It's not an average mission to provide the best child development on the planet, but New Horizon Academy is not an average company. New Horizon Academy is an exceptional organization with an abiding commitment to excellence in every aspect of the programs and services we have provided to families for over 50 years.
A passionate and published leader, speaker, and advocate, Chad Dunkley drives the strategy and culture of continuous improvement at New Horizon Academy. After earning a Juris Doctor degree from William Mitchell College of Law, Chad followed his mom’s footsteps into early childcare and education. He says the moment he held his infant son in his arms, he knew there was no more important work than providing the best early education programs for young children and their families.
Throughout his career, Chad has earned international recognition as a leader. Chad was named a Most Admired CEO by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal (2017) and an Exceptional Emerging Leader by the Child Care Information Exchange (2015). In 2004, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal recognized Chad as one of the region’s most outstanding leaders as one of their Forty Under 40 award recipients. Chad is President of the Minnesota Child Care Association (MCCA), Co-Chair of The Early Care and Education Consortium (ECEC), an executive board member of the Chad Greenway Lead the Way Foundation, and a board member of the Minnesota Business Partnership. Chad also completed a four-year term on the governing board of The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in 2017.
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My job is to help bring our mission and vision to life for our children and families by providing the best early learning experiences for young children and by advocating for increased investments to help more families have access to quality early education experiences.
Education – Mitchell Hamline School of Law
Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Waterman – 3rd grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: A pull behind penguin
Favorite School Subject: History
Favorite Childhood Book: Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
“I love working with young children for the pure joy on their faces when they figure out how to do something for the first time. I love hearing the phrase, ‘I did it!’”
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My role is to develop a financial strategy that supports all our initiatives to enhance the well-being of our families and staff while still keeping tuition affordable.
Education – University of Wisconsin – Madison
Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Brown – 1st grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Swing set
Favorite School Subject: Math
Favorite Childhood Book: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
“I love seeing what our teachers are capable of achieving in our classrooms. It is truly amazing!”
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I provide operational support to our school leaders so that they can focus on providing the best child development on the planet to the children entrusted in their care.
Education – Hamline University and William Mitchell College of Law
Favorite Teacher: Mr. Theisen -11th grade social studies teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Barbies
Favorite School Subject: Political Science
Favorite Childhood Book: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume
“I love when the children show me their classroom and tell me about what projects they are working on. It is so fulfilling to see their excitement about all of the fun learning activities that they are engaged in.”
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My role is all about enhancing the child and family experience! From ensuring the appearance of the buildings to overseeing how the curriculum is implemented, and making sure directors and teachers feel great about New Horizon Academy!
Education – University of Nebraska
Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Grovenar – 2nd grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Dolls and Barbies
Favorite School Subject: Social Studies
Favorite Childhood Book: “Little House on the Prairie” series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
“I enjoy how every day is new with children and how every experience is as if it is the first time it has ever happened.”
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My teams and I bring love and learning to life for each child at our schools. I love to witness learning in action by visiting our classrooms and asking the children to show me what they are learning! We truly are preparing children to be confident learners in kindergarten and beyond.
Education – University of Minnesota
Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Phyl – 2nd grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Barbies
Favorite School Subject: English
Favorite Childhood Book: “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch
“I love that each day is a new opportunity to inspire and teach a child. We have so many wonderful things happening in our classrooms each day!”
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In my role as VP of Education and Staff Development, it is pertinent for me to be on top of the latest research on how children learn while developing and sharing this information with our teachers. I also want to live our mission of continuous improvement. It gives me immense pride to visit our classrooms and see the curriculum implemented and Conscious Discipline applied while assessing the children across all learning domains.
Education – St. Cloud State University
Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Paul – 1st grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Dolls
Favorite School Subject: Math
Favorite Childhood Book: “Caps for Sale” by Esphyr Slobodkina
“I enjoy seeing the light bulb go off when children ‘get it’. Children are little sponges. As an early childhood professional, I believe it is our responsibility to be intentional and provide activities that they can absorb.”
