- Overview
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- Our Team
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The caring staff at Phoenix Children’s Academy Private Preschool, Thunderbird has more than 145 years of combined experience in daycares and preschools. We recognize that young children need much more than intellectual development during their first years of life and we offer families in the West Valley a well-rounded preschool experience that also focuses on social, emotional, physical, and creative development.
Our Ascend Curriculum and dedicated teachers work hand-in-hand to create engaging educational experiences in nine different subjects every month. Our preschool programs are offered in six month ranges so students can be with peers who are at a similar level of development and we help children reach important milestones at every age.
Preschool Programs
- Infant Daycare (ages 6 weeks to 1 year)
- Toddler Daycare (ages 1 to 2)
- Early Learners (ages 2 to 3)
- Preschool (ages 3 to 4)
- Pre-Kindergarten (ages 4 to 5)
- School-Age Program (ages 5 to 12)
- Summer Camp Programs (ages 5 to 12)
Quality First Rating
Quality First is a program that seeks to continually improve the quality of childcare provided by daycare centers and preschools throughout Arizona. Programs enrolled in Quality First are committed to preparing young children for school and life and continually make improvements in their level of care. Phoenix Children’s Academy Thunderbird currently has a Quality First Star Rating of 3, which means we have met quality standards in areas such as staff qualifications, health and safety practices, learning environments, teacher-child interactions, and parent communication. Learn more about Quality First.
Kind Child
Kind Child is an important part of our monthly curriculum and the foundation of our school’s culture. The goal of Kind Child is to improve the emotional well-being of each child in our care through the development of valuable character traits such as Empathy, Responsibility, Respect, and a Positive Self-Image. Our teachers focus on developing social-emotional skills each month and a different character trait every two months. The result is a preschool environment where every child feels welcome and valued.
School-to-Home Connection
We have found that children thrive in a preschool setting when there is a strong partnership between school and home. We have an open door policy at Phoenix Children’s Academy and we welcome families to visit at any time. We offer a variety of communication pieces to keep you informed about your child’s day and academic progress. We give our parents Developmental Portfolios which document their development from Infants all the way through Pre-Kindergarten. We have fun family activities throughout the year and we make it our mission to establish a personal connection with every child and family.
Getting to our Preschool
Phoenix Children’s Academy Private Preschool, Thunderbird is located a mile east of the 101 on Thunderbird Rd. We’re a block west of 75th Avenue on the south side of Thunderbird. We provide transportation to and from Oakwood Elementary School, Oasis Elementary School, Sky View Elementary School, Paseo Verde Elementary School, and Legacy Traditional School for our school age students.
Programs Offered
Our Team

Diana Fitzpatrick
Director
I have worked with children for 16 years. I have my CDA and I am currently getting my AAS in Early Childhood Education. I love working with children and watching them grow and learn new things every day.
I have a Grey Weimaraner, Lola, who is like my baby. I am a huge animal lover and enjoy helping animals in my free time.

Amy Roman
Assistant Director
I have a degree in early childhood education and taught in both the Infant and Preschool classroom before accepting an Assistant Director position a couple years ago. I recently joined Phoenix Children’s Academy and I am very excited to be here.
I met my husband, Anthony, in 2014 and we got married a year later. We were blessed with a bundle of joy, Elroy Joseph, in 2017. He is a blessing for both of us and we love seeing all the different things he discovers on a daily basis. We enjoy finding new coffee spots and taking road trips. I also love to read and plan on sharing that with my son as well.
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