At Bet Shalom Yeladim (BSY), we provide a rich educational experience grounded in Jewish values and traditions for children ages six weeks to five years. Our teachers partner with families to support each child’s growth and prepare them for Kindergarten readiness by the time they graduate from our program.
Our classrooms balance academic learning with strong social-emotional development, helping children build independence, self-help skills, sensory and motor integration, and executive functioning skills that support lifelong learning and classroom success.
To learn more about Bet Shalom Yeladim, contact us or request a tour.
Our Approach
At Bet Shalom Yeladim (BSY), we believe children are naturally curious and learn best through exploration, hands-on experiences, and the guidance of caring adults. Our teachers nurture this curiosity through free play, teacher-led lessons, and engaging small and large group activities.
Along with our Letter of the Week and monthly Jewish values curriculum, these experiences are designed to support language development, scientific and mathematical thinking, large and small motor skills, independence, and emotional literacy in every child.
BSY’s small class sizes and predictable classroom structure help set our program apart. We prioritize each child’s individual needs and work closely with families to support successful, positive school experiences.
We take a holistic approach to learning by maintaining regular communication with families and partnering with community resources such as Minnetonka Pediatric Therapy Center, Washburn Center for Children, and Help Me Grow.
The active involvement of the Bet Shalom clergy team, weekly music classes, intergenerational programming, school-wide Shabbat celebrations in the Sanctuary, and family events throughout the year help foster a strong sense of community. We welcome children and families of all religious, cultural, geographic, and learning backgrounds to join our vibrant learning community.
Growth & Development
Bet Shalom Yeladim is committed to supporting the healthy growth and development of every child in our care. BSY teachers conduct ongoing classroom observations and regularly share highlights of children’s development in areas such as cognition, motor skills, speech and language, and social-emotional development. We share this information with parents via our parent app and by connecting with families at pick up and drop off regularly. In addition, our teacher complete formal fall and spring developmental assessments prior to family conferences. To support this process, we use recognized developmental screening tools, including the Ounce Scale, Learning Without Tears, and the Minnesota Early Childhood Indicators of Progress.
Ounce Scale (up to 42 months)
The Ounce Scale is an observational assessment filled out by teachers for students 6 weeks to 42 months (3.5 years of age). As children in this age range learn best and showcase what they know through play and hands-on learning, the Ounce Scale avoids formal sit-down "tests" that may not be developmentally appropriate for these students. It is a way to observe children as they play and take part in daily activities, such as eating, coloring, running and kicking a ball, sensory integration and how they interact with peers and adults. The Ounce Scale focuses on what children can do, rather than on what they can't do. With this assessment your child's teacher will be able to share how your child shows trust, expresses who they are, acts around other children, understands and communicates, explores and problem solves, moves their body, and uses their hands.
Work Sampling System (42 months & beyond)
For students over 42 months (3.5 years), BSY teachers use an in-house Pre-K assessment based on kindergarten readiness checklists from local school districts, the Minnesota Early Childhood Indicators of Progress, and Learning Without Tears math and language assessments. Teachers also observe students during everyday classroom activities to better understand their skills without the pressure of formal testing.
Using this information, teachers can share how children are progressing in areas such as social-emotional learning, executive functioning, math and science concepts, self-help skills, fine and large motor development, problem-solving, and communication with peers and adults.
The BSY Pre-K classroom also uses a Work Sampling System to document student growth throughout the year. Teachers collect examples of student work to track development in skills such as scissor use, letter and number formation, hand-eye coordination, executive functioning, and emotional regulation. This information helps teachers plan learning opportunities, guide fall and spring assessments, and share examples of student progress with families over the course of the school year.