Janet Harris

Janet Harris was most currently the Senior Director of Family Engagement at the Jewish Community Federation. She has worked in the field of Early Childhood Jewish Education for over 40 years. During that time, Janet has worked for a central agency of Jewish Education in the East Bay, has founded both an Orthodox and Conservative Jewish preschool, and has been a Jewish community preschool Director for many years. Janet is a graduate of the Melton Program for Jewish Education in the Diaspora, a year-long fellowship program based at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She has also been a Wexner Heritage Fellow, completed the Mandel Teacher Education Initiative, and has been a Richard Dinner Fellow at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. Ms. Harris holds California Teaching Credentials in Early Childhood Education and Parent Education. Ms. Harris received the Diller Award for Lifetime Achievement in Jewish Education in 2023. Janet studied at Pacific Oaks College for her bachelor’s degree in Human Development and holds her master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Janet works as a educational coach, and is the proud grandparent of Ezra, Mila, Eliana and Eva. She is a member of Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley, CA.

My Availability

  • Days and Times: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm weekdays, never on Shabbat, all day Sunday, evenings on occasion.
  • Travel: Anywhere in the Bay Area.
  • Online: Available to teach on Zoom.

Contact Me for Rates & Scheduling

My Trainings and Workshops

  • Classroom Management
  • Communication Skills
  • ECE/Preschool
  • Leadership and Team Building
We will explore exemplar models of Parent Engagement, taking into account the image of the Parents, Social-Emotional Learning, and training in Belonging. We will examine how this is situated in a Jewish setting with diverse families and staff....
  • ECE/Preschool
  • Judaism
We will investigate Jewish curriculum beyond Shabbat and holidays, exploring how to bring Jewish values to life in a developmentally appropriate manner....
  • ECE/Preschool
  • Judaism
We will examine classroom design to understand and magnify the role of the classroom as the third teacher in a Jewish setting. How does your classroom look, sound and feel like a Jewish environment when it's not a holiday?...
  • ECE/Preschool
  • Inclusion
We will learn methods of exploring Pirkei Avot, Ethics of Our Ancestors that have contemporary meaning and purpose. We will re-purpose Talmud Study for Early Childhood Education, resulting in authentic and rich experiences for children and adults. ...