Two new preschool academies funded by Amazon founder and executive chairman Jeff Bezos are opening in Glendale. They are part of the Bezos Academy school system, Montessori-style preschools that offer full tuition for children ages 3 to 4 by Sept. 1 whose households are at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, or $128,000 for a family of four.
The first, located on the property of Desert Garden Preschool, is slated to open in September. A second, located in the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging retirement community, will be called Sahuaro Glenn.
The new site will feature five student classrooms that can accommodate approximately 100 students and 16 employees, operating Monday through Friday. There are no after-school programs yet announced at the school.
The Glendale Planning and Zoning Commission, at its recent meeting, recommended that the city council approve the second location in Glencroft Center for Modern Aging.
Bezos Academy has campuses in Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Texas and Washington. It offers full-day preschool, along with free breakfast and lunch for its students. Heads of school lead each location, and they employ a mentor Montessori teacher who ensures the educational practice is utilized throughout our classrooms.
The Montessori method is a child-centered educational approach that aims to develop a love of education and foster independence through self-directed activities, hands-on learning and collaboration.
Developed by Maria Montessori, Bezos was a student of the style, and in 2018, he launched a $2 billion “Day 1 Fund” to help homeless families and create preschools. Day 1 Academies operates Bezos Academy locations.
Each classroom has 20 students or less, and a classroom ratio of at least 1 staff member for every 10 students. The site will convert approximately 7,800 square feet of vacant residential space into classroom and associated administrative space, the zoning commission action report provided by the city said.
Residents of the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging have been involved in the site selection process and informed about its impact. There are residential buildings in the northern and southern parts of the proposed operational area.
Members of the Planning and Zoning Commission expressed concerns regarding traffic.
“You go by any public school any time morning or afternoon and the streets are just clogged,” said John Geurs, commission member, “You could possibly have a hundred cars waiting in line. How do you plan to mitigate that?”
The applicant proposed that the school utilize staggered times for dropping off and picking up students to reduce traffic.
“To mitigate impacts to Glencroft residents anticipated from lighting and noise, the outdoor playgrounds are located along 65th Avenue, secured by fencing and gates accessible solely by Bezos staff,” the report said. “Additionally, outdoor lighting is not included in this proposal and signs to be installed are non-illuminated. Operations are limited to daylight hours and do not extend into early morning, late night, or on weekends.”
All Bezos Academy teachers are licensed by the state and are trained in early childhood education, according to the Bezos Academy website.
There are three additional Bezos Academy campuses in Mesa, all accepting applications. Enrollment is based upon a lottery system.
“All children deserve the great start that excellent early education provides, including in under-resourced communities,” the Bezos Academy mission reads.
“Bezos Academy aims to nurture the potential in every child to become a creative leader, original thinker and lifelong learner by inventing the solutions needed to scale early childhood education.”
Bezos Academy