Jay and Rose Philips Early Childhood Center
About Our School & Philosophy
The Boulder JCC is the Home to the Jay & Rose Phillips Early Childhood Center
The Boulder JCC is proud to be home to one of the best Boulder Preschools, providing a quality early childhood education program where learning is facilitated through play, discovery, and inquiry. Children explore their environment using dramatic play, music, art, sensory experience, movement, and language.
The Jay and Rose Phillips Early Childhood Center offers uniquely flexible schedules, with enrollment options from 2 - 5 days a week, as well as early drop-off. Our program emphasizes our love and respect for Judaism and Jewish values and is built around our community of children, families, and teachers. Additionally, we come together to celebrate Shabbat, Jewish holidays, parent learning opportunities, and other special events.
Contact Jackie Trapp with questions or to schedule a tour of the Early Childhood Center.
In addition to the school, the Early Childhood Center offers enriching opportunities for Early Learning and Parenting. These interactive programs are designed to foster connections between caregivers, parents, and their young children. From hikes to movement, educational series, and more, there's something for everyone to enjoy!
Schedule A Tour!
For more information and to schedule a visit at our school, please get in touch with Jackie Trapp.
The Jay and Rose Phillips Early Childhood Center at the Boulder JCC is based on multiple frameworks viewed through a Jewish lens. Our early childhood center is inspired by the JCC Association’s Early Childhood Learning Framework, emphasizing a constructivist, play-based curriculum. We believe in a strong image of the child, and that education is a process brought on by the child's interaction and investigation of their world. It is through these interactions that each child is encouraged to wonder, explore, question, and discover, using their own unique learning style and interests.
The relationships between parents, children, and teachers create a strong sense of community which is critical to the life of the school. We invite families through ongoing, regular and meaningful conversations, to partner with us in the education and social emotional growth of their children. We support families on their parenting journey and together celebrate Jewish life.
The Early Childhood Center's work with children and follows the schools of Reggio Emilia Italy and the JCCA’s Sheva Framework.
We believe in a strong image of the child and that education is a process, brought on by the child's interaction and investigation of their world. It is through these interactions that each child is encouraged to wonder, explore, question, and discover, using their own unique learning style and interests.
The school's philosophy and classroom curriculum are a result of careful and detailed planning in accordance with excellence in early childhood education. Project work and long term experiences emerge from the children's ideas, questions, and interests. Teachers, children, and families collaborate to research these ideas. From this process of discovering answers for themselves or building their knowledge on a topic, children develop life-long critical thinking skills.
TERMS
A term we use to describe this learning approach is constructivism, in which children build upon previous experience and are active participants in the construction of knowledge. Play-based learning is the philosophy that child-led and open-ended play allow children to experiment, discover, and acquire complex skills in imaginative ways. Play is chosen by the child, enjoyable, and full of make believe. The role of the teacher in a constructivist, play-based classroom is to facilitate a learning environment that supports wonder, exploration, and collaboration.
BELIEFS
We believe in a strong image of the child and that education is a process, brought on by the child's interaction and investigation of their world. Teachers document children’s progress, validating their abilities and enabling ongoing assessment. This approach helps foster children’s curiosity, creativity, differing modes of communication, concentration, listening, negotiation, and observation skills. As a Jewish school, we frame our work through Jewish lenses, values, and culture.
FOCUS
Our school emphasizes the development of a positive Jewish identity through experiences involving Shabbat, Jewish holidays, blessings, culture, and values which are all important aspects of the life of the school. Our teachers focus on ways to extend children’s ideas and interests through observation and inquiry. The art of inquiry within Judaism is a time-honored tradition. Teachers and students are on a continuous cycle of asking questions, researching answers, and co-constructing knowledge together.
View the Jewish Lenses and Constructivist Philosophy
MASA/JOURNEY
מסע
Reflection, Return, & Renewal
In order to move forward in a meaningful way, we must reflect upon the past. Our travels are more important than the destination.
