At Temple Sinai Nursery School (TSNS), we offer an NAEYC-accredited preschool program and age appropriate opportunities for children to grow socially, emotionally, physically, cognitively, and spiritually.
We welcome your interest and would be pleased to answer any questions about our pre-school program and related activities.
A school calendar and items "of note" appear below. To learn more about TSNS, please call our office at 202-362-3836 .
We also invite you to read our policies and educational philosophy (below) and visit our Summer Camp.
If no one is available in the TSNS office at the time of your call, you may email us or call the Temple Front Office (202-363-6394) for further information and hours of operation.
Transitional Kindergarten Garin (Seeds) - Mon-Thurs - 9:15 am - 2:15 pm and Friday - 9:15 am – 12:15 pm
CLOSINGS
The following is the snow closing policy of Temple Sinai Nursery School. It is based on concern for the safety of both children and staff, many of whom travel a long distance. Under extenuating circumstances, the TSNS Director, in coordination with the Temple Executive Director, may choose to deviate from the regular snow policy. In this event, parents will be notified as early as possible via the telephone tree.
TSNS CLOSING POLICY: If DC or Montgomery County public schools are closed, TSNS is closed.
TSNS DELAYED OPENINGS: If Montgomery County and/or DC public schools have a delayed opening, TSNS will open at 10:00 AM (except that Boker Birds – our early drop-off program – will meet at 8:45 AM).
• In case of delayed opening, Koala Bear, Barvazim K’tanim, and Polar Bear classes will be extended 30 minutes, and these students should be picked up at 12:15 PM.
FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS: (1) Check local TV and radio stations, including WTOP; (2) Call the Nursery School at 202-362-3836; and (3) visit the Temple homepage and check for emails. (Click here for Religious School closing information.)
TSNS CALENDAR
September 2008
Mon, September 1 Labor Day - TSNS Closed
Tues-Thurs, September 2-4 Staff Orientation
Fri, September 5 Open House (11:00 a.m.-Noon) for 3-day and 5-day classes
Mon, September 8 First Day of School for 3-day and 5-day classes (follow transition schedule)
Tues, September 9 Ready, Set, Go for 2-day classes
Thurs, September 11 First day of school for 2-day children (follow transition schedule)
Tues, September 16 Discovery & Rainbow Programs Begin
Week of September 22 4th Day Option Program Begins for Bullfrogs and Barvazim G’dolim
Wed, September 24 New Families- Bagels with Director (Time to be announced)
Thurs, September 25 New Families- Bagels with Director (Time to be announced)
Fri, September 26 First Family Shabbat Sing
Sat, September 27 Family Fall Holiday Festival
Mon, September 29 Erev Rosh Hashanah – No Afternoon Programming (Garin dismissed at 12:15 pm)
Tues, September 30 Rosh Hashanah – TSNS Closed
October 2008
Thurs, October 2 Parents Evening “Back to School Night” - No Afternoon Programming. All students – including Garin - dismissed at 12:15 pm
Wed, October 8 Kol Nidre- No Afternoon Programming. All students – including Garin - dismissed at 12:15 pm
Thurs, October 9 Yom Kippur – TSNS Closed
Tues, October 14 Sukkot – TSNS Closed
Tues, October 21 Simchat Torah - TSNS Closed
Tues, October 28 Book Fair at Barnes & Noble, Bethesda, MD (PJ Party at B&N in the evening)
November 2008
Fri, November 7 NAEYC Annual Conference/Staff Professional Development Day - TSNS Closed
Wed-Fri, November 26-28 Thanksgiving- TSNS Closed
December 2008
Sun, December 7 Winter Concert (Time to be announced)
Mon, December 8 Early Dismissal at 11:45 a.m. for All Students - including Garin - for Staff Professional Development
Thurs, December 11 Conferences for 2-day Classes - School Closed for Tuesday/Thursday Classes
Fri, December 12 Conferences for 3-day & 5-day Classes- TSNS Closed for All Children
Fri, December 19 Family Hannukah Party (11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.)
