Infants

Our Infant classrooms are designed to support a Primary Caregiving system in which each caregiver is assigned two to three infants. This allows each baby to build a close and trusting relationship with a particular teacher. The baby knows who to go to for diapering, feeding, resting and comfort. The Primary Teacher communicates daily with the family to support each child’s sense of comfort and development in the classroom.

There are opportunities for the infants to move freely around the room and explore a variety of materials, listen to and play music, engage in story and outdoor play. Infants are encouraged to crawl while older infants are encouraged to walk, developing their gross-motor skills.

In the Infant classrooms, the teachers will work closely with parents to develop a routine that is both familiar and predictable. The infants follow their own individual biorhythms of sleeping, eating, diapering and playing. Routines at school may slightly differ than those at home. As the school year progresses and infants begin to mature, teachers will begin to prepare the children for more group-like routines.

Purple Circle offers families the following Monday through Friday programs, year round, providing four options parents can choose from to meet their unique needs:

  • 8:30am – 1:50pm
  • 8:30am – 4:00pm
  • 8:30am – 6:00pm
  • 2:10pm – 6:00pm

There is also an early morning drop-off option available each day at 8:00am.

MEET THE TEACHERS

Cheryl DiCostanzo
Cheryl DiCostanzo Assistant Teacher, Infant 2
Cheryl DiCostanzo is extremely thrilled to be starting her second full time year at Purple Circle and delighted to be paired with the same team she’s been with in the Infant/Toddler program since the Winter of 2021. Cheryl’s education is in music and theatre and she has taught music to children over the years. She also enjoys cooking with children and often plans healthy recipes to make as part of the classroom curriculum. She started substitute teaching four years ago at various programs like The Bija Project and Union Temple in Brooklyn as well as Presbyterian and the Family Center at Bank Street, both on the Upper West Side.

Soon after her substitute work, she started an Assistant Teacher position at Bija in the summer of 2019 where she also prepared lunch with the children and for all of the children and staff daily. She worked in various educational capacities through Spring 2020 before beginning her Fieldwork towards her CDA in the toddler room at the Family Center at Bank Street in June 2021 while simultaneously working part time at Purple Circle as an interim auxiliary teacher.

She then was hired as a full time Assistant Teacher in the Infant / Toddler rooms when the program opened in January of 2022. She is certified as a Newborn Care Specialist. Cheryl’s hours are 8:30am – 4:00pm.

Naima Davis
Naima DavisAssistant Teacher, Infant 2
Naima Davis has worked in early childhood education with children from six months to five years old. She previously worked at the Bank Street Family Center for over 20 years. During her time at the Family Center she was a paraprofessional for children with special needs. Her experience also includes nannying for a variety of families throughout the years and having two young children of her own. She is passionate for education and enjoys working with young children. Her hours are 8:30am – 4:00pm.
Evelyn Cruz
Evelyn CruzAssistant Teacher, Infant 2
Evelyn Cruz is an Assistant Teacher for our Infant 2 classroom. She has worked at Purple Circle for over 25 years! Previously, Evelyn worked as our Late Day Coordinator in our Little Kids Classroom. Her experience with children and alongside her colleagues has taught, tutored and trained her to be a responsible, fun-loving teacher of young children. Throughout her longevity at Purple Circle, she has dedicated her service to many families, ensuring the well-being of their children and making their first years at school very positive. She welcomes you to Purple Circle and looks forward to working with your children.
Miranda Almanzar
Miranda AlmanzarLead Teacher, Infant 1
Miranda Almanzar is the Lead Teacher for the Infant 1 Classroom. She has been caring for children for 10 years now, both professionally and for family and friends. Being a positive influence in a child’s life has always been a passion of hers. She completed her Bachelor’s of Science from George Washington University in 2021, majoring in Cognitive Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology. She has also recently completed her Master’s in Child and Adolescent Development, with a concentration on Early Childhood. Her teaching style is very much based on observing the children — seeing what they like and what they don’t like, and building lessons using those learned interests. She aims to guide them to become the best people that they can be!
Keanna Toppin
Keanna ToppinAssistant Teacher, Infant 1
Keanna is a 2023 graduate of Howard University and received her Bachelors of Science in psychology and human development. She is Brooklyn born and raised and also grew up for the majority of her life as a dancer. In addition to dance, as she grew older she started to mentor youth in her community. She became passionate about working with children and studying their mental, emotional and social development during her teens and hasn’t looked back since. Fast forward to now, she’s been working with children professionally and voluntarily for 8 years. She is excited to be a part of this beautiful journey with your babies here at Purple Circle and she looks forward to meeting you all!

Purple Circle is Accepting Applications for All Age Groups for 2023/2024

Click below to learn more about our application process and to view the online membership application in full

VIEW APPLICATION