• Is my child old enough?  Osher students are between 2 and 5 years old at the start of the school year in September. 

  • Do you have extended hours? Yes. Our extended hours are 8-9am and 3:30-6pm (the regular school day runs from 9am-3:30pm).

  • Will my child learn Hebrew? Yes. Osher children are exposed to native Hebrew via Hebrew-speaking teachers and students. For students who do not come from Hebrew speaking homes, we offer age-appropriate instruction in Hebrew as a second language

  • Does my child need to know Hebrew in order to attend? No. There is both a Hebrew-speaking teacher and an English-speaking teacher in every class.

  • We are not religious. Will my family feel out of place? No. Osher students are comprised of families from backgrounds from across the Jewish spectrum. It is one of our greatest joys to see bonds and friendships develop between families of different backgrounds.

  • How many years can a child spend at Osher?  Most spend 3 years: 1 or 2 years in the younger class and 1 or 2 years in the older class, depending on their relative age. Sometimes, a child has the same head or assistant teacher for successive years (which research has shown to benefit children).

  • Is Osher UPK certified?  We have been, but decided not to maintain our certification so that we can stay true to our own educational philosophy and priorities, for example, utilizing age-appropriate math and English literacy-building techniques and including a high level of Jewish and Hebrew content. Children in their pre-kindergarten year are given special attention in order to be confident and kindergarten-ready. 

  • We try to eat healthy. Will my child be getting junk food in school? No. We believe in holistic education and that includes eating habits. Snacks include fresh fruit and whole-wheat crackers; lunches introduce kids to a range of foods like quinoa, lentil soup, vegetable salad or crudite.  

  • My child has special needs. Will he be accepted here? Yes! Every child is a gift from G‑d, to be treated with equal love and warmth.

  • Who founded this school? Parents and educators who believed that children's potential should be maximized and wanted nothing less than individualized, customized nurturing for their children.

  • What is STEM and how does it apply to preschool? STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. We like the STEAM version, which includes Art. In preschool, children engage with toys and questions that develop thinking and creative problem-solving; in everyday situations as well as in prepared mini-lessons.

  • What is the teacher to child ratio at Osher? Up to 6:1 in the younger class; up to 8:1 in the older class.

  • Can I send my child part time? Yes. We have full-day (9am-3:30pm), half-day (9am-12pm), and part-time (2-3 days per week) options available. (See Tuition.)

  • What does Osher mean? Osher is Hebrew for both happiness and wealth. This name was given to us by happy parents in 2012 who wanted our name to express the enrichment and joy Osher provides for the children. Before that we were called Chai Tots!