Tehiyah After-school Program (TAP)
Introduction
The Tehiyah After-school Program (TAP) is available for all children who attend Tehiyah Day School. TAP provides a safe and nurturing environment supervised by the staff where children can play, relax, engage in homework, and enjoy healthy snacks. The philosophy behind TAP is to provide a balance between structure and flexibility, and to foster self-esteem, confidence, creativity, humor, compassion, empathy, responsibility and initiative.
TAP students participate in a wide variety of outdoor sports and activities like baseball, football, basketball, hockey, and kickball, four square, playing on the climbing structure, or building a canal system in the huge sandbox. Inside the TAP room, children can participate in the day’s arts and crafts or cooking project, draw, read, play board games, make a fort, or just relax. Kids can also pursue their own independent project ideas with the variety of supplies on hand.
For those with homework, The Homework Club in Room 14A provides a supervised, quiet study atmosphere for students grades 3-8 to do their homework, projects, study or read Monday-Thursday for one hour after school. Our Librarian is available in the library for help with research every day except Wednesdays for one-half hour after school.
The environment in TAP, with its flexibility and emphasis on creativity, is conducive for making friends from other classes and other grades. Children in TAP feel comfortable to try new activities and express themselves creatively in an environment which provides enough structure for them to feel safe and supported. TAP is available for a fee: either prepay by the end of September for unlimited use, or pay by the hour. TAP is open Monday through Friday until 6:00 p.m. and is available during parent-teacher conferences, faculty professional days, and most early dismissal days.
Kindergarten TAP
From 2:30 p.m. until the rest of the school is dismissed, TAP is available for kindergartners. This is a very special time when kindergartners can get to know each other and the school in a calm, nurturing environment with projects, games, and activities suited just for this age group. After the all-school dismissal, kindergartners have the option of staying in “Big Kid TAP” until 6:00 p.m. where they can take advantage of even more of what the program has to offer. Kindergarten TAP is available Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-3:15 p.m. and Wednesdays and Fridays from 2:30-2:50 p.m. Kindergarten TAP is currently included in the price of tuition.
After-school Enrichment Classes
After-school enrichment classes are available for an additional fee. The instructors provide the classes at Tehiyah over three trimesters throughout the school year. Classes vary each trimester, and have included: Art, Fun Science, Intramural Sports, Athletic Games, Tennis, Karate, Yoga, Dance, Drama, Music Ensembles, Chess, Yiddish, Cartooning, Clay, and American Sign Language.
TAP Vision
The vision for the TAP is to create a stimulating, fun, cooperative atmosphere based on mutual respect, caring and love. We want TAP to be a "home-away-from-home", where every child feels safe, supported, a sense of belonging and community and that their needs matter equally.
One of our primary goals is to help children to develop the positive expression of feelings and compassion for self and others with staff guidance and support. When children’s feelings and needs are heard, it helps them to connect with themselves and others and also move into resolving conflicts more fully. We want children to develop independence in resolving conflicts peacefully while using communication skills presented by the staff so that they can feel empowered and confident in their choices.
By creating “agreements” for the program together, everyone can choose how to contribute to these in a way that serves themselves and each other. We hope to move away from punishment and reward, and instead create a sense of opportunity for children to learn from their mistakes and contribute to one another in meaningful ways.
Together, we want to create “ a world where everyone wins”.
TAP Staff
Each of our staff brings his or her own unique and diverse skills and experience to TAP. The dedicated and nurturing staff provides guidance, safety, and security with attention to individual needs and personalities. The TAP staff is dedicated to encouraging children to become their best selves by helping them develop social skills such as sportsmanship, conflict resolution, cooperation, and moral leadership. We believe that PLAY is serious business, and we want to provide every opportunity for growth and learning while having fun too!
Kim, Coordinator, also known as “Kim-Possible”, teaches P.E. to K-2, and is coordinates the TAP program. She received her B.S. degree and teaching credential from Cal Poly State University in Physical Education, Health and Life Science, and a Masters degree in Exercise Science. She has taught in both middle and high schools since 1990 along with heading Advising and Community Service programs, which included teaching in the International Schools. She was a Health Club Fitness Director and an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer prior to teaching as well as working in outdoor education programs for children. She is a student of Non-Violent Communication (N.V.C.) and integrates this work into the TAP Program. She is a world traveler, an avid mountain biker, river-runner and an outdoor enthusiast, which she shares passionately with many children in her private child care they refer to as “Kim’s Adventures”. Locally, she volunteers for Trips for Kids — taking disadvantaged youth biking in nature — and is a “Challenge Day” volunteer whose vision is that “every child feels safe, loved and celebrated” and empowers students to “be the change” they want to see in their schools.
Karleen, Assistant Coordinator, has a BA in History from UC Berkeley, two years in Arts Education at CCAC, and is currently a student working towards her MA in Oriental Medicine. Karleen worked at Tehiyah from 2001 to 2006, and we are so delighted she returned to Tehiyah this year as the Assistant Coordinator for TAP. She has worked in the schools since 1991. When she was little, she liked to pretend she was Julia Childs in the kitchen and you will often find her making delightful snack creations in TAP. On her days off, she hangs out with her favorite critters: her horse, two turtles, and a pug.
Maria, born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, moved to California after graduating high school to attend California College of Arts and Crafts. She graduated with distinction and a BFA in Printmaking. She teaches gymnastics to pre-schoolers and enjoys working with the children at Tehiyah creating art projects and watching them explore their developing artistic side. In her free time she enjoys creating fine art prints and has sold some at the Tehiyah Book Fair. When Maria was in Elementary school, she confesses that her favorite lunch was a PBJ sandwich- with American cheese!! Do not fear, she will NOT be serving this snack at TAP!
Michael is a visual artist living and working in Oakland California. He studied at the Academie Minerva, in Groningen, the Netherlands, and received a BFA in Painting/Drawing from CCA(C), in 2006. Michael has a background working in non-profits and human services industries, and enjoys leading crafts projects, creative thinking games and playing various sports with the bright young minds in TAP.
