EC PHILOSOPHY & PROGRAM INFORMATION

OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM
The Addlestone Early Childhood Program provides a comprehensive, DSS-licensed program for young children, from 12 months to five years. The program is under the direct supervision of the Early Childhood Director. Addlestone employs degree-holding teachers, assistant teachers, and support personnel.

The school is registered with the South Carolina Department of Social Services and meets all State health department regulations and fire codes. We maintain excellent child-to-teacher ratios, which are lower than those recommended by the SC Department of Child Care Licensing standards.

Early Childhood teachers communicate with EC parents regularly using the Tadpoles application. After downloading the Tadpoles app, parents will receive important updates about their child’s day, including curriculum content, meals, naps, and diaper/toilet use, as well as photos and videos that provide families with a glimpse into their child’s routines and activities.

Our AM program is available from 7:30 am until 12:00 pm Monday through Friday. Our full day program is available Monday through Thursday, 7:30 am to 3:30 pm, and Friday, 7:30 am to 2:45 pm. Full and part-week care is available for children under three. The four-year-old program is five days a week.

Addlestone is a Community Jewish Day School that educates children of diverse backgrounds. Jewish law requires respect for all individuals and for their cultural backgrounds, values, languages, beliefs, and abilities. Families choosing Addlestone understand and are comfortable with the values, customs, holidays, and overall Jewish lens by which our program is developed.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

Addlestone provides a warm, caring environment in which young children can safely grow and learn. We recognize and respect that children grow and develop skills and abilities on individual timetables. We believe it is the role of the educator to protect and nurture each child’s individuality and diversity. The curriculum consists of many hands-on activities, a rich learning environment, content-based, and flexibility that allows each child to develop at his/her own pace.

The school builds a curriculum that balances the important skills taught in both General Studies and Judaic Studies, framing our pedagogy with the Creative Curriculum. Our educational environment offers a developmentally appropriate curriculum that utilizes experiential education, a rich and differentiated learning environment, and a depth of understanding supporting children’s individualized learning pace.

Addlestone offers a curriculum that reflects the culture and beliefs within the Jewish community, while also acknowledging the importance of secular education. Our school environment enriches and educates through meaningful learning experiences that foster the emergence of caring, autonomous individuals.

The program recognizes the importance of parents being the first teachers of their children. Cooperation and communication are vital for a child’s overall success and well-being. Through ongoing communication, the implementation of parent education, and involvement opportunities, the program aims to strengthen and enrich the families and community of the children we serve.

Middle School

5th grade is a transition year for Middle School as this is when they begin departmental classes. The students learn Math, Social Studies, Science, English Language Arts and Spanish, with an eye on making the material relevant to their lives and infusing STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) into the classes to ready our students for the 21st century workplace.

In Judaic classes, students are offered two tracks to choose from; a text-based class, where some classes are taught in Hebrew and are focused on classic text learning, and experiential, which does not include Hebrew and allows students who do not connect with text-based learning to learn Judaics with a project and discussion based approach. Both sections include classes on Chumash (Bible), Yediot Klaliot (General Jewish Knowledge) and special courses taught by our community rabbis.

Throughout the year, our students have special programs, both to celebrate Jewish holidays, as well as to experience material learned in General Studies in a more informal manner. On Fridays, grades 5-8 have an Oneg Shabbat program, when they come together to for a parsha themed activity. Exciting programs include Color War, which encourages student leadership and team building skills and enables students to shine with art and musical talents. We also have Discovery Days, during which students can pursue interests such as photography, architecture and technology. The culmination of our Middle School experience is our 8th grade trip to Israel, where our students spend two weeks in Israel, solidifying their Jewish identity by seeing the stories they’ve learned come to life.

Our Jewish Way of Life

Addlestone Hebrew Academy is a Community Day School founded in 1956, making Addlestone one of the oldest Jewish day schools in the country. Our goals are to educate Jewish students about Jewish traditions and holidays and to strengthen their Jewish identity by enriching their connection to Israel, Judaism, and the Hebrew language. As a community school, we are not affiliated with any synagogue, and we welcome students and their families from all affiliations and levels of observance. Our school’s focus is on education, and as such, we encourage students to seek advice from their parents and community rabbis on matters or issues related to different methods of observance and practice.

Addlestone supports all the congregations in the community, providing resources and a means of creating a rich and dynamic Jewish atmosphere where students and their parents can learn and interact.

HOLIDAYS

Addlestone students celebrate their Jewishness in a variety of ways, including holiday celebrations. For example, students bake challah for Shabbat, participate in a model Seder, dress up in costume for Purim, and plant a tree for Tu’Bshvat. Students’ Jewish experience is further enriched through multi-sensory activities such as making their own Kiddush cups, performing in a play for Yom Ha’Atzmaut, listening to a Holocaust survivor on Yom HaShoah, singing, and participating in daily prayers.

Our curriculum includes themes for all Jewish holidays and Thanksgiving. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Presidents’ Day. Our curriculum does not include the following holidays: Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, or Easter.

CAMPUS KASHRUT POLICY

Addlestone Hebrew Academy is a kosher campus under the supervision of the Rabbi of Brith Sholom Beth Israel Synagogue (BSBI). Our kosher guidelines seek to create an environment where all our families are comfortable eating together. To include all children and families in school-wide programs, such as birthdays, holiday celebrations, or class events, all food brought into the classrooms must be prepared in the school’s kitchen or have a school-approved kosher certification label.

To ensure the highest level of supervision, a kosher supervisor will oversee and inspect the kitchens and facilities. In addition, he sets and revises the Kashrut policies and standards as needed.

The following is a list of commonly found and accepted kosher symbols. In addition, you can check the CRC app for other accepted kosher symbols.
OU, Star K, Chof K, CRC Kosher, OK Kosher Certification.

***Please note that we do not recognize “K” and “triangle K” as acceptable kosher symbols.

Students in 1st through 8th grades are permitted to bring a packaged, certified kosher snack to enjoy during recess. Whole or cut fruit and vegetables can be brought in. In the interest of safety and wellness, due to allergies and dietary restrictions, students are not allowed to share their snacks with other students. Non-perishable snacks that do not require cold storage or heating are recommended.