ABOUT INIC Preschool

THEN & NOW

In 2012, the vision was to open the best preschool to Central Texas. Every class would be in Spanish, the curriculum would be world-class (including for infants), working parents would log in to see their child during the day, and teachers would be energized with a sense of joy and purpose. Parents would be proud to say INIC (International Immersion Center) is their preschhol.

The vision became reality, and then some. INIC now also has a best-in-class parent-teacher communication tool in Brightwheel, expansive teacher benefits, and a culture of continuous quality improvement, largely fueled by parent feedback and teacher recommendations.

FOUNDERS

INIC Preschool is owned and operated by a team of wives-husbands-owners: Maria and Nik Ciccone, and Katie and Daniel Cuevas. Daniel, a former dentist and businessman from Mexico, came up with a plan to open a preschool in south Austin in 2012. He soon met Marytere Ciccone, also from Mexico, who is an early childhood development expert with more than 30 years of experience. Marytere has a master's degree in family psychology and an undergraduate degree in education, and has consulted more than 1,000 families on childhood cognitive development. She also helped to pioneer INIC’s curriculum. After meeting, Daniel and Marytere agreed to team up and open the best preschool to Central Texas.

Daniel’s wife, Katie, joined the team in 2019 and leads human resources. Marytere’s husband, Nik, joined the team in 2012 to lead marketing and development.

Academic Excellence

When your child graduates from INIC, she/he will meet and exceed the expectations of their elementary school teacher.

At INIC, your child will achieve escalating developmental milestones for motor skills, language, critical thinking, and social/emotional intelligence.

Spanish Immersion & Mandarin Chinese

Evidence shows that learning multiple languages supercharges the brains of very young learners, from infants up to pre-kinder. Results include higher math, reading, emotional, and analytical skills.

It’s been widely documented that being bilingual deeply stimulates several regions of the brain, impacting many aspects of a child’s education. It’s not just about speaking a different language.

High-Tech Digital Tools

Trust, transparency and joy. Every INIC classroom is equipped with a secure livestreaming, high-definition, full color video camera and a real-time reporting app so parents and grandparents can log in and see their children from a smartphone or computer.

These digital tools give us an extra layer of accountability while giving parents an extra level of security.

Community Involvement

From weekly Mandarin Chinese classes to Black History Month and Dia De Los Muertos celebrations, INIC embraces cultural diversity and community involvement. Austin is a wonderful mix of people, languages, and cultures, and we want students to be proud of their different heritages.

We also promote community involvement by organizing educational visits from civil servants and healthcare providers, and by bringing together families with fun events like carnivals, holiday parties, book fairs, potlucks, and Open Class days.

Extracurricular Activities

We believe physical activity and interpersonal relationships are just as important to a young child's development as academic success. That’s why we provide students with extracurricular activities, including plenty of time to play and explore our outdoor playgrounds and indoor gymnasiums.

We also team up with local athletic coaches to offer sports, and we organize an academic-guided Summer Camp featuring additional activities like yoga, cooking, gymnastics, and more!

Responsive Staff

INIC values customer service. We answer the phone, return voicemail, and reply to emails. We’re available for one-on-one and group meetings. 

We’ve made changes to our business based on feedback from parents. Without you, we wouldn’t exist – we know you have options. Our staff doesn’t have perfect customer service every day, but we try!