OUR STORY

WHO WE ARE

Open Door Preschools was founded in 1975 by a family who saw a need in our community and chose to fill it — creating the change they wanted to see in the world. We began with just nine children, and over the past 48 years, our schools have changed with Austin. In that time, we have served thousands of children in different locations. What has not changed is our deep respect for childhood and our commitment to providing the best early experiences for our community.

Our 50th anniversary will arrive in the summer of 2025 and will naturally bring celebration and the opportunity for another ambitious blueprint for our ‘middle age.’ As we look forward to that milestone, it is imperative that we consider our current place and focus in the landscape of early childhood education and nonprofit organizations in Austin.

Our values and goals begin with the individual children whose lives can be transformed in our schools, reaching out from them — from the child and family — to our schools, our organization, and our community.

Open Door Preschools began in 1975 with just nine children.

We operate three preschools, serving children from 2 months to kindergarten age. Two schools serve approximately 70 children each. Our newest location is expected to serve approximately 70 children by the end of 2023 or early 2024. Open Door at M Station is in East Austin; Open Door Central is in Clarksville, and Open Door North is in the Braker/Lamar neighborhood. Although each site has its own personality, all share a commitment to quality and inclusion and follow the same principles:

Since then…

  • We expanded our mission to emphasize our families' socioeconomic and cultural diversity.

  • We added infants and young toddlers to our mix.

  • We were the first program in Austin to be awarded accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the gold standard in the field. Our campuses are accredited under this standard.

  • We grew to three schools in central Austin -- Like many organizations, Open Door was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and was faced with painful and difficult choices. However, two of our locations (one in East Austin and one in Clarksville) were able to re-open and are currently providing high-quality care to our communities.

  • In 2023, we opened a new school in North Austin.

  • By early March 2020, we had increased our capacity to over 210 children every day.
    -- Capacity was temporarily reduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent loss of one school location. In 2021, we were able to begin increasing capacity, and we anticipate returning to full capacity in the near future.

  • We have built a strong reputation in the community based on our commitment to high-quality early childhood education for all children and our attention to social and emotional development.

  • We have successfully worked with many children who have been unsuccessful at other programs.

  • We have established a social work program to help connect families to community resources and to bridge school and home.

  • We have provided myriad training opportunities for students in the field so we can broaden our reach.

  • By April 2017, 70% of our teachers had been with Open Door for at least three years, and fully half (51%) had been with us for five years or more.

  • Teacher longevity and experience provide stability and consistency for young children, and our teachers are deeply committed to the mission of Open Door Preschools. More than 25% were around long enough to see our youngest charges enter junior high and high school (12% with 10-15 years at Open Door). Others have marked high school graduation and young adulthood (8% with 15-20 years), and nearly as many have seen two full generations pass through the loving hands of Open Door Preschools (7% with 20 years or more!).

Our goal is for all our children and families to live happily ever after.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

What do you encounter when you enter an Open Door classroom? Children and teachers are engaged, following their imaginations and exploring the universe. You hear children “using their words.” You may notice children with obvious disabilities (Down syndrome, cerebral palsy) or less obvious ones (autism, speech delays) or none at all. You find children of different ethnicities and from varied socio-economic backgrounds. You may observe the child of a doctor or professor playing with a child from a foster home. You see our mission in action.

We operate three preschools, serving children from 2 months to kindergarten age. Two schools serve approximately 70 children each. Our newest location is expected to serve approximately 70 children by the end of 2023 or early 2024. Open Door at M Station is in East Austin; Open Door Central is in Clarksville, and Open Door North is in the Braker/Lamar neighborhood. Although each site has its own personality, all share a commitment to quality and inclusion and follow the same principles:

  • Children develop at their own pace and learn in different ways. We use the Teaching Strategies Gold to track developmental progress (cognitive, social, emotional, gross motor, fine motor) and recognize the uniqueness of each child.
  • Social and emotional development is the bedrock of all success, in and out of school.
  • Children learn as they play and play as they learn.
  • Positive guidance is the most effective form of discipline.
  • Children learn (and should be taught) social responsibility from a very young age.
  • Worksheets and “one size fits all” activities have no place in our classrooms.
  • Children need to explore their creativity through art, music, dance, and words.
  • Nature is a great teacher.
  • Children are to be respected and listened to.
  • Parents are our partners.
  • We rely on the expertise and resources of the larger community. In turn, we are a community resource.
  • Open Door is about building community.