JDN staff members hold bachelor's degrees or higher in Early Childhood Education or a related field. Through their education and through additional training at JDN, they are knowledgeable about child development and skillful at providing solid preschool or kindergarten experiences for young children. All staff attend regular in-service trainings to better themselves and to continuously enrich our program.

Music, art, science, outside play, free play, indoor large muscle play, and experiences in science, literacy, language, and math are all parts of the JDN day. Each child's teacher prepares, posts, and distributes copies of her weekly lesson plans so that parents always have a sense of what their children are doing at school.The young child's need for security and belonging is of paramount importance to us. Consistency and trust build strong relationships, and we are fortunate to have a very qualified, dedicated, and stable staff.

Most of our teachers have been at JDN for many years. Our small ratio, ten children to one adult, assures that children and teachers have meaningful, ongoing interactions. Because of our emphasis on consistency, children stay with the same teacher for most of each day. Floating teachers on staff are familiar to all the children, which makes for a smoother transition in the event of a teacher's absence. JDN's mixed three- and four-year-old classes enable a child to stay with the same teacher for two years and to continue the second year with many of the same friends. Dedicated volunteers, some with the school for over 25 years, serve as an extra pair of hands for the teachers and another source of comfort and consistency for the children.

To learn more, call JDN Early Childhood Center at Bellefaire JCB.
Cleveland area: 216-320-8489
Or email infoJDN@bellefairejcb.org