Wed, December 24- Winter Break- TSNS Closed
Fri, Jan 2, 2009
January 2009
Mon, January 5 Teacher Set Up and Staff Professional Development Day – TSNS Closed
Tues, January 6 Classes Resume
Mon, January 19 Martin Luther King Day - TSNS Closed
February 2009
Wed, Feb 4 Staff Professional Development Day - TSNS Closed
Fri-Mon, February 13-16 Presidents Weekend - TSNS Closed
March 2009
Thurs, March 5 PJLL Annual Early Childhood Education Conference – TSNS Closed
Tues, March 10 & Wed, Mar 11 Purim Parades
Wed, March 18 & Thurs, Mar 19 Special Visitors Days
April 2009
Fri, April 3 Model Seder
Mon-Mon, April 6-April 13 Spring Break – TSNS Closed
Tues, April 14 Classes Resume
Wed, April 15 Last Day of Passover – TSNS Closed
Sat, April 25 Spring Auction
TBD Picture Days
May 2009
Mon, May 11 Early Dismissal at 11:45 for All Students - including Garin - for Staff Professional Development
Thurs, May 14 Conferences for 2-Day Classes- School Closed for Tuesday/Thursday Classes
Fri, May 15 Conferences for 3-Day & 5-Day Classes- TSNS Closed for All Children
Mon, May 25 Memorial Day- TSNS Closed
Fri, May 29 Shavuot – TSNS Closed June 2009
Tues, June 2 Last day of P.M. Enrichment
Wed, June 3 Last day of school. Dismissal at 11:45 a.m. for All Students - including Garin
Please join us for our annual Temple Sinai Nursery School Winter Concert.
This year, the Nursery School is delighted to feature the highly acclaimed African Children's Performers, Anansegromma (pronounced AH NON SEH GROMMA).
Tickets are $8 per person in advance/$10 at the door. Grandparents and children under 2 are welcome to join us free of charge.
For advance reservations, please call the Temple office and leave your names, # attending, and contact information. You will be able to pay at the door.
Please arrive no later than 10:10 AM to pick up your tickets. For more information, please contact Robin Gellman at robingellman@yahoo.com.
ANNUAL NURSERY SCHOOL BOOK FAIR!
The Nursery School will be having its annual book fair at Barnes & Noble in Bethesda (4801 Bethesda Ave.) on October 16-17, 2008.
This is a great way to make a contribution to our wonderful Nursery School and get those books, DVDs, CDs, and anything else at Barnes & Noble that you've wanted.
Also, it's the perfect opportunity to stock up on gifts for the birthdays or Chanukah!
The Nursery School will get a portion of each sale on anything purchased in the store, other than gift cards & food from the cafe; just pick up one of the vouchers near the register and tell the cashier you're with Temple Sinai Nursery School.
TEMPLE SINAI NURSERY SCHOOL AUCTION & FUNDRAISER!
Please join us for the annual TSNS Spring Auction - the largest school fundraiser and community event of the year. This is a very successful & enjoyable evening, and the entire Temple Sinai community is encouraged and invited to attend.
Perfect for B'Nai Mitzvah, Announcements & Other Special Events ...
Temple Sinai Sisterhood can help with invitations, stationery & much more.
See flyer below & Related Items->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
We are proud to be an NAEYC accredited Nursery School.
In 1992, TempleSinaiNursery School opened its doors to a few dozen students in three classes. As of September 2007, 150 young children – some of whose brothers and sisters paved the way for them years before and others who were introduced to the school by their parents who are now TSNS teachers – will walk through the glass doors into 13 classrooms at Temple Sinai.
