The J will close at 3pm on Friday, Oct. 11 and remain closed Saturday, Oct. 12 for Yom Kippur.

Early Childhood Learning Center

Quality Education — Warm, Caring Staff

The Pozez JCC’s Early Childhood Services department offers the highly sought Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) which promotes developmental growth through creative interaction between children and educators within a warm, caring environment that’s based on Jewish values and inspired by the Reggio Emilia learning philosophy.

Our Educational Approach

The Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) at the Pozez JCC is a nurturing, safe, developmentally appropriate learning environment, which is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to education. Our curriculum incorporates Jewish values while being universally inclusive. We believe that every child is capable, competent, and has the right to be respected as an individual.

Our philosophy is based upon the belief that we have the ability and responsibility to cultivate each childā€™s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth through interactions and experiences that foster a zest for life and a love of learning. We offer a child-centered program which is inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach. We believe that ā€œcareā€ and ā€œeducationā€ are inseparable and view each child as a feeling, thinking, and creative individual whose growth we nourish.

We believe a childā€™s positive self-esteem is paramount to emotional, social, physical, and intellectual development. The daily environment we create for our children must provide them with all the components necessary for positive growth and development. We are committed to supporting the parents/guardians of our children by providing a variety of quality services and developing positive relationships between home and school.

Policies and Procedures

Food
Infants

- Infant mealtime chairs and low tables are provided when eating solid foods.
- Babies are held when bottleā€fed until they are able to hold their own bottle.
- Milk and other perishable items are refrigerated
- Nonā€perishable foods are stored in the childā€™s lunchbox or cubby
- Unused food is refrigerated as appropriate and returned to the parents

Infant Program Parents Provide:
- Labeled and dated bottles (age appropriate cups should be brought in as children begin to use them)
- Breast milk, formula or milk may be brought in daily and will be stored in the refrigerator or freezer
- Snacks and lunch, when your child begins eating solid food
- All food is labeled and dated containers
- Feeding utensils as needed

Toddlers

- Low tables and chairs are provided for mealtimes.
- Toddlers are encouraged to practice feeding themselves in order to promote self-help skills and Educators guide and assist as needed.
- The ECLC provides a morning and afternoon snack.
- All food items are kosher and nut-free.

Toddler Program Parents Provide:
- Age appropriate cups with milk and/or water (please send with an ice pack)
- Feeding Utensils
- The ECLC provides:
- Morning and afternoon snacks
- Water is offered throughout the day
Napping
- A separate nap room adjoins to each infant and youngest toddler classroom and children sleep in their own cribs.
- Around 13-16 months, children may transition to toddler daybeds with a side rail.
- Toddlers are provided with raised cots and nap in their classrooms after lunch.
- The Pozez JCC supplies the fitted sheets for cribs and daybeds, which are changed weekly, or more often if necessary.
- Any special transition objects (e.g., blanket, pacifier) are welcome to be sent to the classroom for comforting purposes.
- Due to concerns about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), children under 12 months of age will be placed on their back to sleep and no toys, blankets, lovies, pillows or bumpers will be in the crib with the child.
- Children two years old and under may not sleep with any mattress filled items including pillows.

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