Teachers Open Dream Preschool
Wee Achievers Preschool owners and educators Debbie Fox and Trisha Uehara. Photo from Debbie Fox
With the pressure to obtain quality education also comes higher expectations of students, no matter what grade level. Even in primary school, the academic rigor can be vigorous. To combat what could perhaps be a rough transition for little ones entering kindergarten, Debbie Fox and Trisha Uehara, owners and educators of Wee Achievers Preschool, are helping to plant the seeds for success at an early age.
“Trisha and I always have dreamed of owning our own preschool,” says Fox. “After teaching kindergarten and first grade in the DOE for many years, we noticed many students entering elementary school were not prepared. Even students who attended preschool struggled with expectations.
“We decided that it was time we developed our own curriculum to prepare preschoolers, and we created our own dream school. We constructed our curriculum, found an awesome location in Kaneohe to lease classrooms and we went from there.”
After two years of planning, Wee Achievers Preschool is finally set for its grand opening this fall. The preschool caters to children ages 3 to 5 and provides a specialized academic program with two options: half-day from 7:30 a.m. to noon, or a full-day preschool program from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Fox and Uehara serve as the two full-time teachers on staff, and there are two substitute teachers as well.
According to Fox and Uehara, parents will be able to observe measurable growth academically and socially in their children, establish trust in the educators and build a bond with the Wee community.
“We believe that our unique curriculum, combined with our passion for teaching and love for children, will ensure that every student achieves the solid foundation we plan to build,” Fox explains. “Our Wee customers can expect to love learning through our hands-on lessons, gain meaningful experiences that they will make future connections to and build a strong self-confidence in their ability to conquer challenges.”
Together, these entrepreneurs and educators, who previously taught at Kailua Elementary School, are able to create a curriculum they hope to share with other early childhood centers.
However, Fox does admit that while teaching comes easy, the business aspect was a bit challenging. She says it’s been a learning process and humbling experience.
Currently, Fox and Uehara are working to fill classes for 3- and 4-year-olds, and plan to add a program for 2-year-olds.
“We will be collecting data to reflect on our curriculum and make adjustments where needed,” Fox adds. “On the business end, we also would like to become more involved and recognized in the Windward community.
“We are far from experts in business and have learned a great deal. Trisha and I have always worked amazingly well together. It seems as though one weakness is the other’s strength,” Fox says. “We are so excited to be living our dream, which always has been to help change lives and the future of the community that helped contribute to our success.”
Wee Achievers Preschool is located at 45-119 Kaneohe Bay Drive. For more information, visit weeachievers.com or check out its Facebook page.
