Etz Hayim Preschool, Arlington

The Preschool at Congregation Etz Hayim is a thriving part of our congregational family. By way of our skilled teachers, excellent student-teacher ratio, and rich curricula, our youngest members are immersed in Judaism and make new friends. Your child will learn the traditions of Shabbat and other Jewish holidays, visit Israel as they learn about its culture with the guidance of well-traveled teachers, and take educational field tripsrecently the zoo and the supermarket. The children express themselves through art, music, drama, crafts, storytelling, and role-playing with a Jewish twist. The Preschool was created to offer the youngest members of our community the opportunity to engage in early learning experiences within a Jewish setting. We offer a traditional preschool curriculum in addition to teaching about Jewish heritage and customs. We enroll students in two-, three-, four-, and five-day classes, including an option for early drop off. A limited number of full time spaces are available for children ages 2 1/2 years and older attending school 5 days/week. Drop-in after care is available until 3pm on most school days. We are committed to helping each child develop emotionally, physically, socially, intellectually, and spiritually. Each child is appreciated for her or his uniqueness. Every action-packed weekday at our Preschool includes both structured learning and unstructured social time and play with other childrenboth inside and outside. Every family is connected to the curriculum and progress their child is making toward developmental goals with parent-teacher conferences, backpack mail, and e-mail as needed. The Preschool experience does not end in the classroom. Join our community at Tot Shabbats, Preschool Family Shabbat Services and dinners, puppet shows, Purim Carnival, and picnics. After-school enrichment programs in art, sports, and Jewish literacy make Congregation Etz Hayims Preschool the place to be. The sturdy foundation of Judaism constructed in our Preschool seamlessly supports our Religious School programwatch your children apply what they have learned en route to bar or bat mitzvah. Etz Hayim Preschool, founded in 1994, provides a nurturing educational environment for young children and their families, encouraging the incorporation of Jewish ideals and practices into their everyday lives. As part of a conservative synagogue, Congregation Etz Hayim, our curriculum is Torah-based. Classroom experiences include: Shabbat and holiday celebrations, lessons on mitzvot and tzedakah, and activities that focus on our school kehilla, community. We believe that children learn best while experiencing all aspects of the curriculum in a play-based, developmentally-appropriate classroom. Our teachers are trained to recognize those learning moments and guide your children to make the best of them. A portfolio of skill assessments, writing samples, anecdotal reports and photographs is documented for each child in the program. The progress of each child is observed and recorded, and teachers confer with parents on an ongoing basis.Preschool should be an experience that benefits the entire family. We count on parent involvement to make us more successful, welcoming parent volunteers in the classroom and on the preschool board. Parent education is a strong part of who we are. We feel that educating the parents in child development and Jewish practices will increase a family's comfort level in raising Jewish children.