EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
“We feel so confident growing our family with the super local, accessible, ongoing support of the JCC ECE. I love how it feels; our experience keeps getting better and better as we navigate from teacher to teacher as Maya grows and is able to learn more and more. Maya looks forward to school every day; she has already built lifelong friendships for herself (and for us!)” -Jordan Levy, ECE Parent • Jasmine Cota and Jessica Kuehl were awarded their Childhood Development Associate (CDA) credentials. • A “Free Library” was started in the ECE open space thanks to a non-profit out of Green Valley that provides diverse and inclusive free books to families. • Joline Riddle, Sr. Director of Early Childhood Education, and Tiffany Horton-Mills, Assistant Director of Early Childhood Education, attended the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Conference in November, and 12 ECE teachers attended the Southern Arizona regional NAEYC Conference in December. Some highlights from the year include: • Special events in the Tucson J ECE form core memories that stay with children for a lifetime; some cherished moments from the year were the Love of Reading Parade and Book Fair, the Annual Purim Parade and Story, Passover Storytelling, Shabbat Family Picnic, Pre-K End of the Year Celebration, Matzah Bake, Rosh Hashanah Honey Bowls, Guest Rabbi’s for Shabbat, and cookie decorating for Hanukkah. • Our Early Childhood Education department shared their expertise, partnering with NAU PhD students conducting research in the field of occupational therapy, UA student teachers from the college of education, and Pima Community College for student observations.
At the core of our work in Early Childhood at the J is a deep commitment to building strong relationships—with each child, their family, and our team of dedicated educators. These connections are the foundation of a vibrant learning community rooted in Jewish values and responsive to the needs of today’s families. This year, we placed a strong emphasis on staff development, recognizing that investing in our educators directly enriches the experience of our students. The addition of Jennifer Greenberg, Jewish Culture and Curriculum Coordinator, played a key role in this growth, helping us more deeply integrate the Sheva Lenses and Jewish learning into daily practice. These principles shape how we teach, how we connect with children and families, and how we foster a sense of wonder, responsibility, and belonging in every classroom. From daily routines to holiday celebrations, this intentional approach enriched the learning experience for children and provided educators with the tools to weave Jewish culture seamlessly into everyday moments. With strong partnerships between educators and families, and ties strengthened outside the walls of our classrooms and into the J community, our ECE program continues to be a beloved and trusted choice for early learning in Tucson.
Early Childhood Education Revenue $3,492,011
Students Enrolled 278
Students provided with Scholarships 52 JCC 28 Quality First 11 DES 12
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