SCHA Preschool Downtown provides your child with a stimulating, joyful and enriching educational experience in a nurturi
SCHA Preschool Downtown provides your child with a stimulating, joyful and enriching educational experience in a nurturing and loving environment.
ACADEMIC PHILOSOPHY
The uniqueness of every child is underscored with the axiom “Chanoch L’Na’ar Al Pi Darko” ~ “Educate your child according to his/her way.” Our teachers recognize that each child has his or her own unique needs, interests, and passions. Hence, our teachers prepare their lessons following Dr. Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, which enables each child to learn, explore, and discover in ways harmonious to his or her own unique mind. By tapping into each child’s individual talents, we build upon each child’s strengths.
Our Jewish values drive the curriculum, environment, and school culture. We model and encourage kindness, respect, compassion, confidence, and responsibility. Judaism teaches that the formative years of early childhood are vitally important. A child is viewed as a seed that we nurture with the utmost care, since the child's every experience will shape and color the quality of his or her matured self.
The Southern Connecticut Hebrew Academy Downtown Preschool’s mission is:
To nourish your child’s heart and mind as we develop cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills.
To encourage self-confidence and individuality by helping young children to enhance their learning and socializing abilities.
To soften the transition from home to the outside world by providing a physically and emotionally safe, stable, and nurturing environment.
To foster enthusiasm for learning and to encourage each child’s natural creativity and curiosity.
To provide a curriculum geared to the different and developing interests of each child.
To increase language development, positive social interaction, and readiness skills.
To encourage a sense of responsibility and accountability.
To provide a setting rich in materials and resources, a caring and highly qualified staff, a developmentally-appropriate program, and activities that are both teacher-guided and child-initiated.
To provide rich and meaningful Jewish content, including Jewish holidays, music, traditions, and the Hebrew alphabet and language.
To enhance the learning experiences with enrichment classes such as music, gym, library, baking, and art.
To communicate to parents the philosophy, goals, and program of the SCHA Preschool and to provide opportunities for parent involvement and education.
To enrich school experiences by using community resources and outside professionals in the field of early childhood education.
FEES AND TUITION
DAYCARE DOWNTOWN FEE SCHEDULE
New Family Registration Fee - $250
Annual Re-Enrollment - Early (Feb 1-Apr 15) - $250
Annual Re-Enrollment - Late (Apr 16 and after) - $400
Annual Building Fund (per family) - $750
Late Pickup Fee (starts at 4pm) - $1 per minute, per child
DAYCARE DOWNTOWN TUITION RATES
SCHA Daycare Program (All classes)
Mornings (9:00a – 12:30p)
Before care - 8:00a-9:00a - $10.00 an hour
After care - 3:00p-5:00p - $10.00 an hour
Each family is responsible for $750 for the SCHA Building Fund. If the full amount is not received by December 31, of the current school year, the remaining amount will be billed through the FACTS Tuition Management & Payment Processing System.
The non-refundable Registration Fee of $250 for new families and early (Feb 1-Apr 15) re-enrollment for existing families per student must accompany each application. The re-enrollment fee rises to $400 per student after April 15th.
All pupils are accepted on the basis of a ten-month school year as defined by the Board of Admissions. No exceptions to this rule may be made.
The non-refundable registration fee and completed registration forms reserve a space for each child. Upon notice of financial commitment, a meeting will be held with the business office to sign the financial contract.
Families may be eligible for Financial Aid through the Connecticut Care 4 Kids Program. Click HERE to be connected to their website.
Tuition payments are made through our Praxi School Portal. This is set up when you register your child for our downtown location. You can pay with a checking or savings account with no fee or a credit card 3 % processing fee.
We are thankful to the Arthur Eder Family Fund of the Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven for the Community Security Grant that has enabled us to enhance our onsite security.
CURRICULUM
For a detailed list of skills and benchmarks for each age group, please call the school to schedule an interview.
OUR STAFF
- Preschool Director-Lori Pill
- INFANT- Beatrice Ponce and Fabiola Lituma
- EARLY WALKERS-Rosalba Montoya and Naomi Rogol
- TODDLERS- Mira Jaekle and Jessica Diaz
INFORMATION AND FORM LINKS
PRESCHOOL HANDBOOK
PRESCHOOL FIELD TRIP PERMISSION FORM
OINTMENT PERMISSION FORM
WHAT PARENTS NEED - EASTROCK 2026
2025-2026 CALENDAR
INFANT SAFE SLEEP POLICY FORM
HEALTH ASSESSMENT FORM
INFANT FEEDING SCHEDULE FORM
CT IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULE 2025-2026
ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Early Toddlers
The first few years of your child’s life is a period during which learning takes place at an accelerated pace. We provide the sense of security and loving care that toddlers need to thrive during this stage of intense learning. Activities are designed to encourage development of all aspects of a child’s life – physical, social, emotional, and cognitive. Our children learn and explore through active play, hands-on and sensory experiences. Since toddlers are especially committed to achieving independence, our teachers provide responsive individual attention as your child deals with positive experiences, as well as frustration, in a patient and nurturing environment.