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About Phoenix Children’s Academy Private Preschool in Peoria
Phoenix Children’s Academy Private Preschool, Union Hills offers quality childcare and skill-based preschool programs for ages 6 weeks to 12 years old.
The flexibility built into our Ascend Curriculum provides us with endless opportunities to create personalized learning experiences for each child in our care. Our teachers introduce new skills within 9 subjects each month through activities that can be customized to match the needs and interests of each student, which makes these first educational experiences engaging, challenging, and fun for everyone!
Kind Child
Kindness is the foundation of our preschool’s culture and an important part of our curriculum. Each month, our teachers work with our students to develop social skills, a positive self-image, and important character traits like friendship, empathy, thankfulness, and responsibility. The goal of Kind Child is to elevate the emotional-well being of every child and encourage friendships.
Family Involvement
We want your family to feel at home at our preschool and we love it when our families get involved! We consider the relationship between parents and staff to be a critical part of your child’s success and we look forward to working with you to make these formative years an enjoyable part of your child’s life.
We have an Open Door policy at our school and we welcome you to visit your child whenever you like. Our school also hosts fun events for the whole family throughout the year like Trunk-or-Treat, Winter Wonderland, Parents Night Out, Eggstravaganza in the spring, and much more.
Our Location
Phoenix Children’s Academy Private Preschool, Union Hills is just north of Union Hills on the west side of 83rd Avenue at 18820 N 83rd Ave, Peoria, AZ 85283. Our preschool center is less than a mile west of the 101, which makes us an ideal choice for families that commute to Glendale and Phoenix for work. Stop by for a visit if you’re looking for daycare services or a new preschool to call home. We would love to show you around our private preschool and answer any questions you may have about our programs.
Programs Offered
Our Team
Candace Shaffer
Director
Ms. Candace started at Phoenix Children’s Academy in 2007 as our Lead Toddler Teacher, promoted to the Assistant Director in 2009 and then our School Director in 2019. She holds a degree in Early Childhood Education, as working with children has always been her passion. She has three children who have all attended our Union Hills location and are now thriving in the Peoria Unified School District. Ms. Candace is always willing to answer any questions, big or small, and will help your family transition into our School with a peace of mind, where eventually you will all feel like family.
Jessica Smith
Assistant Director
Mrs. Jessica started at Phoenix Children’s Academy in December 2023. She was our Lead Infant Teacher and then was promoted to Assistant Director in August 2024. Her educational career started way back in 2007, where she primarily taught the 2-year-old age group and then moved over to Pre-Kindergarten, and rounding her teaching career with our Infant program. Ms. Jessica has 3 sons, who are all currently in the Peoria Unified School District and they keep her extremely busy. Her love for our PCA families is immeasurable and she will always greet you with her warm, welcoming smile.
Ms. Karla
Teacher of the Year
Ms. Karla has been our Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher since April 2019. She has over 15 years experience teaching in Preschool. She is bi-lingual in Spanish which has added cultural diversity to her classroom, but more importantly to the School as a whole. When she’s not preparing her Pre-K students for their Kindergarten journey, you can find her teaching the younger age groups, simplistic Spanish words, so that they can build on their vocabulary and obtain a second language skill set . Ms. Karla was chosen by her peers and management team, to be the 2025 “Cadence Education Teacher of the Year.” This is a huge acknowledgement because this came directly from her teammates who can see how valuable she is as a Teacher and the impact she is making on her students lives.
Ms. Desra
Teacher
Mrs. Desra, has been our Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher since August 2005. She has over 30+ years’ experience as a Preschool Teacher, obtaining her education through PVCC and our Quality First program. Her main goal is to ensure your child will be ready for Kindergarten socially, emotionally, and educationally. Mrs. Desra has the warmest heart and will work with each child individually to guarantee that they receive the best educational experience while attending Phoenix Children’s Academy.
Ms. Debi
Teacher
Ms. Debi, has been our Toddler Teacher since May 2011. She has over 40+ years’ experience, where she has maintained her educational growth through our Quality First program. She is extremely kind and shows her Toddlers nothing but patience and love while they are learning and developing in her classroom. Ms. Debi is one of the most well-loved Teachers within our School, even as the children graduate out of her classroom, they still stop by each morning just so that they can say “Hi” to their Ms. Debi. We all need a special person like Ms. Debi in our children’s life.
Reviews from Parents
Rebecca Saffin • Google
Rose Forbes • Google
Rachel White • Google
Carey Cadwell • Google
Phoenix Children's Academy Private Preschool
Peoria, AZ
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