I was brought in as Director in April of this year (2022). Prior to accepting the position, I had almost decided to leave the childcare industry. My past experiences in management and teaching in other childcare programs, had left a sour taste in my mouth. I had concluded that each center was the same. Corporately or privately owned, there was no difference. The focus had been on enrollment numbers (income) alone, regardless of state ratios, high staff turnover, quality of care, or the best educational or safety interest of each child. Staff had been repeatedly put into situations in which they were inadequately trained or forced to stay in classrooms where they were subject to physical abuse by violent behavior issues. Each of my previous employers only ran what I refer to as 'glorified daycare programs'. I had decided that if I were going to stay in the field, I would require certain expectations. If those expectations would not be accepted by prospective employers, then I would pass on any offers. I would no longer sacrifice what I knew childcare could be.
My non-negotiable expectations were: transparent communication between owners, management, and teachers; support of staff to strictly follow state-mandated guidelines with the emphasis on ratios and safety; consistency in staff scheduling and child scheduling to maintain routines for children, a balance of focus on enrollment in relation to staff retention; the ability to disenroll families whose child or children continuously jeopardize the welfare of other children or staff, support of owners to allow my complete responsibility and sense of ownership when it comes to 'my staff, my school, my students'. If I would be held accountable for any deficiencies, I would have input into the daily functioning of the center.
The current owners and I clicked immediately. Our visions for fulfilling the potential of not only educational childcare, but also the implementation of a true Montessori environment have been immeasurably aligned.
Being at PPMA has been such an amazing experience. Chef, maintenance, assistant teachers, teachers, and management, we are a family. We are respectful, complimentary, generous, and loving towards one another. We laugh with, cry with, and pray for one another. We have five teachers who have been at PPMA for 10+ years, two who have been here for 5+ years, and a couple of others who have been here 2-3 years. It is rare to find these dynamics in any childcare setting.
We pride ourselves in providing a true Montessori based preschool setting which puts the best interest of each child into consideration before making decisions for the entire program.
We strive to set teachers and children up for success in lowering classroom ratios to allow more one-on-one interaction.
We hire staff who exhibit a genuine love and respect for not only teaching, but also their fellow colleagues.
We consider the individual needs and best interest of each child before finalizing documentation of operational policies and procedures.
Do not take my word for it, Please call and schedule a tour with us to see for yourself. read more