Robert J. Wilf Preschool & Kindergarten

The Robert J. Wilf Preschool and Kindergarten at the Kaiserman JCC in Wynnewood offers a nurturing, child-centered environment. Infants through accredited Kindergarten classes are complemented by gym, music class, Israeli dance, weekly Shabbat celebration and more. The teaching staff honors the uniqueness of each child, celebrating individual potential, and helping children question and discover. Maintaining a high standard of excellence is supported by teachers’ participation in professional development. The emergent curriculum permits learning activities that arise from each child’s interests, encouraging feelings of security and confidence in an age-appropriate atmosphere where each child feels free to explore, play, observe, question and make discoveries. Jewish heritage, values and traditions are celebrated, instilling a positive identity in each child. Plus, tuition includes a family membership to use our pools in the Summer!
Equal Opportunity Care Provider

The Teaching Staff

Supply Lists

Rates and Fees

2023-2024 School Year

Full day 7:30am to 4:30pm
Half day 8:00am to 12:30pm

See below for registration!

Scholarship Information

While we keep our tuition as low as possible, we recognize that some families may need financial assistance. Scholarships are available for our preschool through the Foundation for Jewish Day Schools and the JCC.

Parents must apply for a scholarship for children between 3 – 6 years old as of December 31, 2022 through the Foundation for Jewish Day Schools before submitting a JCC scholarship application for preschool or kindergarten.

Click here for the Foundation for Jewish Day Schools application (for children 3 years old to 6 years old as of December 31, 2022)

Click here for the JCC scholarship application

Please be assured that all information is strictly confidential.

The Robert J. Wilf Preschool & Kindergarten is a great place to grow! Your child can expand his or her world, learn, and most importantly, have fun in a safe environment. Our program also introduces children to the customs and traditions of Jewish life, Shabbat and Jewish holidays through the integration of songs, art, stories, food and special guests.

Infants

Come and enjoy our wonderful world in the Nursery.  The staff focuses on helping infants meet all the milestones necessary for healthy growth and wellness.  Teachers design experiences that are safe, nurturing and stimulating to help children explore and make discoveries.  Children in the Nursery participate in weekly music class, J-Play for gross motor development and join the rest of the school on Fridays for Shabbat.  They also begin learning baby sign language; enjoy walks in strollers outside every day (weather permitting), benefit from tummy time, music and story time.

Toddlers

The Toddler classroom environment encourages exploration.  Teachers design experiences that are safe, nurturing and stimulating to help children explore and make discoveries. The staff uses open ended activities and materials that promote inquiry and investigation.  The children in these classes are just beginning to communicate their needs on their own.  The staff creates an environment rich in language and play using movement, blocks, music, books, nature, water, art and dramatic play materials to enhance children’s growth and development. Children in the Toddler class enjoy music and story time, walks outside every day and outdoor play time in the private Toddler Playground (weather permitting) where they can safely use equipment and develop strong gross motor skills.  They also participate in weekly music class, J-Play for gross motor development and join the rest of the school on Fridays for Shabbat.

2 & 3 year-olds

Our pre-school program will help your child begin to develop his/her emotional, physical, and intellectual skills, while teaching important social skills. We also focus on developing large and small motor skills for mobility development and coordination. Our teachers provide nurturing supervision and positive guidance through consistency, encouragement and support. Teachers use an emergent curriculum which permits learning activities that arise from each child’s interests, encouraging feelings of security and confidence in an age-appropriate atmosphere where each child feels free to explore, play, observe, question and make discoveries. Learning activities and children’s experiences also align with the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards. This class goes outside everyday (weather permitting), enjoy lots of stories and songs during circle time, participates in weekly Music Class, Creative Movement, Hebrew, Gym Class, J-Play (for 2’s), and Creative Movement classes, Jewish history and join the rest of the school on Fridays for Shabbat.

4 year-olds

Our program provides a fun and stimulating learning environment that prepares the children for kindergarten. Our teachers encourage social skill development with imagination and creativity. Through interactive play, fun activities and a wide range of interest areas your child will develop the skills necessary for kindergarten and beyond. Field trips and classroom visitors are also part of the curriculum. Teachers use an emergent curriculum which permits learning activities that arise from each child’s interests, encouraging feelings of security and confidence in an age-appropriate atmosphere where each child feels free to explore, play, observe, question and make discoveries.  Learning activities and children’s experiences also align with the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards. This class goes outside everyday (weather permitting), enjoy lots of stories and songs during circle time, participates in weekly Music Class, Gym Class, Jewish History, Hebrew, Creative Movement, and join the rest of the school on Fridays for Shabbat.

