Shoresh Preschool welcomes children of all religions, races, and family styles. Our student body comes from Bloomfield, Glen Ridge, Montclair and surrounding communities attending our program. Individualized attention and the ability to provide a nurturing safe environment is made possible by our small class sizes and low teacher /student ratio. Our highly qualified and experienced teachers and assistants love what they do and understand the developmental needs of the children they teach. This allows each child to develop at their own rate in a comfortable and nurturing environment.
Our preschool classes begin at age 2 and continue through age 5. We also offer Parent/Child classes for ages 15 months through 23 months. These classes cater to our youngest population and provide age appropriate activities that will transition the children into our two year old program.
Our curriculum is play based. It is through play that children strengthen and develop their social emotional skills, which is essential for learning. It is through play that children develop early literacy skills, number concepts and cognitive skills, in a warm and nurturing setting. The curriculum also includes art, music, movement, cooking, science and nature. Children learn best through play and exploration of their environment. Through hands-on learning experiences the children become active, curious and creative learners. Judaism is integrated throughout our program. We celebrate the Jewish holidays and we come together as a school on Fridays to celebrate Shabbat. We encourage the development of a positive Jewish identity and Jewish values, helping others. We are inclusive and welcoming of children in all faiths and backgrounds in our program.
Shoresh's Virtual Learning Offerings
As remote learning has become the new reality in teaching at all ages and all levels across the country, the teachers at Shoresh quickly and creatively created curriculum that continues to be educational, engaging and fun, making content available multiple times a day through Zoom classes and videos posted on YouTube and on our Facebook page. Below is a brief look into what your child’s experience at Shoresh looks like through our Virtual Learning Offerings.
- Large and small Zoom meetings with teachers regularly throughout the week.
- One-on-One Facetime phone calls for any child who wants them.
- Virtual snack and lunch Zoom meetings for our 3’s and 4’s classes to promote social bonds around meal time.
- Circle time actives and stories read aloud with parent engagement opportunities.
- Freeze Dance parties, art activities, art exploration, play based early literacy and counting, math and science experiments, and cooking.
- Kindergarten readiness as a main focal point of curriculum for our 4’s classes.
- Socially distant interactions with teachers to support teacher/student bonds.
- Hand-delivered supplies to enhance online class sessions.
- Screened and educationally approved YouTube videos and other online resources shared through the Facebook page.
- On-demand unique digital content created by teachers on cooking, self-portraits, physical education, and more.
- Daily YouTube videos or Zoom classes from enrichment specialists for all students, regardless of days/hours enrolled:
- Nature with Miss Laura
- Sing Along Songs from Miss Vivian
- Cooking Class with Morah Danielle
- Amazing Athletes Classes
- Hebrew with Morah Limor
- Yoga with Kimie
- Soccer with Coach Ken
- Thematic printable PDFs adjacent to curriculum, including writing, tracing, and coloring.
- Thematic videos, singalongs, links to curriculum specific activities, including Passover stories and songs, Earth Day, Spring, Israel’s Birthday, and the Solar System.
- Friday morning Shabbat blessings and singing with Rabbi Katz and Cantor Greenberg.
- All classes continue to be immersed in our Jewish curriculum learning about the holidays, Shabbat, and Israel.
- Daily videos on butterfly growth with Wendy.
Welcome from Wendy, Shoresh Preschool Director
Welcome to Shoresh Preschool! Each school year is a new beginning in the educational process, providing an opportunity to open doors to the future and helping children to experience their first educational adventures. Our goal is to nurture and strengthen each child’s social, emotional, physical and cognitive abilities in a warm, secure, and caring environment.
Our preschool is appropriately named “Shoresh” the Hebrew word for roots. Establishing strong roots helps to build the foundation upon which children can grow and flourish. With a close partnership between home and school the possibilities are endless.
