We are a premier Jewish preschool deeply inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach. We strive to create a nature-rich, child-focused curriculum. Most of all, we created a school environment that is empowering to all children and their families. A school where all of our students feel safe, seen, and understood.
About The Harmony School
The Harmony School at Beth David is more than a school, we’re a family.
Who We Are
The Harmony School welcomes children from 18 months to 5 years old.
At Harmony, we see children as capable and competent thinkers. In a world that moves increasingly quickly, we intentionally give children the time and space to learn through play, relationships, creativity, and the natural world.
We have small class sizes and use multi-age groups. Older children have meaningful opportunities to become leaders, while younger children learn by observing, collaborating with, and being inspired by their older peers.
Jewish values are woven into the everyday life of our school. Inspired by the Sheva Framework, we understand Judaism through lenses of B’tzelem Elohim ( all people are created in the image of G-d), B’rit (fostering a sense of belonging and community), Hit’orerut (awakening a sense of radical amazement in the world), D’rash (encouraging inquiry and investigation), Masa (valuing reflection and a growth mindset. Honoring every individual’s journey and story.), Kedusha (practicing intentionality and appreciation for the every day moment), Tikkun Olam (cultivating a shared responsibility to advocate for others and make a positive difference in the world).
Through exploration of the Jewish holidays, Shabbat, and shared traditions, children develop a deep connection to their culture, and community. Families of every faith, culture, identity, ability, and structure are warmly welcomed.
Our Clergy
Rabbi Beth Kalisch
Cantor Lauren Goodlev
Jewish Life and Belonging at Beth David
The Harmony School is proud to be part of Beth David Reform Congregation, where Jewish traditions and values come to life through music, stories, Shabbat, holidays, and community.
Families of every faith and background are welcome. You do not need to be Jewish or belong to Beth David before enrolling, and preschool enrollment includes complimentary synagogue membership during your child’s years at Harmony.
At the heart of our mission is L’dor V’dor—“from generation to generation.” Children are part of a warm, intergenerational community where Jewish values, culture, and identity are shared during the early years that help shape a lifetime of Jewish engagement and joy.
What a Day at Harmony Looks Like
No two days at Harmony look exactly alike, but each day follows a predictable rhythm that helps children feel secure while leaving room for curiosity, creativity, and discovery. Children have long stretches of time to play, develop ideas, build relationships, and become deeply engaged in their work.
Example Day:
Our days follow a predictable rhythm while leaving plenty of room for children’s ideas, questions, and discoveries.
8:00–9:00 a.m.
Arrival & Choice-Based Play
Children settle in through building, dramatic play, art, books, sensory exploration, and invitations connected to current classroom interests.
9:00 a.m.
Morning Gathering
We begin together with Boker Tov, Modeh Ani, and other songs and stories during our morning meeting.
9:30 a.m.
Snack & Conversation
Children enjoy a healthy snack of organic fruits and vegetables with pretzels.
10:00 a.m.
Projects & Exploration
Children investigate ideas through art, construction, science, music, movement, dramatic play, and collaborative projects in small groups.
11:00 a.m.
Outdoor Play
Children climb, dig, run, garden, observe seasonal changes, and explore Harmony’s nature-rich campus.
12:00 p.m.
Lunch
Children share a relaxed meal and participate in the routines of caring for themselves and their community.
12:45 p.m.
Rest & Quiet Time
Children sleep, rest, look at books, or engage in peaceful activities according to their individual needs.
2:30 p.m.
Afternoon Exploration
Children return to indoor or outdoor play, revisit projects, and continue developing their ideas.
2:45 p.m.
Closing Circle
We reflect on the day through conversation, music, movement, and sing Shalom Chaverim.
Our Educators
Jacqueline Schaefer
Sarah Gladwin Camp
Director of Early Childhood ProgramsCo-Director & Lead EducatorSarah has been working with young kids since being a middle schooler and volunteering in a Kindergarten classroom. They hold a BA from Swarthmore College, trained at Laban in London, and have been developing their own movement- and arts-based curriculum for nearly 18 years, including ZoomDance: Action Adventure Story-Telling Movement Programs.
As an artist, Sarah co-founded Green Chair Dance Group in Philly, touring nationally and internationally for 10 years.
