El Presidio Day School
- 430 N. Main Street, Tucson, Arizona, 85701
-
Enrollment Questions?
Call Us: +1 (520) 346 0952 -
Enrolled Parent?
Call Us: +1 (520) 884 1211 - epds@smallmiraclesedu.com
- 6:00 am - 6:30 pm (Mon - Fri)
Welcome to Our School
El Presidio Day School is a Nationally Accredited Center and participates in Quality First, Arizona’s Quality Improvement and Rating. El Presidio Day School joined our family in June 2016. Located in the historic district of downtown Tucson, El Presidio is a one-of-a-kind early learning center that lives our mission – We believe children should be loved first and then taught.
El Presidio is a full-day, early-learning preschool educating our youngest minds from ages 6 weeks to 12 years old. We provide a unique, developmentally age-appropriate, academically rich program that enhances the natural curiosity and exploration of our children while promoting self-esteem and moral values and fostering integrity within each child in our care.
We offer a safe, nurturing environment conducive to establishing lifelong learners. We also provide bus transportation to and from our school, servicing Carrillo K-5 Magnet School, Roskruge Bilingual Magnet K-8 School, Borton Magnet Elementary School, and Sam Hughes Elementary School. You can see the list of schools we service here.
What People Say About Us
Talisa Heffernan
Center Director
Meet Our Director
Hello, I would like to take a moment to formally introduce myself. My name is Talisa Heffernan, I am currently the Director of El Presidio Day School. As a dedicated childcare provider, I’m adept in my ability to deliver safe and effective care, organize recreational activities for not only the students who attend but also the staff in which the center employs, and I also develop focusing projects and/or curriculum that encourages social development and growth for all ages. As the Director of El Presidio, I oversee the operations which include 14 staff members along with roughly 100 students ranging from newborn to school age alongside providers/agencies to promote and maintain a child friendly environment per the guidelines in which we are certified by. With more than 9 years’ experience as a Childcare Educator, I am proficient in cognitive, behavioral, and social therapies. Moreover, while my on-the-job experience has afforded me a well-rounded skill set, including first-rate communication skills and creative thinking, I excel at:
- Identifying strengths and weaknesses
- Creating new techniques for developmental delays
- Partnering with parents to support, guide, and share in their child’s growth and development.
- CPR/AED and First Aid Certification
In addition to my personal attributes, my comprehensive hands-on experience has recently led my center and my team to achieve a four star rating through Quality First. My daily leadership and positivity with the collaboration of my entire talented team of early childhood professionals has developed emergent curriculum, inspired children, support, and guidance throughout the center.
“With more than 9 years’ experience as a Childcare Educator, I am proficient in cognitive, behavioral, and social therapies.”
All Meals Are Provided
We are proud to be part of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). We provide breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack times throughout the day and meals are included in tuition to make sure every child has access to them. We believe that providing nutritious meals helps children have more energy for learning and gives them the fuel they need to succeed in life.
Programs
We want children as early as possible to appreciate the importance of reaching out beyond themselves and into the community. Small Miracles schools offer a range of programs for children 6 weeks to 12 years.
Infant Program
At Small Miracles, we know that a baby's growth and development depends on individualized care and experiences. That is why we make it our focus to meet the needs of each infant. To do so, we provide our staff of caregiver educators with the tools they need to develop strong connections and trust with each baby they interact with. This trust allows the little ones to feel secure and confident enough to take part in play as well as early childhood learning activities. We are committed to providing this supportive environment, ensuring that your baby gets the best start possible.
Toddler Program
We understand that the transition to toddlerhood can be a tumultuous one. Every child is unique and has their own needs and wants that must be respected during this challenging time. With our experienced teachers, we strive to craft an environment where children can explore, learn, and make progress with self-reliance. As with all of our classrooms, we attempt to control the environment, not the little people in it. When our teachers fill the classroom with wonder and awe, children focus on reading, dancing, singing, painting, playing and so much more!
Preschool Program
This is another step on the journey of life. While want to prepare children to be successful in school, we know they will be if we take great advantage of the time we have together. Instead of pushing developmentally inappropriate lessons and activities on our children, our teachers work to plan for each child’s needs - whether they are learning to hold a pencil, write their name, learn conflict resolution skills and so much more. We know that children who experience child centered environments perform better in elementary school and in life. This confidence pushed us to offer the very best.
Before & After-School Program
A great way to keep your kids active and learning outside of school hours. Parents can take advantage of our before & after-school program and give their kids an engaging experience outside of the classroom. From exploring the creative arts, to playing spirited sports, to getting that much-needed homework help, there's something for everyone. Plus, we provide the convenience of transportation to and from schools, so parents don't have to worry about a hectic schedule. Transportation is provided to and from local schools and our classrooms are open all day on school holidays.
We Offer Quality First Scholarships
All Small Miracles locations participate in First Things First’s signature program, Quality First. Quality First works with child care and preschool providers across Arizona to improve the quality of their early learning settings for children from birth to age 5. We also offer Quality First Scholarships that cover most or all of the cost of child care for children 0 – 5. Please contact a location near you to find out about scholarship availability.
We are committed to quality improvement and going beyond regulatory requirements to help the infants, toddlers and preschoolers be ready for success in kindergarten and beyond. Our strong belief is that continuous quality improvement not only benefits our children but out teachers and community equally. For more information, visit QualityFirstAZ.com.
How to Enroll
At Small Miracles, we understand that finding quality child care can be a difficult task. That’s why we’ve made it easy to get started at one of our locations. Simply follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to providing your child with the care they need and deserve.
We will be happy to see you!
The process of registering your child is easy and straightforward. First, schedule a tour of one of our facilities by clicking the button below, or just drop in. Our staff will be happy to answer any questions you have and show you around. 
Once you've decided that Small Miracles Education is the right fit for your family, the next step is to fill out a registration form. This can be done online or in person at our office. After we receive your registration form, we will follow up with you to confirm enrollment and provide you with all the information you need to get started.
Registering your child for school is an exciting milestone! Once you're registered, your child will have access to our innovative curriculum, experienced teachers, and state-of-the-art facilities. And you can look forward to your child’s first day of school! 
Keeping Families Connected
At Small Miracles Preschools, we understand how important it is for our families to stay connected with us and their child’s development. That’s why we’ve made sure that WatchMeGrow® helps bridge the gap between home and school. Our exclusive family app gives parents peace of mind, allowing them to keep an eye on their precious ones with live streaming video of the classroom and much more. Keep up-to-date with your child’s progress throughout the day with WatchMeGrow®!
Of the 2,000+ early childhood centers in Arizona only 10% are nationally accredited. Most Small Miracles schools are nationally accredited.
Being accredited is a rigorous process that includes the evaluation of your schools overall educational program and its adherence to the best early learning practices. In the United States only 5% of all early learning centers are accredited.
Care & Security for Your Child
We welcome you to experience our top rated childcare facilities in person. Visit us to learn more about our quality preschool programs to see if Small Miracles is the best fit for your family.
