The first day of school is months away, but Congregation Beth El and Congregation Beth Israel are gearing up to open doors to a new preschool and a day school, respectively, in the fall of this year.
Beth Montessori plans to open its second preschool at Congregation Beth El, 8660 Gilman Drive, while Kadima Independent Day School (K.I.D.S) will replace Beth Israel Day School at Congregation Beth Israel, 9001 Towne Centre Drive.
While each school is small, with fewer than 100 students, both are expanding their outlook.
Beth Montessori perceives an increased demand in early childhood education and expects to grow beyond its capacity of 60 students. Kadima will replace a congregation-run school with a community-run day school that hopes to draw students from Jewish congregations all over San Diego, as well as secular families interested in Judaism. Kadima intends to grow to 100 students. Both schools are open to students of all faiths.
Beth Montessori accepts children from 1 1/2 to 6 years old. Kadima serves students from junior kindergarten to fifth grade.
Each school will mix secular education with Jewish values, culture, history and studies in Hebrew language. Jewish holidays will be observed.
“We’re open to any branch or anyone regardless of religious background,” said Cecilia Michan, director of Beth El’s parent school, the Jewish Montessori preschool in Carmel Valley. “Especially because our Jewish curriculum is based on a cultural approach, it really is very open to anyone.”
Each school also emphasizes a highly personalized education for each student. The Montessori philosophy of teaching stresses self-education, in which the student engages all five senses in an active hands-on environment. At Kadima, students are encouraged to work at their own pace. Lessons are tailored to students whose primary language is Hebrew, as well as to students who are first encountering the language.
Students shouldn’t notice much change at Beth Israel Day School. Aside from the name, the teachers, facility and studies will remain the same, said Buddy Voit, president of the school’s board of directors.
Leadership will change, however. A new principal, Dr. Cecile Jordan, will head the school. Jordan served as executive director at the San Diego Agency for Jewish Education for 18 years. She holds a doctorate in administration and supervision, and master’s degrees in elementary education, and Hebrew culture and education.
Members of the community will also now sit on the board of directors, instead of solely congregation members. Fourteen community rabbis will form a Rabbinic Advisory Council to advise the board and to participate in school activities. Both reform and conservative rabbis will sit on the council, Voit said.
Beth Montessori plans to renovate and modify some of the classrooms in order to accommodate the Montessori style of teaching. Opening up at Congregation Beth El is mutually beneficial, as the preschool sought to grow and the congregation desired an early childhood education program, Michan said.
Both schools are accepting students for the 2006/’07 school year.
For more information about Beth Montessori, contact director Lina Wolf, (858) 704-3847 or visit www.bethmontessori.com.
For Kadima Independent Day School, call (858) 450-3222 or visit www.KIDSsd.org.