Each room provides a place for growth and development during these magical years, not only for the first class of children who are now heading off to their first year of college, but also for the assistants who are now senior teachers and the interns turned experts in this special field of education. Our 15 years of success and our renewed accreditation reflect the brilliant efforts and hard work of the teachers, and reveals something more intrinsic and difficult to articulate: the unique blend of learning and playing that our magical children embark upon during the first, most memorable steps of their early childhood education. None of this would have been possible without the unwavering effort and support of our parent community and its leaders. We look forward to seeing this incoming class throw off their graduation hats years from now as they too grow up and go off to embark on the next step of their lives.
N.A.E.Y.C. ACCREDITATION AND B.J.E. COMMENDATION
TempleSinaiNursery School has achieved accreditation by the N.A.E.Y.C. for the third time in the history of the school.On July 31, after a year-long self study process, we were congratulated by the Academy for being one of the first programs in the country to earn the mark of quality represented by the reinvented N.A.E.Y.C. accreditation system. N.A.E.Y.C. accreditation is a rigorous, voluntary process by which early childhood programs demonstrate that they meet national standards of excellence. TSNS has gone through a similar accreditation process through the Board of Jewish Education called the “Community Program in Jewish Education for Early Childhood Centers”. We are proud to have been awarded a Certificate of Commendation in Jewish Education. This award is in recognition of the school’ compliance with the Board’s exacting standards for high quality Jewish early learning programs.
ABOUT OUR PHILOSOPHY
The philosophy of the school is based on the theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Erikson, Gardner and the Bank Street Model. Through gentle facilitation, attention to individual needs and respect for unique learning styles our children grow in self confidence and in the ability to relate to one another. They develop curiosity and learn to experience the world in an expansive way. Planning is based on our understanding of the developmental characteristics of young children. We believe that play is the primary vehicle through which learning progresses in the early years. Sensitivity to the needs of parents of young children always underpins our efforts. In addition to providing an excellent developmentally appropriate secular curriculum, we take pride in helping parents foster a positive sense of Jewish identity for their children. Parents are involved in the daily life of the program and take leadership roles in the Nursery School community.
FACULTY
We have an extraordinary group of early childhood educators who guide the children through their nursery school experience. Our teachers have years of experience in a variety of school settings and bring a myriad of talent, culture and skills to our program. Nearly half of our staff hold Masters Degrees in Education or related fields. Specialists from the Center for Outreach in Education (C.O.R.E.) are adjunct faculty. They provide in service training for teachers and make observations and consultations around individual children. In addition, Dr. Lisa Happ, Clinical Psychologist and Chair of our Nursery School Committee, volunteers time away from her private practice to be an ongoing and vital resource to our staff. All of our teachers participate in ongoing professional development both on site and at conferences and workshops nationwide.
PARENT COMMUNITY
The TSNS Parents Association is a vital part of our school and the main vehicle through which we receive support and help with the many events that help build our community. The Parents Association plans and coordinates fund-raising activities such as our Book Fair and Spring Auction which provide a great opportunity for parents to get to know one another, along with donating services that truly support the school. All-school events such as our Family Hanukah Party, Model Seder and Special Visitors Day are just some of the community get-togethers planned each year. The Parents Association’s Tzedakah committee coordinates projects that in the past have included baking and donating pies to the Whitman-Walker Clinic at Thanksgiving, collecting new and used books and toys for Bright Beginnings and Sinai House and creating tote bags filled with toiletries and stuffed animals for children moving through the Montgomery County, Maryland foster care system. These school wide efforts help even our youngest children learn how much can be done to help those in need.
AGES SERVED
Our morningNursery School program includes children ranging in age from 24 months to five years old. In the afternoons, our creative enrichment programs provide opportunities for age-appropriate exploration in the areas of math, language arts, and the sciences to members of the older classes.
WELCOMING THE COMMUNITY
We welcome Temple members and friends in the community to visit our programs. Weekly admission tours for the following school year are held beginning mid-October. Every Friday at 11:40 a.m. our school community gathers in the Bet Am for a special Shabbat Sing led by our music specialist. We hope you will visit!
