Welcome To The strauss ece

INFANTS
6 weeks - 12 months old

Classrooms: Deeshonim, Parparim, and Gamalim

Children at this age are learning to trust; a process that begins at birth.  The baby cries and her needs are met.  This need continues well into the second year of life.  As such, our school day revolves around the individual needs and schedules of the infants. The children eat and sleep on demand, with the staff being responsive to each families individual wishes and recommendations.

Our environments are designed to help your children grow.  There are books to read, pictures to examine, and interesting textures to feel.  Teachers are on the floor with the children playing and continually talking with them.  Babies are rocked to sleep by the sound of soft lullabies and classical music.

As children become mobile, we provide room for them to wiggle and crawl. There are places for children to hold and pull themselves up to encourage these newfound skills.  

TODDLERS
1-2 years old

Classrooms: Tzfardim, Geerafot, Soosim, and Egooanot

This is the beginning of a powerful time.  As mobile toddlers, children are starting to recognize their autonomy.  This creates an interesting dichotomy - - toddlers want to do it "myself," yet they all need a lot of adult help and are often ambivalent about "being bigger."

In our toddler classrooms, children can choose what they play with and where they are in the room.  There are predictable routines, yet the teachers always have the flexibility to seize a teachable moment or provide a calm atmosphere.

There are a variety of activities occurring on a daily basis, including observing the natural world, singing, dancing, and developing the social and emotional skills to interact with their friends.

PRESCHOOL
2, 3, & 4 years old

Classrooms: Peelim, Dagim, Yonim, Tukim, Dubim, Nemarim, and Tzevayim

In the preschool program, there will be ample time with books, not only being read but also encouraging the children to look at books and turn pages independently. There will be many tactile art and science projects encouraging imaginative play.  The children will be exposed to various types of music, singing, dancing and physical movement.  All of which lays down a foundation for the years to come.
 
Teachers will provide children with activities that will help them expand their minds seeing that three and four year olds primarily learn through all their senses.  They will persist with a difficult task and they are able to think more creatively when problem solving.  The activities provided are intended to promote wonder in your child, doing this through creativity, exploration and problem solving.  There will also be a balance between a child's choice and teacher initiated activities.  While the children are participating and interacting in these activities, they will also be learning social skills and building friendships. 

PRE-KINDERGARTEN
4 years old by September 1st

Classrooms: Arayot and Kofim

In Pre-Kindergarten, children will be encouraged to create more in-depth and long-term projects.  They will vocalize their actions and creations to fully understand what they are learning.  Children will begin name recognition, which is a skill very beneficial for comprehending the basics of reading and mathematics.  With the guidance of their teachers, the curriculum will give the children the power to acquire the skills needed to become responsible members of their community, creative problem-solvers and lifelong learners.

In our classrooms, we will continue our emergent curriculum as well as integrate Judaics and the Arizona Early Learning Standards (AELS).  The AELS leads into the Kindergarten standards that all public schools follow.  Our Pre-Kindergarten program is very hands-on, creative, and encourage high levels of thinking.  The fundamental goal is to prepare children for Kindergarten and the world around them.