Westwood's New Early Education Center Begins Enrollment on Monday, June 28th (Updated)

After more than a decade, the dream of Westwood's Temple Beth David community is finally coming to fruition when, after having its license approved on Friday, June 25, 2021, Shalom Corner Early Learning Center will open for enrollment this Monday, June 28, 2021.

The early learning center is located on the temple grounds, and uses the temple's wide, open indoor space and outdoor facilities. Shalom Corner will offer 5 days, 3 days, and 2 days a week enrollment to two classrooms with a maximum of 10 toddlers (2 to 3 years old) and 20 preschoolers (3 to 5 years old).

Lynn Kaminski, the center's director, states that it will be the "best of all possible worlds," borrowing aspects of Montessori and Reggio Emilia philosophies with a child-driven, play-based curriculum, while also keeping in mind developmental milestones. There is also the added goal on being outdoors as much as possible.

"What is learned joyfully is remembered best," she opines.

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Ms. Kaminski describes Shalom Corner as incorporating Jewish values as an overlay but aiming to have as diverse an enrollment as possible. She hopes the center will help fill a need in the community for childcare, where local providers such as Mom's Morning Out have closed.

"In this area, the need for childcare outweighs the availability," she observes.

Regarding Covid-19 precautions, Ms. Kaminski notes that the situation will be reviewed in August with CDC guidance. Decisions will be made based on science. She expresses the hope that everyone will be able to be unmasked and that social distancing will not be an issue. She acknowledges one parent’s concern that children's social development may be impacted by having their faces and teachers' faces covered.  However, if masks are needed to avoid the risk of serious health issues, it will be worth it, she notes.

"If some must be masked, all of us will be masked," Ms. Kaminski stated, sharing her thought right now that consistency is key and that inconsistency breeds discontent.

When enrollment begins, Ms. Kaminski will start with families that have expressed interest along the way, and then open up enrollment to the general public on a rolling basis. The Temple Beth David website will provide a link to enrollment when available, she says.

"I'm a jigsaw puzzle builder," she says, describing her job of meeting the needs of as many families as she can. There will be some priority given to 5 day a week students, but many families have expressed interest in flexibility and attendance for just a few days a week.  She wants to be receptive to that need.

The idea of a preschool began in 2005 when Temple Beth David added a new education wing to its building, says Ms. Kaminski. She notes that in 2005, it was the hope and vision of Rabbi Henry A. Zoob, now Rabbi Emeritus, that this new space in the temple would one day host a preschool.

In the time following the end of Rabbi Emeritus Zoob's thirty-six years of leadership at the temple, however, the process stalled with a new rabbi and interim rabbis. Ms. Kaminski points to the arrival of the temple's current co-rabbis, Rabbis Micah and Karen Citrin, as enabling the process to continue. The husband and wife co-rabbi team began their service at Temple Beth David in 2016.  They are both certified educators and co-run the temple's K-12 and adult education programs. Their arrival began "four to five years of seriously trying to get into the weeds of getting this done." Ms. Kaminski described the early learning center as the result of a team effort by the temple community.

Alana Sharenow, Vice President of Membership at the temple says, "It’s a lifelong dream for the congregation and rabbis." Ms. Sharenow states that in her twenty-two years as part of the community, she has never seen the temple come together with such commitment and excitement. "People are volunteering for everything," she says, noting tasks such as assembling rooms with furniture.

Ms. Kaminski herself, before she was hired as Shalom Corner's director, was a member of the Temple Beth David congregation for 20 years and a volunteer. With experience as a kindergarten teacher in Wellesley and a mixed age daycare in Somerville, Ms. Kaminski joined the temple's Early Education Committee. She also pursued and completed her director license. When another temple committee began the hiring process for Shalom Corner, she applied, was interviewed, and hired.

"I'm truly honored to have this first director's position. It means a lot to me, personally and professionally," she said.

Thanks to Lynn Kaminski and Alana Sharenow for contributing to this story.  If you enjoyed this article, please support local news by subscribing to Westwood Minute's daily email newsletter.  It's free! Just click the blue "Sign Up" button below.

Updated 06/27/2021 at 5:01 p.m. Information regarding license approval and the opening day for enrollment, Monday, June 28, 2021 has been added.

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For more about Temple Beth David, click here to read Westwood Minute's article on how religious institutions in town have adapted during the pandemic.

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