Pre-K at EHS
Our Pre-K is an engaging, dynamic, hands-on learning experience in a supportive and joyful Jewish environment.
Our program emphasizes the natural curiosity, imagination, and intrinsically motivated mind of a young child. Centered around exploration, problem-solving, experimentation, and discovery, our curriculum is a highly regarded literacy-based program which includes instruction that develops foundational mathematical thinking.
Led by highly trained educators, EHS’s Pre-K is based on multidisciplinary and multi-sensory experiences that include STEM, art, music, and physical education with our EHS specialists. Using indoor and outdoor spaces, students engage in stimulating and inspiring activities that promote the development of social-emotional growth, executive functioning, and academic skills.
Unique to EHS is a classroom environment immersed in Hebrew language and love for Judaism. Our program will build your child’s confidence, encourage their creativity and curiosity, nurture their compassion, and foster a strong Jewish identity.
Your child will enter kindergarten with a love of learning and the tools necessary to navigate their expanding world as they enter elementary school.
The Epstein Hillel School Experience
EHS offers a rigorous curriculum which prepares students to be successful. Alongside language arts, mathematics and social studies, all students learn engineering and computer programming skills in EHS’s state-of-the-art STEM Innovation Center. Students also are directly taught executive functioning strategies to help them develop organizational skills that will last them a lifetime.
In addition to academics, EHS spends time addressing students’ social emotional learning. Through our Social Thinking curriculum, students learn to recognize the connection between behavior and one’s thoughts and feelings. They are taught strategies to recognize and modulate behavior as needed in different social settings. Students learn to advocate for themselves, while also maintaining healthy and productive communication with others.
EHS is extremely proud of the state-of-the-art Sulman Innovation Center which offers extensive hands-on STEM learning. With an articulated curriculum that is differentiated at each grade level, students are able to pursue new ideas, knowledge, and skills through exploring, designing, coding, tinkering, and building with a variety of tools, media, and resources, such as 3-D printers, laser/vinyl cutters, and robotics.
An EHS education cultivates a deep sense of pride and knowledge about Judaism, the Jewish people, and a strong connection to Israel. Whether studying Hebrew, discussing values related to sacred texts, engaging in tefillah (prayer), learning about Israel, or celebrating Jewish holidays, students graduate from EHS with excellent judgment, a strong moral compass, and the confidence and courage to speak articulately about their heritage.
Leadership is a quality EHS develops in all its students. In third grade, each EHS student becomes a big buddy to a younger student. They are the mentors, role models, and teachers for their assigned younger buddies who become their partners for many school activities. Fifth and sixth grade students take on even bigger leadership roles, organizing school-wide events, serving as Shabbat helpers, and leading the school’s daily morning meeting. As part of their Leadership Course, they research community needs, commit to their passions, and plan and participate in projects to support those passions. Students leave EHS with the understanding that they have a responsibility to step up as community leaders and the skills to give them the confidence to do so.
Compassion is one of the core values of EHS, and social action is an essential part of the EHS experience. Students deeply understand their obligation to help support the community and help those who are in need. This is achieved through both grade-level programming and school-wide initiatives. As part of their leadership course, fifth and sixth graders work on grass-roots projects of their interest to help educate others and provide support to individuals in the local community. Students’ ability to see their project from inception to completion help to form and shape their identity as leaders and activists who can make a difference.
All students at EHS study Hebrew with the goal of being fluent readers and confident conversationalists upon graduation. Second language learning is known to develop neural pathways which help students achieve greater success in other subject areas such as problem-solving, critical thinking, memory, concentration, and mental flexibility. Transfer students are provided with both small group and individual tutoring to help them acclimate and integrate with their peers.
A student’s day doesn’t have to end at 3 PM. EHS has a robust after-school program which offers dozens of options all year round for all grades. There are individual and team sports, performing and fine arts, games, and so much more. Learn more here.