386-561-9976 / 386-218-0431
Casandra Jones
Owner
A teacher with 20 years experience in Volusia County schools, Casandra founded and opened Plato's Playgrounds original location in 2018, in the hopes of offering a safe and nurturing environment to the preschool aged children in her community. She fund-raised for 6 years to build and open our local skate-park; Colin's Dream at Coleman park and was awarded a citizen of the year award from the Volusia League of cities for her efforts. She continues her work as a full time educator and oversees the managerial staff at our Plato's locations.
Jennifer England
Director of Plato's Playgrounds-original location
Possessing a contagious enthusiasm, Jennifer England has been an amazing asset for Plato's Playgrounds. Her warmth, creativity, and drive make her a great colleague and a perfect fit as the Director of our original location, which she helped open back in 2018. Working with staff members and parents to create a collaborative atmosphere, Jennifer is dedicated to making sure that every individual feels cared for and supported at our facility. With three grown children and one grandchild, she has close ties to the community of Orange City and feels a strong drive in helping our local families find the balance some new parents struggle with in their children's formative years.
Barbara Rodriguez
Director of Plato's Playgrounds Lake Helen
Barbara has worked in the childcare field for over 24 years. She holds a BS in Clinical Psychology and a Directors Credential in Early childhood Development and is passionate about creating nurturing, structured, and supportive learning environments where children can thrive. Her philosophy is that children live and learn best through the way that we model kindness, respect, and compassion. This helps shape the next generation of loving humans that will carry our future generation forward towards a brighter future. She also values strong family partnerships and believes that children do best when home and school work together. Outside of work, she enjoys learning about the history of the places she's visited and loves music, especially classical.
DISASTER RECOVERY &
CONTINUITY PLANNING FOR CHILD CARE
Both Plato's locations are certified under COOP with an emergency preparedness process, which guides providers through a step-by-step framework designed specifically for child care and early education environments.
Why Disaster Recovery Matters for Early Learning Centers
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Children are among the most vulnerable in emergencies.
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Unprepared centers risk long closures, financial losses, and community disruption.
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Families depend on providers not only for care, but also for stability when disaster strikes.
With the right plan, our center can minimize downtime, safeguard staff and children, and be a trusted anchor for families in times of crisis.