Elba's Little Wonderschool

Our Teachers

Hello! I am Elba Palaguachi, the founder of Elba’s Little Wonderschool. I was inspired to start my own program because it has always been my dream to design my own space where children can blossom and grow. I have 20 years of experience working with young children - first as a nurse, and now as the director of my own program. I have supported over 20 children who were part of the foster system, and I believe deeply in helping children and meeting them where they are. Family is the most important thing to me, and I’m proud of my own children who I raise here in New York!

Philosophy

At Elba’s Little Wonderschool, we believe that children grow, learn, and thrive by feeling safe, loved, and nurtured. It is our goal to provide an environment that makes children feel welcomed and at home. In our program, children will feel empowered to follow their own interests in a safe space.

We believe that these early years are very important for social development. Children learn about themselves by interacting with each other, and with the world around them. It is fundamental that children grow in an environment where they can learn from their peers!

Location

Elba’s Little Wonderschool is located in a cozy, welcoming apartment in the Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights/Ft. George. We are close to the M3 Line and a short walk from the 191st St subway station on the 1 line. We spend our outside at one of the two parks that are close by each day!

About our program

We provide children with a wide variety of activities that they can participate in. Children will draw, paint, and read with us each day. We support their chance to get creative!

We ensure that your child has the fundamental skills they need for school! Each child will receive attention on not only their school readiness, like colors or numbers, but also the development of their gross and fine-motor skills.

Parents get to take home what we make or do. When you come to pickup, you can always ask what we did that day. I will send home art projects with your child when we work on them!

This program is a Spanish/English bilingual space. Your child will hear Spanish and English throughout the day, giving them a chance to build a rich vocabulary and communicate clearly in each language.

Admissions

Join the Elba’s Little Wonderschool community in four easy steps:

1. Explore our website

We’ve provided information about our philosophies and offerings to help you decide if our program may be right for your family.

2. Tour our program

Come see what makes Elba’s Little Wonderschool unique. Please schedule a tour or attend an Open House event.

3. Submit an Enrollment Application

If you would like to enroll, please submit an application. Please note that we require tours for all prospective families. Please do not submit an application if you have not visited the program.

4. Enroll

After reviewing your application, we’ll send an enrollment invitation. Upon accepting your invitation you’ll pay your enrollment fee, fill out enrollment documents and review our Parent Handbook.