Description of Our Classes

Young 2s (18 months by January 5)

This program was thoughtfully designed to meet the needs of young children, providing an opportunity for positive peer socialization in a group setting. With an intimate setting of two adults and just up to eight children, our separated Young 2s Class helps children learn to kindly interact with each other in a supportive and nurturing environment, and develop independence, confidence and communication skills. This class begins in January, and lays a foundation for a smooth transition into the ECC 2s program the following year. 

Children may attend 2 or 3 mornings a week,  9:30am -11:45am.

2’s Program (age 2 by December 1)

For many children, the 2s program is the first time they are in a classroom with their peers. Children learn to interact with each other in a supportive and nurturing environment laying a foundation for a smooth transition into a five-day a week 3s program the following year. Through play and modeling children learn to connect with others, create friendships and develop skills to communicate with adults other than their primary caregivers. These classes provide a happy learning environment that fosters confidence, independence and exploration.  The relationships that they build with their teachers and classmates aid with the process of separating from their parents or caregiver, while also fostering new friendships, relationships, and language development.

Children may attend 3 mornings a week or 5 mornings a week, Mondays through Fridays, from 9:15 am – 12pm.

3 Year Old’s Program (age 3 by December 1)

Children in the 3’s learn through engagement, experience and interaction. Children are encouraged to ask questions, experiment with new materials, solve problems and learn social skills. Cooperative and dramatic play, language enrichment, and positive social interaction are central to the program. The 3s program is filled with projects, activities, and explorations based on the interests of the children.  We encourage the children’s developing curiosity about their world and their enthusiasm for learning.  The role of the teachers is to guide the children through explorations and social interactions.

The school day consists of various activities including: free play, story time, morning meeting, snack, gross motor play, specials, and goodbye meeting. 

We introduce structured activities and discussions that are connected to the emergent curriculum through exposure to literature, cooking, science experiments, and games.  A variety of different books are read to the children and through this, language and ideas are developed and generated, resulting in rich discussions. 

The children learn about Judaic holidays through stories, cooking, and related projects.  They also participate in our school-wide mitzvah programs.

Mondays through Fridays, from 9:15 am – 12pm. All students are invited to stay for Lunch Bunch and Afternoon Adventure, which runs Mondays through Fridays from 12pm – 2pm. This program provides an opportunity for your child to delve into exciting educational opportunities after our morning school sessions each day.

4 Year Old’s Program (age 4 by December 1)

Our 4s program builds on the experiences from our 2s and 3s programs.  Emergent Curriculum, coupled with a clear working knowledge of the New York State Prekindergarten Foundation for the Common Core, enables us to ensure kindergarten readiness for our 4s students. Teachers guide the children through activities and social interactions and encourage their developing curiosity about their world and their enthusiasm for learning, emphasizing whole language immersion, problem solving, and cooperative learning experiences. 

Our 4s teachers provide rich experiences that allow the children to practice their ability to attend to and participate in group discussions, follow multi-step directions, and follow through with classroom routines and responsibilities.  The idea that children are part of a classroom community and with that comes specific responsibilities is something that each classroom works to help the children understand.

Within the emergent curriculum, the studies become more elaborate, last for longer periods of time, and incorporate kindergarten readiness skills.   We give our 4s students the confidence and experiences needed to make a smooth transition into a traditional kindergarten setting. 

Mondays through Fridays, from 9:15 am – 1pm. All students are invited to stay for Afternoon Adventure, which runs Mondays through Fridays from 1pm – 2:30pm. This program provides an opportunity for your child to delve into exciting educational opportunities after our morning school sessions each day.