Lexington's Premiere Preschool

At Gan Shalom Preschool, our goal is to provide quality care through early childhood education. We’ve earned the respect and admiration of our community and state, with accolades in the early childhood educational programs here in Kentucky.

5-Star Rated Preschool - Kentucky All STARS

Gan Shalom Preschool, has been recognized by the Governor's Office of Early Childhood, and the Kentucky Department of Education, as a 5-star program. This rating is a part of the Kentucky All STARS Quality-Rating System, which is the quality rating system for early care and preschool education programs within the entire state.

As can be seen from the Kentucky All STARS site, these ratings incorporate research-based standards including those of Kentucky’s Early Childhood Standards. Every rating is calculated with several specific factors in mind, including “family and community engagement, staff qualifications, classroom and instructional quality, and administrative and leadership practices.”

Although it is an honor, our five-star rating came as no surprise to us at Gan Shalom Preschool, or to our students, parents or community. We constantly work together with our friends and parents here in Lexington, striving for excellence in the quality of our education, the expertise of staff, and the positivity of our environment.

Preschool at the ‘Garden of Peace’

Gan Shalom means 'Garden of Peace,' which happens to be a perfect description for our preschool. But even in this garden of peace, at Gan Shalom our children know how to have fun. This is a place children will find new friends and will want to come and stay.

Gan Shalom Preschool is founded by Ohavay Zion Synagogue as a place of true excellence in early childhood education. We’ve been providing Lexington families with a comfortable and nurturing, yet fun environment for their children to learn in since 1989. Our primary goal is to provide quality care and education, and we do everything we can to make a child’s first school experience a positive one. Through age-appropriate activities and instruction, your children will be prepared for a life-long love of learning.

Qualified Teachers and Staff

At Gan Shalom Preschool, we employ only the best and most dedicated caregivers and educators. Each of our teachers is extraordinarily qualified, with extensive experience teaching young children, and are committed to the success of each of their students.

We maintain a low child-to-teacher ratio, which helps ensure every child receives the perfect amount of individual care and attention. In addition to the dedication of our caregivers and teachers, we’re also guided by a devoted advisory board of Gan Shalom parents and other Ohavay Zion members with a background in education. Our advisory board consists of Gan Shalom preschool parents and Ohavay Zion members with a background in education, and they help to guide and support the program. This helps ensure your children have the best possible early childhood experience, and become as passionate about learning as we are.

Outstanding Students

What are the children and students at Gan Shalom like? Actually, you probably already know what they’re like, so you know they’re great, because our students are just like your own children. Our students vary in age from 12 months to 5 years, and come from every background, race, and religion.

Our program is balanced, so our students can be as well, and because we provide such a nurturing, positive learning environment, we give them their best chance for a similarly positive future, and a love of learning.

With a focus on both recreational and educational development, we emphasize social, emotional, intellectual and physical growth. Using developmentally-appropriate programs and lessons, encourage a smooth transition between home and school, helping our students feel more confident and prepared.

Nurturing Environment

More than almost anything else, at Gan Shalom Preschool we focus on providing the best environment for our students. We accomplish this not only with excellent facilities, but also with the individual care of our extraordinary teachers. We strive for true excellence.

Because of our low child-teacher ratio, our preschool is able to provide individualized care and an intimate environment for each child. This is a preschool where your children will want to come to because it’s fun, but it is also a safe, positive, peaceful setting that helps encourage learning and personal growth.

A child’s first experience with school can be exciting or scary, and we do everything we can to make sure it’s a good one. We believe that if a child’s first school-experience is a positive one, it can engender a life-long love of learning, and ease the transition into kindergarten.

Thematic Curriculum

Our preschool provides a wide range of activities and lessons for a well-balanced education. We follow educational and recreational programs that are developmentally appropriate for each age group.

Students enjoy our thematic curriculum, emphasizing elements of reading, writing, art, math, science and the natural world. We tailor our lessons to all types of learning, promoting skills in individual and social strengths, including the emotional, intellectual, and physical. The subjects and teaching styles in our lesson programs are always diverse: music classes to encourage a love of language and rhythm; fitness classes to enhance motor skills and improve coordination, strength and flexibility; exposure to Hebrew words and a variety of Jewish holidays; and so much more. We also encourage interaction with our community of other preschool families who celebrate diverse backgrounds and experiences.

It’s no accident that part of our 5-star rating from Kentucky All STARS is based on engagement with our parents and community. No one stays as involved with you about your child’s development as we do, and we always strive to answer any questions or concerns you have about your child’s educational needs.

I am forever grateful for the teachers at Gan Shalom. They nurture children to become kind, confident little people who are well prepared for successful transition to kindergarten.

Meredith R.

What a fabulous staff at Gan Shalom. I love visiting. The children are so happy and well taken care of. Not to mention, it is an inviting and developmentally appropriate program, which embraces our community's diversity. I'm so proud to be on its board.

Ricki R.

Fantastic preschool with a caring staff and a great group of diverse little people and their families. Our child happily went to "school" every day. Grateful for those memories!

Julie G.

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