Godine Early Learning Center (Newton)
At the Godine JCC Early Learning Center, we believe in the power of child-centered learning with a Jewish foundation. We’re now enrolling for 2024-2025!
Empowering Your Child to Learn and Grow
The JCC Godine Early Learning Center in Newton provides a nurturing and engaging environment for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years. With a curriculum that blends child-centered learning and Jewish culture, the center offers programs for infants, toddlers, preschool, and pre-K. Our location features a state-of-the-art natural playground and offers various enrichment activities to broaden your child’s horizons!
Our Early Learning Center Philosophy
At Godine, we focus on being responsive to children’s interests, creating meaningful learning experiences for them. Our educational approach is Reggio-inspired — we strive to foster a sense of curiosity in all of our students, while incorporating our rich Jewish culture, traditions, and values. We value co-constructed, child-directed learning, inviting creativity, and freedom.
Our philosophy allows children of all ages and stages of development to explore multiple domains of learning through the lens of their own curiosity.
Our Programs
From six weeks to five years old, we offer complete programs for:
- Infants
- Toddlers
- Preschool
- Pre-K
Year-Round Learning and Fun!
To accommodate busy families, we offer a full day program with extended-day option until 6pm.
Godine Summer Program
Our program offers a broad range of carefully designed, age-appropriate activities including: Arts exploration, outdoor water play, science, STEM, and so much more! To learn more and register, email godine-info@jccgb.org.
Our Jewish Heritage
We celebrate our Jewish heritage daily and help children gain an understanding of Jewish values in a pluralistic and inclusive Jewish environment. Our curriculum features Jewish songs, blessings, Shabbat and holiday celebrations, stories, dance, and exposure to the Hebrew language.
We are proudly Jewish, but our community is open to all — above everything, we celebrate diversity, and teach our students to treat everyone with dignity, kindness, and respect.
Play, Laugh, Climb!
Our state-of-the-art natural playground is designed to provide developmentally appropriate play spaces for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children. It features a working garden, water and sand play areas, an abundance of nature, and an exploratory rock garden, all of which encourage children to engage with nature and discover new things.
Children have opportunities to explore their surroundings, engage with each other and with nature, and learn through hands-on experiences in a safe and stimulating environment.
Enriching Your Child’s Education
In addition to our core curriculum, we offer your children enriching programs during the school day to keep them engaged (additional costs may apply. Some of these programs allow your children to take advantage of the robust JCC programs and facilities):
- Music
- Hebrew
- Swimming
- Enrichment Classes
- Discover CATCH (an early childhood program that promotes body awareness, love of physical activity, and healthy eating.)
- …and More!
Connect to Your Child’s Learning Journey
We understand that entrusting your children to us is a big decision. To help you stay reassured that they are in good hands, we partner with Kaymbu, an app that gives families a personalized look into the classroom through photos, videos, and notes. We send regular classroom updates, including photos and child-specific reports.
With Kaymbu, you can stay connected to your child’s educational development and feel more involved in their learning and growth.
Experienced Educators
Our educators view themselves are lifelong learners, constantly engaging in learning opportunities. The combination of education, experience and passion enriches educators’, children’s and families’ lives.
Our educators seek to create and embrace learning opportunities for personal and professional development, provoke, wonder, nurture curiosity and engage the intellect of the children and their families. They understand that observing and listening to children and families is both skill and art, requiring continuing growth and vigilance.
Our educators are viewed as professionals and are an integral part of the JCC Greater Boston.
Beyond the Classroom
JCC Godine Early Learning Center families receive a free JCC Greater Boston family membership to our Leventhal-Sidman building in Newton — a $2,000 value! The JCC provides a plethora of opportunities to connect with a community of families with young children.
If you’re looking for a top-quality preschool where children are active and engaged learners, look to the Godine JCC Early Learning Center. Join us to find more than a school — join us to find a community. Schedule a visit with us today!
Meet the Team
At the JCC Godine Early Learning Center (ELC) in Newton, your child will have the advantage of teachers who are highly qualified and experienced in the field of early childhood education. They create a warm, nurturing environment for your child to learn and grow. Like our students, our educators are always growing! They take advantage of every opportunity for mentoring and professional training. Many are sought after as early childhood education leaders on a local and national level.
Co-Director (Infants & Toddlers), Godine JCC Early Learning Center
Caitlin Sullivan-Fieldman
Co-Director (Infants & Toddlers), Godine JCC Early Learning Center
Caitlin is an accomplished and highly qualified early childhood educator at the Godine JCC Early Learning Center, where she oversees the infant and toddler programs. With over ten years of experience in a diverse set of early childhood settings prior to her arrival at the JCC in 2016, Caitlin brings expertise from progressive, Jewish, Montessori, hospital, and Swedish classroom settings. She has served as an early intervention specialist, and was the recipient of an Excellence in Teaching Recognition award in 2010.
Caitlin’s education includes a bachelor’s in human development from Cornell, a master’s in early childhood and special education from Bank Street College of Education, and a post-graduate certificate in infant-parent mental health from UMass Boston.
Co-Director (Preschool), Godine JCC Early Learning Center
Malgosha Szlempo
Co-Director (Preschool), Godine JCC Early Learning Center
Malgosha is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in early childhood education and child psychology prior to her arrival at the JCC in 2011. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise from her diverse background, including her experience as a child psychologist in Poland, and as the director of Yal-Day-New Day Care in Brighton.
At the JCC, Malgosha supervises educators in the three and four-year-old classrooms, ensures compliance with Early Education and Care (EEC) regulations, and plays a crucial role in maintaining optimal teacher-to-student ratios in each classroom. Her background includes a master’s in psychology from the University of Wrocław, and certification as a National Clinical Mental Health Counselor in Massachusetts.
Child Development Specialist
Krista Botsch
Child Development Specialist
Krista has been working at the Godine Early Learning Center since 2022. Over the past decade, she has worked with children and families in a variety of settings, including early intervention, public schools, early childhood learning centers, summer camps, and after school programs. She is passionate about collaborating with classrooms and providing support for families as they navigate the early childhood years. Krista holds a B.S. in Sociology and a M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education.
Assistant Vice President, Early Childhood Education
Indira Herscovici
Assistant Vice President, Early Childhood Education
Indira has an extensive background in early childhood. She joined the Brookline/Brighton JCC Early Learning Center in 1997, and assumed the role of supervising director in 2011, where she was responsible for program quality and content across all JCC Early Learning Center locations. In 2014, she was appointed director of early learning center operations, and now serves as assistant vice president of early childhood education at JCC Greater Boston.
Indira actively participates in the Greater Boston Director’s Council of Early Childhood Jewish Educators and is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in early childhood education from Lesley University. Her knowledge, experience, and dedication make her an invaluable asset to JCC Greater Boston’s early learning centers.
Get In Touch
Discover where the fun and learning happens by scheduling an in-person or virtual tour with us. You can reach us by email, at godine-info@jccgb.org. We’re located at the Leventhal-Sidman JCC, in Newton.
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