Family Focus

Religious preschools offer diversity.

Looking for a Jewish preschool or kin-
dergarten? Metro Detroit offerings range
from large facilities that bustle with con-
stant activity to smaller settings plus pro-
grams that are Orthodox, Conservative,
Reform and non-denominational.
Parents considering a Jewish preschool
experience for their children can receive
guidance and support from Federation's
Alliance for Jewish Education in
Bloomfield Township.
"We think it's commendable when
parents want to put their children in
a Jewish preschool," said Lisa Soble
Siegmann, associate director of the
Alliance. Siegmann takes a variety of fac-
tors into account when she works with
families.
"We look at the logistics, such as geo-
graphic location and hours as well as the
deeper issues such as values, program
size and degree of parental involvement."
According to Rabbi Judah Isaacs, direc-
tor of the Alliance, research shows that
children who attend Jewish preschools
tend to practice their religion more
actively later in life.
"Many families who observe the
Shabbos traditions began doing so when
their kids learned about it in preschool,"
Isaacs said.
For children with special needs
who want to attend Jewish schools,
Federation's Opening the Doors program
provides a variety of support ranging
from teacher consultation to actual class-
room assistance.

Their Work Is Play

"Preschool is not about the projects; it's
about the process, developing indepen-
dence and learning lifeskills," said Julie
Eisman, director of the Early Childhood
Center at Adat Shalom Synagogue,
Farmington Hills. "Our program includes
a lot of 'intentional play' and outdoor
activities. Two, 3- and 4-year-olds don't
belong at tables and chairs all day; they
should be playing and discovering."
"When children are young, their work
is their play," said Bryna Leib, director of
early childhood education for the Temple
Israel Early Childhood Center, West
Bloomfield. "Each year, we have different
goals and objectives; by age 4, we start
preparing them for kindergarten with
math, science and language arts."
Parents should make sure the values of
the school fit in with those they are try-
ing to instill at home.
Most schools have mission statements
that describe their overall philosophies
and goals.
"Our program combines traditional
Orthodox values with a strong com-
mitment to the State of Israel," said
Lisa Parshan, director of early child-
hood development for Yeshivat Akiva,
Southfield.

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May 2 - 2009

Rena Weintraub, preschool director
for the Beth Hayeled Nursery School of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek of Oakland
County, encourages parents to visit the
school with their child to meet the staff
and get a feel for the environment.
"We have them visit each classroom so
they can see what's going on at every age
level," she said.
The Gan Parenting Center and
Preschool at Beth Shalom in Oak Park
features a bilingual program where
children learn Hebrew and English at
the same time, according to Susan
Gartenberg, director of the program.
Working parents may want to explore
the many options available at the Jewish
Community Center's Sarah and Irving
Pitt Child Development Center in West
Bloomfield.
A variety of programming is offered
for children from 2 months through kin-
dergarten, including summer and school
breaks. Extended hours and lunch also
are available.
"Everything is under one roof, so the
kids can move easily and safely from one
activity to another," said Director Fredelle
Schneider. "We have indoor and outdoor
pools, gyms, a huge 'romp-n-roll' room
and three age-appropriate playgrounds."
A new addition to the Jewish preschool
scene is in the Corners campus in West
Bloomfield, home to a compendium of
non-profit and wellness-oriented orga-
nizations. Programs include the Kids
Corners, which offers childcare in a warm,
homelike environment for infants through
pre-kindergarten, and the Learning
Center Preschool of Temple Shir Shalom.
"We place a high value on developing
children's emotional intelligence," said
Marsha Mitnick, director of early child-
hood development for both programs.
"It's important for kids to learn how to
advocate for themselves so they can get
their needs met."
The Corners also houses the Walnut
Lake Preschool, a program of the
Michigan Psychoanalytic Institute, that
serves children aged 3-5 who have emo-
tional, behavioral or developmental chal-
lenges that make it difficult to succeed in
more traditional preschool settings.

A Word About Fees

Because finances can be a concern to
young families, especially now, many pri-
vate preschools and kindergartens offer
some kind of tuition assistance or pay-
ment plan.
If you've found a school that is right for
your child but you can't afford the fees,
don't assume the worst. Discuss your
situation with the director. Most schools
are willing to work with parents or refer
them to other community resource that
may be able to help. 0

Preschool Options from page A71

Temple Israel preschool students Brendan Bradley, 6, West

Bloomfield; Zach Eisman, 5, West Bloomfield; Bennett

Luckoff, 5, West Bloomfield; Benji Stern, 5, West Bloomfield;

Nina Fertel, 6, Commerce; and Miles Hirsch, 5, Commerce

work on an Israeli flag.

there is at least one familiar person, either a teacher or another
child:' he said. "If you can, start slowly and gradually increase
the amount of time or the number of days the child spends at
school. If a child is very young and insecure about being away, a
small home-based day care environment may be best. The goal
is to make the child as comfortable as possible."
For children with ADHD, Jacobs believes it is important to
find a highly structure program, and that parents should make
sure the staff is equipped to work with the child's specific needs
and challenges.
"Look for a teacher who has experience with ADHD and who
can help the kids regulate," Glovinsky added. "The environment
should include a lot of sensory motor activities without being
over-stimulating."

Options Galore
Metro Detroit abounds with secular preschool/kindergarten
options. Many of the public school districts offer preschool and
full-day kindergarten programs with before- and after-hours
care to accommodate working parents.
Parents who want a private school their children can attend
through high school may want to investigate Detroit Country
Day School in Beverly Hills or Cranbrook's Vlasic Early
Childhood Center in Bloomfield Hills. Both schools provide
early academic development for children starting at age 3 in a
fun yet educational environment.
If your child tends to think and act "outside the box," the
Roeper School in Bloomfield Hills for gifted and talented stu-
dents has a preschool program for children ages 21/2 and older.

Beyond The Basics

"Parents need to look at the mission of the school, what
it's all about:' said Liz Schubiner, director of operations for
Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit in Farmington Hills.
"Kindergarten is important, but the child is only there for one
year. I encourage parents to look beyond. What are the eighth-
graders like? What colleges did the graduates attend? What pro-
fessions are they in? This is how you get a portrait of what your
child can become, where a school can lead them. It's more than
just great crayons and scissors; it's the sum total of what the
students will be given over the next several years to realize their
full potential." II

Preschool Options on page A74