California’s Iconic School For Children With Special Needs Unveils New Custom Facility

Oct. 12, 2011 - PRLog -- School of Imagination Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Takes Place October 14, 2011
Tri-Valley Community Blazes Trails Addressing Autism Upswing & Other Developmental Issues with Unparalleled Education Center
DUBLIN, Calif., October 11, 2011 – The School of Imagination (www.soi4kids.org), a leading education center that pairs typically developing children and children with developmental disabilities, today announced that its long-awaited, state-of-the-art 12,000 square foot custom-built facility opens to the public this week.
The school’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony takes place October 14, 2011, from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. at 9801 Dublin Boulevard in Dublin, California, with an Open House being held the following day.
The Ribbon Cutting is the culmination of a decade-long journey for school Founders Charlene and Mitch Sigman and their team of specialists and educators, who are moving facilities for the eighth and final time this week. School of Imagination’s mission is to bring out the
extraordinary in every child and now reaches more than 300 children weekly, while attracting students from as far as Sacramento, Napa and San Jose.
Beginning as Happy Talkers in 2001, the Sigmans opened their rented family home for daycare and therapy, serving more than 120 children each week. Happy Talkers rapidly evolved into the heralded community resource, School of Imagination, which provides developmental and educational programs as well as free screening and outreach services for children who may be battling developmental disabilities such as Autism.
In California alone, 10 children are diagnosed with Autism every day, according to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention. With its integrated inclusion model, children with developmental differences learn alongside their typically developing peers. The school’s team of on-site specialists, progressive curriculum, low student-to-teacher ratio and unwavering commitment to meet individual needs, ensures that each student’s true potential is discovered.
Children without special needs benefit from the small class sizes, strong academics and individualized attention. “In this environment, children don’t learn prejudices and discrimination because of a person’s differences. They learn compassion, patience and understanding. It’s the way the world is supposed to be,” said Charlene Sigman, co-founder, School of Imagination.
“As a parent of a seven year old with autism, I can tell you first hand that developmental and educational opportunities of this caliber simply don’t exist,” said KTVU/Channel 2 Sports Director Mark Ibanez. “My wife and I have made countless trips from Napa to Dublin for the School of Imagination and we are not the only ones. If there was a School of Imagination in every community across America, just think how the lives of children with special needs would be enriched.”
The school has captured the hearts of the Tri-Valley community, and its founders note that the state-of-the-art facility would not have been possible without contributions and support from hundreds of volunteers, dedicated staff members, as well as government, non-profit and corporate entities.
Key support has been provided by Discovery Homes, the City of Dublin, Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty, Black Tie Transportation, Quest Foundation, Pleasanton North Rotary, Providing Autism Research for Kids Sake, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, and Santa’s Charities.
“It’s an absolute miracle that the community came together to provide this incredible gift for our children and families,” added Charlene Sigman. “We finally have a permanent home. It’s a dream come true.”
Event Details:
Ribbon Cutting: Friday, October 14, 2011, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Open House: Saturday, October 15, 2011 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: School of Imagination
9801 Dublin Blvd. Dublin, California (Cross Street is Schaefer Ranch Road)
For more information: Call (925)682-6419 ext. 580 or email jnaval(at)discoveryhomes.com
About the School of Imagination and Happy Talkers
The Dublin-based, non-profit School of Imagination (SOI) is an education center which serves the child care, pre-school and kindergarten needs of typically developing children and children with developmental disabilities in the Bay Area. The SOI was built on the award-winning methodology of Happy Talkers, which has served more than 3,000 children with speech delays, developmental disabilities and autism since it was founded in 2000. Happy Talkers provides individualized or classroom speech and occupational therapies for any student. The SOI’s mission is “to bring out the extraordinary in every child.”
Awarded “Organization of the Year” in 2007 by the City of Dublin, California and earning The Jefferson Award for Public Service in 2006 (San Francisco Chronicle and CBS5 television), the School of Imagination is considered a national role model for inclusion programs. Organizations including: Autism Speaks, California First Five, American Speech and Hearing Association, and the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation, have endorsed SOI for its ground-breaking approach to education to bring out the extraordinary in every child. The full inclusion preschool and kindergarten programs are cutting edge and provide small, customized classes and low student-to-teacher ratios.
For more information, or to reach our Parent Support Network, contact (877) KIDS-TLC or www.soi4kids.org.

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School of Imagination & Happy Talkers is a non-profit organization providing superior opportunities to bring out the extraordinary in every child. We offer services that ensure childrens' individual needs and true potential is discovered.