Little Star is one of the leading Hebrew day schools in Staten Island. We create a vibrant environment for our students to flourish. We foster Jewish values and promote the highest quality secular and Jewish education in warm and friendly surroundings, as we know that a well-rounded child is a well-adjusted adult.
-M. Guterman
At Little Star, we utilize center-based education to create a well-rounded curriculum. Each learning center is designed for hands-on learning, giving our students an enriched learning experience. Age-appropriate centers focused on varied skills enable each Little Star student to flourish and shine bright.
A child who reads will be an adult who thinks. Reading and writing skills are essential for every young students, and even the youngest of children can benefit from introductory speech and language skills. Exposure to reading and writing improves literacy and gives kids a positive attitude toward learning. Early literacy and pre-reading skills give our students a head start and prepares them for school. Our expert teachers introduce reading and writing in our literacy center with alphabet games, learning ABCs, tracing, and arts and crafts projects that keep our students engaged, curious and always learning.
Shapes and colors are the foundations of learning and the tools with which children build, play and explore the world. From the earliest stages of child development, shapes and colors are prevalent and prominent, giving children visual comprehension, sorting and classifying, and school readiness skills. Through flashcards, toys, painting, identifying, show and tell, and many more interactive, creative and hands-on activities, we focus on the basics of visual learning and give our students a rich and colorful learning experience.
We believe in the essential logic and problem solving skills that a proper mathematics education can give to young students. Math isn’t just about numbers – it’s about understanding and building processing and logic skills. Our math and science curriculum focus on the critical brain development of the formative years and explore all areas of the math and sciences such as hypothesizing, problem solving, STEM skills, decision making, numbers, sorting and counting, learning about the world, environment, nature and seasons, and even conducting experiments and learning about essential tools like the microscope and thermometer. Sponsored in part by Kars4Kids, our math and science centers instill a love of learning, exploration and discovery.
Little Star is unique in that we include a full curriculum dedicated to Judaic studies. Our Jewish learning includes all cultural aspects of the program like learning about Jewish holidays around the year, Aleph Bet and fundamentals of the Hebrew language, study and exploration of the weekly Torah Portion, and much more. Judaic understanding and Hebrew literacy gives our students a head start on their Hebrew studies and a familiarity with their rich history and heritage. Jewish values are central to our learning environment and instill in our students a love and appreciation of the Jewish culture and its fundamental beliefs.
Imagination can take you anywhere, and at Little Star we let it do just that. We encourage imaginative and cooperative play which helps our students develop crucial problem solving skills, actively develops their social and emotional intelligence, encourages creativity and nurtures their own imaginations. We provide the safe environment to let our students dream and learn about themselves and the world around them by engaging with their own originality. The building blocks, kitchen set area, dress up center and variety of dolls and stuffed animals help our students put their play into practice and keeps their minds moving.
Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat. Every child benefits from a healthy freedom to grow and develop and there’s nothing quite like the outdoors to provide that. Among the myriad benefits of outdoor play are increased activity level, freedom to run, jump and climb, social and gross motor skills engagement and building, exposure to sunlight and fresh air, and a motivation to move that staying indoors won’t provide. Our outdoor playground, complete with slides, tunnels, swings and much more, was built with safety in mind and is padded with soft cushioning as well as completely fenced in. At Little Star we aim to build confident and healthy children and by involving the children in outdoor play on a daily basis we can achieve that.
Our great team of skilled teachers are hand-picked for their warmth and professionalism. Each teacher is experienced and fully trained to give each student what they need to succeed. With a high teacher-to-student ratio, at Jewish Little Star Preschool, you’ll know your child is in good hands!
Born and raised on Staten Island in a family of educators, Aliza has strong ties to the community and to the profession of education. Aliza joined Oorah in 2006 and has connected with the organization as much as she has with the children and families Oorah helps.
Aliza's compassion, intellect, and fun energy made it easy for her to take on new roles such as Head Counselor of Oorah’s TheZone Camp and the founder and leader of Staten Island Girls ChillZone.
Prior to coming to Little Star, Aliza taught for five years at the Rabbi Jacob Joseph Girls School in Staten Island. She started as a Pre-1A assistant and was asked to take over as the upper grades teacher for several subjects. Aliza was and continues to be admired by her peers and former students.
As the granddaughter of a master educator and the founder of Oorah, Rabbi Chaim Mintz, teaching and loving every Jew runs in Sarah’s blood. She received her Masters in Early Childhood Education, after being involved in Oorah and its programs for most of her life. Sarah was the Head Counselor of Oorah’s TheZone Camp in 2017 and has run the ChillZone in Twin Rivers, NJ. She joined Little Star with a wealth of experience from working in Bnos Esther Malka Elementary School as well as Richboro Hebrew School.
After five years of being a head teacher at Hannah Senesh Community Day School, Regina came to Little Star with a wealth of experience. An expert at encouraging children to explore the world around them, Regina enjoys observing her students develop self-confidence and a positive self-image. With a Master’s degree from Brooklyn College in Literacy Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Regina is a respected and valuable asset to the Little Star staff.
Rochel Leah’s motherly nature endears her students to her. She has experience working at a playgroup and we are fortunate that she has joined Little Star. Rochel Leah is truly devoted to her students and cares about them dearly both inside and outside the classroom.
Adina’s extensive preschool experience gives her the ability to develop an excellent rapport with her students and their parents. Her stellar story-telling abilities make her lessons come alive! Adina’s warmth and creativity make her an exceptional teacher and cherished member of our staff.
Chava is a longtime, cherished member of the Little Star team. Her warmth and contagious enthusiasm makes her a beloved teacher by the students and parents. Chava enjoys teaching and loves the children as her own. She is currently finishing a Master’s program majoring in Early Childhood Education. Living across the street from Little Star gives her the unique opportunity to feel like a part of the Oorah family.
Miri’s enthusiasm and cheerful personality light up Little Star! She is a beloved teacher at RJJ in the mornings and enthusiastically leads our Toddler class and After Care coverage for the school. Miri keeps her Toddlers engaged with exciting activities and can be heard singing, cheering, or reading accompanied with the children’s squeals of delight!
Browse through our pictures and videos to get a taste of Little Star!