At Imagine, we value the role we play in working with parents as partners in caring for their children. Our dedicated staff of trained and experienced teachers work together with Directors and Imagine Administration as a team to create a safe, nurturing, stimulating environment in which our children will learn and grow together.

Imagine implements a play-based approach to early education where children develop skills and learn through hands-on experiences and peer interactions in an environment that is both stimulating and appropriately facilitated by nurturing, professional teachers. Our goal is to develop the ‘whole child’ as a self-confident and expressive individual in cognitive, physical and social domains. Curriculum in our Infant, Toddler and Pre-K classrooms reflects typical child development goals and the individual needs of each child in the group. Particular attention is paid in the final Pre-K year to Kindergarten preparedness, according to state learning standards. All New York City Imagine centers operate 3k and 4k classrooms through the NYC Department of Education, Further, all centers are committed to maintaining the standards of excellence required to earn accreditation through NAEYC, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (www.naeyc.org).

Imagine is particularly proud of our development of curriculum in two important areas of learning. Our Learning Healthy Early program strives to set the foundation for a healthy lifestyle for our children, as well as our families and staff. Through our Imagine Kids for Kids program, children learn about empathy, diversity and global citizenship, and helping friends at home and abroad. In all our programs, we strive to create an environment that emphasizes kindness and respect. All children, parents and staff are valued as individuals as well as members of our diverse school community.

We are also very proud to share that Imagine became an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) in 2018. An ESOP is a qualified retirement plan governed by ERISA laws similar to a 401K. However, in the ESOP employees do not have to invest any of their own money and the employees actually own a piece of the company. As employee owners, we are all very invested in running the company well, which means providing the best possible service to our families and children.

At Imagine we know that effective communication is essential for building school-family partnerships. We have an Open Door policy. Families are welcome in our centers at any time. We love it when families stop by when they have time, just to visit or to participate in an activity including the sharing of a passion, hobby or family tradition with us. We also love a good party at Imagine! We are happy to celebrate several center-wide family events annually.

If you are looking for an educational, safe, healthy and nurturing childcare experience for your child, we hope you will consider Imagine as your child’s second home.

Always Imagine,

Caryn O’Connor. President