Driven by care, compassion, and connection, Sarah has loved teaching at Beth David since running a Rosh Hashanah dance program over Zoom during COVID lockdown, and is now thrilled to launch The Harmony School here!
They bring extensive experience in program design, staff management, community building, and preschool education, including serving on the board of Children's Community School and completing trainings such as Building Anti-Racist White Educators, Abolition in the Classroom, and Supporting Sensory Learners. At home in South Philly, Sarah enjoys reading, elaborate conversations with dear friends, and raising her 11-year-old daughter Sydney.
Jacqueline is a children’s rights and play advocate who has spent more than a decade teaching young children. Her connection to early childhood education began through summer camps, babysitting, and children’s programming at her synagogue, and has grown into a commitment to creating calm, safe, and playful environments where children are recognized as capable thinkers and communicators.
She holds a B.S. in Public Policy and an M.A. in Innovative Early Childhood Education from the University of Colorado Denver. Jacqueline is a contributing author to Learning with the Pedagogy of Reggio Emilia and was an invited speaker at the 2026 Boulder Journey School Summer Conference. Her work sits at the intersection of education, public policy, children’s rights, women’s rights, and liberation movements, all of which inform her pedagogical approach and advocacy for young children.
Jacqueline lives in West Philly with her two young kiddos are her Partner, Annie. They enjoy taking family trips to the beach, finding funny books at the library together, and singing as loud as they can to "Let It Go”.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Our preschool serves children 18 months to five years of age.
Our other community programming offers classes and camps for children 0-9 years of age.
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Harmony is a small, relationship-centered preschool where children are known and loved. Our play-based, emergent curriculum grows from children's interests while nurturing curiosity, creativity, confidence, and kindness. We believe childhood should be joyful, unhurried, and filled with opportunities to explore.
Small class sizes, experienced teachers, beautiful learning spaces, and a welcoming community allow us to create an environment where children and their families truly belong.
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Yes! Barring extreme weather events, outdoor play is an important part of each day. This may look like outdoor free play, small groups, meals outside, and even rest time outside if the weather allows for it.
Each student will bring in clothes and gear to support outdoor learning and play in most any weather.
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We provide a healthy snack, such as organic fruits or vegetables, string cheese, or pretzels & hummus. Everything we offer will be Kosher.
Families will pack lunch, which does not have to be Kosher, but cannot include pork or shellfish. Harmony is a nut-free school.
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We strive to support a wide range of learners and work closely with families to understand each child's strengths and needs.
If your child receives Early Intervention or other support services, we'd love to discuss how we can partner to help them thrive.
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Yes. Harmony is proudly rooted in Jewish values and is part of Beth David Reform Congregation.
Our program celebrates Jewish traditions, holidays, music, and values such as kindness, gratitude, caring for our world (tikkun olam), welcoming others, and building community.
We strive for families of every background, faith, and culture to find a home here.
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All families are welcome and all families are celebrated at The Harmony School. Diversity is very important to us.
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No.
Membership at Beth David is not required for enrollment. Many Harmony families are not synagogue members when they join us. All Harmony families are gifted membership to Beth David during their years with us, and are welcome at all events.
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Absolutely.
We encourage families of all backgrounds, cultures, family structures, faith traditions, identities, and abilities to be part of The Harmony School and are intentional about creating a space of belonging for everyone.
We believe children flourish in communities where everyone is respected, valued, and celebrated.
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We are currently building our 2027 founding community. Families are encouraged to join our interest list, attend a Harmony class or event, and schedule a tour.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis as space allows, and then accepted for the waitlist.
Because our classes are intentionally small, we encourage families to inquire early. Your first step will be to book a tour and come visit. There are buttons to schedule this at the top and bottom of our website. Or feel free to call us!
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Please contact us to discuss tuition and any available financial assistance. We believe in offering high-quality programming, paying staff well, and also do not want cost to be a barrier to a family for whom this is a good fit.
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Still have questions?
We'd love to meet your family, answer your questions, and show you what makes Harmony such a special place to grow. Reach out anytime or schedule a tour—we can't wait to welcome you.
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You can book a tour from our website or send us an email at preschool@bdavid.org.
We can’t wait to meet you!