Childhood & Education Overview

Early Childhood Philosophy
The Jewish Community Center Early Childhood Program seeks to provide an educational environment that fosters each child’s self-image, curiosity to learn about the world, and confidence in his or her developing physical, intellectual, and social skills.  Our intent is not to teach a selection of specific skills in preparation for the academic world of the elementary school.  Rather, it is to instill in children an image of themselves as capable learners.  It is to provide each child an environment rich in possibilities for child-initiated and directed, teacher supported learning, through active exploration and play.  At the JCC, we believe that the best preparation for the academic work of the years ahead begins in an early program that nurtures children, reinforces their natural disposition to ask questions and find answers, and strengthens children’s ability to function as both strong individuals and as caring members of a child-sized community.

 

The History of the JCC Early Childhood Program
The Jewish Community Center opened its first nursery school program in 1951. In 1989, the JCC moved to its present building.   With this move, we renamed our program, JCC School for the Early Years. In 1995, we opened a second wing to our Early childhood hallway with 3 more classrooms.  These rooms now house our child care children, ages 18 months through 5 years.
 

Licensing
The JCC Early Childhood Program is licensed through the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare.  The School for the Early Years is also licensed through the Department of Private Schools.  Both School and Child Care programs are accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC.)  The JCC is also a Keystone STARS program Level 4 and Pre-K Counts site.   

Programming
Our program offers the York community several options for structured early childhood classrooms. 
►School for the Early Years - for children ages 2 through 5, provides care an learning from  9:00 to 11:30 a.m. during normal school year months
►Discovery Program - for ages 3 to 6 years old, offers an extended day for children and a summer camp for the same age group. 
►Child Care Program - for children ages 18 months to 5 years, including before and after school care for kindergarten children. This program offers a full-day, full-year care and education program with a full-day schedule during the summer and on school holidays. 

Teaching Staff
Our Early childhood program is staffed by a committed team of early childhood professionals.  Head Teachers in each classroom are degreed at either the Bachelor’s or Master’s level.  Assistant teachers must work towards a minimum of the Child Development Associate Degree within a year of joining our staff.  Many assistant teachers hold degrees beyond this entry level.  All teachers understand the importance of working closely with families and of meeting the emotional and educational needs of individual children.

For more information on our policies, please refer to our Early Childhood Education Family Handbook.

For more information about the JCC’s Child Care and School for the Early Years programs, contact Early Childhood Director, Fifi Spangler.

Childhood Photo Gallery

Click here for a gallery of Childhood Education Photos.

	Fifi Spangler Early Childhood Director Fifi is dedicated to providing the quality care and education to children that best serve their emotional and intellectual development. She came to the JCC as a teacher at the School for the Early Years in 1984. She was appointed child care director in 1994 and early childhood director in 2006.