Faculty & Staff

Leidy Diaz
MANAGER

First and foremost, current and future parents’ part of the Fantastic Land family, it is with great pleasure that I welcome and thank you for choosing us. The first thing I would like you to know is that our center is a family-owned private school and works differently than most centers. Rather than just childcare, we work with a creative curriculum that allows teachers to encourage and promote learning through hands-on activities. We also place emphasis on showing the students and parents that we are one big community: an extended part of the family. Like you, we are committed to creating a nurturing, loving, safe, and healthy environment that helps the children’s growth and development. Our center is filled with specially selected professionals who plan based on every student’s individual needs. Therefore, it is with a great sense of gratitude and pride that I write to, once again, welcome you and express my thanks to all of those that are new with us, considering enrolling, or already enrolled. It is an honor to help lead a school that is arduously working on creating the best version of each of our little ones.

With love,

Leidy Diaz

Esperanza Alvarez
Director
Lead VPK Teacher

With a bachelor’s in education and over 40 years of experience in teaching, I work to ensure that: 

• Each child’s individual needs are met and respected. 

• Our children are undergoing daily routines that enhance their development and are growing through meaningful, hands-on experiences. 

• Our children are developing independent self-help skills with the nurturing support of our teachers. 

• Children’s schedules are composed of a variety of age-appropriate developmental tasks to increase skills in all areas of development (thinking, reasoning, speech and language, and fine and gross motor skills).

The trainings and experience I have acquired through the years have helped me work in collaboration with our teachers to intentionally plan lessons that meet individualized developmental goals, challenging students while ensuring that learning is fun, playful, and relevant to their lives. Our main goal being to instill in children a love of learning and books, while helping them grow and make long-time friends. Overall, it has been my privilege to work with families in our community and educators for the past decade. To see children grow and develop into beautiful individuals. Therefore, I encourage you to really dive into our website and learn all you can about our school, check out our Instagram page, and come see our school and meet our teachers if you are still deciding where to enroll your little one.

I look forward to meeting you in person!

All the best,

Esperanza Alvarez

On behalf of the entire Fantastic Land Learning Center staff, I would like to welcome you and your family to our school, your second home! Fantastic Land has been providing excellent care for children 2 months to 12 years of age for almost a decade! Our nurturing community of teachers and staff work arduously to continue creating a safe, fun and meaningful early childhood experience. Together we instill and celebrate a life-long love of learning and friendship. Our children and families are treated with respect, consistency, and encouragement, as I believe that one of the building blocks of this profession is the trust and relationship that is built between the teachers and children/parents.

Being a part of such a wonderful community of parents and colleagues has enhanced my love for the profession. After a bachelors in education and 25 years of teaching, I can honestly say that the early childhood field is one of the most beautiful fields a person can work in. There you can see how much potential the little ones have and you can be a part of the team that helps form who they will become. As the person in charge of family relations you can come to me with any doubts or concerns you may have regarding our center as well as questions about enrolling and/or scheduling a tour. I truly look forward to meeting you in person!

Best,

Yamilka Echevarria

Yamilka Echevarria
Family Relations

I have been a part of the Fantastic Land family for 8 years and I have been both a teacher as well as an administrator. I started working with little ones in high school and, from there on, my passion for helping them grow and develop a desire for learning only augmented. Their innate curiosity and wonder to explore the world attracted me to this field; it is interesting seeing how much a child can learn and come to understand when they are in a safe, nurturing, and positive environment. I hope that if you are not yet a part of the family you soon become one; I look forward to meeting you and welcome to the family!

Kindly,

Arismel Rodriguez

Arismel Rodriguez
Assistant Director

Isabel Gonzalez
Lead Infant Teacher

As the infants lead teacher my goal is to ensure they feel secure, loved, and nurtured. As a mother and grandmother as well as a teacher with 10 years of experience, I strive to: o Develop caring partnerships with all parents by providing daily updates on their baby’s progress o Supporting social and emotional development o Provide physical activities that support their muscle developments o Build a safe, healthy, and attractive environment that allows the babies to adapt with ease

With love,

Isabel Gonzalez

Olga Siverio
Lead Twos
Teacher

As the leader of the twos class I work hard to help students progress academically but most importantly learn to love school. I aim to build a warm learning environment that makes the kiddos feel safe. After 40 years of teaching and a bachelor's degree in education I still try to be as creative and energetic as possible with the kiddos in twos; I encourage them to show self-expression and…

• Tend to their feeding and dressing needs; help them with potty training

• Teach them how to solve conflicts with words and not hands

• Teach them how to share

• Help them follow directions

• Use toys and materials correctly

• Track their developmental progress to inform parents of any urgent matter

Cordially,

Olga Lidia Siverio

Ana Oquendo Assistant Toddlers Teacher

Being a toddler's teacher is one of the most gratifying positions in the early childhood field. It allows me to use my 10 years of experience to play a major role in the children's growth and development based on their needs. In my classroom, I help students progress emotionally, socially, and physically as well. In collaboration with the parents, I aim to help students:

• Feel safe and secure away from parents

• Show empathy for others

• Assert self appropriately

• Learn to clean-up o Roll, throw, and kick balls

• Sit correctly in their chairs o Become independent as they begin to eat on their own and drink water in small cups
  

I look forward to meeting you!

Sincerely,

Ana Oquendo

Julia Aquino
Lead Pre-K 3 Teacher

After five children and a few grandchildren it is easy to see my passion and admiration for the early childhood field. Working with kids teaches you a low but most importantly shows you how much potential a child can have. My classroom employs a little more discipline than the rest as the students are older and begin to work on the finer details such as:

• Emotional goals (exhibiting self-confidence, positive attitude, etc.)

• Behavioral goals (listening attentively, focusing on the task at hand, etc.)

• Self-help goals (playing cooperative, interacting positively, being respectful,

• showing good manners, etc.)

• Language goals (speaking clearly, using proper personal pronouns, expressing

• themselves, etc.)

• Physical goals (having good coordination, balance, learning to pedal, etc.)

• Cognitive goals (demonstrate knowledge of colors, shapes, numbers 1-10,

• letters, etc.)

• Knowing their personal information, etc. 

  Kindly,
  

Julia Aquino

Ilieisy Garcia
Lead Pre-K 3 Teacher

As the assistant teacher in the Pre-K 3 classroom, I assist teacher Julia in helping the kids reach their full potential. Whether it is cognitively or otherwise, I work with the students more up close to make sure each pf them can meet their goals based on their individual needs. My years of experience and CDA credential have granted me the knowledge necessary to help children thrive.

Best regards,

Ilieisy Garcia

Mabel Cruz
Lead “Fun Camp” Teacher

At Fantastic Land, I am in charge of leading the Winter and Spring Break as well as the Summer Camp activities. I enjoy seeing the students happy and glad to come; seeing the excitement in their eyes as we do science experiments, slime fest, cook pizza, play in the water, do competitions, and more is one of the most gratifying feelings you can get in this field!

Best wishes,

Mabel Cruz