New Temple Emanuel Nursery School Feedback???

[Anonymous]

We were curious to hear what the new Temple Emanuel Nursery School is like in Kensington? Are people happy with it? We're thinking of it for next year and were curious. We'd be doing the morning 2 year old class. Are the full day and 1/2 day classes separate or mixed?

Thanks for any feedback!

[Anonymous]

Not OP but I'm curious too. I have only heard general comments that the director is wonderful but nothing specific.

[Anonymous]

Also OP but interested in any feedback on Temple Emanuel.

[Anonymous]

We have two kids there. We are very happy with the school. Our kids are there full-day. I would say about half the school is there half-day, but each "grade" has a different mix of full/half-day. You can have pick up at 1, 3 or 6. (and if you sign up for 6 you can obviously come earlier if you want).

The kids are not separated by full and half day. There are two 2 year old classses- a younger twos and an older twos. There is one 3 year old class and one 4/5 year old class. The teacher/student ratios are great. For example, the 4s/5s have 21 kids and 4 teachers. All of the teachers have college degrees.

We are very happy so far.

[Anonymous]

Also (i am the most recent poster again) the younger 2s are almost all picked up by 1:00 (there are only 2 younger twos who stay full-day, they are taken out of the classroom to nap with the other 2s class before the other younger twos are picked up).

[Anonymous]

I was the original poster. Glad to hear it's working out. I'll have an older 2 in September. We're going to apply for next school year there and Ohr Kodesh. We love the Tot Shabbat service there.

Is it disruptive at all with so many kids leaving early? We've only had a nanny and never done daycare. Is the afternoon a continuation of the morning or different activities? Do they nap after the 1 o'clock kids leave for a while? I know at Ohr Kodesh the partial/full day programs are totally separate.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like it might be chaotic but I really don't think it is. The school is not very big. and they have come up with ways to make the transition (to home or to staying for nap, end of the day) easier. Most of the teachers are full day so it's really just a question of certain children (about half) leaving early.

I know that for the fours/fives, the teachers have come up with some sort of a transition time activity (I think it's a book) and that has eased the transition. For the younger kids, the ones that are staying are taken out of the room to go to nap before the kids leaving actually leave.

My kids have had absolutely no problem adjusting to the idea that some people leave earlier than others. Honestly, they like the school so much that they don't want to leave early. And my younger one is very ready to nap at 1 and so is happy to go nap.

The curriculum is the same all day --there are just fewer kids there in the afternoon.

Ihope that my message isn't making it sound more confusing than it actually is....it really seems to be run extremely smoothly. I am very impressed that all of the teachers are true educators with college degrees who take their jobs very seriously (we have been at other schools and this is not the case everywhere).

[Anonymous]

Regarding nap, the kids that are staying to nap start their nap at around 1 and the wakeup time varies by the child (the 4s/5s also have rest period but few of them actually sleep).

[Anonymous]

[/ We're going to apply for next school year there and Ohr Kodesh.

Just curious, if you're applying to these two, then why not Temple Sinai?

[Anonymous]

Temple Sinai is too far away - but I heard it's great. We live a lot closer to Ohr Kodesh and Temple Emanuel

[Anonymous]

Hi, can the 11/3 poster with kids at Temple Emanuel give more specifics about why they like it?

For example, how are the teachers? Are the children happy and learning things? How is the school's organization? Any specifics would be helpful.

[Anonymous]

I was the PP with 2 kids and I'd be happy to answer any specific questions.

All of the teachers have college degrees- there are no assistant teachers, all of the teachers are very qualified. They are also all very warm and quick to give us feedback. We have had experiences with all of the teachers. There is a full time art studio and full time art teacher. The kids rotate in there so there are only a couple of kids in there at a time (they also have art in the classroom). They do not do cut and paste type art. They are weaving and using wire and real clay. They are not just putting together something the teacher has already done for them. In the older class, they are studying animals right now and doing it in a very sophisticated way. They are learning to group the animals and my 4 year old speaks about "mammals", etc. Each child is writing a book about an animal that he chose. The teachers help them research the animal with the computer and reference book. They are learning to sketch what they see and writing, etc. The student/teacher ratio is excellent- for the fours/fives it is one/five kids. (again, all teachers, not assistants). For the twos, it is about the same or even less (one/three or four), though the threes are a little bigger- maybe one/six or seven kids.

I really like the curriculum- it seems very age appropriate. It is really a school and not a daycare. They engage in interesting activities every day, while still having free play time.

[Anonymous]

Just saw that you asked about happiness. My two year old LOVES it and is disappointed when it is not a school day. I think that my four year old is thriving too, but has a different personality. I see very happy kids.

Also, the school sends a daily email about what they did that day and the teachers send us pictures via the computer every week. We have a very good sense of what they are doing and how happy they are from the pictures.

[Anonymous]

Thank you!
I'd love to move my 3 year old for next year, but she already has very good friends at her current school. But this is where I hope to send my infant when she turns 2!

[Anonymous]

I can understand not moving for the last year of preschool. But I have to say that due to various circumstances my older child has essentially attended three different schools, is a slow to adapt kid in general, and has adapted amazingly well.