September 2017
ECE-RJ
Newsletter
Fall 2017
Back-to-School News
A Pivotal Year for Welcoming Students and Families
by Cindy Terebush, Early Childhood Consultant and author of "Teach the Whole Preschooler: Strategies for Nurturing Developing Minds”
In the best of years, the “Welcome Back” days of school can be intense. Typically, the opening days are an emotional and tiring time. Young learners may be anxious. Their families are nervous for their children and are adjusting to the new routine. Early childhood staff members are working to reassure everyone while getting to know their new classes. Those of us who work in early childhood education have come to expect a certain level of frenzy as classroom doors open for the first days. This year, however, will be different. We are not living during typical times. Unsettling world events fill our television screens, newspapers and social media. Emotions and opinions are more intense than usual. This does not go unnoticed by young children...
Preschools Prepare to Welcome Students
From Your Inbox
Responding to Tragedy
It has been an eventful few weeks in the world. Our members have been deeply impacted by the vile and horrifying events in Charlottesville, and with the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey. For some, the impact has been on their own communities, and for others, the impact has been helping the children and families process what they are seeing and hearing. For all, our hearts are struggling with what we can do to help. Many directors and teachers are being asked how to address the topics of hate and loss with the children in their care, and also, what families with young children can do to combat hate in communities near and far...
Staff Review Tips and Tools
We hope that you check your in-boxes from the ECERJ Discussion List for tools, support, and resources.
Now that the year has started here are a few tools from directors to help with new and returning staff reviews. Teacher review and observations of the first 8-12 weeks of school:
Programming Ideas
A Forkful of Judaism
by Carol Paster
A few years ago, the senior staff of Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel (TSTI) in South Orange, New Jersey applied for a grant from Jewish Community Foundation to explore innovative ways to engage young families in Jewish life. The senior staff, being a team of creative thinkers, couldn’t agree on which new program to submit to JCF, so we did the next best thing - we proposed all of our ideas under one umbrella, entitled ‘A Forkful of Judaism; A 4-Pronged Approach to Young Family Engagement.’...
Member Involvement
URJ Biennial
Join ECE-RJ at the URJ Biennial 2017!
The URJ Biennial is the largest Jewish gathering in North America, bringing together 5,000 Reform leaders, including lay leaders, professionals, clergy, and youth leaders representing 1.5 million North American Reform Jews. With over 140 sessions, you will have opportunities learn, pray, share ideas, network, and celebrate. Be a part of the ECE-RJ presence at Biennial! For more information and to register visit Biennial 2017.
Questions:
Please contact Fern Katz, VP of Conferences and Biennials
fkatz@chicagosinai.org
2019 ECE-RJ Conference
January 2019 ECE-RJ ConferenceMark your calendars!January 16-20, 2019Watch this Video to Find Out Where!
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In this edition...
Back-to-School News -
A Pivotal Year for Welcoming Students and Families
From Your Inbox -
Responding to Tragedy
Staff Review Tips and Tools
Programming Ideas -
A Forkful of Judaism
Member Involvement -
URJ Biennial
2019 Conference Committees
Preschool Highlights from Across the Country
Learning Center Makeover
Did You Know? -
Find ECE-RJ online
Preschool Highlights from Across the Country
Learning Center Makeover
University Synagogue’s Early Childhood Learning Center in Los Angeles, California has gone through some exciting summer renovations. Newer research and studies about early childhood development have shown children respond to an atmosphere that is calm and reflects a home, rather than the institutional look of the past. Moreover, these studies indicate that environment has a strong effect on the child as a whole including their stress level, cognitive development, attention span and behavior.
Did You Know?
You can find us on
OR log in to your personal ECE-RJ account at www.ecerj.org to access the MEMBER ONLY areas of the website.