The inspiration for Opportunity School began in the summer of 1968 with members of a First Presbyterian Church Sunday School class. They were searching for a meaningful way they could make a difference in their community as an expression of their deepening faith in Christ. After studying Elizabeth Conner’s book Journey Inward, Journey Outward, Elaine Edwards, asked the group to research needs in the Amarillo community. 

 

After much discussion and research, the Sunday school class decided to address a serious but little-known community problem: young children from low-income families who lacked basic learning skills and experiences entered school unprepared for academic achievement and were unable to catch up to their peers. The class decided to open a school for preschoolers from low-income families to provide high-quality early education.

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OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL PROVIDES affordable, high-quality, early childhood education and caring family support during the early years, from birth to five, primarily to children from low-income families at our two Amarillo campuses. We are a Texas Rising Star 4-Star provider, accept CCS, and have a sliding scale based on income. 

OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL IS a nonprofit organization in Amarillo, Texas, created in 1969 by volunteers from First Presbyterian Church to address a community need - children entering school unprepared for academic achievement because they lacked basic learning skills and experiences. Many of these kids never caught up to their peers, until the creation of Opportunity School, which since its formation, has been able to provide more than 5,000 at-risk children with opportunities to learn and receive an excellent foundation for school and life.

OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL EXISTS BECAUSE research shows that high-quality early learning experiences help children achieve success in school and life.

OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL BELIEVES IN EXCELLENCE FOR EARLY LEARNING because early learning creates a foundation for a lifetime.

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OUR MISSION
Through high-quality early childhood education (years 0-5) and caring family support, Opportunity School equips low-income children and their families to succeed in school and in life.

 

OUR VISION
Our vision is a community where today’s young children become lifelong learners and tomorrow’s responsible and contributing members of their families and society.

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WHO WE SERVE
Opportunity School serves primarily low-income children, ages six weeks to five years old, and their families in Amarillo.  The total number of children and parents served at Opportunity School is approximately 383 (unduplicated).  Ninety-six percent of these families are low-income which means they qualify for free or reduced meals according to USDA guidelines.

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