About Us
Vision
Our vision is that children served by the Mishkan Israel Nursery School and Day Care (MINS) experience safe, welcoming and supportive educational and child care opportunities. Infants, toddlers and older preschoolers engage in developmentally appropriate play activities that prepare them for the next level of growth. Caring and attentive teachers plan and provide individualized small group experiences that assure preschoolers of all ages have fun while they learn through play.
Mission
The Mishkan Israel Nursery School and Day Care is a state licensed Jewish preschool that provides a continuum of educational play opportunities for children of all faiths from age 6 weeks to 5 years (including a Pre-Kindergarten class). We provide responsive and supportive classroom activities designed to meet the developmental needs of young children. The School offers year round, full and half day enrollment options, including two, three, four and/or five days-a-week sessions with classrooms for each age group.
At MINS we value each child as both a unique individual and a member of our school community. Our educational philosophy is consistent with guiding principles about early learning and child development as outlined by the Connecticut Department of Social Services and Board of Education. Our dedicated teachers and warm classroom environments create a community where children learn to care about others, develop a positive self-image, and master the skills that are the foundations for successful early childhood learning.
Our educational philosophy is grounded in the research-based understanding that young children learn through their play. Our educational program includes a daily routine with an array of intentional play activities designed to stimulate children’s social, emotional, intellectual, physical and spiritual growth and development. Our small classroom settings allow each child to learn at his or her own pace. We encourage children to become active learners and creative problem solvers. Additionally, our approach to early learning supports each child’s developmental and educational needs.
Educational Philosophy & Core Values
We provide ongoing guidance and professional development opportunities for our staff to enhance their knowledge of child development and effective early childhood teaching strategies. We work collaboratively with parents to understand their expectations and needs. We provide weekly program updates through an electronic newsletter. Additionally, infant and toddler teachers provide daily updates to parents about their child’s experiences and developmental progress. Teachers of the older children have formal parent-teacher meetings each year, and all teachers available whenever a parent-teacher meeting is desired.
Our Director
We are lucky to have an award-winning, early-childhood educator and administrator as the School Director. Rebecca Luty earned a BS in Education from SUNY Potsdam, and has attended NYU Graduate School of Education and Southern Connecticut Graduate School of Education. She taught at Elizabeth Blackwell Junior High for 4 years before turning her attention to younger children teaching 4-year-olds at Gan Hayeled Nursery School for 10 years; and writing and teaching curriculum for the Little Scientists Program. Since 2000, she has been the much-admired Director of MINS. Ms. Luty has won Teacher of the Year Award, Elizabeth Blackwell Junior High School in 1970, the Teachers Award for Little Scientist in 1997, and the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education in 2003.
An accomplished story-teller, she has regaled children in many locations and organizations such as the Connecticut Storytelling Festival, numerous Public Libraries, the Nature Center in Ansonia, the Whitney Barn, Spring Glen School, Foote School, and Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. She is the recipient of the Barbara Reed award for the Connecticut Storytelling Center in 2005.
Student Population
Our enrollment is non-sectarian and we are proud to have an extremely diverse population of kids: Jewish, Christian, Hindu, and Muslim children. We have families from the U.S., Canada, Africa, Mexico, Israel, Eastern Europe, Russia, Iraq, Japan, China and Korea and our social functions continue to strengthen and enrich the ties between our families of interfaith, GLBT, multiracial, single-parent and two-parent backgrounds.
Hours
We are open Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., year round.
Nursery School – 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Lunch Bunch 12:00 – 1:00 is optional)
Daycare – 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Additional Options
Enrichment Classes – 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Scheduling Options: 2, 3, 4, or 5 days
Pay School tuition online.
Enroll for 2011-12 School Year online or download Registration Forms.
Download 2012-13 Registration Forms.
For more information, contact Director Bec Luty at bluty@cmihamden.org or (203) 288-2375.