TZELEM ELOKIM/DIVINE IMAGE
צלם אלוקים
Dignity & Potential of Each Person
The image of the child as capable and competent is a core Reggio philosophy value. We view children, families and colleagues with dignity. This is a lens of accountability, empathy and self-worth.
BRIT/COVENANT
ברית
Belonging & Commitment – Community
A bound and trusted relationship allows us to unite with others in pursuit of a shared vision. It enables us to grow, take risks, and share with honesty.
DRASH/INTERPRETATION
דרש
The spirit of inquiry within human nature is the drive that aides in reflection and growth. To question, to debate, to interpret, and to communicate are all essential components of the Jewish tradition.
HITORERUT/AWAKENING
התעוררות
When we as adults take the time to slow down, we become more aware of the miracles that exist in every moment, allowing gratitude to flow freely through us. Young children are more apt to wonder, naturally embracing life with exuberance.
TIKKUN OLAM/REPAIR OF THE WORLD
תיקון עולם
Repairing the world is done with a spirit of generosity and a partnership with families and children to continuously make a difference in our community. There is a sense of responsibility to perform social “acts of kindness” every day.
KEDUSHA/HOLINESS
קדושה
We envision holiness in terms of sacred time, spaces and intentions. We find holiness at distinct times in the Jewish calendar, such as Shabbat and holidays. We also unearth holiness in our daily experiences as we observe the interactions of children, listen to their voices, and discover life together.
These statements represent our core beliefs that inspire and guide our choices in the way we engage with children, families, each other, and the world around us.
- We believe in holding children and childhood in high regard, as they are curious, capable beings full of potential views and perspectives to share.
- We believe in the importance of play as an essential vehicle for children's learning from infancy on.
- We believe in working together with families, seeing them as competent thinkers and learners with shared knowledge of their children.
- We believe in meaningful and authentic relationships are critical to knowing and understanding children and families.
- We believe in creating an environment where children feel safe and supported as they gain tools to identify and appropriately express emotions.
- We believe in fluid outdoor and indoor environments that are intentional spaces, provoking wonder, curiosity, intellectual engagement, and creativity.
- We believe in creating a place where relationships foster joy, connection, community, and inclusion.
- We believe in early childhood educators modeling curiosity and supporting inquiry-based learning.
- We believe in early childhood educators as lifelong learners who continually seek to expand their knowledge.
- We believe in a school that is guided in Jewish values. (See the Sheva Lenses Tab Above)
A Week in Rituals
Havdalah (Separation)
We celebrate Havdalah to separate the joy, rest, and sacredness of Shabbat (Sabbath) with the rest of the week. Havdalah is typically celebrated on Saturday evening, but at school we celebrate in on Monday with our classroom communities. The children love to watch the glowing flame of the braided candle while singing the blessing, while hearing a loud sizzle when the candle is extinguished in the wine is symbolic for a good week ahead.
The Motzi
This is the blessing we use daily before we eat and is a time to be together in considering gratitude. Gratitude is a central Jewish value and blessings are how we take a moment of mindfulness in our busy days to express appreciation. Before a meal, we gather and sit with one another and collectively take a few grounding breaths - with intention, we sing together.
Thursdays B'Yachad (Together)
Learning the Torah together is a way to connect us to past and future generations. The ritual happens at the beginning of the school day on Thursdays. We sing songs about the Torah's sweetness and importance.
Shabbat Sing
Together we sing and dance, hear a story, and practice the rituals of lighting candles and blessings of the wine and challah on Fridays. By gathering together, we experience a sense of Kehila (community) and Kedusha (holy time). We find holiness in the sacred time and transformation in the space, but also in looking at each other and acknowledging B'tzelem Flohim (the intrinsic dignity and holiness in each of us).
Learn about how the Early Childhood Center celebrates Jewish Holidays.
