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Thematic Program is Designed to Help Nurture a Sense of Community for the Youngsters
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J., September 24, 2019 – Later this year, Carol Paster, director of the Iris Family Early Childhood Education Center at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel (TSTI), will celebrate 30 years at the South Orange synagogue’s preschool and religious school. To frame the year, the preschool’s family outreach coordinator has planned monthly programs under the thematic umbrella, “Planting Seeds.” Each month, the preschool will highlight different ways in which it builds community, providing lessons for the youngsters about a range of attributes.
The initiative was introduced at a new family welcome event in July, which was themed “planting seeds of belonging.” The icebreaker brunch, which included music, play and conversation, gave incoming parents and children a chance to get acquainted with current families and fostered a sense of belonging for the newcomers to the preschool community.
“We’re planning monthly activities around the ‘planting seeds’ theme in order to showcase ways in which we each contribute and help our community thrive,” said Lauren Byers, family outreach coordinator for the preschool. “This will also help nurture a sense of community beyond TSTI.” Other themes this year will be planting the seeds of inclusivity, the future, nurturing, giving, appreciation, equality, community partnerships and learning. The children will also plant actual flower seeds on the Reform synagogue’s grounds.
The preschool team has been sending monthly newsletters to the families that explain the theme and the feedback has been very positive from both families and staff. On the roster so far are:
- September: Planting seeds of inclusivity. The preschool board held a welcome coffee during the first two days of school in the TSTI mansion. Families got time to bond and chat over breakfast while their children acclimated to their new classes and teachers.
- October: Planting seeds of the future. There will be a consecration ceremony with TSTI clergy to welcome the new students in the sanctuary during the preschool’s Bima Time. All new students, their families and caregivers will be invited to attend and connect with each other at a breakfast following the ceremony.
- November: Planting seeds of nurturing. A teacher appreciation breakfast is planned, for which all families will be invited to contribute food.
- December: Planting seeds of cultural appreciation. Programs will teach students about different cultures and holiday celebrations.
- January: Planting seeds of giving. Students will participate in charitable collections, including food donations for the Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges (IFPO); TSTI is one of four area houses of worship that support this organization.
- February: Planting seeds of presence. Faculty member Bela Barbosa will lead mindfulness exercises during class time.
- March: Planting seeds of appreciation. This month will include a community-wide celebration of Paster’s 30th anniversary at TSTI, as a teacher and as the early childhood education director. Other events will show appreciation of the preschool families, teachers, clergy, support staff and TSTI’s diverse community.
- April: Planting seeds of equality. Various Passover celebrations.
- May: Planting seeds of community partnerships. The preschool community will volunteer as a group at the IFPO.
- June: Planting seeds of learning. The preschool year will culminate with a moving-on celebration and ceremony and end-of-year gratitude to faculty and staff, TSTI clergy and Paster.
The Iris Family Early Childhood Education Center, located at 432 Scotland Road in South Orange, offers preschool for children ages 2 through 5 and programs for babies from birth to 24 months with a caregiver. Information and registration forms are at https://www.tsti.org/early-childhood-center. The school has been nominated for a 2019 Best of Essex Readers’ Choice award as Best Preschool; to vote, visit http://bit.ly/IrisCenter.
PHOTO CAPTION:
Noa Levine (left) and Violet Morena, demonstrating “planting seeds of inclusivity” as they welcome each other to class at the Iris Family Early Childhood Education Center.
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About Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel
432 Scotland Road, South Orange, NJ 07079
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Caryn Starr-Gates
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