Rainbow Academy™ of West Caldwell Now Seeking Students and Families to Complete the “Circle”

WEST CALDWELL, N.J. - Feb. 20, 2014 - PRLog -- Rainbow Academy Franchise Company is proud to announce that its first Essex County child care center is on schedule to open in late March-early April 2014. Founded on the same core values and “Circle of Care” principle that resonate throughout the halls in all 17 of the New Jersey-based schools, Rainbow Academy of West Caldwell is headed up by seasoned educator and Center Director Gina Mariani-Chimento. The center – located at 1104 Bloomfield Avenue in West Caldwell, across the street from Samm Sound – is owned by a local pair of dedicated parents and finance industry professionals, Mike Drake and Suzanne Orsulak-Drake.

“In addition to myself, Mike and Suzanne, we’ve already begun building a terrific team at Rainbow Academy of West Caldwell,” explains Mariani-Chimento. “In order to complete the ‘circle’ in our Circle of Care philosophy – which views the needs of the staff, owners, vendors, and parents as equally important components to the needs of the children we all serve – we are currently enrolling our inaugural roster of students and their families. We’ve been made to feel very welcome by the community so far. There’s a real need for quality child care and early education in West Caldwell and the buzz on social networks about our arrival has been exciting.”

The Drakes and Mariani-Chimento all share close ties to the West Caldwell community. Suzanne Orsulak-Drake grew up in nearby Cedar Grove, Mike Drake landed his first job out of college at a financial firm across the street from the school, and Gina Mariani-Chimento also grew up close by and a number of her family members call West Caldwell home. Additionally, many of the Drakes’ friends and associates live and work in West Caldwell.

“Once we decided to open a Rainbow Academy, we felt strongly that West Caldwell would prove an excellent location,” explains Orsulak-Drake. “Not only is it well-regarded in the Essex County area, whenever we mentioned West Caldwell among our location considerations to friends and colleagues, we always got the response – ‘what a nice town’ or ‘I would choose West Caldwell over X’.We feel there are parents much like ourselves in that area who remain in the workforce. Therefore, we want to provide a nurturing learning environment where parents can rest assured that their children are receiving a solid educational foundation and that their developmental needs are being addressed, as well. We understand the demands placed upon working parents and feel we can relate to them, while offering what they are looking for in a center that will care for their most precious gift.”

As for what inspired the Drakes to open their own child care center, this dual-income working couple was first introduced to the New Jersey-based chain when their son, Nicholas began attending Rainbow Academy two years ago. After six years of trying to conceive and nine failed in-vitro attempts, it’s no wonder why the Drakes were very selective about where to place Nicholas in child care. They were immediately impressed with Rainbow Academy’s focus on meeting the needs of the parents by providing tools for them to stay connected to their children through the use of technology and creating a family-like atmosphere at each center.

“As parents, Rainbow Academy offered us the most flexible schedule,” recalls Orsulak-Drake. “All of Nicholas’ teachers there have provided an excellent curriculum for learning while also promoting FUN. We love that he enjoys going to school! The connection that we have by watching him online throughout the workday via Rainbow Academy’s ParentView® Internet Monitoring makes us feel great, too. We don’t have to miss those special moments. We get to see him form friendships and interact with the other children. He has been invited to so many birthday parties, and we all enjoy the social aspect of the kids and parents forming relationships.  Knowing how Rainbow Academy has positively impacted our lives, we wanted to be able to offer the same experience to other parents and children, as well. We decided to take the leap into ownership and felt that by selecting the right area and sticking to the ‘Circle of Care’ concept, we could add value to the community. As professionals in the financial industry, this was not a field that Mike and I had any education or experience in, aside from sending our child there. However, we have learned that there are similarities between both businesses, above all else – instilling trust. In one we care for people’s money and in the other we care for their children. Chief to our future success, the support that we have received from the Rainbow Academy corporate team and other local centers has been above and beyond any of our expectations.”

In contrast, the Drake’s new Center Director – Gina Mariani-Chimento – has devoted more than 20 years of her life to preschool education. A Verona native and graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University, she has climbed the ladder from teacher’s aide to center director. Although, this mother of two now has a 14-year-old and 17-year-old at home, she still understands what parents are going through when they leave their kids for the first time. She is eager to introduce a new generation of families to the Rainbow Academy concept, and will be focused on maintaining a credentialed staff and overseeing day-to-day operations at the school.

Upon completion, Rainbow Academy of West Caldwell will feature an aesthetic that meets the highest of standards with warm paint colors, wood-like flooring, tailored window treatments, and security that exceeds industry standards with silent alarms and biometric finger scanning system. Pre-K classrooms will have interactive whiteboards, and all classrooms enjoy ParentView® Internet Monitoring and Tadpoles parent e-communication tool – much of the same technology that drew the attention of Entrepreneur Magazine in 2013 when it named Rainbow Academy a Leading Edge Franchisor. To schedule a tour and inquire about enrollment, interested parents are encouraged to e-mail Gina Mariani-Chimento at GChimento@RainbowAcademy.com, call 973-882-1111, or simply drop by the West Caldwell child care center. A special Grand Opening Celebration is being planned for Spring 2014. In addition to the year-round full-time early learning programs, Rainbow Academy will offer back-up and afterschool care, as well as summer camp for children up to 10 years of age.

About Rainbow Academy®: Rainbow Academy provides early education and child care to children ages 6 weeks through preschool, as well as special programming for children up to 10 years old during school holidays, breaks and summer camp. To learn more about Rainbow Academy, visit www.RainbowAcademy.com.