Where the magic of JOY

comes to life

Our model school serves as an incubator for JOY’s philosophy and educational practices. Here, we empower all who take care and educate young children to provide the highest quality, holistic education.

All children in our JOY schools are loved for who they are, encouraged to explore the world around them and be creative. They are challenged to be critical thinkers and supported to reach their full potential.

We’re a spanish immersion & bilingual school

Our model will integrate native Spanish speakers and English native speakers for the entire school day.
Our dual language philosophy promotes both Spanish and English as languages of equal value.
Our goal is to build a strong foundation for both, native Spanish and English speakers to become:
Our children will have a variety of opportunities to continue with this Bilingual program (Two-way Dual Language) in many school districts across San Antonio.

Mixed-Age and small classes are one of our superpowers

Our small group sizes ensure that teachers are able to attend to the individual needs of each student both emotionally and academically. When together, the older children serve as a role models for the younger children cultivating a culture of empathy, trust and compassion.

At JOY the curriculum is the child

We plan lessons and projects based on the interests of the children. JOY’s innovative curriculum is the heart of our program but we see the value in learning from the success of others. We integrate concepts from other high quality models such as Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Conscious Discipline, Teaching Strategies and High Scope to name a few.

We assess children in a natural way

We use the GOLD Assessment to assess children formally twice a year and we do it in the most appropriate way for young children: through observations in their natural setting. The GOLD assessment provides us with concrete examples and common expectations of how every skill looks at different ages. This enables teachers and parents to focus on what kids can do and inform us on how to support them to reach the next level.

Our perspective on children

We believe each child is infinitely capable, creative and intelligent; and celebrate each child’s identity and treasure their inner joy. Children have hundreds of different ways of constructing knowledge and we support their ability to do so in many different ways. By prioritizing our focus on the here and now we are able to preserve the sacredness of childhood.

Our role as teachers

JOY Teachers prioritize getting to know the unique soul of each child and understanding what makes them who they are. They act as partners, working alongside to encourage curiosity and learning. Teachers meet students where they are, and according to their developmental stage, they encourage them to use their inner compass to make choices and solve problems independently.

Our learning environment

At JOY, there are three teachers of children: adults, other children and their environment. Beautiful and organized learning environments create a sense of wonder, stimulate imagination and bring joy into learning. Children learn to honor the space and interact with a variety of sensory rich, natural and culturally diverse materials.

We prioritize outdoor learning

JOY recognizes the importance of spending time outside and connecting with nature. The benefits are infinite but not limited to:

Improved physical health
Mental and Emotional wellbeing
Connection to our inner self
Appreciation of living things
Higher academic performance

For these reasons, we adjust our schedule to be outside for extended periods of time. Some ways that we do this include: eating meals, reading books, having small group or whole group instruction outside, as well as free play. The goal is to develop a sense of inter-connection with Mother Earth. Outdoor learning, like everything we do, is intentionally planned. We make sure that the outdoor space offers rich and diverse opportunities for children to explore the natural world around them.

JOY treasures family style meals

We serve only nutritious meals and whole foods
To celebrate the diversity of each child, families take turns bringing the ingredients to make an after school snack. This gives children the opportunity to share familiar foods eaten at home with their peers creating a sense of appreciation and understanding among students. Children are often more excited to try new foods when introduced by a peer.
Mealtimes are never rushed, and conversations are highly encouraged. This is a time to get to know each other better and build community; “la sobre mesa” is something that we enjoy here!

Breakfast (only for children in early care) and Lunch are provided and prepared by JOY

Snack is prepared by children every day. Ingredients are provided by families once every 2-3 weeks

MICRO-SCHOOL

2021-2022 School Calendar

Hours of Operation

School day program: 8:45-3:00 pm

(drop off: 8:45-9:00 am)

Early Care 7:45-8:45 am
After School 3:00-5:00 pm

Calendar

We are open year-round offering optional summer school in June and July.
We close 2 weeks in December for winter break and 2 weeks in August for Professional Development.
We offer childcare for days regular schools are closed (days before Thanksgiving and spring break) for all our families; however during these days we will not complete important instructional projects in case families have vacations planned.
We facilitate JOY family events once a month, either City Explorations or Cultural celebrations.

Tuition and Registration

INVESTMENT

Registration Fee

DUE by registration

Family Size

Returning Families

New Families

Materials

1 child

2 children

3 children

$150

$250

$350

$250

$450

$650

$150

$350

$450

INVESTMENT

Registration Fee

DUE by registration

Family Size: 1 child

Returning Families: $150
New Families: $250
Materials: $150

Family Size: 2 children

Returning Families: $250
New Families: $450
Materials: $350

Family Size: 3 children

Returning Families: $350
New Families: $650
Materials: $450

INVESTMENT

Tuition

DUE the 1st of the month

Group

SCHOOL DAY

(lunch included)

8:45AM-3PM

Early Care

(breakfast included)

7:45AM-8:45AM

after school

3PM-5PM

Young Pre-K

3 – 6 years old

$900

$800

$60

$50

$110

$100

Tuition is paid from August to May; prorated for the month of August.

Summer School in June and July is optional.

JOY offers discounts for families with multiple children enrolled

INVESTMENT

Tuition

DUE the 1st of the month

Young Pre-K

School Day (lunch included), 8:45AM-3PM: $900

Early Care (breakfast included), 7:45AM-8:45AM: $60

After school, 3PM-5PM: $110

3 – 6 years old

School Day (lunch included), 8:45AM-3PM: $800

Early Care (breakfast included), 7:45AM-8:45AM: $50

After school, 3PM-5PM: $100

Tuition is paid from August to May; prorated for the month of August.

Summer School in June and July is optional.

JOY offers discounts for families with multiple children enrolled

Contact Us

Got any questions? Reach out to us!

(210) 455-0713
creator@joyholisticedu.com