, dance, and art.

Camp Keff Discover the fun of winter, spring, and summer camps during school vacations with Camp Keff (keff means fun), our awardwinning camp program! Children enjoy a wide variety of activities including science, art, cooking, and sports. Swimming is offered for children ages three and older during summer camp.

EXCEPTIONAL STAFF MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

SPECIAL SERVICES

Our warm and caring staff is an experienced group

PJCC Preschool is proud to engage a part-time

of dedicated, early-childhood professionals who

developmental consultant who support teachers

combine a strong educational background with a

to create an inclusive environment for all types of

love for and appreciation of young children. Together

learners. Our consultant is also a link for parents to

we create a community of life-long learners, with

source services that best support their family.

ongoing, professional development training in the most current research and philosophies for early learning.

DEDICATION “My son’s teachers are loving and wonderful. We can see the huge strides in our son’s verbal and social skills since he started the program.”

— PJCC Preschool Parent

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A JEWISH PRESCHOOL THAT HONORS DIVERSITY We welcome everyone with joy, inclusive of all faiths and backgrounds, and we are proud of our diverse community. Founded upon the richness of Jewish tradition, we offer An Ethical Start curriculum, based on Pirkei Avot (classic Jewish text known as the Ethics of our Mothers and Fathers).

This curriculum encourages children to make decisions based on universal ethics and values, such as respect, responsibility, kindness, and community. Jewish holidays are joyfully celebrated with our children and families throughout the school year.

DIVERSITY “Although we are not Jewish, we appreciate using Jewish principles to teach everyday personal ethics, which are much more about being a good person rather than what you believe in.” — PJCC Preschool Parent

COMMUNITY

OUR PHILOSOPHY IN ACTION Trader Pandas Homemade Muffins:

Each child chose an item to buy from the Food Bank’s

Enterprise for Good

suggested list. They walked to the store, selected

The Panda Class first explored the many uses for

their products, and even reviewed the list of ingredi-

apples in September for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish

ents to ensure they were making the healthiest

New Year). The apple muffins they baked were so deli-

choices. At self-checkout, each child scanned and

cious, they decided to sell them at the PJCC’s Farmer’s

bagged their items.

Market. Children and their teachers collaborated and

What began as a simple apple lesson developed

developed a “packaging and marketing plan” and then

organically and became a memorable experience

set up shop. The muffins were a huge hit and the

about the power of giving. Our skilled preschool

Pandas earned $200 from their efforts in enterprise!

teachers, trained to create a values-driven community,

Following a classroom conversation about gratitude

taught each Panda about her/his personal power to

and giving, the children made a conscious choice to

change the world.

invest their muffin profits to feed the hungry.

wellness your way

SM

The PJCC preschool is an integral part of our Jewish Community Center, providing children with unique experiences within the Center that nurture their growth. We focus on wellness through these core areas:

nourish Students make healthy choices about the foods they eat as they learn to respect and care for their growing bodies.

Regular visits to our Farmer’s Market allow our children to make their own healthy snack selections.

move Children enjoy our playground and outdoor spaces daily, aligned with the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Our physical education specialist presents fun and creative large motor skill activities, encouraging children to feel confident in their bodies.

engage Children are nurtured and supported through positive social interactions that are modeled in a warm and sensitive manner.

Children interact with peers and trusted adults within an engaging learning environment.

WELLNESS “As an educator myself, I know a strong program when I see one and the PJCC ECE is hands down the BEST program I have ever seen! We are very happy here!”

— PJCC Preschool Parent

“Our expectations were exceeded and we couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful preschool experience for our son.

Thank you for providing an exceptional education.”

— PJCC Preschool Parent

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS TINY TOTS: AGES 18 – 30 MONTHS This parent-child playgroup offers arts, crafts, storytime, songs, and Shabbat celebration with our littlest friends.

Parents stay with their child until the second birthday and through December to ensure a strong transition. Program runs two days per week. Teacher to child ratio 2:12.

K‘TON TON (LITTLE PEOPLE): AGES 2 – 3 Children enjoy a secure and caring environment where the process of separation from parents is supported.

Activities are designed for exploration with all five senses, emphasizing the experience and not the final product.

Toilet learning is incorporated into the program. Adult to child ratio 2:14. Program is available five days, three days or two days per week.

KESHET (RAINBOW): AGES 3 – 4 Children develop social and language skills as they engage with peers through a variety of interactive activities. Centers may include: art easel, dramatic play, blocks and manipulatives, sensory tables, books and music. Adult to child ratio 2:18. Program is available five days or three days per week.

KEE TOV (SOMETHING GOOD): AGES 4 – 5 Children engage in exciting multidisciplinary activities designed to develop problem-solving and conflictresolution skills as a foundation for successful transition to an academic program in the following year. To facilitate self-esteem and social competence, children are encouraged to begin to be self-sufficient, take initiative, and become increasingly independent. This class enjoys bi-monthly swimming lessons to further support gross motor development. Adult to child ratio 2:20. Program is available five days per week.

STAY AND PLAY: AGES 2 – 5 Based on the Bing model at Stanford University, this program offers fun-filled afternoons for children to explore the five basic learning materials: blocks, clay, paint, sand, and water in indoor and outdoor settings with support from dedicated teachers. A two-hour nap period is available. Program schedule options include: five days, three days or two days per week.

The PJCC Preschool offers a play-based early learning environment. Open ten months per year, five days per week from 7:30 am – 6:00 pm, the PJCC Preschool is licensed by the State of California through Community Care Licensing (license #414000829) to offer full and part-time day care services to young children ages two to five years.

To learn more about the PJCC Preschool, adults are invited to tour the award-winning Early Childhood Education Center. Learn about our exciting curriculum for children in this 60-minute presentation. Tours held monthly, please call 650.378.2670 to make a reservation.

Photography credits: Sharon Giordano

PJCC YOUR CENTER FOR LIFE

Peninsula Jewish Community Center 800 Foster City Blvd., Foster City, CA 94404 • 650.212.PJCC (7522) • www.pjcc.org A beneficiary agency of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties.