Kids running outside

About Us

Everything grows better in Iowa. At Gan Shalom Preschool, your child will develop a solid foundation for learning, the confidence to explore and the self-esteem that will strengthen their emotional, social, physical and intellectual development.


Gan Shalom is licensed by the Iowa Department of Human Services.

Mission & Vision

The mission of the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines is to enrich Jewish living through connection, education and compassion. Gan Shalom offers children and their families an opportunity to build a foundation for learning —both academically and spiritually.

Professional Staff

Heading up curriculum, administration and planning for Gan Shalom is Sophie Homonoff, Director of Education of the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines. The melding of their expertise in early childhood education and Judaic studies allows us to offer children and families an amazing and appropriate experience. Meet all of our team members.

The School

Located on the Caspe Terrace campus in Waukee, our facility offers a dedicated craft room, library media center and gross motor activity room. Outdoors, children enjoy hiking, exploring, navigating trikes and climbing on our state-of-the-art playground structure. Take a virtual tour!

Meals

We care about your child’s nutritional needs and strive to offer snacks and lunches that are both healthy and in line with our Jewish values. See a sample menu and our dietary guidelines.

Schedule

Gan Shalom Preschool operates year-round, with a 9-month school year and the Gan Shalom summer camp. Learn more about our schedule to see the holidays we observe and what we offer for before and after school care.

Academics

Want to know what a day of school would look like for your child? Explore our age-specific programming to learn about how we approach skills development and active learning with community partners.