GAP - Community Child Care Center

About

GAP was founded by Monica Guyot, Aisha Abubakar, and Juana Puentes in 1982 as a supportive and community-focused child development center. Our motto, Motivate, Challenge and Stimulate, reflects our belief that learning is fun, exploring is exciting, and discovering new concepts is an adventure.

Teachers

Our diverse staff reflects our diverse neighborhood: we are a rainbow of cultures and languages. We encourage our teachers to design equally colorful learning experiences that broaden and deepen children's social and communication skills. Learning is facilitated through field trips, onsite picnics, and daily outdoor time on our playground that overlooks Rock Creek Park.

Teachers receive regular training to improve their qualifications through GAP-sponsored programs, such as higher education support, child development seminars and conferences, nutrition and food safety courses, on-site computer skills tutorials, and more.

Parents

Because parents are integral to the learning experience, we foster a strong sense of community among our teachers, staff, and parents. Our teachers work with parents to encourage each child’s curiosity about, and appreciation for, the world around them. Our staff provides parents with continual administrative support that goes above and beyond the expected. Our computer lab is available for parents as a free resource for communicating via email and social networks, taking online courses, and performing basic online research.

Safety

The safety of our children, teachers, and staff is vitally important to us. In addition to the front door security service provided by the Jonathan Woodner Apartment building, GAP has a state-of-the-art security system, with motion-detecting cameras, digital video recorders, and six flat-panel monitors in the administrative office. All parents are allocated a computerized keypad code that gives them full access to the classrooms on a daily basis.

Hours

Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
We are closed on federal holidays and for periodic staff development days. Please see our News page to download the schedule of GAP closings or review our event calendar.

Welcome Letter from our Founder

It seems like yesterday when GAP’s three founding members— Aisha Abubakar, Juana Puentes and I —met in my living room to discuss our vision of what a quality child development center could be. In April 1982, we officially incorporated under the name GAP, which uses the first initial from each of our last names. Nearly 30 years later, GAP still represents our goal to provide the highest quality developmental child care to everyone regardless of background or income.

GAP began as a summer camp and grew quickly. By the 1990s, we decided to consolidate our three locations into one large center at the Jonathan Woodner Apartments, where we now reside.

Operating a child development center has been fulfilling and challenging, and it’s been the very best job I’ve ever held. Preparing children academically, socially, and developmentally has been more rewarding than I imagined. Our enduring ties to former GAP parents, families, teachers, and staff prove that quality education makes a lasting difference.

I look forward to welcoming new children, parents, and families to the GAP community!

Sincerely,
Monica Guyot
Founder and President
GAP Child Care Center