Now accepting applications for September 2024.
About Us
Your Child Is in Great Hands
Overview
The Billy Dalwin Preschool is a creative, warm, and welcoming place for children ages 18 months to five years old.
The school offers morning and full day programs for toddlers and preschoolers as well as extended day options.
Daily curriculum provides an innovative multi-disciplinary approach to learning, blending engaging Judaic and secular classroom activities, tailored to students’ developmental needs and abilities. Teachers provide opportunities every day for students to explore their interests and expand their skills through individual projects, as well as plenty of time to jump, sing, giggle, paint, and learn together with friends.
Careful attention is given to nurturing each child’s own curiosity and intellectual development with an eye toward building a smooth transition to kindergarten.
The school welcomes and values the diversity of backgrounds and observances of our preschool families. The school is overseen by a dedicated professional staff in cooperation with a volunteer parent and community board of directors.
Philosophy
Billy Dalwin Preschool is an innovative Jewish community that embraces curiosity, beauty, spirituality, and creativity.
We view the child as a powerful innovator and creator of the person they will become. Young children are incredibly sensitive and absorb their environment, consciously and unconsciously. We take great care to create beautiful and functional environments that offer boundless possibilities for discovery and growth.
Billy Dalwin is a nurturing and enriching environment where young children can explore, learn, and grow through Jewish values and traditions.
Our approach is multifaceted and includes:
-
Holistic Curriculum: Our curriculum integrates Jewish values, traditions, and stories into every aspect of learning. We incorporate hands-on activities, play-based learning, and exploration to foster curiosity and creativity.
-
Embrace Diversity: We celebrate diversity within the Jewish community and beyond. Encouraging children to explore and appreciate different cultures, languages, and perspectives fosters a sense of belonging and inclusivity.
-
Outdoor Education: Our outdoor learning space, the Teva forest, inspires wonder and connection with nature. Daily gardening, nature walks, and outdoor art projects promote spiritual growth and environmental stewardship.
-
Arts and Expression: Arts are integrated into all areas of our classrooms and community through music, dance, visual arts, and storytelling. We encourage children to express themselves creatively and develop a sense of beauty and aesthetics.
-
Spiritual Development: Spiritual development is an integral part of our daily life at Billy Dalwin; we embrace mindfulness practices, meditation, and age-appropriate spiritual teachings into daily routines, such as learning brahot, understanding holidays, and experiencing the richness of Jewish life, song, dance, and music.
-
Community Engagement: We foster community among families, educators, and children through organized family events, holiday celebrations, and volunteer opportunities that strengthen connections and builds a supportive network.
-
Individualized Learning: We recognize and honor each child's strengths, interests, and developmental needs. We offer individualized attention and support to help children thrive cognitively, socially, and emotionally.
-
Parent Involvement: We encourage active participation from parents in their child's education and the life of the preschool community.
-
Professional Development: We invest in ongoing training and professional development for educators to stay updated on best practices in early childhood education, Jewish pedagogy, and child development.
Our Goal
We aim to provide active learning opportunities in a warm and engaging environment that:
Fosters positive Jewish identity by exploring religious and cultural heritage in a joyous, creative and nurturing environment.
Values the diversity of backgrounds and religious/cultural observances of our Preschool Families.
-
values the diversity of backgrounds and religious/cultural observances of our Pre-School families; and
Create a sense of community for our children, families, and teachers.
What Parents Are Saying:
"Relaxed and engaging."
My son loves summer camp at Billy Dalwin Preschool! The teachers are warm and inviting. Inside the school the classrooms offer lots of opportunities for children to explore and investigate different materials and play with their friends in an environment that is relaxed and engaging.
Outside the children have many various areas to play and experience their world. There is a large playground that offers many different items to play with, a working garden where the children grow items they can tend to and harvest and a huge forest space called the Teva area that allows children to explore what lives under rocks, observe plant life cycles and go on adventures with their classmates and teachers.
"The facilities are wonderful and the teachers are fantastic."
This is our second year at Billy Dalwin and we love it! The facilities are wonderful and the teachers are fantastic. We feel so lucky that we found this little community. We will be sending our younger child as soon as he is old enough.
"There is a spirit of fun and caring at the school."
The outdoor grounds are incredible, with a beautiful wooded play area and learning space. There is a spirit of fun and caring at the school. The kids are able to explore Jewish traditions and learn the values and holidays, with special weekly Shabbat celebrations. My girls love the wiggles and giggles gross motor activities, dance, story hour and other special activities.
"We made great friends with other parents and teachers."
We made great friends with other parents and teachers (many of whom are alumni parents, and some of whom are alumni themselves!) and found really deep community connections. Many of the teachers have been at the school for 10 years or longer.
"The leadership and staff are so caring."
Billy Dalwin Preschool is a fabulous community-based school. Each of our three daughters went through the school and formed lasting friendships. The leadership and staff are so caring. My wife and I always felt supported as parents, the director and teachers were great parenting resources for us--we actually learned a lot from them, and they were always kind and attentive.
"Best of both worlds!"
The Jewish experience of the Pre-School was priceless! And, at the end of the day, my kids were really ready for kindergarten. It’s the best of both worlds!
"We’d choose the school again."
We’d choose the school again for both of our children. The teachers really focus on the individual needs and interests of your child.
"A wonderful experience."
Our years at Billy Dalwin were a wonderful experience for our entire family. Our children learned and grew in a stimulating, nurturing environment, while my husband and I become part of a supportive Jewish community of other young families. Our oldest child is in high school now, but the friends we made at Billy Dalwin are still among our closest.
"Highest quality early childhood education."
The best part of enrolling our children in Billy Dalwin Pre-School is that we never had to choose between giving our kids a rich Jewish Pre-School experience and giving them the highest quality early childhood education. At the Billy Dalwin Pre-School we could do both!
"A second family."
The Billy Dalwin Pre-School is so much more than a school; it is a caring community, a second family really. Both my kids couldn’t wait to join the class activities each day and made such strong connections with their teachers and friends.
