Our Program.When you leave your children in the hands of Petra's capable team each day, you can be assured that we are providing them not only with safe, nurturing care, but we are also building a solid academic foundation through strong programming and curriculum, all informed by our Christian, faith-based approach.
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Programming & Daily Calendar
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All children are supported and guided through meaningful learning opportunities and developmentally appropriate classroom experiences. We believe creating a nurturing and safe environment for vulnerable children will help them grow and develop socially, emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually.
Each class has a set daily schedule, consisting of everything from story time, to active outdoor play time, nutritious snack breaks, and active outdoor play time. |
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Petra is a faith-based daycare and preschool, that genuinely cares about the kids and families they are serving. We are first time parents and had zero daycare experience but had heard all kinds of stories. Petra has exceeded all of our expectations. The teachers are so genuine and easy to communicate with. The director is wonderfully available and accommodating. Our kid has thrived here, and we are so thankful!
Diana, Petra Preschool Parent
Curriculum
Petra Preschool provides a quality education that enables kindergarten readiness and an overall strong educational foundation for all the students that attend. Petra Preschool ensures quality education by using a learning model that emphasizes child-initiated exploration and teacher-guided instruction and through Creative Curriculum® by Teaching Strategies which features developmental learning objectives leading to kindergarten readiness. Our educational success is measured through use of Teaching Strategies’ “GOLD” assessment tool that assesses and supports effective teaching while monitoring children’s development throughout the year. This assessment tool is utilized by teachers to allow them to track and document each child’s progression on a day to day basis in a natural learning environment, and provides a tool to use in communicating with parents on their child’s progress. Classroom observations by the Director is an additional method of evaluating the accomplishments of students and teachers.
Faith-Informed Approach, Yet Open to All
Our faith in Christ's salvation for us is the driving force behind Petra Preschool and serving the marginalized in the city. Although our curriculum does not contain explicit Christian stories or teaching, this faith-informed method motivates the staff to care and love the children and the families we serve, and teachers may supplement the structured curriculum from time to time with Bible stories and other lessons that promote strong moral behavior and that discuss the Christian view of God. Importantly, Petra admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin; additionally, students and their families are not required to affiliate with Christianity or any religion to attend Petra. We welcome all children who have received vaccinations as defined by our policies and who we believe can be adequately cared for based on our center's capabilities and their physical and behavioral development level. Additionally, we do accept Texas CCS payments so as to financially accommodate foster parents and others at our school who may qualify for this assistance.
Our Philosophy of Care and Implementation of TBRI®
Petra's leadership believes that kindness, gentleness, and relationship-building with our students is a way of living out our faith, and is the best approach to caring for the children entrusted in our care each day. One of the tools we use to flesh this out on a daily basis is Trust-Based Relational Intervention. TBRI® is an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention that is designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. TBRI® uses Empowering Principles to address physical needs, Connecting Principles for attachment needs, and Correcting Principles to disarm fear-based behaviors. While the intervention is based on years of attachment, sensory processing, and neuroscience research, the heartbeat of TBRI® is connection. Our Director Mindy Jones is a certified practitioner, as evidenced by her presence on the list of certified TBRI practitioners maintained by the Karyn Purvis Institute. As a result, she is equipped not only to implement TBRI in the classroom but also to provide appropriate training to her teachers in doing the same.