Quick Facts

• Over three and a half decades of successful Jewish early childhood education.
• Beautiful 10 acres of park-like grounds including forest areas for exploration, large multi-sensory playground, working garden, and mud-kitchen.
• Weekly curriculum specials include Hebrew,  yoga, and music.
• Work closely with top occupational, physical, and speech therapists to bring best practices from their fields into our work.
• Low child to teacher ratio and personalized attention.
• Strong parent involvement includes many opportunities for working parents.
• Half-day & full-day options with early and extended care. 
• We infuse our spaces (inside and outside) with sensory experiences recognizing the importance of fulfilling sensory needs for all children.
• Open to families of all faiths and cultural backgrounds.
• Creative programming for children infants through transitional kindergarten.
• Warm, loving atmosphere.
• Strong security provided with a full-time security guard and full security services.

Facilities

Our classrooms are spacious and airy, designed to reflect our early childhood philosophy. Our 10-acre grounds surrounded by forest offer multiple areas for optimal outdoor learning. Children are given ample time for exploration of the natural world. Connecting children with nature is a core value at Barnert. We know that nurturing that connection at an early age enables children to become environmental stewards, while fulfilling the Jewish value of tikkun olam, repairing the world.

Curriculum

At Barnert, play is education. In our thoughtfully created environment, our children learn to think deeply and to play with purpose, which leads to a strong sense of self. Their confidence levels are high as risk-taking is supported and encouraged. Based on the most current research in early childhood education, our curriculum is cutting-edge while simultaneously maintaining core principles in child development. Every child’s needs are honored, valued, and regularly assessed to provide optimal growth potential.

Values and Judaism

Throughout the day, we are faced with many choices. Both parents and children must make decisions that impact themselves and others. Jewish values are taught as our internal GPS, guiding us toward making good decisions. Whether you and your children are Jewish, interfaith, or of another faith, whether you believe in God or not, the values we teach our children will become the basis for them to become positive forces. These values include:

• Tikun Olam: Repair of the world
• Gemilut Chasadim: Acts of kindness
• Tzedakah – Charity
• Derech Eretz  – The right path
• Bikor Cholim  – Visiting the sick
• Baal Tashchit  – Not destroying the world
• Tzaar Balei Chayim – Not causing suffering to animals

Jewish holidays are joyful and give us many opportunities to celebrate our heritage with music, art and food. Friday begins Shabbat, the weekly reminder to use the Sabbath as a time to disconnect and reconnect. Every Friday fills the building with the delicious smell of children’s individual challah baking, while the whole school comes together to sing joyful Shabbat songs. It is in these times that we are a community of diverse people with a deep desire to see the best in each other and in the world.

Barnert's Pre-K/TK Program - A Gift for Your Child

For more than 35 years, Barnert has applied its holistic approach to teaching students and preparing them for the transition to elementary school.  We strive to support and prepare children - cognitively, socially and emotionally - so they are ready for all that comes after Pre-K/TK. 

Kindergarten is one of the first big transitions of your child's life.  The small classroom and individualized attention offered through Barnert's Pre-K/TK program give children the extra support and time they need during this crucial developmental year.  The gift of time, also, allows children to master key skills they need before entering traditional kindergarten.  Our program’s daily routine helps children work on critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.  Their Barnert experience is filled with opportunities to build the social skills necessary to succeed when they begin traditional kindergarten.  

Our head Pre-K/TK teacher is Orton Gillingham certified and experienced with both traditional classroom and remote instruction tools and techniques.  

Students learn to collaborate effectively when faced with social situations in the classroom and on the playground. Research shows that children learn best in classrooms rich with opportunities for: pre-literacy/emergent reading, socialization, hands-on math, and executive functioning skills. Our children will explore different types of hands-on learning including learning centers, activity stations, and mini lesson formats.

When reading, children will be responding to the material on a higher level. In math children will not only develop analytical skills, but will also utilize more abstract thinking and problem-solving skills.

Our students are immersed in regular scientific inquiry through cooking, and weather exploration. Using an emergent curriculum, students often set the course of particular study through which they learn math, science, history, research and even Jewish values.

Have other questions or want to learn more?
Email schooloffice@barnerttemple.org or call (201) 848-1027.