Upcoming Events
Beth Jacob Preschool
The Beth Jacob Preschool was established in 2002 to realize the synagogue’s vision of providing learning opportunities for people of all ages. The Preschool provides a quality early childhood Jewish experience for children of all backgrounds and abilities, from 18 months to 5 years.
OUR
PHILOSOPHY
OUR FACILITIES
OUR CURRICULUM
OUR DIRECTOR
OUR EDUCATORS
CONTACT US
JIM JOSEPH FOUNDATION
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Our experienced facility and professional staff of early childhood educators encourage Jewish values, exploration and growth. We believe that students learn best in a well-equipped environment that is stimulating, safe, consistent and nurturing. We encourage parents to actively participate in the education of their children.
OUR FACILITIES
Our classrooms are well-equipped with materials to enhance children’s exploration and learning. Our outside play yard is a large and spacious area where fruit trees, vegetables and flowers flourish. Beautiful redwood trees dot the perimeter and provide shade as children climb, run, bike, dig in the sand and tend the garden.
OUR CURRICULUM
Our curriculum is bias-free and developmentally based. We foster social and emotional growth in our students, and include joyful Jewish traditions and celebrations as part of the curriculum. We welcome children with diagnosed special needs and work with all children to master tasks that are appropriate to his/her individual level of development.
OUR DIRECTOR
Ann Cauterucci is the founding Director of the Beth Jacob Preschool. Her 30 years in Jewish Early Childhood Education include 20 years at Ta’Enna Preschool at the Palo Alto Jewish Community Center, where she taught and ultimately directed the program. Ann has led numerous teacher-training workshops both locally and nationally, and coordinated a Mentor Teacher program for Palo Alto Community Child Care. She was the recipient of the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education award in 2003.
OUR EDUCATORS
Our Early Childhood Educators provide rich programming filled with developmentally appropriate activities. In addition to our teaching staff, an Early Childhood Inclusion Specialist visits weekly to work with teachers on techniques that meet the emotional climate of each child, discuss strategies for each child, and be an additional support to teachers and parents.
Christine Dewart - Room Dalet
Last year Christine worked as a Child Development major at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and is currently finishing up one last course at San Francisco State in order to receive her undergraduate degree. She has had experience working with children of preschool age—having worked all four years of college at the on-campus Children’s Center. In addition, she volunteered at a local Elementary school in San Luis Obispo—interacting with students grades two through five. Beginning summer 2010, she plans to enter the multiple-subject teaching credential program at SFSU in hopes of becoming an elementary school teacher.
Lauri Flaxman - Room Dalet
This is Lauri’s eighth year at Beth Jacob Preschool, and her second year co-teaching our Facilitated Playskills Class. Lauri received her Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree from the University of Illinois in Speech Pathology. After working as a speech therapist for six years in the public schools, she began her teaching career. She has been teaching preschool for 17 years, 14 with Ann. She previously taught at T’enna Preschool at the JCC in Palo Alto.
Natalya Martyushova - Rooms Gimmel & Hey
This is Natalya’s seventh year at Beth Jacob Preschool, and her second year as the second grade teacher in Beth Jacob’s Religious School and Director of Family Ed Programs. She grew up in Ukraine and came to the US ten years ago. She has a MA in Child Development and Teaching English as a Second Language. After graduation she entered a Pre-Rabbinical Program and graduated from the College of Modern Religious Studies in 1999.
Dylan Stewart - Rooms Gimmel & Hey
Dylan graduated from UC Davis in 2008 with a degree in Psychology and Human Development. He has spent the last four summers working at Jefunira Camp in Palo Alto as both a camp counselor, and a director. Most recently, this last year he worked in San Fransisco at a group home for children with acute-mental disorders as a residential counselor. He is currently applying for graduate school in clinical and school psychology.
CONTACT US
Thank you for your interest in the Beth Jacob Preschool. Please fill out this form and we will get back to you shortly.
JIM JOSEPH FOUNDATION
Preschool scholarship awards were made possible for the 2010 – 2011 school year thanks to a generous Emergency Education Grant from the Jim Joseph Foundation.
The scholarship award process is implemented in partnership with the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties; the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley; the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay, and the Bureau of Jewish Education. The Jim Joseph grant will enable families to keep their children in Jewish preschools, day schools, and Jewish overnight summer camps throughout the Bay Area.