Kindergarten (1 & 2)

The Kindergarten 1 and Kindergarten 2 curriculum include language arts, beginning reading skills, mathematics, science, social studies, and arts & crafts. Our teachers emphasize academic and social skills necessary for children to succeed in the grades ahead. A variety of teaching strategies are utilized – individual, small, and large groups. All are designed to fit the needs of the children so they can experience success. Teachers use an emergent curriculum which permits learning activities that arise from each child’s interests, encouraging feelings of security and confidence in an age-appropriate atmosphere where each child feels free to explore, play, observe, question and make discoveries. Learning activities and children’s experiences also align with the Pennsylvania Kindergarten Standards. This class goes outside everyday (weather permitting), enjoy lots of stories and songs during circle time, participates in weekly Music Class, Hebrew, Gym Class and Creative Movement, and join the rest of the school on Fridays for Shabbat. Children learn about Jewish customs, traditions, holidays, and they develop a connection to the Land of Israel and its people. Tzedakah and Mitzvot, charity and kindness are two major concepts that guide our Jewish learning. Field trips and classroom visitors are also part of the curriculum.

“K1 vs. K2, what’s the difference”?

Kindergarten 1 is typically for children who turn 5 in the fall and miss the September 1st cut off for our local school district Kindergarten.  However, children with late summer birthdays may also attend K1 as a deciding year with regard to readiness for 1st grade. Kindergarten 2 is for children who are 5 years old by September 1st.  Children who attend K2 go on to 1st grade the following school year. Both classes are full day and licensed Kindergarten classes. They share the same curriculum goals.

Learn more about the Robert J. Wilf Preschool and Kindergarten:

Creative Curriculum

The most important goals of our preschool curriculum are for children to get along well with others and become enthusiastic learners. Learn more about the Creative Curriculum® 

Sheva: Early Learning Framework

We are very excited to introduce a new framework for Early Childhood Educators, Sheva. The seven core elements of Sheva are firmly rooted in the latest research in child development. Learn more about Sheva

Our Staff

Our school is a place where children learn and grow with support from nurturing professional educators. Our teachers are committed to honoring the uniqueness of each child and celebrating their individual potential. We also support and empower parents, clearly understanding that they are a child’s first and most important teachers.

Specials

Each week, your child will work with a variety of specialists that create new experiences and fun for the children in our program.

Specials include:

• Creative Movement
• Physical Education
• Music
• Shabbat

Scholarships

While we keep our tuition as low as possible, we recognize that some families may need financial assistance. Generous scholarships are available for our preschool to assist with the cost of membership. If you need financial assistance for children 3 and 4 years of age, applications for partial scholarships are available online here: https://aim.applyISTS.net/FJDS. For more information, contact Amy Foster at (610) 896-7770 x 118 or by email at afoster@phillyjcc.com.  Please be assured that all information is strictly confidential.  Click here for the JCC scholarship application.

Non-Discrimination Policy

The Kaiserman JCC is committed to admitting to programs and providing services to children and adults without regard to race, color, religious creed, disability, ancestry, age, sex or national origin including limited English proficiency. Program services shall be made accessible to eligible persons with disabilities through the most practical and economically feasible methods available. These methods include but are not limited to equipment redesign the provision of aids and the use of alternative service delivery locations. Structural modifications shall be considered only as a last resort among available methods. Any individual or guardian of a minor child who believes they have been discriminated against may file a complaint of discrimination with the Kaiserman JCC.

Contact us to learn more!

Creative Curriculum

What is the Creative Curriculum®?

• Thematic approach to teaching and learning
  Designed to support children’s natural curiosity and stimulate their creativity.
• Based on well known theories of child development.
• Offers children the opportunity to work in depth, giving them the time they need to reflect, consolidate and transfer their learning.
• The Creative Curriculum meets all of the criteria for a developmentally appropriate early childhood curriculum.

Goals of the Curriculum

The most important goals of our preschool curriculum are for children to get along well with others and become enthusiastic learners. We want children to become independent, self-confident, curious learners who can work well with others. We’re teaching them how to learn, not just in preschool, but all through their lives. We do this by creating purposeful and productive play experiences that help children grow in all areas.

Our curriculum identifies goals in four areas of development:

• Social/emotional: to help children develop independence, self-confidence, and self-control, follow rules and routines, make friends, and learn what it means to be part of a group.
• Physical: to increase children’s large muscle skills – balancing, running, jumping, throwing, and catching – and use the small muscles in their hands to do tasks like buttoning, stringing beads, cutting, drawing, and writing.
• Cognitive: to acquire thinking skills such as the ability to solve problems, to ask questions, and to think logically – sorting, classifying, comparing, counting, and making patterns – and to use materials and their imagination to show what they have learned.
• Language: to use words to communicate with others, listen to and participate in conversations with others, understand the purpose of print, recognize letters and words, and begin writing for a purpose.

Through the activities we plan and the way we organize the classroom, select toys and materials, plan the daily schedule, communicate with children and assess progress, we seek to accomplish the goals of our curriculum and give your child a successful start in school.