Update: a quote by Bezos Academy Head of Communications Katie Ford was misattributed.
A tuition-free Bezos Academy is coming to Lake Highlands at Presbyterian Village North senior community this fall.
Bezos Academy is a nonprofit network of tuition-free preschools for low-income families launched by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in Seattle in 2020. This preschool will be located on the campus of Presbyterian Village North, which is in a 10-year lease agreement with ForeFront Living for the academy partnership.
The first Dallas locations for Bezos Academy include Mountain View and Cedar Valley Dallas College campuses, which will also open in the fall. Bezos Academy will feature four classrooms and follow a year-round schedule prioritizing each child’s learning needs.
“Children develop a love of learning when it is child directed and centered around their interests. When children find joy in learning, it deepens their natural curiosity and eagerness to discover,” says Bezos Academy Head of Communications Katie Ford.
Bezos Academy
This will be the second senior living facility in the country to host the Montessori-inspired preschool. Montessori schooling allows children to learn and grow at their own pace.
So, why add a preschool to a senior living center? President of Bezos Academy Mike George says in a press release that it bridges an early learning gap.
“We look for partners who share our commitment to service and community,” George says. “It is wonderful to be working with Forefront Living, our second senior living host, to help fill the early learning gap in North Dallas while also creating opportunities for interaction between generations.”
Tim Mallad, Forefront Living CEO, tells why including the preschool with the living center fits with their mission in a press release.
“We are grateful for our partnership with LeadingAge Texas, who brought this opportunity to our attention, and we believe in the power of generations interacting. We look forward to supporting the Bezos Academy’s mission of ‘lighting every fire’, which aligns with the Forefront Living mission of ‘making each moment matter.'”
Bezos Academy will feature four classrooms and follow a full nine-hour day, year-round schedule. Those nine hours include meals, outdoor play and nap time, and the option for before and/or after school care.
The preschool will serve children ages 3 through 4 years old and covers all operating expenses for a full day of learning.
Presbyterian Village North senior living community is located at 8600 Skyline Dr.
