Meet Marilyn Farrulla-Salcedo of Noah’s Ark Academy in Sugar Land

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marilyn Farrulla-Salcedo.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Marilyn. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Our story began when I was hired by Fort Bend Community Church to teach Spanish and Computer Skills in their preschool called Tree of Life Christian Academy. A year went by and I was offered a full time position as a preschool teacher. Two years later, I became a director. A year and a half later, the church decided to close the preschool to leave time and place for adult worship. This decision, in my opinion, was not the best for the children and the excellent, loyal staff we had. It was then that I decided (with my husband’s support) to build Noah’s Ark Academy.

Noah’s Ark Academy opened its doors in October 15, 2008 to 23 full time children ranging from 2 to 6 years old with the same staff we had at Tree of Life Christian Academy. Our teachers, who bring with them a world of experience, continue to follow the ABEKA Curriculum with the Christian component- a very structured curriculum that emphasizes reading through phonics, math, writing, gross and fine motor development, science and current events.

Children thrive on structure. They love routines and this curriculum offers that and more. There is always a time and a place for everything.

Today, we offer infant care (starting at 6 weeks). Our enrollment varies from 45-60 students. My personal goal is to get to 60 students and remain there in order to offer the individual attention our children need and make them feel that this is their home away from home. All our teachers know each child as if they were in their class. The children trust and know every teacher in our school. They know we are all there to give them the care and attention they need until their parents arrive to pick them up.

Noah’s Ark Academy, offers the best transition available from home setting to school setting. Through love and
structure, we provide to our children the best foundation available to succeed in their social and academic
development for years to come.

Has it been a smooth road?
Being a small school has many rewards. I get to plant a seed in a child’s life and I get to be a partner with the best parents I have known. However, I have to say on the business side, we have faced some challenges. Our budget is limited. Our location demands that we pay a very high rent. We compete with much bigger franchises offering more technology than the kids need and we can afford. That is important to parents who think these luxuries are necessary to make up for the time they cannot be with their children. A parent doesn’t need to feel guilty for time away from their children in order to provide for their basic necessities. Parents must keep in mind that there is nothing that can replace the attention a parent can give to their child. Time goes by in the blink of an eye and we might miss our own child’s development. Quality time, attention-without cell phones, Ipads or computers – is extremely important. As adults, we always remember the time and the memories we created with our family. Those memories last a lifetime. Technology does not provide that.

Bigger schools offer transportation to and from the public schools and we do not. All our children in extended care are our own children. They enjoy time to play and also time to do their homework before they go home. The only exception is if the parent can find someone to bring the child to our school.

Word of mouth has been our biggest blessing. Due to our limited budget, we have to be careful of how we spend
our money. We do our best in spending it on things our children like but also things that will benefit and help
them to do the best they can to be independent and future leaders.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
My business is Noah’s Ark Academy. I am the director/owner of our school. I specialize in children. I see to it that we provide the best service possible to our children and parents.

I am very proud of our teachers. They are very loyal, hard workers and teaching children is their passion.
When our children master a skill, we all celebrate their success. The children’s success is our teacher’s success.
We are very proud of the work we do.

We are different in the sense that we are a christian based school serving a very diverse community. Our teachers are diverse as well. We have teachers who speak Mandarin, Cantonese and Spanish. We offer our children a curriculum that is age appropriate and helps them develop a love of learning that is both challenging and fun.

We offer Mandarin and Spanish classes as an extra-curricular class. We offer a partnership with the parents to the best of our ability. We are available to them whenever there is a concern. The children get a report card every 9 weeks to inform the parents of their child’s progress. They get homework everyday reinforcing the skills they have learned at school.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Our city is a great place for families. There is something for everyone-from infants to adults. It is also a melting pot. We are conscious and accepting and respectful of everyone’s traditions and cultures.

I would not recommend starting a business like mine, unless you can work with investors sharing the cost of a business that is just beginning and have to compete with big franchises who have an unlimited budget at their disposal.

The city can help by controlling the rent small businesses like mine pay. I am not sure they can or are willing to do this. Other than that, there is nothing else I would change. It is truly a great community.

Contact Info:

• Address: 3527 HIGHWAY 6 STE 110
• Website: www.noahsarkacademy.com
• Phone: 2814912490
• Email: msmarilyn@noahsarkacademy.com
• Instagram: mscarrie@noahsarkacademy.com
• Facebook: Noah’s Ark Academy of Sugar Land
• Twitter: Noah’s Ark Academy
• Yelp: Noah’s Ark Academy
• Other: Noah’s Ark Academy

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