A Different Kind of Back-To-School Night
Our vision statement—Temple Sinai Preschool fosters a sense of connectedness among all members of the school and synagogue community—was the big idea used to reimagine our Back-to-School night.
We wanted families to feel connected from the moment they arrived, so we started by reimagining our space. Teachers were stationed outside our doors as greeters, at age-level registration tables and along our hallway, ready to direct them to our gathering space. We also created pre-printed name tags (with parent name, child’s name, and color-coding by age group) to help families connect with one another.
The evening started with a wine and nosh. After the parents mingled, our Senior and Assistant Rabbis greeted the crowd and shared anecdotal stories of their time in the preschool. Our Temple President then invited families to be involved and in touch, a sentiment echoed by board members and Temple staff members.
Then the real fun began! We introduced the Spaghetti Challenge, a team building opportunity that beautifully illustrated the use of unconventional materials to learn 21st century skills.
We sent our families into their children’s classrooms to experience exactly what their children experience on a daily basis, the opportunity to learn and have fun at the same time. With a little spaghetti, tape, string, and a marshmallow, our families communicated as a team, thought critically to solve a problem, collaborated, worked creatively, and had fun, just like the students of Temple Sinai Preschool do every single day.
The night was awesome! The families made new friends and also connected with their children’s teachers, preschool administrators, Temple Sinai staff members, board members, and clergy.
We set out to make Back-to-School night more than a time to learn about what happens in the classroom; we wanted the time spent in the classrooms and the building to foster a sense of connectedness among all members of the school and synagogue community. We did it!
Important Takeaways:
- Temple Sinai Preschool began with the acknowledgment that there was an experience that the entire school staff wanted to create.
- We made participation and input from the staff and clergy a vital part of the change process.
- Our school values were visible in the big and small details of the experience.
- We measured success based on the experience of all of the stakeholders.
- It behooves us all to take the time and work together to improve – with the grand objective of bringing more of a sense of connectedness and belonging to our families.
Sheila Purdin
Director of Early Childhood Education
Temple Sinai Preschool
