CORE PROGRAMs
Our play-centered, developmentally appropriate programs are designed to meet, and in most cases, exceed Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood as published by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services. This includes state-mandated teacher to child ratios. Starting in September 2024, The ECC will be implementing The Creative Curriculum, Teaching Strategies. The Creative Curriculum builds on children's confidence, creativity, and critical thinking skills through hands-on, project-based investigations.
All children are required to be up-to-date with immunization for all common childhood diseases. As there have been hundreds of measles outbreaks across the country, we must currently exclude all children from our programs who are not fully immunized according to the immunization schedules recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. We are not currently serving any hot meals or purchasing and serving snacks. We can, however, heat up your child's lunch in a microwave should it need to be re-heated.
Programs for children Age 18 months through Pre-Kindergarten
At Temple Beth Hillel Beth El, we currently offer all programs 5-days per week only, Full Day from 8:15 am - 3:15 pm (morning academic period is until 12 pm and the afternoon is napping for those children who still need to nap), Half Day is for ages 18 months through our 3-year-old classes from 8:15 am - 12:15 pm, or 5 Full Days. Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten are 5 Full Days only from 8:15 am - 3:15 pm.
Early Care Monday - Friday | 7:30 am - 8:15 am
Late Care Monday - Friday | until 6:00 pm
INFANTS
For children 3 to 12 months
With an adult to child ratio of 1 to 3 during the full day, our infants receive individualized and loving care from trained caregivers. Infants need to be held, read to and sung to. They also need time to develop strong upper body muscles before they can learn to crawl and walk. All activities throughout the day are designed to help your child reach all developmental milestones. Our program was created with the latest research in mind to help brain development, promote social and emotional growth, and ensure your child’s health and safety. You will receive a log of your child’s feeding, sleeping, diapering and learning activities every day. At this time we do not offer hot food service for this age group. Pre-packed snacks and lunches brought from home are kept refrigerated and can be reheated if necessary.
Infants can be enrolled for 5 full days per week.
YOUNG TODDLERS
For children 12 to 18 months
Young toddlers want to explore everything and go everywhere. Our teachers guide and nurture your child’s natural curiosity and need for hands-on learning in our carefully prepared and developmentally appropriate environment. The 12-month-old classroom offers plenty of opportunities for exploration and excitement as well as language and gross motor development. Activities are designed with the latest research in mind to help brain development, promote social and emotional growth, and ensure your child’s health and safety. You will receive a log of your child’s feeding, sleeping, diapering and learning activities every day. At this time we do not offer hot food service for this age group. Pre-packed snacks and lunches brought from home are kept refrigerated and can be reheated if necessary. Young Toddlers can enroll for 5 full days per week.
TODDLERS
For children 18 months (by September 1st)
18-month-olds are energetic and inquisitive while asserting their independence. These children are beginning to talk and develop critical social skills. A language-rich environment helps them grow vocabulary and practice their new skills with friends. Our teachers are trained, professional early childhood educators who will help your child meet the key milestones of each important developmental stage. Each classroom experience is designed with activities to build on and enhance your child’s intellectual abilities. Your child will participate in a range of experiences that are both teacher-lead and child-initiated. Toddlers may enroll 5 half days or 5 full days.
2-YEAR-OLDS
For children 2 years old (by September 1st)
Two year olds like to be independent. They love the words “no,” “mine” and “I do.” Our play-centered curriculum allows for them to use their new-found independence in an environment that provides safety, freedom within boundaries, individual attention, enrichment and social-emotional support. Social skill development is a large component of acquiring language. Our 2 year olds attend music and art classes, in addition to weekly Shabbat services and special holiday celebrations. Your two year old may enroll for 5 half days or 5 full days.
3-YEAR-OLDS
For children 3 years old (by September 1st)
Three year old children are moving out of babyhood and into childhood. They love to play and enjoy physical activity. They are starting to spend less time parallel playing and more time playing together with a group of friends. 3-year-olds have rich imaginations, as seen in dramatic play and artistic
endeavors. This is the year when our social-emotional “Getting to Know You” curriculum can really be seen in action. Our teachers use child-initiated play to help children develop early academic skills within a socially and emotionally positive environment. Our 3-year-olds attend weekly music an art classes in addition to Shabbat services and holiday celebrations. Three year olds may enroll for may enroll for 5 half days or 5 full days.
PRE-KINDERGARTEN
For children 4 years old (by September 1st)
Pre-Kindergarten students are getting ready for kindergarten! What does that mean? At Temple Beth Hillel’s Early Childhood Center it means following standards for developmentally appropriate practice as defined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Pennsylvania Learning Standards of Education for Pre-Kindergarten. Additionally, our academic goals are in alignment with the Common Core State Standards Initiative. Interwoven throughout our program is the basic belief that play is the work of children. In preparing your child for kindergarten, we focus on early literacy and mathematical skills, logical thinking and problem solving, sensory exploration, observation and classification, community awareness, social-emotional development, art and creativity, physical development, and independence and self reliance. All of these, and other necessary skills needed for success in kindergarten, are developed in our Pre-K program. What sets Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El’s Early Childhood Center apart is our philosophy that children need to develop intrinsic self-motivation and perseverance as directors of their own learning. Through experiences that elicit questions, inspire individual investigations and foster creative problem solving, our children begin to see themselves as life-long learners. Pre-Kindergarten is a 5 full-day-per-week program.
KINDERGARTEN
For children 5 years old (by September 1st)
Our Kindergarten program is 5 full days per week, from 8:15 am to 3:15 pm, with the option for Late Care to 6 pm. Kindergarten at Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El’s Early Childhood Center follows the standards for developmentally appropriate practice as defined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Pennsylvania Learning Standards of Education for Kindergarten. Our curriculum has been designed to correlate with the Kindergarten curriculum of the Lower Merion School District. Our students use the same math, reading and writing textbooks as their public school counterparts. Students graduating from our kindergarten program are well prepared for first grade in any of the surrounding suburban districts or private schools.
Unlike the Common Core Initiative, which focuses mostly on academics, Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El’s Early Childhood Center focuses on the whole child—we believe that social-emotional competencies and development are equally important as academic skills. What sets our program apart is a philosophy that young children need teachers who will provide play and academic experiences that elicit questions, inspire individual investigations, and foster creative problem solving so that our children see themselves as confident and competent life-long learners.