I know that it is still winter, but it is time to start thinking about Summer Camp as well as school for September of 2012. Packets will be going home by the beginning of March for camp and school shortly after. If you know anyone who is looking for a terrific summer program and/or school for their child, please give them my name and number. We will be offering DISCOUNTS to families who recommend others who join as well as GROUP DISCOUNTS. Please give me a call for more information. We are also looking to bring back our Mommy & Me program for Moms with babies through two years of age. If you are interested or know anyone who may be, again please let me know. Any and all feedback on such a program would be greatly appreciated. Our school and camp programs are like no other program around. There is a small student/teacher ratio, and a family feeling, that are two huge benefits for any child. When our students enter the Public School System, the teachers always say that they can tell who came from OUR school. That is a huge compliment! Please help us by referring families to our school. Although we are looking to enlarge our classes, we will always keep the low ratios as well as that family feeling!

On the fundraising front, I would once again like to thank everyone who helped make our last two fundraisers a success. There are still Kidstuff books available in the front office if anyone is interested, and we will be starting our Passover Candy sale in another week or two. Any orders will need to be returned to the Nursery School by Friday, February 17. If everyone orders just one item it will help to make our fundraiser a huge success! On behalf of the Nursery School, I would like to say Thank You in advance to those of you who will support us! White Meadow Temple is a family, and it is nice when we all pitch in to help each other out!

Thanks again and Shalom!
Amy P. Olsen, Director
Nursery School & Sandcastle Club

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January 2012

Winter came and with winter comes the favorite Holiday of Chanukah! The students were so busy preparing their Chanukah projects and decorating the classrooms. If you walk down the Nursery School hallways, you can check out our fabulous menorah which the students created out of fake snow and snowmen. It is truly a masterpiece which they enjoyed creating. The students also created their very own keepsake menorahs. They brought them home to use with their families along with a paper plate menorah to which they were able to add a candle with Velcro for each night, Chanukkah picture frames and a terrific "flip the latke into the frying pan game" as well.

We celebrated the holiday with our Nursery School Families at our "Chanukah sing-along." The students were dressed in costume and sang some terrific Chanukah songs to entertain the crowd. We ended the sing-along by lighting the Menorah together and singing the appropriate blessings. We finished off with home-made Latkes (made by the students) and some jelly donuts to celebrate the miracle of the oil.

On behalf of the Nursery School I would like to send out a big THANK YOU to everyone who supported us by taking part in our two fundraisers. They were both very successful. Keep your ears and eyes open for the Passover candy sale coming soon! A big Thank You goes out to Jessica Kritz for organizing and running the cookie dough fundraiser for our school. Your help is GREATLY appreciated.

From our Nursery School Family to your families, we hope you all had a terrific Chanukah and will all have a terrific New Year!!!!

Shalom,
Amy P. Olsen

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December 2011 Message

The months keep flying by here at White Meadow Temple Nursery School. We have been having so much fun with our fall crafts and learning that we almost forgot about Thanksgiving. We have been very busy preparing decorations, songs and of course food for our Thanksgiving Get Together with our families. It was a great day and everyone enjoyed themselves. It was nice to be able to share some time with all of our Nursery School families.

Thank you to everyone who helped by sending in items for us to prepare. We are all looking forward to a terrific winter filled with lots of learning and fun and Chanukah of course!!

Our KidStuff Book and cookie dough fundraiser is still going on, so if you have not yet sent in your orders, please do so ASAP. All the money raised is going o benefit the Nursery School and all of our students. There are extra KidStuff books in the front office as well if you would like to purchase one. This year the books are not just for kids! There are grocery coupons, including Shoprite, as well as a bunch of other frequently visited stores in the area. Thanks to those of you who have already supported our school! We hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends and wish you all a very Happy Chanukah!

Amy Olsen, Director

November 2011 Early Childhood Message

Another month has flown by. The students have all been so busy welcoming the fall as well as celebrating all of the fall holidays. They have made several craft projects from apples and honey plates for Rosh Hashanah, Jonah and the Whale for Yom Kippur, fruit decorations for the Sukkah for Sukkot to Torahs which the students marched with on Simchat Torah. As always, if you take a walk down the Nursery School hallway you will be able to view all of these great crafts. As the leaves continue to fall, the students will put their imaginations to the test and create some great projects using things they find in nature. Please keep your eyes open for these terrific creations.

As most of you are aware, I have been out for a few weeks due to foot surgery. I would like to send out a huge THANK YOU to my staff for covering for me and keeping school running smoothly. Once again, they have stepped up to the plate and I couldn’t have wished for a better group of teachers. Thank you Barbara Rosen, Val MacLeod and Judith Kovar. I would also like to thank the following people for helping out my staff by substituting and helping in the classrooms in my absence. Thank you to Suzanne Cohen, Michele Schoenberg, Ronni Lissner, Maura Rothbart, Sandy Bernoff and Heather Schweizer. You guys were terrific!

REMEMBER: If you know anyone who is looking for a terrific, loving environment for their child, please give them my name and number. You will receive FREE registration if you refer someone who registers their child.

On behalf of the staff and students of the White Meadow Temple Nursery School I would like to wish you all a Happy Fall Season!

