Gan Shalom Early Childhood introduces our families with young children to our vibrant, inclusive, and creative learning community at RSNS. GSEC encompasses our Grown Up and Me classes (for ages 0-2), Gan Shalom Nursery School (for ages 2-5)), and our PJ Library Events (for ages 1-8). Through our dynamic programming, we joyfully impart Jewish values and customs while nurturing the foundations of child development. With a whole-child approach to learning, we strive to create an enriching environment where every child can flourish and grow with love and support.
In her twenty years as an educator, Adrienne’s goal for each experience is “How can I make this memorable?” Adrienne loves engaging learners of all ages, abilities, and interests in content that helps them grow as individuals and understand their place in our evolving world.
Adrienne is a licensed Early Childhood Educator with additional Elementary and Secondary Education licenses from New York State. She has a Master’s Degree in Art History from Queens College, a certificate in teaching English as a foreign language from Columbia University, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Education from Indiana University.
Adrienne’s connection to the RSNS Community began as a synagogue school teacher and continued when her two children attended and graduated from Gan Shalom Nursery School. Adrienne loves that RSNS leads with love and acceptance and is a sacred space where all are welcome. Before being the Director of Gan Shalom, she was a class parent, Parent Liaison to all of Gan Shalom, and on the Gan Shalom Educational Advisory Committee. She loves working with the staff, children, and families in GSEC.
Gan Shalom Nursery School at RSNS, a non-profit school, was organized in 1994 by a committee of dedicated rabbis, early childhood educators, and child development professionals, to provide the best possible Jewish and secular experience for young children and their families. We focus on building community, establishing a connection between home and school, and child-led experiences that plant the seeds of curiosity and inquiry in our learners. Our Early Childhood programming expanded in to include ‘pre-preschool’ classes and bridges to from our Nursery School to our Elementary School learners at RSNS through PJ Library programs.
Gan Shalom Nursery School is licensed by OCFS, registered with NYSED’s Nursery Schools, and a UPK participant in Port Washington Public Schools. As a school of learners, we invest in our staff’s professional growth through our partnerships with QualitystarsNY and ElevatED.
We had the best time @betherainbowinc ‘s festival on Saturday! After walking with the community on the Bay Walk, we invited festival goers to help us decorate our Gan Shalom instruments by ‘banging to the beat of their own drum.’
Accompanied by Cantor Eric on the doumbek and listening to the joyful music of the festival, we embraced our inner rhythm and creativity by dipping our drum sticks in ink pads and playing along. The results were amazing!! We can’t wait to use the drums with our learners @ganshalomrsns ❤️🦋🌈🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
We had the best time @betherainbowinc ‘s festival on Saturday! After walking with the community on the Bay Walk, we invited festival goers to help us decorate our Gan Shalom instruments by ‘banging to the beat of their own drum.’
Accompanied by Cantor Eric on the doumbek and listening to the joyful music of the festival, we embraced our inner rhythm and creativity by dipping our drum sticks in ink pads and playing along. The results were amazing!! We can’t wait to use the drums with our learners @ganshalomrsns ❤️🦋🌈🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
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🇮🇱🇮🇱#tbt to our Tuesday celebration of Yom Ha’atzmaut! We came together to dance and parade our flags and paper doves for Israel’s birthday before taking a trip and learning about all the communities that call Israel home.
We connected our community to Israel by posting photos of our family and teachers that have visited Israel in the past, and Grover (everyone’s honorary family member). Our children made art at the Tel Aviv tables, found their family members at our Kotel and near the Dome of the Rock (Grover was pictured by both sites), served friends tea in the Bedouin tent, went digging for archaeological treasures in the north, and experimented with floating figures in our salt water table of the Dead Sea. All cities had the Israeli highway signs writing names in Hebrew, Arabic, and English.
#ganshalomrsns #earlychildhoodlearning #yomhaatzmaut
🇮🇱🇮🇱#tbt to our Tuesday celebration of Yom Ha’atzmaut! We came together to dance and parade our flags and paper doves for Israel’s birthday before taking a trip and learning about all the communities that call Israel home.
We connected our community to Israel by posting photos of our family and teachers that have visited Israel in the past, and Grover (everyone’s honorary family member). Our children made art at the Tel Aviv tables, found their family members at our Kotel and near the Dome of the Rock (Grover was pictured by both sites), served friends tea in the Bedouin tent, went digging for archaeological treasures in the north, and experimented with floating figures in our salt water table of the Dead Sea. All cities had the Israeli highway signs writing names in Hebrew, Arabic, and English.
#ganshalomrsns #earlychildhoodlearning #yomhaatzmaut
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Wishing you a Shabbat of being present in yourself in the company of ones you love. Here is Rabbi Jodie using her breathing balls with our two year olds while reciting Elohai Neshama for Shabbat.
#ganshalomrsns #shabbatshalom #community
Wishing you a Shabbat of being present in yourself in the company of ones you love. Here is Rabbi Jodie using her breathing balls with our two year olds while reciting Elohai Neshama for Shabbat.
#ganshalomrsns #shabbatshalom #community
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Setting the stage➡️ community around the Seder table and singing songs that tell the story of Passover. We concluded with a model Seder with our oldest learners and their families.
Stage 3: Gather
Have a meaningful holiday, everyone! 🫓🍽️🍛📖
Setting the stage➡️ community around the Seder table and singing songs that tell the story of Passover. We concluded with a model Seder with our oldest learners and their families.
Stage 3: Gather
Have a meaningful holiday, everyone! 🫓🍽️🍛📖
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As we all go on our journeys to prepare for the Passover Holiday, here’s a look back at the prep and celebration of our Passover journey at Gan Shalom this past Friday🫓❤️
Stage 1: Build
#ganshalomrsns #passover #earlychildhoodeducation
As we all go on our journeys to prepare for the Passover Holiday, here’s a look back at the prep and celebration of our Passover journey at Gan Shalom this past Friday🫓❤️
Stage 1: Build
#ganshalomrsns #passover #earlychildhoodeducation
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