Frequently Asked Questions

Enrollment opportunities depend on availability and your child’s age. If there is availability, you can secure the spot for your child by paying a one-time, non-refundable registration fee of $175 by check or by using the credit card or ACH form located at the “For Parents” page and the first tuition payment. If there is no availability, you may add your child to our waiting list.

The waiting list fee is currently $75 per child. To secure your child’s spot on the waiting list, please submit your non-refundable payment by check or by using the credit card or ACH form located at the “For Parents” page. The Waiting List Form is also located at the “For Parents” page.

Siblings of currently enrolled students of Great Little Minds Academy are given priority on the Waiting List; thereafter, applicants are considered in order of the date the Waiting List fee was received. Based on this, we recommend that you add your child to our waiting list as early as possible.

Research proves that the ability to learn a second language is highest between birth and the age of six. After this window, there is an inevitable decline. Older children and adults may still manage to learn new languages but with greater struggle. During the early childhood years, and especially in the first three years of life, the foundations for thinking, language, vision, attitudes, aptitudes, and other characteristics are established; thus, it is an ideal time to introduce a second language at this age.

There are many benefits of learning a second language at an early age:

• Young children are less self-conscious about speaking a second language. They tend to be less inhibited by the fear of making mistakes.
• Children enrolled in foreign language programs score statistically higher on standardized tests conducted in English. A number of reports have demonstrated that children who have learned a second language earn higher SAT scores, particularly on the verbal section of the test.
• It is widely believed that as we get older, our natural ability to reproduce new sounds starts to decline, making second language acquisition slower and more difficult.
• Communication in a second language requires higher degrees of conscious attention, thus stimulating brain development. Research shows that learning a second language boosts problem-solving, critical-thinking, and listening skills and improves memory, concentration, and the ability to multitask.
• Children who are exposed early to other languages display more positive attitudes to the cultures associated with those languages. The experience of learning a language introduces them to the world in ways they might otherwise have not experienced.
• Contrary to popular belief, young children are not confused when exposed to multiple languages at the same time. Children are naturally able to navigate multilingual environments.
• Acquiring a second language early in life grooms the brain for learning multiple other languages, opening a world of opportunities for later on.
• Children proficient in more than one language show signs of enhanced creativity and mental flexibility.
• Younger children will be able to develop a more native-like accent.

In cities from coast to coast, the use of Spanish is proliferating in ways no other language has before in U.S. history — other than English of course. Individuals that speak English and Spanish no doubt have employment advantages in the U.S. and global job marketplaces.

In a city like Houston, where the Spanish-speaking population is one of the largest in the nation, fluency in Spanish gives children and adults the opportunity to communicate with and learn from their neighbors.

We would never let children feel lost because of a language barrier! Our first and foremost concern is the child. We want them to love their first experience of school. Children that attend our program initially know the target language at different levels. Our teachers are equipped to manage each child’s Spanish ability. They apply differentiated learning techniques that ensure each child’s academic needs are being met. They also use engaging props and materials to enhance learning along with a total physical response approach which allows children to learn the language effectively and efficiently.

We also encourage our students to help their new friends as they adapt. With the encouragement of the teacher, children that don’t speak the target language will follow along with those that do until they begin to absorb the language themselves. You will be surprised how quickly your child will start saying his/her first Spanish words.

Children don’t have the hesitations or fears about language like adults do! To them, it is fun, a game, and it just is. They absorb language incredibly quickly and that’s not only true for one language, but also for two or more languages at a time, especially during the early years when the brain is at its optimal condition to absorb multiple languages.

There’s often the fear that children won’t get the English skills they need. That’s not the case. They get English from their peers, in their environment, from the media, at home, and in every other aspect of their lives. They are constantly exposed to it, and living in an English-speaking environment is enough for the children to be bilingual in both languages.

