Aleph Academy
where arts and academics meet
OUR WORLD
school philosophy
Aleph Academy recognizes and respects the unique qualities of each child. Our school’s primary mission is to foster a love for life long learning in our students. The curriculum skillfully weaves artistic and academic disciplines, along with Jewish values, into everyday activities. Students learn to follow their curiosity, to think creatively, and to work both independently and cooperatively with others. Our goal is to create a vibrant community of children, teachers and families.
curriculum
Using an arts and play based approach, Aleph Academy teachers engage children in activities focused on relationships and inquiry. The environment has been designed to support rich learning experiences and social-emotional growth. As an emergent, Reggio inspired curriculum in which Jewish values and the natural cycle of the year form the backdrop, the learning topics become negotiated between children and teachers. After careful observation and analysis, teachers offer additional materials while continually challenging children to explore their interests in more complex ways. Documentation is used to demonstrate how our curriculum meets or exceeds Nevada State standards.
The goal of our Judaics program is to imbue children with a love and joy for Jewish tradition. The customs and history are made relevant and meaningful using a hands-on approach with a focus on Hebrew language and Jewish values. Activities include Challah baking, Hebrew letter yoga, and holiday celebrations and heirloom quality art.
Aleph Academy is a TACSEI demonstration site that utilizes the Pyramid Model which promotes evidence-based practices that support positive social emotional skills for young children. TACSEI is a tiered prevention and intervention model designed to prevent and address children's challenging behaviors such as recognizing emotions in oneself and others, learning rules and expectations, self-regulation, and positive social interactions with peers.
core values
Here at Aleph Academy, we are constantly evolving to achieve academic excellence. We draw from recent studies in brain research to inform our teaching approach and train teachers. Additionally, we use the latest advances in technology as teaching tools, to communicate with parents, and as a way to minimize our dependence on paper products. These efforts combine to support and develop our core values, detailed here.
Relationships
Studies have shown that the quality of a child’s early relationships directly affect their success later on. At Aleph, children, teachers and parents collaborate and support each other to create a vibrant community. Our staff are passionate about what they do and demonstrate that through their educational background and continued professional development. As a community, we continue to learn and grow together.
Reflection
Reflection sheds light on past learning and encourages further growth. Using documentation as a tool for reflection, teachers observe and communicate through informal notes, social media, children’s portfolios and documentation panels. We also encourage children to take time to reflect so that they can take ownership of their own thoughts, feelings and ideas.
Experiential Learning
Children are given authentic experiences, based on the natural cycle of the year, to learn how to express themselves physically, emotionally, playfully and creatively. Children have an innate sense of joy, wonder and curiosity. We respect children and let their ideas guide our curriculum. We encourage children to take ownership of their learning, allowing them to become active stake holders in the creativity of the learning process.
School Readiness
Our daily rhythm provides for opportunities to develop the skills needed to enter school. Painting, clay work, and cutting & pasting develop writing skills. Group discussions, songs and listening to stories develop literacy skills. Critical thinking and appreciation for the natural world fosters a love for science and math. Research has shown that knowledge of a second language has been shown to increase proficiency in a first. We expose children to Hebrew from a very young age to broaden their minds.
The Environment
From our beautifully designed indoor space to our play based, natural playscape, we believe that an intentional environment enhances learning experiences. We nurture young children’s minds by letting them interact with nature, provide them with open ended toys and quality art materials. We also respect our larger world by letting children care for and manipulate their own environment. Principles like responsibility, repurposing and recycling all come into play during both our indoor and outdoor exploration times.
health & safety
Health and safety is our priority.