Today we’d like to introduce you to LaDonna Phillips.
LaDonna, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I decided to go back to school shortly after the birth of my first child. At first, she stayed home with a nanny until I put her in preschool and I would drop her off on my way to class. We drove past an elementary every day as it was being built and she kept saying, “Mommy is gonna work there.” I began working at that school one year after the campus opened as an elementary school teacher. As a first-year teacher, I fell in love with the “lightbulb moments” when students would finally understand the concept that they were struggling with. Unfortunately, that was the only thing that I loved about working in public education. I felt that the atmosphere that I wanted to bring to students to nurture their growth was unattainable as a public school educator for me. I was stressed by the politics, administrative aspects, and lack of support that educators feel in public schools. The boiling point for me was when I was in a meeting and attempted to get additional support for a student and one of the administrators says the student, “Had missed her educational opportunity.”
I was heartbroken about hearing that about someone’s child and I felt helpless. I decided that I wanted to work in an environment that didn’t limit their support to only certain students that meet the criteria. I decided to open a preschool and daycare to help ensure that the students that I worked with were given every educational opportunity that I can provide. I began studying the minimum standards for opening a licensed childcare home and found that I needed a Director’ Certification. I looked up the qualifications for a Directors Certification and learned that I was already qualified from my years of teaching elementary and a business degree from Texas Southern University. That was confirmation for me that I was on the right path to fulfilling my calling to become an entrepreneur and opening my preschool and daycare. I opened in August 2022 and have been successful at creating the fun, explorative, differentiated learning experience that children deserve.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We are only five months old, therefore, there is still a lot of growing to do as a business. It has been a challenge transforming my home into my place of business. We had only owned our home for one year before deciding to open it as a business and I didn’t feel ready to do so. I wanted to enjoy it and was scared of the damage my students and I would cause with our daily use.
I was also nervous that people would be hesitant to bring their children to me after carefully considering the other well-known childcare centers in the area. I was also very nervous because I had this vision of what I wanted preschool and childcare to look like, but I had never even worked in a daycare before.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about the Great Minds Academy of Early Learning?
At Great Minds Academy, we’re proud to provide a caring and safe environment for your children. By following our mission, vision, and values, we create a nurturing, stimulating, and welcoming learning environment for all children.
We provide our students with the tools they need for future happiness and success. Our unique programs incorporate a variety of educational theories, while always keeping the child’s best interests in mind and allowing for hands-on, experiential learning.
In my home, we will provide a STREAM-based structured learning environment that includes academic and social-emotional learning goals personally designed to develop the whole child.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Regardless of how much information you know and how much research you do, there is still more to learn. Do not hold yourself back because you don’t think you are ready because you will learn as you grow! Disregard negativity and people who try to talk you out of things that did not work for them.
Experience is not always everything because people can have twenty years of experience doing something poorly. If you have an idea and a vision, then follow your heart even if others don’t see it. The vision is yours and nobody can see through your eyes but you!
Pricing:
- Infant I (6 wks to 12 M) – $275 weekly
- Infant II (12 M to 18 M) – $255 weekly
- Toddler (18M to 24M) – $230 weekly
- Early Preschool (24M to 36M) $200 weekly
- Preschool (3 – 5 Years) $180 weekly
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.greatmindsacademy.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082598836129
