The Early Childhood Centre at Holy Blossom Temple is a wonderful choice for your child’s first school experience.  I am happy to receive you not only as part of the ECC family but as part of our Temple family as well.  Together with our teachers and Temple community, we begin our partnership with you and your children.

Designing learning environments that are engaging and meaningful for children is my passion.  I am committed to creating a strong Jewish-based educational program where sound foundational skills and play with a purpose are always the focus. I am especially attuned to the needs of parents and strongly advocate for parental engagement in our children’s educational process.  I believe that each child should feel valued and each parent’s voice heard.

My role as Director is a very hands-on approach.  I will always be available to you and really enjoy the time I spend in the classroom with the children.  I value our parents as partners in education and welcome your participation.  I want you to be engaged in meaningful ways and hope that you will join us in the classroom as a parent volunteer in whatever capacity you feel most comfortable.

I have an open-door policy and I will always be available to you.

When we say that learning happens through play and that play is a child’s work, it is important to understand that the best play is purposeful and engages children’s minds, bodies and emotions.

All learning is integrated-learning is never isolated.  Concepts are woven into various play/work centres and are presented in ways that will engage tactile, auditory, visual or kinesthetic learning.  Our wonderful staff are engaged in both child-initiated and teacher-guided learning experiences.  Careful observations allow us to present materials and activities to stimulate interests or build on acquired skills.

Although our days seem short, they are action-packed!  Your children will have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of developmentally appropriate activities that will challenge and further their development of key skill domains, fine and gross motor, creative, cognitive, numeracy and early literacy.  They will build self-confidence, self-awareness and self-help skills.  Our teachers plan curriculum based on an emergent philosophy set out by the Ministry of Education.

Through all of this, our teachers also strive to impart a Jewish identity to all the children.  Hebrew songs and blessings, learning about Jewish holidays, visits to the Sukkah, hearing the blowing of the Shofar, Preparing for Shabbat every Friday, and Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday nights with the Temple community all contribute to experiencing Jewishness in a Reformed Jewish Context.

I am so honoured to serve as the Director of the Early Childhood Centre at Holy Blossom Temple and build on its remarkable reputation for over 50 years.

L’Shalom,

Wendy Steinberg Himmel
[email protected]