Gan Ami of Temple Beth Ami 2022 Summer Program FAQ

1. What is Gan Ami?

Gan Ami is the name for all of Temple Beth Ami’s early childhood programs. Gan Ami includes our school year classes, summer program, and adult-child programs. Gan means both “garden” and “preschool” in Hebrew. Gan Ami is Temple Beth Ami’s garden for nurturing the social, emotional and intellectual development of young children. Early childhood programming began at Beth Ami in 1989 under the name “TBANS” (Temple Beth Ami Nursery School), and as we continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs of our community, we remain committed to the traditions, values and vision that have guided us for over 30 years!

2. What is the difference between Gan Ami Summer Program and Kayitz?

Gan Ami Summer Program will meet the needs of our youngest children, ages 2 through Pre-K. Kayitz is the Temple’s day camp for rising Kindergarteners through 7th graders. Both programs provide summer entertainment on the grounds of our facility.

3. What COVID precautions are in place for Gan Ami Summer Program 2022?

Gan Ami is licensed by the Maryland State Department of Education Office of Child Care and abides by all applicable COMAR regulations, as well as guidance from the Maryland Department of Health. Gan Ami also follows recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control for children in group settings.

As the pandemic evolves and regulations for health and safety in early childhood settings change, Gan Ami monitors the situation carefully and updates our procedures as needed. We will inform all parents of the most current procedures prior to the opening of the Summer Program.

4. Are there discounts off of standard tuitions?

  • TBA Member Discount – 5% off tuition
  • Two-Session Discount – 5% off tuition
  • Sibling Discount – 5% discount off one sibling’s total tuition. Discount will be applied to the lowest tuition.
  • Discounts are cumulative. You may qualify for 0, 1, 2, or all 3 discounts.

5. What are the Summer Program refund policies? Note that these policies differ from school year policies.

  • If Temple Beth Ami must cancel a Summer Program session before it begins, participants will receive a full refund of all fees paid.
  • If Temple Beth Ami must close for 10 or more days of a Gan Ami session, participants will receive a refund of 50% of fees paid.
  • If Temple Beth Ami must close for less than 10 days of a Gan Ami session, there are no refunds.
  • If a participant withdraws from a Summer Program session prior to April 15, then participant will receive a full refund of all fees paid.
  • If a participant withdraws from a Summer Program session prior to May 15, then participant will receive a refund of 50% of all fees paid.
  • If a participant withdraws from a Summer Program session after May 15, there are no refunds, though the fees paid may be applied to another session of Temple Beth Ami’s Summer Programs for the same or another child in the same family if space is available.
  • If a participant is absent for any portion of a Summer Program session for any reason, there are no refunds.         

6. Do I have to submit new forms for summer or fall?

All required forms are valid for one year.

If you submitted required forms to Gan Ami in August 2021 or after, then you do not need to submit new forms for the Summer Program. Note that if your child is returning to Gan Ami for the 2022-2023 school year, then you will need to submit all new forms in August 2022.

If you submitted forms to Gan Ami prior to August 2021 or if you never submitted forms to Gan Ami, then you must do so by June 1, 2022 for your child to attend the Summer Program. Any forms submitted this June will also be valid for the coming school year.

All forms can be found here.

7. Where can I find out about other policies like potty training, allergy precautions, or birthday treats?

All our policies can be found in our Parent Handbook. You are also welcome to contact our Director, Dr. Paula Sayag, pls@bethami.org, 301-762- 5594, anytime with any questions.