¼ø»Æʦapp

This week, the ¼ø»Æʦapp Board of Trustees approved a mutually beneficial 10-year facilities use agreement with the , a not-for-profit, tuition-free, Montessori-inspired preschool that supports underserved communities and families living below the federal poverty level. ¼ø»Æʦapp will be the first university in Florida to host the academy, and only second in the nation.

The preschool, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2022, will be housed in the former Karen A. Slattery Educational Research Center for Child Development on the Boca Raton campus. There, the Bezos Academy will fully operate the facility at its expense and will be responsible for all aspects of the operation.

As an advantage to the ¼ø»Æʦapp community, the Bezos Academy will reserve 20 percent of available slots in each entering class for children whose parents or legal guardians are full-time ¼ø»Æʦapp ¼ø»Æʦapp, faculty or staff, and who otherwise meet the program’s income qualifications. Additionally, ¼ø»Æʦapp will reserve 20 percent of available slots in each entering kindergarten class at A.D. Henderson University School for children who meet the minimum qualifications and who attend the Bezos Academy.

Beyond these benefits for families, we also envision a partnership between the Bezos Academy and the College of Education, in which ¼ø»Æʦapp ¼ø»Æʦapp and faculty gain additional opportunities such as internships and field training.

In alignment with ¼ø»Æʦapp’s goal to increase access to education, the Bezos Academy will provide all instruction, materials, supplies, activities and operating expenses for the program at no expense to the families they serve. This includes multiple nutritious meals and healthy snacks provided to ¼ø»Æʦapp throughout the day, also at no cost to their families.

This is an exciting new endeavor for ¼ø»Æʦapp, and I look forward to welcoming the Bezos Academy to the Boca Raton campus.