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As the Vice President of Marketing and Parent Experiences, I have an opportunity to assist families in finding high-quality childcare and education.
Education – University of St. Catherine
Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Bogie
Favorite Childhood Toy: Board games
Favorite School Subject: Science
Favorite Childhood Book: “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle
“I enjoy the dynamic and exciting opportunities young children bring. They are so passionate and excited about the world around them. I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with teachers, children, and families at New Horizon Academy.”
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I lead the HR team that strives to hire passionate people and provide excellent employee experiences so that children in our care can enjoy the best early childhood education programs and thrive in the most caring environment.
Education – Hohai University and Iowa State University
Favorite Teacher: My middle school English teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: A plastic, inflatable deer
Favorite School Subject: Every subject except P.E.
Favorite Childhood Book: “Shuke and Beita’s Adventures” by Zheng Yuanjie
“I love how much we adults can learn from children – they are curious, welcoming and always open to new ideas. Being in a classroom with children reminds me of why our work matters, and how important it is to build relationships and support one another.”
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My team creates and maintains beautiful, safe spaces for children.
Education – The Pennsylvania State University, University of Saint Thomas
Favorite Teacher: Ms. Hobart – 10th grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Legos
Favorite School Subject: Math
Favorite Childhood Book: “Sylvester and the Magic Pebble” by William Steig
“I have always loved the challenge of creating places that matter to people. At New Horizon Academy, we are creating places for the people who matter most: our children, our joy, our future. I am honored to be a part of providing a safe, clean and inspirational space where children can thrive.”
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By developing childcare centers, I expand opportunities for families to thrive economically and for children’s lives to be enriched by high-quality, educational care. I’ve been doing this for over 30 years and still get excited to be able to contribute something as important as childcare to our community.
Education – University of Denver
Favorite Teacher: Mr. Kihlstrom – 6th grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Snap Shot Agent Zero Spy Camera
Favorite School Subject: Geography
“I’ve had the honor of developing early education and care centers across the country for 30 years. Child care is one of few land uses where children’s laughter, the appreciation of families and the passion of employees come together under one roof. Our schools raise the bar, and I’m proud to be part of the team ensuring these services are available to more children every year.”
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I get to educate and work with our government systems to help them be responsive to the needs of quality childcare and education for young children, equitable compensation for early educators, and affordability and choice for families.
Education – St. Olaf College and Harvard University
Favorite Teacher: Mr. Abalan – 10th grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: A tiny Casio keyboard
Favorite School Subject: Social Studies
Favorite Childhood Book: “Stuart Little” by E.B. White
“Children are pure people. Having not yet learned many social conventions and norms, they act just as they feel and to the fullest extent–how we all wish we could act sometimes!”
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My primary responsibility is to make business processes as easy and efficient as possible for families and teachers through the strategic use of technology. Efficiency through technology allows us to expand our reach, improve our services, and further our mission to provide the best early childhood education on the planet.
Education – Millennium Technical Institute
Favorite Teacher: Mr. McEachern – 3rd grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: My grandmother’s “junk box”. I loved building and taking things apart.
Favorite School Subject: All of them!
Favorite Childhood Book: The Encyclopedia
“It’s all about what’s best for the children at New Horizon. What an honor it is to support the passionate and dedicated staff who devote themselves to caring for children.”
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My role is to be an advocate for children and their families. This role ensures that all children in our care are in a safe and healthy environment.
Education – Rasmussen Business College
Favorite Teacher: Ms. Hillard – 5th grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Chatty Cathy doll
Favorite School Subject: Math
Favorite Childhood Book: “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White
“I appreciate how honest, pure, and accepting the children are. I appreciate how they embrace life. I appreciate how teachable they are and how much they can teach us, if we are willing to receive.”
