Thomas & Marjorie Schwartz
preschool centre
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Our child-directed program enables children to develop a variety of life skills including social, time management and problem-solving skills. Our JK program offers ongoing opportunities for your child to thrive and learn, preparing them for Senior Kindergarten. Through low teacher to children ratio and a program that has been carefully thought out both for social and academic growth, we are able to offer children an experience that will give them tools to assist them throughout their education.
We hope to inspire a journey, not a destination, that is not linear or prescriptive, and that reflects the ongoing evolution of a discipline. A central part of the process is our Sheva Learning Communities, in which our early childhood educators network with each other in dialogue over the core elements, exemplary practices, critical incidents, knots in their work and more.
Seven Core Elements of Sheva
The Sheva Early Learning Framework is coherent with the culture and teachings of Judaism in everyday life, values and principles. The Jewish lenses serve as a tool, a prism through which we overlay our traditions, our study, and our Jewish philosophy. The core elements are the fundamental components of our early childhood programs and are deeply rooted in the latest research on child development.
-
Children as Constructivist Learners
-
Early Childhood Directors as Visionaries
-
Early Childhood Educators as Professionals
-
Families as Engaged Partners
-
Environments as Inspiration for Inquiry
-
Discover CATCH (Coordinated Approach to Child Health) as Sh’mirat HaGuf (taking care of our bodies)
-
Israel as a Source and Resource
These lenses articulate our approach to our work. They inspire as much as they inform. Ideally, they are manifested daily in our centre: in the ways in which we structure our time, our curricula, and our classrooms; the quality of our relationships with our students, our faculties, our host institutions; and the partnerships we forge with the families in our communities. They improve and sharpen our vision, and enable us to see our world more clearly and in a particularly focused way. Judaism is not exclusively a matter of the “what” or “when” in the world of ritual and faith, but includes the deeper matters of the “how” and “why” of the totality of our lives and our relationships to the world as a whole. It welcomes diversity, inclusion, reflection, and innovation. For each lens, there is a Hebrew word that captures the essence of the lens, a literal translation of the Hebrew, and a more interpretive word or phrase, which illuminates our understanding of the core value within each category.
Although Sheva is based on Jewish lenses, the values that they portray are universal and inclusive to all.
OUR FACULTY
Our teaching staff is made up of both Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) and experienced Educational Assistants. Our educators are hired based on their experience, passion for children and their belief in our centre’s philosophy. They are all nurturing, warm and compassionate individuals with strong ethics and a commitment to professionalism.
A staff ratio of 1:8 (2 & 3-year-old rooms) and 1:10 (J.K. rooms) is strictly maintained in accordance with the Childcare and Early Years Act.
HOURS OF OPERATION
Our program runs daily from Monday to Friday from 9:00 am - 3:45 pm.
To accommodate families we also offer before and aftercare options.
Due to COVID-19, the school will end at 5:00 pm until further notice.
Classes follow a standard academic year, beginning in September and ending in June.
The school is closed for Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur, statutory holidays, winter break, and Passover.
REGISTER ONLINE
Returning students of the Preschool and Libbie Cowan Childcare Centre (and their siblings) will be given first priority of our available spots once registration opens for the following year. The remaining spots will be offered to children based on receipt of application and deposit. There can be a maximum number of children in each age group. This takes priority over admission request dates. Enrollment is for the full school year and no fee deductions will be made for temporary absences.
If you have any questions and/or are interested in touring our facilities, please fill out the contact form below.