Gan Ami of Temple Beth Ami 2021 Summer Program FAQ

1. Is Gan Ami the same as TBANS?

Gan Ami is the new name for 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. Gan Ami will always live by the traditions and values that were established by TBANS in 1989 and have permeated our hallways for over 30 years!

2. Is Gan Ami’s Summer Program the same as Kayitz in the past?

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 elementary age children. Both programs provide summer entertainment on the grounds of our facility.

3. What COVID precautions are in place for Gan Ami Summer Program 2021?

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 newly established requirements for health and safety during the pandemic. Gan Ami follows all recommendations of the CDC and Maryland Department of Health.

All practices are more fully explained in our Parent Handbook. Highlights include:

• Children and teachers must wear masks at all times, except when eating.
• Children are screened for health, using the Maryland Department of Health protocol, before entering the building. Parents may not enter the building.
• Groups of children are established cohorts that do not mix. Social distancing is strictly observed between cohorts, but not within a cohort.
• Groups are limited to 12-13 children each.
• All materials and facilities are sanitized and disinfected daily.
• Lunches are brought in paper bags and nothing is returned home. No supplies from home may enter the building.
• If regulations are modified, then our practices and our program offerings may also change.

4. Are there discounts off of standard tuitions?

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 2021 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 forms for spring 2021, you do not need to submit new forms for the summer. If you have not yet submitted forms in 2021, you must do so before summer, but then not again till next summer. 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, Paula Sayag, pls@bethami.org, 301-762- 5594, anytime with any questions.