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I have been given the opportunity to bring our core values and mission to children and families outside of Minnesota. Being a part of raising the standards for all children through developing new schools in new markets and creating strong, lifelong learners across the nation is an incredible opportunity.
Education – University of Minnesota Mankato
Favorite Teacher: Mr. Vaughn – 11th grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Life size walking doll
Favorite School Subject: Math and Science
Favorite Childhood Book: The Little Golden Book series
“I love the feeling of excitement as children are exploring, learning, and creating meaningful relationships with their teachers and peers. Knowing I make an impact on setting the groundwork for who these little people become is a powerful gift.”
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As a member of the Human Resources team, I have the opportunity to support our teachers and leadership teams to be their very best selves while working with the children and families within our programs.
Education – University of Wyoming
Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Sukamel – 4th grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Marble Maze
Favorite School Subject: Art class
Favorite Childhood Book: “The Boxcar Children” series by Gertrude Chandler Warner
“Working with children is one of the most rewarding and important jobs in the world. We have the privilege of making a positive impact in the lives of the children in our schools each day. I love working with and supporting our schools as they live out our mission and values in our classrooms!”
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I align my work in finance/accounting with New Horizon Academy’s core values of doing what’s best for young children and striving for continuous improvement.
Education – St. Cloud State University
Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Kobe – 3rd grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Ty Beanie Baby collection
Favorite School Subject: Math
Favorite Childhood Book: “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
“Our teachers are truly remarkable. I love watching their creativity spread throughout the classroom. Their love and passion for early childhood education is evident.”
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I help to ensure children have a safe, fun, and meaningful learning experience by coaching and mentoring our school leaders and teaching team.
Education – MBA from University of Phoenix
Favorite Teacher: Grandma Herrala – Childcare teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: I loved playing outside most…playing Kick the Can, Basketball, Swimming, you name it!
Favorite School Subject: Cooking unit in Home Economics
Favorite Childhood Book: “Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm” by Alice and Martin Provensen
“I love seeing the aha moments when children understand a new concept. The sparkle in their eyes melts my heart! Having the opportunity to work with children and their families is a gift that I wholeheartedly treasure.”
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I believe by forming early positive connections, we make the world a better place for not just our young children and families, but for all young children and families.
Education – Bethel College and Concordia University
Favorite Teacher: Mr. Myra – science teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Fozzy Bear
Favorite School Subject: Science
Favorite Childhood Book: “Circus Girl Without a Name” by Wilma Pitchford Hays
“I have the privilege of seeing the world through a child’s eyes. To them, every day is brand new and wonderful, even the days we get two feet of snow.”
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I feel honored to be in a position where I can help influence decisions, share ideas, and guide our school leaders in the direction of what is best for children and families. I am able to use this to guide each day when working with school leaders and teachers who serve our children directly and am then able to support them in providing the best possible care for children and their families.
Education – University of Minnesota and Ashford University
Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Allen – 2nd grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Barbies
Favorite School Subject: Art
Favorite Childhood Book: “The Boxcar Children” series by Gertrude Chandler Warner
“I love watching the children grow and develop. Witnessing them hit milestones and seeing their accomplishments is truly a rewarding experience.”
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In my role, I’m able to make a positive impact on children and families by supporting all of my schools in living our mission and values each day and helping to create a positive school family that fosters learning, innovation, and collaboration.
Education – Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Coin – 1st grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: My Little Pony and Rainbow Brights
Favorite School Subject: English
Favorite Childhood Book: “Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb” by Al Perkins
“I am inspired by children’s curiosity and drive to explore. They are a daily reminder to find the extraordinary in the ordinary.”
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I have the wonderful opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our children, their families, and our school families! I can lead, teach, guide, coach, mentor, and inspire.
Education – Rasmussen Business College
Favorite Teacher: Mr. Muers – 6th grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Baby That-A-Way Doll
Favorite School Subject: History
Favorite Childhood Book: “Corduroy” by Don Freeman
“I enjoy working with young children because they make my heart happy!”
