We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sabrina Baker a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Sabrina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Day to day the world can seem like a tough place, but there’s also so much kindness in the world and we think talking about that kindness helps spread it and make the world a nicer, kinder place. Can you share a story of a time when someone did something really kind for you?
The kindest thing anyone has done for me during this experience of opening my preschool has been all my clients’ support. Each of the families that I served has at some compacity helped with moving from our first location, chaperoning on field trips, participating in family events, promoting my program on social media to buying supplies for the preschoolers.
I began my program with just a few months’ savings from teaching at a local daycare center with very low pay and the occasional date night babysitting. So I have been eternally grateful for all of my families who have helped me get to where my Preschool program is currently.
I just want to say Thank you to each of my families who believed in my program and trusted in my cause to bring the arts and play-based learning into a high quality safe and fun learning environment for young children. You all are amazing and I love you all!
Sabrina, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Sabrina Baker and I am an LGBTQ+ and black woman-owned small business. I am the owner/founder of Creative Xpressions Preschool for the Arts who is committed to helping young children explore and learn through an art-based curriculum with hands-on play-based activities that teach students positive social and emotional interactions.
As a veteran educator and currently licensed child development professional of 12 years, I have had the pleasure to gain experience as a preschool/pre-k teacher in various childcare programs in the Lehigh Valley & Pocono Mountains regions. I currently hold a license in early childhood from the Council for Professional Recognition of Washington D.C. and from Penn State University.
Growing up, I always dreamed of owning and operating my own Early Childhood Program. In August 2021, I made those dreams into a reality when I opened the doors to my art, music, yoga, and play-based preschool at the Day Street Community Center in East Stroudsburg, PA.
Given the increased enrollment, I have begun offering families a one-of-a-kind program new to the Poconos! An in-home / traveling co-op preschool program. I serve families who are looking to share their child’s home playspace with other local children in the community who seek preschool services. We incorporate a learning theme every 2 weeks when we rotate the parents’ homes. Our parents who work from home and our stay-at-home moms enjoy it because they can easily participate in our activities and see their children learn and grow.
Today, I am most proud of being able to offer our families the first sliding-scale tuition in the county! I deeply feel that parents shouldn’t have to struggle just to receive high-quality early childhood education services in my community. By offering this I have been able to proudly serve over 20 families during our first 2 years of operation.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I recently learned how to pivot my business unexpectedly, yet successfully. In April 2023 my adopted mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. It has been very devastating news for my family. I grew up in a single-mom home with myself and 3 younger adopted siblings. My family has always been low-income and struggled to make ends me. When I received this news I immediately stopped my preschool services and tend to my mom and family.
Being the oldest I needed to help my family in any way possible a.s.a.p! During my month off from work, I quickly established senior care for my mom. I also
began to reach out to local community resources for my younger siblings to find stable living and employment, while our childhood home was in the process of being sold, due to foreclosure.
I had no idea that my preschool families would be so emotionally and financially supportive during my time away. They all would check in with me weekly and my students would video call me twice weekly just to say hello and how they missed me! They continue to support me now and I’m so blessed that I did not lose any of them during my time away.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I feel that my honesty, and unique program have helped me build my reputation with the daycare/ preschool market in my community. It is very important to have open communication and transparency with both current and prospective families who inquire. I believe that everyone should receive quality and respect always!
Contact Info:
- Website: cxartspreschool.wixsite.com/cxpa
- Instagram: @cxartspreschool
- Facebook: @cxartspreschool
Image Credits
All images taken by Ms.Sabrina are authroized by parents of Cxartspreschool.