Gan Keshet expands, affiliates with Lander-Grinspoon

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - A 25-year-old Jewish preschool run by Congregation Bnai Israel on Prospect Street will expand its school and offer full-day options next year.

Gan Keshet Preschool Director Wendy Stein said the expansion means the school will be able to double the number of children enrolled.

We want to be able to offer more options to more families and we think expanding what we have available will help us meet the needs of more people in our community, said Stein. We already had full-day classes that went to 3 p.m. but this expansion will allow us to run to 5:15 p.m.

By joining forces with Northamptons Lander-Grinspoon Academy, a private Jewish day school for grades K through 6, Stein said the expanded preschool will be larger and made available to all children in the community, regardless of faith.

We value diversity and welcome all families in the community, Stein said.

The school is also changing its name to Gan Keshet Jewish Community Preschool of the Pioneer Valley.

The expansion, which will begin next school year, will include offering longer-day options Monday through Friday and adding another classroom for 3-year-olds. Stein said the new three-year-old classroom will be located in currently unused space that administrators plan to refurbish. Established in 1985, the school is licensed by the states Department of Early Education and Care for children between the ages of 2.9 and 5 years old as of Sept. 1 in the year they enroll.

So much of our preschool curriculum supports a childs ability and natural interest in being a member of a community, Stein said.

Gan Keshet will be accepting applications in November for the 2011-2012 school year. The school is holding an open house Monday, Dec. 6, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. to meet the staff and visit classrooms.

For more information about Gan Keshet, residents can contact Stein at 413-584-3593 ext. 204 or visit the schools website: http://www.cbinorthampton.org/gan-keshet-preschool.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com