Upbring Education Association to Host Livestream Petting Zoo to Share Joy During Challenging Time

5/11/20 – The Upbring School of Arts and Sciences (USAS) and the Upbring School of Discovery and Leadership (USDL) are hosting a livestream petting zoo event on Upbring’s Facebook page on Saturday, May 16 at 10 a.m. CST to bring people of all ages together for a free, joyful, family engagement, experience. Participants will be able to interact with animals and ask questions while staying safe at home. All animal lovers are welcome to join.

The program will be provided by Tiny Tails to You, a top-rated children’s entertainment company in the Austin area. In March 2020, Tiny Tails to You launched Virtual Animals Programs, which have become a source of wonder for people of all ages. A trained staff member will be leading the experience, showcasing each animal and answering questions.

USAS and USDL, located in Central Austin and Downtown Houston—which typically only serves children from six weeks to preschool-aged children—is temporarily accepting students from six weeks to age 10 to give them a safe, structured environment during the day. As schools across the nation close in response to the coronavirus outbreak, Upbring’s schools opened their doors even wider in April to provide childcare options for working parents who are essential employees like healthcare workers, first responders and other critical personnel, and counter the severe shortage of options available to them.

“We look forward to sharing this event with the greater Upbring community and raising awareness for the open enrollment of our Upbring School’s in Austin and Houston,” Brenna Nunes, Director of Admissions and Family Engagement at Upbring, said.

Upbring’s servant-hearted administrators and teachers are making every effort to ensure the safety and development of the children served during this uncertain season. Educators at both schools created alternative and engaging forms of at-home learning opportunities available through private Facebook pages, YouTube tutorials and Zoom circle time. To learn more about Upbring’s COVID-19 response, read the Upbring Education Association’s press release.

To learn more about the livestream petting zoo event featuring Tiny Tails, visit Upbring’s Facebook page at facebook.com/UpbringOrg and follow @UpbringOrg on Instagram and Twitter. For more information about Upbring Education Association, please visit Upbring.org or contact Brenna Nunes at [email protected] or call (512) 202-5049.

About Upbring
Upbring is a leading Texas-based, faith-inspired nonprofit organization working to break the cycle of child abuse by empowering children, families and communities. Upbring partners with federal, state and local government agencies, community groups, small businesses, large corporations and dedicated individuals to deliver services that produce measurable progress toward five key markers of every child’s wellbeing: safety, life skills, education, health and vocation. Upbring benefits nearly 30,000 families each year with its life-changing programs—including foster care, adoption, education, children’s centers and community services. While Upbring has evolved over more than 137 years of service, our organization remains firmly focused on delivering innovative programs and services that address the root causes of child abuse and neglect. For more information, please visit upbring.org.

Upbring Education Association Rallies to Provide Childcare Options During COVID-19 Pandemic

4/22/20 – As schools across the nation close in response to the coronavirus outbreak, Upbring’s Education Association opened their doors even wider effective Monday, April 13, to provide childcare options for working parents who are essential employees like healthcare workers, first responders and other critical personnel, and counter the severe shortage of options available to them.

The Upbring School of Discovery and Leadership—which typically only serves preschool-aged children—is temporarily accepting grade school children, ages 5 through 10, to give them a safe, structured environment where they can complete the schoolwork assigned from their respective schools during the day.

To address the full range of their students’ needs, staff members at the Houston campus continue to distribute weekly “Busy Bags,” available for pick-up on Saturdays, that are filled with learning activities, STEAM project supplies, Spanish and sign language flashcards and personalized notes from teachers to assist parents and guide them through the at-home learning process.

Upbring’s servant-hearted administrators and teachers are making every effort to ensure the safety and development of the children served during this uncertain season. Educators at both the Austin and Houston schools created alternative and engaging forms of at-home learning opportunities available through private Facebook pages, YouTube tutorials and Zoom circle time.

“All staff have responded very quickly and professionally to very significant changes to the childcare guidelines,” Brenda Burdick, Director of Christian School Expansion and Operations of Upbring, said.

Continuing to utilize electronic avenues to best serve the children and families, the Upbring Education Association is also offering a weekly chapel time, shared through YouTube, as well as the option to be added to a prayer list where families can disclose their needs and request additional tools and resources.

Upbring Education Association is a community of early-childhood, faith-based schools in Central Austin and Downtown Houston. The schools have implemented stringent protocols to prevent the spread of coronavirus and safeguard children and their families while the campuses remain open. Protocols include checking each child’s temperature at drop-off before being allowed inside, limiting the number of children and employees in a room to maintain social distancing and increased cleaning and sanitizing precautions.

By providing a sense of normalcy and offering financial assistance to alleviate any burdens on the families at this time, Upbring is determined to fully demonstrate our steadfast commitment to breaking the cycle of child abuse by empowering children, families and communities.

Upbring continues to monitor reports from the Center for Disease Control and communicate with State Regulation websites to ensure a safe environment for our students, staff, families and community. For the latest information on our response to COVID-19, please continue to check our website for updated information.