It is our commitment to our teachers, students and parents to continually grow as a learning community so that we can provide the latest in research-based best practices for every child’s early childhood education. We are consistently conducting training that challenges our educators to continue to grow and stay current on best practices. All our trainings are based on the latest research and align with our NAYC accreditation.
At the ECLC we have lots of titles for our educators like… brain builders, party planners, health care providers, and dream advocates.
Melissa Youngblood, ECLC Director
Our teaching goes above and beyond. Our teachers complete 20+ hours of continuing education every year, evidence of how committed we are to excellence, innovation and creativity. They are caring, creative and love working with young children. To ensure an excellent student-teacher ratio, each classroom is staffed with two teachers.
Ms. Amy has been with the JCC for over 30 years. She is a joy to children and families alike. Every day is special with Ms. Amy and she especially enjoys circle time with her children.
Ms. Beth has been with the JCC ECLC for over 15 years. Here she shares as special moment during our Annual All Pink Shabbat in honor of breast cancer awareness month.
With over 25 years at the JCC Ms. Corrie has given many snuggles and smiles. AND we can assure you there is nothing better!
Ms. Deb is a staple at the J. For over 25 years she has supported many teachers as they begin their journeys with us, such as Ms. Ira who is in her 2nd year as an Assistant. Smiling and singing with these two are a given, especially at Shabbat.
At the JCC, colleagues are not just friends, they are family. Teaching together for over 20 years, Ms. Irene & Ms. Deb find lots of opportunities to play together, both in and out of the classroom!
Bringing her love and knowledge of to Judiaca for over 30 years, Ms. Kerry is all things Jewish here at the J! Here she is welcoming in the New Year and experiencing the special sound of the Shofar.
Celebrating success is what we do, especially in the pool! 🙂
Start your week with a dose of mindful movement and breath. This class will focus on the building blocks of yoga postures and breathing and how to easily move in and out of them. Bring your beginner’s mindset no matter how long you’ve practiced. Sivasana and tea will follow in the Cohen-Presser Family Lounge.
Is your little one almost ready for school, but you’re not quite ready to let go just yet? This class will give you the best of both worlds! This class is structured like a preschool class. During the first few weeks of class, parent/caregiver and child attend together. Next, parents stay on the sidelines. Finally, the children attend themselves.
In this class, the children will become treasure hunters! Whether discovering crystals or uncovering dinosaur fossils, the children will have the thrill of collecting surprising treasures found in nature. They will also get to create their treasure box to store their loot!
In this class, the children will find their calm with yoga and explorations in our garden. They will learn all about nature’s ways as they plant and tend to the garden and explore all the other parts of the outdoor classroom.
Karen Duncan has been a part of the JCC’s Early Childhood Learning Center since 1992. She started as a classroom teacher before moving into a supervisory position. In 2007, she helped renovate and rejuvenate the former parenting center, turning it into Shayna’s Village.
As director of the Village, she is committed to helping parents and their children move through all of the phases of early childhood with dignity and respect, using best practices as the guide.
She finds joy in teaching and creating classes, but one of the best parts of her job is watching lifelong friendships develop in Shayna’s Village classes. Children and parents who meet in Shayna’s Village tend to remain friends for years and then eventually return as new parents and grandparents, keeping the cycle of friendships going. She feels honored to be a witness to those deep-rooted connections.
Karen Duncan was awarded the Harriet Weiss Legacy Award in 2021.
In this class, the children will learn kitchen basics and to follow a recipe. They will learn about “sometimes” vs. “anytime” food while they create nutritious foods and delicious treats.
Each week in this class, the children will get to experience a different area in the Village. They will enjoy the following activities: art, cooking, science, music, gardening, literature, and drama.
Enjoy a 30-minute interactive concert that includes lots of music, movement, and instruments! Please register in advance.
Enjoy complimentary challah with your child, while socializing with other families! Please register in advance.
Come snuggle and read stories together in this open library time. Enjoy guest storytellers. Please register in advance.
The children will unleash their creativity as they participate in creative activities of all kinds: visual art, dramatic play, and music.
The children will gain independence and confidence in this class as they begin to follow a school routine that is filled with learning activities, gross motor activities, and snack!
Storybook Theater
Dive into fairy tales from around the world. Weekly lessons will explore diverse cultures’ fairy tales and folklore to teach relevant themes in a creative, fun, and interactive environment. Participants will engage in improv, movement, puppetry, and music activities that nurture imagination and empathy through the world of storytelling. Fairy tales include: The 3 brothers and the Golden Apple (Bulgaria), Bunbuku Chagama (Japan), and The Legend of Coqui (Puerto Rico)
Toddlers will begin to learn about basic kitchen principles, such as pouring, mixing, and spreading. The children will enjoy being a part of the cooking process, especially when they get to eat what they make!
Director of Racquet Sports/Head Coach
Vladimir is a former top ranked player and a junior champion of Serbia, NCAA Division 1 player for a Championship team at the University of Florida, a professional player who competed on the ATP Tour for more than 16 years and a Davis Cup player for Serbia alongside Novak Djokovic. Vladimir graduated from the University of Florida where he played at the top of the lineup. During his collegiate career he was ranked as high as number 1, made the NCAA tournament first team and SEC tournament team, was SEC player of the week, and made Dean’s list as well as academic honor roll. He held a professional ranking at the age of 16 and throughout his career, he won 5 professional titles, competed in the biggest events in the world, and reached ATP ranking 192/368 singles and doubles. Throughout his career he competed against, and holds wins over, some of the best players in the world like Mariano Puerta (ATP 5 and French Open finalist), John Isner (ATP 8), Jiri Vesely (ATP 35), Kei Nishikori (ATP 4), Ryan Harrison, Janko Tipsarevic, Benjamin Becker, Sergeiy Stakhovsky, Dusan Lajovic and many more.
Vladimir comes from the same tennis club in Serbia that produced numerous professional players and he trained under the same developmental program as some of the greatest players in the history of tennis like Novak Djokovic. Upon Vladimir’s retirement from professional tennis, he transitioned into a new role as a coach, hitting partner, and adviser to some of the best players on tour. The list of clients he worked with includes Jelena Jankovic (WTA 1), Ana Ivanovic (WTA 1 and Grand Slam winner), Sabine Lisicki (Wimbledon Finalist), Andrea Petkovic (WTA 9), Ivo Karlovic (ATP 14), and Natalia Vikhlyantseva (WTA 54). In the past several years, Vladimir coached a number of junior players who became nationally ranked, received athletic scholarships into some of the most prestigious universities in the USA, reached the Orange Bowl Finals, and won Eddie Her. His proven training process, along with his work ethic, is being implemented into his academy in Orlando.
Vladimir is USPTA Level 1 Elite Professional, USTA Safe Play Coach, USTA ROGY and High Performance Coach and ATP/WTA Touring Coach.
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