Up Close with Park Bridge Academy By Amy Ney Some may say it was destiny or fate, but regardless of what you call it, the day Tara Bowen, the owner of Park Bridge Academy, and Elizabeth Smith, the director, ran into each other at the Georgia Business Licensing facility, they developed an instant friendship. The future of Park Bridge Academy (PBA) was sealed. “I used to be a teacher,” Smith stated, “and had just closed my in-home childcare program. Park Bridge Academy had been in operation for over a year, and Tara was looking for a new director. It’s been a great fit.” The faculty currently serves children ages six weeks through twelve years. “We have a preschool program for children under age five,” Smith said. “Then there is a pre-kindergarten program. For older kids, there is an afterschool care and summer program.” The school operates a recognized STEAM curriculum, which emphasizes science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. “Each week we choose a different emphasis,” she said. “Since our teachers are all CDA (Certificate of Development Associate) or higher accredited, they can create lesson plans and have a fun, educational day, not just provide babysitting.” CDA certification is a National credential awarded by the Council for Early Childhood. It requires at least 120 hours of formal training within the previous five years. The school is also a Two-Star Quality-Rated program, meaning they surpass the normal expectations of daycare programs. This year they will be applying for their last possible star. “We are almost there,” said Smith. “We have nine teachers, and everyone has a CDA certificate or higher. They are all CPR certified. Because we are a small program, we can do things exceedingly well. It’s really what sets our program apart.” The school is located on Lawrenceville Hwy with the entrance on Davis Mill Court in a renovated home. “The space is exceptionally well-thought out,” Smith added. “Our class-
rooms are so much larger than average because of this.” Outside there is significant room to move around, to play with bubbles, hula-hoops, or parachutes, and separate the different-aged children safely. Safety is a huge priority. Even when the state needed to shut down for COVID-19, PBA was able to continue to operate for parents who needed childcare. “We have been Center for Disease Control-compliant in all aspects,” Smith stated. “Additionally, we hired an outside firm to come in and do an extradeep cleaning to kill all germs and bacteria for thirty days.” PBA normally enjoys field trips and service projects within the community. Smith and her staff have worked hard to be sure the students still were able to continue learning. “We haven’t been able to go to places likes the aquarium, but we have been able to bring those field trips into the classroom,” she said. “Mr. Steve, a teacher who specializes in science, math, and theory, led a class in making bottle rockets.” The entire school was able to go outside and watch the rockets being launched. “That week,” she added, “we also watched the Space Shuttle launch and focused on crafts and snacks involving space exploration.” Community involvement is also important, and the academy tries to find opportunities to give back to the community the students live in. Students recently brainstormed how to best use a vanity kit Home Depot donated. “Our students were able to build, paint, and fill the vanities with goodies,” Smith explained. The vanities were donated to a local Women’s Shelter for children who live there. Teaching children to be kind, generous, and sensitive towards others is a priority of PBA. More information at http://pbacademy.com
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