Amy Olsen, Director
973-627-2511
nurseryschool@whitemeadowtemple.org

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Helpful Resources

2011-2012 Early Childhood Registration Form
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What Parents Say...

"I love the tender loving care from the staff and the interaction we have. There is a sense of community."  - Denise Schlachter

"The teachers show genuine affection towards the children. They understand that the children are individuals that develop at different rates and give them room to be themselves." - Kristine Papa

"My daughter has grown and learned so much...this program is one of learning and development. I plan to continue at White Meadow Temple through Kindergarten."  - Marina Frid

"Both my boys are accelerated in their public school grades; we believe it is because they had a great foundation from White Meadow Temple Nursery and Kindergarten." - Sharon Purzak

"I have seen tremendous growth in my Pre-K child. I am always amazed by what she learns each day. The small classes have enabled my children to get individualized attention and to have a voice within their classroom." - Jennifer Miller

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About Our Early Childhood Education Program

White Meadow Temple Nursery and Kindergarten offers a developmentally appropriate, educational program for children ages 2-5. Our safe and secure facilities include bright, colorful classrooms, a large indoor playroom, and a fenced-in outdoor playground with a large sandbox.  Programs include:

Me and My Shadow is designed for our youngest children ages 13-23 months.  This program provides an introduction to group activities, a chance to play with peers, and the opportunity to experience a relaxed, informal preschool setting with a special caregiver -- mom, dad, grandparent or babysitter.  The class meets weekly for an hour and a quarter and runs for 10 sessions.

Two-Year-Old Class gives the children an opportunity to experience their growing independence and learn socialization skills. Through play, children explore and learn about their environment in the most natural way. Classes are kept small to allow teachers to facilitate student discovery. Jewish holidays are introduced as a multi-sensory experience. 

Days: 3 and 5 day programs -- full and half days available

Hours: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM or 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Before Care: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

After Care:  3:00 PM -5:30 PM Monday-Thursday and Friday:  3:00-? (depending on sundown) 

Three-Year-Old Class is made up of familiar and predictable routines that give children the confidence to explore independently and to discover and learn through play. In this safe and nurturing environment, teachers act as a guide, extending the child's thinking and setting reasonable limits for behavior to help children develop a sense of self-discipline. 

Days: 3 or 5 days a week -- full and half days available
Hours: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM or 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Before Care: 8:00 - 9:00 AM

After Care:  3:00-5:30 pm Monday-Thursday and Friday:  3:00-? (depending on sundown) 

Pre-Kindergarten emphasizes a curriculum that focuses on activities which develop pre-reading, math and writing readiness skills. Since a child's world is exploding with possibility at this age, the lessons are taught through music, art, movement, drama and a variety of hands-on activities. 

Days: 5 mornings a week

Hours: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Before Care: 8:00 - 9:00 AM

After Care:  3:00-5:30 pm Monday-Thursday and Friday:  3:00-? (depending on sundown) 

Afternoon Kindergarten Enrichment provides an opportunity for morning public school Kindergarten students to join us for lunch and participate in our afternoon of special programs: cooking, fine arts, art history, physical education, and computer education. Bussing may be available from local schools.

Days: 5 days a week

Hours: 1:00-3:00 PM

Kindergarten is a full-day class accredited by the State of New Jersey. Academics are generally taught in the morning when students are better able to focus and concentrate. Subjects include language arts, Hebrew, mathematics, science and social studies. After lunch and recess, the children enjoy special programs such as computers, fine art, art history, physical education and music. The Kindergarten class maintains an excellent staff/student ratio which enables children to move at their own page. Teachers are able to work in small groups, helping to facilitate mastery of each subject. 

Days: 5 full days a week

Hours: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Before Care: 8:00 - 9:00 AM

After Care:  3:00-5:30 pm Monday-Thursday and Friday:  3:00-? (depending on sundown)

Lunch is offered to the Three-Year-Old Class and Pre-Kindergarten Class five days a week. Children enjoy a dairy lunch brought from home and a supervised playtime until 1:00 PM.  Special pizza lunches are also offered throughout the year.

After Lunch Bunch (ALB) is an extended day enrichment program for the Three-Year-Old Class and Pre-Kindergarten Class. Each afternoon focuses on a special activity to enhance a child's view of the world. Programs reflect parents' and children's evolving needs and have included foreign language, computers, gymnastics, science, classic literature, cooking, dance and music education.

Days:  1 - 5 days a week

Hours: 1:00 PM (with lunch) - 3:00 PM (except Friday, which ends at 2:30 PM)

After Care:  3:00-5:30 pm Monday-Thursday and Friday:  3:00-? (depending on sundown)

Register now for the 2010/2011 school year.  For more information and a tour of our School, please contact Amy Olsen, Director, at 973-627-2511.

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SUMMER CAMP

Sandcastle Club Camp is a 7-week summer camp program for children ages 2-5. The camp features a fun-filled summer with "theme days," sports programs, swim lessons and water play with certified lifeguards in our above-ground pool. Other daily programs include arts and crafts, music, and storytelling. Creative projects and special events complement weekly themes and good old fashioned fun.
Days:  3 - 5 days a week -- full or half day

Hours: 9:30 -- 3:00 PM

Before Care: 8:00 - 9:00 AM

After Care:  3:00-5:30 pm Monday-Thursday and Friday:  3:00-? (depending on sundown)
Register today!