Nidal Kobaissi is a father of four who has enrolled three of his children at Para Los Niños Early Childhood Education Centers. Aleeya, Yasmen, and Kareem all attended the Magnolia Head Start center in Burbank and when their youngest sibling, Naseem, is old enough, he will go there too.

When Nidal and his wife were first weighing options for their children’s early education, they knew they wanted a safe school that would prepare students for kindergarten. What they did not expect was the level of individualized care and support that PLN provided.

“When you transition from pre-school to kindergarten and it’s a big school, you’re kind of shocked. When you transition from here, it’s kind of the same program. You’re leaving from here knowing that structure is important.”

Nidal was attracted to Magnolia for its small class sizes, rigorous educational standards and the safety of the center. All students that graduate from Para Los Niños Early Childhood Education Centers have a strong grasp on letters and numbers. Para Los Niños also emphasizes holistic education, introducing youth to positive social structures, incorporating families into school projects and hosting parent meetings.

“One time, I had a doctor’s appointment and my wife just had our baby, so we couldn’t make it to a parent meeting. My daughter didn’t have anybody to do the project with. But other teachers stepped in and didn’t make her feel alone. They helped her. That’s something you don’t get at other places.”