The Forest School program at the Jay and Rose Phillips Boulder JCC Early Childhood Center, for children who will be 4 by October 1, implements the main tenets of both a Forest School philosophy and a play-based and constructivist Reggio Emilia approach for an overall best practice in emergent curriculum — all while exploring outside. The program consists of two Pre-K Forest School classrooms, Parent and Toddler classes, as well as weekly opportunities for the entire early childhood center to engage in Forest School activities, learning, and sustainable adventures. Throughout this learning, our Forest School teachers work with the students to promote Tikkun Olam, the repair and nourishment of the world, as the students quickly become stewards of the environment.
Please note, Forest School classrooms use a lottery system of acceptance, as we take into account child-fit, parent-fit, and teacher recommendations.
Contact Jackie Trapp with questions or to schedule a tour of the Early Childhood Center.
ABOUT FOREST SCHOOL
Forest Schools originated in Scandinavia in the 1950s and grew popularity in the UK in the 1990s. Since then, the movement has slowly made its way over to the states, with Forest Schools and nature-based preschools growing rapidly in the past few years. According to a studiy published in November 2017 by the Natural Start Alliance, the U.S. saw a 66% increase in the nu,ber of registered outdoor preschools and kindergartens between 2016 and 2017. Inface, REI and other national publications have started to explore the benefits of outdoor schools.
FOREST SCHOOL AT THE BOULDER JCC
The Forest School classrooms operate...
- Being Outside Year-round: On a regular school day, this means being outside from about 9 am to 1:30 pm every day (weather depending), barring poor air quality, lightning, and extreme temperatures (17 degrees+). On cooler days, mealtimes are inside with the majority of the day spend outside.
- Nature is the inspiration
- A teacher as a collaborator
- Time is spent at the creek near Bonai Shalom, the Milk and Honey Farm, with specials like music, studio time, the tumble room , and so much more.
Forest School is a regulare pre-kindergarten classroom, it's simply outside. The day begins outside, with rest time midday. Exploration of the natural elements, sense of place, earlyliteracy, science concepts, outdoor skills, risky play, and much more occurs within the classroom. Our students learn the importance of taking care of the earth, and with that, taking care of each other; continually growing their own sense of ecological awareness.
FOREST SCHOOL PRINCIPLES
Principle 1: Forest School is a long-term process of frequent and regular sessions in a woodland or natural environment, rather than a one-off visit. Planning, adaptation, observations, and reviewing are integral elements of Forest School.
Principle 2: Forest School takes place in a woodland or natural wooded environment to support the development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world.
Principle 3: Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all those involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent, and creative learners
Principle 4: Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.
Principle 5: Forest School is run by qualified Forest School practitioners who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.
Principle 6: Forest School uses a range of learner-centered processes to create a community for development and learning.
Forest School Principles as stated by the UK Forest School Association
CURRICULUM
The Forest School program implements tenets of both a Forest School Philosophy and a play-based constructivist Reggio Emilia approach for an overall best practice in emergent curriculum - all while exploring the outside.
The program consists of two pre-k Forest School classrooms with 12 students each, along with two lead teacher and a floater. Throughout our learning, our Forest School teachers work with the students to promote Tikkun Olam, the repair and nourishment of the world. We also focus on 21st century skills and executive function, such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity; and emotional awareness, cognitive flexibility, perseverance, reflection, focus and attention, task initiation, working memory, and independence.
GEAR LIST
As any outdoor educator will tell you, there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear! The only times the Early Childhood Center has experienced unhappy students during the colder months is when is when gear is not waterproof or there are not enough layers. Extensive discussions are made with students to ensure their understanding with having class outside, how to layer clothing, and the best choices they can make. Information will also be sent home to caregivers, as well as extras are always offered to make sure students are comfortable and safe.
Contact Mattie Schuler if you have any need in financial assistance when it comes to purchasing gear. We understand that good gear can be expensive and we do want every child to be prepared for Forest School for the best possible school experience.
View the Suggested Gear List, here.