“The Goddard School was selected because of its commitment to providing the best in early childhood education,” said Jennifer Emmett, Executive Editor for Children’s Books at National Geographic. “Because Goddard is dedicated to cutting-edge early childhood learning, we feel this collaboration is a natural fit.”

“This is a unique opportunity for Goddard families, educators and our community to participate in the research and development of this special book,” said Joseph Schumacher, Chief Executive Officer at Goddard Systems, Inc. “We are pleased that the National Geographic Society and Susan Magsamen have recognized Goddard’s distinctive philosophy incorporating play, the arts and learning.”

The development of this project begins in January and will continue through 2010. During the assessment, our Goddard School community will help select the title and cover design, share ideas on classroom projects, test activities and contribute a collection of their own childhood memories. Our families will also get the chance to participate by providing their own input on the Goddard Facebook page.

The National Geographic Society project kicks off Goddard’s ‘Year of Community’ – a year focused on reintroducing the strong connection between Goddard Schools to its current families, friends and the communities the schools serve.