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My job allows me to support and bring out the natural talents and gifts in my team so they can create the best learning environment for the children in their care. I help our directors create a strong, united school family, as well as a safe, loving environment where children can be successful.
Education – Concordia University, St. Paul
Favorite Teacher: My 1st grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Light Bright
Favorite School Subject: Art
Favorite Childhood Book: “The Monster at the End of This Book” by Jon Stone
“The world of Early Childhood Education is ever evolving providing so many opportunities of personal growth, and a unique gift of knowing you and your team are bettering the world by impacting the lives of our families and the children in our care. There are not many jobs where you get to say that!”
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I have the unique opportunity to influence the lives of so many young children. I am fortunate to have a career that is so important and can make a difference in the world. We give children skills they will use for the rest of their lives, help children feel safe and loved, and foster a love for learning. This is the most rewarding career one can have!
Education – University of Minnesota Duluth
Favorite Teacher: Ms. Lindeman – kindergarten and pre-k teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: A playhouse my dad made with my siblings and I
Favorite School Subject: English
Favorite Childhood Book: “I am a Bunny” by Ole Risom
“The innocence and wonder of a child is incredible to see. I love that I am able to see the children in our care learn and thrive, all while learning great lessons from them as well!”
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Education – Metropolitan State College of Denver, Lesley University
Favorite Teacher: My 1st grade teacher – mostly because she learned how to say my name correctly from the beginning
Favorite Childhood Toy: Legos
Favorite School Subject: Social Studies
Favorite Childhood Book: “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White
““Teachers who love teaching, teach children to love learning.” — Robert John Meehan
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Our mission at New Horizon Academy positively impacts children and their families each day by opening “new horizons” of self-esteem and potential for the children in our care. Providing the very best start in life, both academically and emotionally, allows children to possess a love of learning through early childhood and beyond.
Education – Rasmussen College
Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Brandt – 5th grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Barbies
Favorite School Subject: History
Favorite Childhood Book: “Caps For Sale” by Esphyr Slobodkina
“I’ve always enjoyed seeing the world through children’s eyes and also knowing how much early childhood education impacts their minds. It’s truly a wonderful experience to witness when a child learns a new concept!”
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There aren’t many jobs that allow you to witness children’s growth and celebrate children’s successes on a daily basis. I value the trust families have in me to make sure that each and every child receives the best possible care and education from our teachers. Working with children is a gift and an honor that should never be taken for granted.
Education – Ashworth College and Montana State University
Favorite Teacher: Ms. McCarthy – 2nd grade teacher
Favorite Childhood Toy: Strawberry Shortcake
Favorite School Subject: Science
Favorite Childhood Book: “The Boxcar Children” series by Gertrude Chandler Warner
“I enjoy seeing children’s desire to learn more and seeing them accomplish something every day.”
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To open “new horizons” of self-esteem and potential for the little people entrusted to our care, their families, and our employees by providing and continuously improving the best child development on the planet!
At New Horizon Academy, we don’t feel the word “corporate” is representative of our culture and who we are. We want our teachers and school directors to feel that they have a large network to lean on, and we feel the phrase “home office” better suits our welcoming and inviting support system.
I love working for a company that prioritizes the well-being of children, employees, and parents in every decision we make.
New Horizon Academy has been locally family owned and operated since opening its first childcare program in 1971. The commitment to excellence that our founder, Sue Dunkley, strived for is the foundation that our company was built on, and the cornerstone of each New Horizon Academy school. Today, New Horizon Academy is operated by many dedicated people, and although we are continuing to grow and serve more children each year, we will always have family roots, an open door, and an abiding commitment to excellence.
Are you as passionate about early childhood education as our leaders are? Apply today and kickstart your career in early childhood at New Horizon Academy!
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