Frequently Asked Questions

Early Morning Care (8:00 am - 9:00 am) - We are happy to serve breakfast to the children until 8:45 am. Classes begin at 9:00 am.  

At pick-up time, we ask that you take responsibility for your children from that moment until you exit the building. Please keep your school calendar handy to check special days and schedules.

Parents must bring their child into the classroom each morning and check them in with one of the classroom teachers at the door. Parents must sign the child in each day by completing their daily drop-off notes in Tadpoles and by checking in with one of the classroom teachers. As you leave, always say goodbye, and tell your child you will return to pick them up. This helps your child transition into the room. Parents should come to the classroom/group at the end of each day to take their child home. Please check out with the teacher prior to leaving for the day.

If your child gets sick while at school, they will be cared for by our staff in isolation until you come to pick them up. In instances of illness, parents must pick their child up within half an hour of being notified of their illness.   

We ask that your child remain at home until they are 24 hours symptom-free. A child must be well enough to participate in all daily activities and not require more care than the center can provide to be admitted each day.

The AJCC ECE is mindful of the Jewish dietary laws of Kashrut (Kosher). This means no mixing meat and dairy products and no pork or shellfish. We ask that children’s lunches include either a meat lunch or a dairy lunch. It is preferred to have no mixing of milk and meat products within the lunch you send. Never send shellfish, pork, or products containing lard.

We have a pre-approved list of options from which to choose to bring for your child’s birthday celebration. Only the pre-approved options or cookie vendor can be used for classroom celebrations.

Please be mindful when sending out party invitations. If only some of the children are invited, the other children may feel very sad and left out.  

Through the teaching of songs, the preparation of foods and the explanation of history, we share the following Jewish holidays and celebrations:  Shabbat / Havdalah, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Tu B’Shevat, Purim, Passover (“Pesach”), Yom Ha’Atzmaut (“Israel’s Independence Day”), Shavuot & Lag BaOmer. You can learn more about Jewish holidays here.

There will be many special programs and activities to which parents are happily invited and encouraged to come when it is safe to do so. The AJCC ECE does not observe Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, or Easter. We celebrate Jewish and national holidays only.

All children are required to have a quiet time after lunch. Children are provided with cots/mats to sleep or rest upon. A child may bring his/her own blanket, pillow, and/or stuffed animal if he/she chooses to do so. 

Nap or rest period will be between 12:30pm and 2:30pm, depending on individual schedules and classroom schedules. Children are not forced to sleep; and all children are provided with a supervised rest period on their cot/mat, to rest quietly.

The AJCC - ECE provides programming for young children with special needs. A major effort is made to integrate these participants into appropriate ongoing AJCC classes, groups, and events. Our goal is to provide participants with developmental, physical, and learning disabilities an opportunity to improve self-esteem and social skills, as well as develop new and meaningful relationships, and participate in the Jewish community to the fullest extent of their ability. Our staff meets with therapists, doctors, etc. to ensure that each child’s individual needs and goals are being met.

Children learn through play: They may get dirty and need to have their clothing changed. Each child must have two (2) complete sets of clothing (excluding shoes) for emergency changes as needed during busy play days. Each item must be labeled with the child’s name.

Parents must bring enough extra clothing and/or diapers to ensure that the child’s daily needs for clean and dry changes can be met while in care at the center. Children must be dressed in simple, washable clothing suitable for play. 

You will receive regular updates through Tadpoles, the communication platform that we use. You can send messages and provide feedback to your child’s teacher in Tadpoles, too. Staff will also communicate with you through phone conversations, email, or verbally in the school. Feel free at any time to schedule a conference to discuss your child. 

If you need communication in another language besides English, we are happy to provide you with an interpreter when possible. We will use email to communicate frequently. All parents will receive the weekly shabbat Note  with important announcements and programming information. If you change your email address or do not receive weekly emails from the school, please contact us immediately so that we can update your information.

The AJCC - ECE supports an active ECE Parent Committee, which plays a very integral role in our program, sponsoring on-going activities throughout the school year. Volunteer Room Parents are actively involved in these efforts which directly benefit the children. All parents are invited to attend ECE Committee meetings. Parents are our most important resource. We encourage you to contribute your skills and talents to enrich our program and your child’s school experience.

Shabbat is the day of rest celebrated on Friday evenings. Shabbat is celebrated in the classrooms on Friday mornings with songs, blessings, juice, and challah (bread). Once a month, parents are encouraged to join us for All School Shabbat to participate in these celebrations.