IMC Kids Gym Mission
Inclusion
As a proud mission partner of Cornerstone Montclair, meaningful inclusion is at the heart of our services. IMC Kids Gym is owned by former physical and special education teachers Bobby Rinaldi and Nic Salese. We teach classes with a school-based structure and format, helping your child develop not only their physical strength but also a growth mindset and essential executive functions.
Movement
Get ready to climb, leap, glide, and zipline! We use the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to challenge kids in new and exciting ways every week. Our instructors will help your child navigate through a series of unique obstacle stations and exercises to strengthen their bodies and minds. All abilities are welcome!
Community
We’re proud to serve our local community. We partner with our neighbor, Union Cong Nursery School, to provide after-school programming for preschoolers. We’re also a mission partner of Cornerstone Montclair, helping empower people of all abilities to actively participate in the vibrancy of our town. But our community doesn’t end at Montclair’s borders. We also provide service-learning center training for local universities, schools, businesses, and parents. Please contact us if you’re interested in enrichment or consultation opportunities.
Meet the Owners
Mr. Nic
Co-Owner
As a teacher and coach, my goal is to help kids focus on and enjoy the process, not just the end result. Social media revolves around results but isn’t teaching kids how to become stronger or more social. I hope to motivate children to be well-rounded and driven to find their internal personal growth. And at IMC Kids Gym, we aim to make that social, physical, and emotional growth fun.
I went to Fairleigh Dickinson University, where I played collegiate soccer and graduated with a B.A. in psychology. I wanted to work as a criminal investigator — helping to create closure in people’s lives — and a very influential professor suggested I attend the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. I graduated with an M.A. and took an instructional assistant job to pay the bills while doing doctoral research. It was there I discovered my natural inclination for teaching.
I taught a variety of classes, including 5th-grade math, science, and special education. I also simultaneously took classes to earn a general education certification from St. Peter’s University and a special education certification from Kean University. After I’d been teaching for several years, my freshman-year soccer coach, Matt Schenelli, invited me to visit his new business, the Inclusive Movement Center. The IMC vision inspired me, and I volunteered until joining Matt and Bobby as a founding partner in 2017.
What sets IMC Kids Gym apart? Our ability to create a safe environment and a trusted, joyful place for kids to learn and grow. We are genuinely committed to our core pillars of inclusion, movement, and community in everything we do. Our goal is to create a place where students, parents, and the community can witness something that isn’t happening anywhere else. And, at the heart of our mission, we genuinely care about seeing your kids grow — and have fun.
Mr. Bobby
Co-Owner
If, like me, you played sports growing up, you’re probably familiar with the rush of intense emotions from the highs and lows of competition. For every moment of joy and success, there can be twice as many moments of vulnerability and failure. When deciding to become a teacher and coach, I did so with the intent of helping children navigate these emotions in a positive and balanced way. Remembering my own journey (and struggles!), I hoped to provide children with a tool kit that keeps movement fun, even through difficult times, and encourages them to remain active throughout their lives.
I attended Montclair State University planning a career as a PE teacher and baseball coach. However, a month before graduating, I was introduced to a program that would unexpectedly change my career in a way I found much more fulfilling. I met eventual IMC co-founder Matt Schinelli, who was attempting to add Unified Sports as a club at MSU. Unified Sports is sponsored by Special Olympics and joins people with and without disabilities together through sports leagues and competitive events. Unified's mission convinced me to pivot away from teaching traditional team sports and instead focus on how to keep children of all abilities together, active, and excited about movement.
My journey as an athlete, teacher, and coach all contributed to the Inclusive Movement Center’s opening in 2017. Co-founders Matt, Nic, and I designed a program that allowed us to use our strengths and expertise as teachers to help serve our local community in several meaningful ways. Now known as IMC Kids Gym, we're committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for your children to grow and generate that all-important tool kit that will help them far beyond our classes. I hope your child finds our program to be a joyful experience that allows them to find the best within themselves and others.
Meet the Staff
Ms. Darlene
Ms. Jenna
Ms. Rut
Mr. Chris
Ms. Lapresha
“I can not say enough about how much my 4yo girl and 6yo boy enjoy going to Inclusive Movement. They love it and even get ready on their own Saturday mornings just to make sure we get there on time :)
We have been to other ninja gyms and we noticed something special about Inclusive Movement, parents consistently talk about how it's very clear that Mr NIck, Mr Bobby and the rest of the IMC Staff are teachers. They have a teacher's approach and teacher techniques that clearly set them apart.
My kids will be going until they age out for sure!”
Christopher P.B.