About Nierman Preschool

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JCC’s Nierman Preschool is a play-based, nurturing environment that utilizes emergent curriculum and focuses on children’s interests and learning needs. Our primary goal is creating community through building trusting relationships with children, teachers, and families. We celebrate the joy of learning, intertwined with lasting friendships.

We have created a safe, nurturing environment that offers opportunities for exploration and discovery, and are committed to providing access to programs for children with disabilities.

SCHEDULE OPTIONS:

Full-Day: Monday - Friday 9:00 am to 3:30 pm
Half-Day: Monday - Friday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

EXTENDED CARE

Extended care is available at an additional cost. Before care is available From 7:30am for all children enrolled on an as needed basis. After care is available after 3:30pm for children enrolled in the full day option.

Extended Care Hours:

Monday – Thursday from 7:30 – 9:00 am. and 3:30 – 5:30 pm.

Friday from 7:30 – 9:00 am. and 3:30 – 5:00 pm.

Note: Aftercare is only available with full-day schedule

FACILITIES

The beautiful Glickman-Galinson Early Childhood Education Complex houses sixteen state-of-the-art classrooms, specially-designed bathrooms, a central outdoor playground, a special toddler/two-year-old play yard, an outdoor amphitheater, a kitchen, and a STEAM lab.

SECURITY/SAFETY

Security and safety are our top priorities. Our security remains vigilant in maintaining and updating security enhancements to keep the JCC and all in attendance safe. We are also very fortunate to have the San Diego Police and Fire Department next door as our neighbors with whom we share a close and supportive working relationship.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

A limited number of scholarships are available to JCC Members. Requests for financial assistance must be submitted no later than March 15, 2023. Requests received after that date will be considered only if funds are available. Click here for Membership Application and Financial Assistance Application. Learn more >

Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) provides child care fee assistance for active military families. Please connect with a member of the Nierman Preschool's administrative staff for more information. To learn more about CCAoa, click here.

Curriculum

Nierman Preschool develops the social, emotional, physical, and intellectual well-being of each child through our curriculum. We have created a safe, nurturing environment that offers opportunities for exploration and discovery, and are committed to providing an inclusive environment.

Through the JCCA Sheva Center: Early Childhood Education and Engagement, our JCC is connected to other JCC preschools across the U.S., bringing new ideas and thought partners into our programming. We strive to develop curiosity, imagination, the pleasure of discovery, self-esteem, caring for others, and the ability to play both cooperatively and independently. With attention to developmental stages, educators offer an integrated approach to education, combining learning and play, skillfully building on what children can already do, and challenging them to try new things. Music and physical education are additional components, and our strong Judaic curriculum is woven throughout.

The environmental components in the classroom are enhanced by the "ta'am" (flavor) of Judaism, the heritage and values, which allows the children to cultivate a positive sense of identity for themselves and with the greater community.

Alongside our partners, we strive to continually embrace and redefine excellence in Early Childhood Education by utilizing Jewish elements and lenses as our framework for daily activities. In particular, seven (Sheva) Jewish lenses serve as foundational guides to ethical living, working, and learning within our school and our Nierman community:

Masa = Journey; reflection, return, and renewal.
B’rit = Covenant; belonging and commitment.
Tzelem Elohim = Divine Image; dignity and potential.
K’dushah = Holiness; intentionality and presence.
Hit’orerut = Awakening; amazement and gratitude.
D’rash = Interpretation; inquiry, dialogue, and transmission.
Tikkun Olam = Repair of the World; responsibility.

Jewish culture, traditions, holidays, and heritage are studied and celebrated with songs, stories, dance, cooking, and crafts. Shabbat is celebrated at school each week in an atmosphere of joyful togetherness and sharing, and cultural diversity is promoted and respected as children and families share their traditions from around the globe.

Experiences are multi-sensory and encourage growth in:

Fine and Gross Motor Coordination
Sensory Integration
Cognitive and Adaptive Skills
Brain Development
Socio-emotional Development
Language Development
Moral Development
Spanish as a Second Language

Special Programs

TODDLERS(18 – 23 MONTHS)

Toddlers offers one of the best toddler programs available in San Diego County. Parents and toddlers will love the individualized attention provided by an extraordinary staff who promotes social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development through nurturing supervision. Toddlers come in as toddlers and grow into confident, creative, curious, and imaginative two-year-old. Our five-day program is designed to support working parents. Limited two and three-day options are available.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT & HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES

School activities and programs are greatly enhanced by the enthusiastic support of our active Nierman Preschool All School Committee. Room Parents help bridge the classrooms to the families.

INCLUSION

We believe strongly in the importance of providing an inclusive environment for our children and their families. We are fortunate to have an Inclusion Director on staff to help support children’s individual needs and to assist parents and teachers with appropriate resources to maximize their children’s potential. More information here.

SPANISH 5-DAY IMMERSION CLASSES OPTIONS

By enrolling in one of our Spanish Immersion classes, Nierman Preschoolers are offered a unique opportunity to build pathways needed to acquire a new language while also enhancing cognitive and creative abilities. Learning a second language is a 21st-century skill that will prepare our students to live and work in a global society. Cutting-edge research in brain development emphasizes the benefits of learning a foreign language at a very early age. In addition, younger learners have the capacity to develop near native-like pronunciation and intonation in a new language.

Additional Programs for ages 0-5 Years Old

Shalom Baby - Shalom Baby is designed to help San Diego families (affiliated, non-affiliated, and interfaith) celebrate the arrival of their Jewish newborns and welcome them to the San Diego Jewish Community through gift baskets, playgroups, social events, holiday celebrations, and resource guides.

PJ Library - Looking for a way to nurture the parent-child bond and strengthen your child's Jewish identity? Read them a book! Brought to San Diego by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, the PJ Library (yes, for pajama) provides children from birth to eight years sent monthly at no cost!

Little Menches - Little Mensches aims to provide fun, engaging, and enriching opportunities for children between the ages of 4 and 8 to give back to their community. The goal is to Make the World Better One Mitzvah at a Time by allowing "giving back" to become a regular part of these children's lives.

Shalom Baby Together You & Me Music Classes - This brand new program is for toddlers and their adults to enjoy music, stories and movement together, taught by Jennifer Meltzer. Two time slots on Wednesdays and Fridays will accommodate our crawlers and walkers. Fridays will focus on celebrating Shabbat.

Tot N Company - Every class will incorporate music and movement, the Jewish holidays will be celebrated, and each day ends with bubbles and stamps.