TikvaTots Preschool

TikvaTots Preschool is an early childhood program dedicated to enriching the lives of children in the South Bay on their way to public and religious school. Our nurturing and innovative environment encourages children to express themselves and feel self-confident. Each day, your children enjoy a wonderful balance of play, self-exploration and education. With classes led by highly experienced California state credentialed teachers, our preschool’s unique 5:1 student/teacher ratio enables each child to receive personal attention. The CTJ synagogue adores these children, which constantly reminds us we are not just a school... we are a true community.
Our Philosophy is that play is a primary source for understanding and building knowledge. Play stimulates curiosity, helps build confidence and self-esteem, and fosters a positive approach to learning. Play is the work of childhood!
We Promote a warm, stimulating atmosphere designed to nurture the unique creative, intellectual, emotional, social, and physical needs of each child.
We Celebrate Jewish life by praying daily, performing mitzvot, embracing Jewish traditions and values, exploring stories and tales from Torah, and rejoicing in Shabbat and holidays.
Enrichment
Weekly Shabbat Party
The wonderful and inviting aroma of our children's freshly baked challah permeates the synagogue as we celebrate with a musical shabbat party.
Mobile "My Gym" Mobile My Gym is an energetic, innovative program that enhances children’s gross and fine motor skills through games, movement, music and pure kid humor.
Music and Dance
With the guitar strumming in the background, the children dance and sing their way through the holidays and everyday life.
Reading with Pearl
As a special treat, our own senior CTJ member and former preschool teacher, Pearl Davis, comes to share books and read stories with the children.

TikvaTots Staff

Gwen Wexler Director

Gwen was born and raised in Los Angeles. She earned her B.A. in Psychology w/ a specialization in Liberal Studies from UCLA. Gwen later completed a Teacher Training Program at California State University, Northridge followed by further studies in Child Development at West Los Angeles College and UCLA. She currently holds a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, a Cross-Cultural Language and Academic Development Certificate, a Child Development Master Teacher Permit, a Site Supervisor Permit, and a Program Director Permit. Prior to teaching at ECC in 2009, Gwen was employed as a full-time teacher and substitute teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District working in both regular education and special education classrooms with children from preschool to 5th grade. In addition, Gwen has taught Mommy and Me at CTJ and the B'nai Tikvah Nursery School where she also worked in the office and as a substitute teacher. In her free time, Gwen enjoys spending time with her children and volunteering. Her volunteer activities at CTJ include serving on the Sisterhood Board, Co-chairing the Imagine LA Homelessness Project, and representing CTJ on the Jewish World Watch Synagogue Advisory Council.
 

Amy Primbsch Educator

Amy earned her B.A. in Liberal Studies from California State University Long Beach, and currently holds a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with a CLAD emphasis. Prior to teaching at ECC, Amy taught in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She has two children.

Jennifer Lewis Educator

Jenny Bennett is excited to join the TikvaTots family as a teacher and a parent this year!  Jenny received her BA in Communication at the University of Southern California and her teaching credentials and Master’s in Education at Pepperdine University.  Teaching since 2004 in El Segundo Unified School District has been a wonderful experience for Jenny; however, she has wanted to work with preschoolers since her own have started at Tikvah Tots.  Going to Disneyland, singing, reading, and cooking are just a few of Jenny’s hobbies, which she enjoys with her husband, Brett.   She cannot wait to share some of these passions with the kids.
What Parents Are Saying About TikvaTots

We feel very fortunate to have our kids enrolled at TikvaTots.  It is a stimulating and fun environment where they feel protected and loved.  The teachers are very thoughtful and imaginative and are constantly thinking up creative ideas to enrich the kids' learning experience.  And the kids are all so sweet.  We love TikvaTots!

-Jennifer

The teachers at TikvaTots are absolutely wonderful!  Our older son attended the preschool for two years.  He is excelling in kindergarten due to the wonderful teachers at TikvaTots!  Our younger son started his third year and loves it!  The teachers at TikvaTots are not just teachers.  They are friends.

-Nancy

My 3 year old grandson can’t wait to go to school.  He comes home bubbling with the exciting things he’s done.  He loves his teachers, his friends, and activities. He sings the songs-both English and Hebrew and has begun recognizing the letters.  That does not come from me!  This is truly an amazing school with a warm and understanding staff AND great parents.

-Susan

I love TikvaTots because it has been a great place for our boys to develop social and academic skills while getting a consistent positive Jewish influence.  Beyond the baseline preschool skills of learning how to interact with other kids and learning foundational academic skills, the collocation at the temple has allowed the boys to interact frequently with the Rabbi and Cantor and become comfortable in the sanctuary.  The consistency of introducing holy day and Shabbat terminology, music and culture is making a big difference in our ability to raise our boys Jewish.  The level of teaching at the school is also beyond expectations – Gwen, Jenny and Amy not only carry an impressive educational background, but are also a pleasure to deal with as a parent.  Finally, what impresses me the most about TikvaTots is the quality of the children and parents – I enjoy seeing our boys become friends with polite, smart and thoughtful kids, and it’s not too hard to draw the connection to their warm and engaged parents.

-Gil

TikvaTots is a place where my child knows she is loved and has a voice.  The kids' "reflections" take up a small part of the day, but that sharing time so entirely represents the teachers' philosophy to me: what your young child thinks about and chooses to express can be charming, funny, ridiculous, poignant and wise, but it always matters...especially to the child.

 -Amanda

I like our school because of the warm relationships we have built together with the children and families, and teachers.  It’s like dropping the kids off at a friend’s house.  We love it at our school!

-Margie