• The more children hear the second language, the faster they acquire it (Increased Language Input = Greater Language Output).
• Young children unconsciously process language in order to make meaning of sounds.
• Perception and understanding of language precedes oral production.
• Many factors contribute to students’ progress, including language background, amount of exposure, and individual personalities.

It is difficult to answer this question because every child is different, and every child has a unique way of learning. Regardless of the time it takes your child to learn to speak Spanish fluently, the exposure to the language and culture that he/she receives at Great Little Minds Academy prepares the brain for early and rapid acquisition of Spanish and other languages.

Once your child goes to elementary school, we encourage parents to find opportunities for continued exposure to the Spanish language. However, if your child should start to forget words and phrases, fear not; the learning pathways in the brain are already established and can be easily retrieved later in life.

Exposure to experiences rich in two languages is an advantage for the developing child. Our students are more than adequately prepared for Kindergarten because concepts and skills learned in one language transfer to the second language. Additionally, we send parents our monthly curriculum outlining all concepts expected to be covered so parents may reinforce them at home in English.

All children have a rest time. Our toddler and preschool parents are required to provide an all-in-one sleeping mat. Our infant parents provide two crib sheets. All sleeping supplies must be washed once a week.

If your child arrives at school with symptoms of illness or disease, he or she will be sent home. We rely heavily on all parents to exercise good judgment in this matter. Should a child become ill at school, a parent or authorized person will be notified and the child will be isolated from the other children. The child will be made comfortable with quiet activities and under the supervision of a staff member at all times until he/she is picked up.

While we recognize that different families have different needs, Great Little Minds Academy is no longer accepting new applicants for part time programs.

Students that attend Great Little Minds Academy on a full-time basis (five days a week) feel a stronger sense of belonging and are more connected to their peers and teachers. This helps cultivate a sense of family and togetherness in the classroom and optimizes the environment for growth and learning. Furthermore, our weekly lesson plans are designed and planned to cover five days, with activities building upon previous day’s work. Finally, and of equal importance, we know that maximizing exposure to the second language best supports language acquisition in children.

Great Little Minds Academy is open from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Full days of instruction and hands-on learning begin at 8:30 a.m., right after breakfast. Children arriving before 8:20 a.m. enjoy breakfast and productive, age-appropriate activities in the classroom.

At this time, Great Little Minds Academy does not accept NCI.

Families with two children attending Great Little Minds Academy receive a 10% discount on the tuition of the oldest child enrolled. Families with three children attending Great Little Minds Academy will receive a 10% discount on the tuition of the two oldest children.

Great Little Minds Academy operates on a year-round calendar, through the summer. Our center closes on major holidays, two weeks for Christmas break, and two additional days for in-service training.

• Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after
• Christmas Holiday Break (a 2-week closure)
• 2 Scheduled Staff In-Service Days (MLK Day & Columbus Day)

Each child enrolled in Great Little Minds Academy must meet applicable immunization requirements specified by the Texas Department of State Health Services. A copy of the child’s current immunization records will be kept on file starting on or before the date of admission.

If a child is exempt from any or all immunizations due to medical reasons, a letter signed by a licensed physician stating such must be provided. This letter must be updated annually.

Great Little Minds Academy does not accept children exempt from immunization due to reasons of conscience, including a religious belief.

A nutritious and well-balanced breakfast is offered to all toddlers and preschoolers arriving before 8:20 a.m. For lunch, at 11:00 a.m., we serve them with a healthy meal, which is followed by naptime. Toddlers and preschoolers also enjoy a healthy snack in the early afternoon at 2:15 p.m. We strive to serve foods that are nutritious, made from scratch, and organic, if available. Our unique menu consists of vegetarian meals such as humus and pita bread, brown rice with quinoa, kale, chia seeds & lentils, and also Latin American food like rice, beans & cheese burritos, or refried beans & cheese quesadillas. Fresh fruit is served to all toddlers and preschoolers for both breakfast and lunch. Fresh vegetables are always served for lunch. Almond milk is served every day for breakfast.