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.  We off both a three-day and five-day program.

Hours

Before Care:  8:00-9:00 am

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

Regular Hours:  9:00-12:00

After Lunch Bunch:  1:00-3:00                                   

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.  The class meets three or five days a week.

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.  The class meets five mornings a week.

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.  The Kindergarten class meets five full days a week.

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.

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. The After Lunch Bunch class starts at 1:00 with lunch and ends at 3:00 PM, except for Friday, which ends at 2:30 PM. Children may participate from one to five days a week.

Sandcastle Club 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. Parents can enroll their children for 3-5 days a week for a full or half day.  Before and after-care is available during summer camp for all ages.

Hours

2-3 yr olds:  9:30-12:00 with optional lunch 12:00-1:00

4-5 yr olds:  9:30-1:00

*** Registration for the 2008 Summer is now open. Please contact Amy Olsen at 973-627-4500. 

Before and After Care is available during the school year and while summer camp is in session.

For more information and a tour of our School, please contact Amy Olsen, Head Teacher at 973-627-4500.

July Message from Amy Olsen, Head Teacher

Wow! What a year! It is hard to believe it is summer already. We spent the last month making crafts for Shavuot and of course our very special Father’s Day gifts.

I want to begin by saying thank you to the board for giving me the opportunity to run the Nursery School this year. It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed every minute of it.  Coming in every morning and seeing the children’s smiling faces made it all worthwhile. I feel that we had a very successful school year, and I plan on continuing that success this summer in the Sandcastle Club as well as in the fall for the 2008/2009 school year.  

I would also like to thank our PTO. They have really gone above and beyond this year in raising money to help with the playground renovations, special treats for our students, and a wonderful luncheon for our staff. They are an incredible group of parents, and I want them to know how appreciated they are and thank them for sharing their children with us.  

Lastly, I would like to thank my staff, Mrs. Barbara Rosen, Miss Judith Kovar, Miss Val MacLeod and Miss Michele Beckman. Without this wonderful staff we truly could not have had such a great year. They are an incredible group of ladies who always step up to the plate when needed. I also want to thank Marissa Cohen and Jodi Salant who worked our after-care program. They did a terrific job with our students. 

Congratulations to our Busy Bee Pre-K Graduates: Rebecca Stocknoff, Lindsay Goldberg-Custer, Alana Isaac, Benjamin Lieberman, Harry Goldstein and Ronen Adler. We wish you all the luck in your new schools! We’ll miss you all!

From the Nursery School Staff, we hope you all have a safe and enjoyable summer. We’ll see you at the Sandcastle Club.

Amy Olsen
Director

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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

Parent Teacher Organization

The Parent Teacher Organization sponsors events that include Tot Shabbat, Saturday evening babysitting, Judaic book fairs, workshops, Ladies Night (Vendor Fair) and other holiday celebrations.