Come visit Shoresh Preschool Temple Ner Tamid and it will be my pleasure to give you a tour and introduce you to our dedicated staff of professionals.
wblum@nertamid.org
973-338-1500 ext. 7
Programs
Shoresh
offers a variety of programs to meet the needs of our families. We offer extended morning hours for working parents as well as after-school hours. Our afternoon enrichment classes offer you the option of a longer school day with a different enrichment class each day of the week for our three’s and four’s.
Our curriculum is designed to meet the needs of the whole child. We ensure that the children experience a balance in scheduling, which includes independent play, group activities and quiet time. The classrooms are set up with different centers to give the children the opportunity to choose their play area. Some of their choices include dramatic play, painting at the easel, book corner, blocks, manipulatives, playdoh, and a writing and coloring table. As the children experience these different centers, they are working on so many important skills. They are learning how to use their imaginations, express ideas, cooperate with others, make decisions, develop hand-eye coordination, improve their fine motor skills, and become problem solvers.
Shoresh Preschool Offers:
- Full and part-time classes for 2, 3 & 4 year olds
- Afternoon enrichment programs
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Early breakfast club drop-off and extended day options are available.
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Parent/Child classes
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Shabbat and holiday celebrations for children and parents
- Weekly music specialist
- Weekly movement specialist
- Affordable rates and flexible payment plans
- Summer Camp program
Facilities
Shoresh Preschool features a first-rate facility designed to allow learning through play and exploration. Bright, cheerful colors are present in classrooms and hallways, with bulletin boards displaying children artwork of current lessons and seasonal celebrations.
Our outdoor playground features a large-sized jungle gym, playhouse, sand box and creative climbing equipment. Inside, students enjoy a fully equipped play area, filled with age-appropriate toys, riding equipment and much more.
Shoresh Preschool boasts a state-of-the-art building security system which provides each family with a special code for facility access during school hours. Please call the preschool office for more information or to arrange a private tour of our facilities.
What Parents Are Saying
"Shoresh is hands down the most loving and nurturing environment for children we have found- including what we had in Brooklyn. Our eldest (5) and youngest (2) both have attended. Our eldest entered Kindergarten with all the skills necessary to adjust to the public school environment. They are amazing at teaching developmentally appropriate material in a way the children want to learn, through ample time to play. The Director, Wendy, is very involved in the children's day and is incredibly available to parents. They host a number of community gathering events so we feel connected even beyond the school to our larger community. And we are not Jewish, and have never felt like we needed to be in order to be fully connected. It's an incredibly inclusive environment which makes us want to be even more involved. Our girls have loved it here. As parents, we have loved everything about it as well." - Suzy G.
"I love this preschool! The teachers are loving and engaging. We are now about to start our 4th child at Shoresh and I can't imagine sending her anywhere else. I always felt supported and listened to as a new mom and now I feel valued as I've learned so much along the way. I wish that I could attend Shoresh!" - Allison G.
Shoresh Leadership
2's Teachers
3's Teachers
4's Teachers
PJ Library
PJ Library is a free program that mails your child a wonderful, age-appropriate Jewish children’s book or CD every month. PJ Library is available to any family raising Jewish children from 6 months through 8 years old, whether affiliated, unaffiliated, interfaith, or non-traditional.
PJ Library in Greater MetroWest NJ is more than just the books! Once you subscribe you’ll be in the loop on all the Jewish holiday celebrations, mitzvah activities, and special programs we host throughout the year. You’ll also have access to our constantly updated JFamily Calendar and receive our monthly e-newsletter filled with information on family events and resources throughout the Greater MetroWest NJ area. Events are open to all and are a great way to connect with other families.
Children with special needs who are older than 7 who would benefit from our books are also welcome to receive a PJ Library subscription. Call (973) 929-3128 to enroll.
What are you waiting for? Sign up for PJ Library today.
We know you’ll look forward to receiving your monthly PJ Library surprise as much as your kids do! And don’t forget to tell all your friends.
PJ Library in Greater MetroWest is a gift from our lead donors Maxine and Ted z” l Murnick, Paula and Jerry Gottesman Family Supporting Foundation and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.
Upcoming Shoresh Events
Strong Roots. Thriving Children.
Temple Ner Tamid