Our faculty and staff ensure the overall well-being of your child by providing countless opportunities for their optimal growth and development. Zion Kidz Academy & Learning Center also guarantees that our child-centered activities, services, and programs are well-implemented by our faculty and staff who are well-versed when it comes to fostering children’s growth and development.
Our faculty and staff are guided by our established childcare standards. Moreover, we also take necessary measures to ensure that your child is handled by professional and skilled staff members. Thus, all aspiring applicants are also required to undergo professional training, background checks, assessments, and interviews in compliance with the academic standards set by the State.
Meet Our Staff
John Richardson
John is the Pastor of the Zion Chapel Primitive Baptist Church and serves as the CEO and Founder of Zion Kidz Academy & Learning Center. ZKALC was founded in 2003 in the Southern sector of Dallas before transitioning to Lancaster in 2012 and was reestablished in hopes of making an impact on all children for God. Pastor Richardson also founded Zion Chapel Economic Development INC. a 501c3 Non-profit organization that provides summer meals and activities during the summer months. His experience in working with children spans back 30+ years as a youth leader in the church, Youth Pastor and overseer of the ministry. Pastor Richardson can be seen at the center throughout the week comforting and holding babies and is affectionately known as “Papa”. He is educated and certified in the State Of Texas in the child care industry on the State Minimum Standards, Child Care Management. He works closely with the Lancaster ISD, and a mentor for school age kids, and in 2020 open its Zion’s computer center to teach various software and system packages.
Patricia Richardson
Patricia Richardson or “Mimi” as you will hear throughout the center comes to Zion Kidz with 30 years of accounting, management and team building skills derived from United Parcel Service. She retired in 2016. She initially came to the center bi-weekly to assist and got bit by the ZKIDZ bug! She found a new love and desire to make the lives and growth of the children in our care better and more efficient for the staff. She quickly moved from the classroom to assistant Director and after much hard work and determination, she earned her CDA certificate and now serves as the Director of the center. She attended TWU and specialized in the care and development of special needs children. She is the 1st Lady of Zion Chapel PBC and serves in several capacities throughout the church and in our District and State Meetings. She served as the National Ministers Wives President for 12 years, but no greater satisfaction to her is that of servicing the children and parents of Zion Kidz Academy & Learning Center.
Juanita Hawkins
Juanita Hawkins! Ms. Hawkins is very happy to become a part of the Zion Kidz Academy team. She brings to the center warmth, enthusiasm, and joy! She has been in Child Development since 1989, started her training at the University of California at Davis, in the Early Childhood Lab. She has lived and worked with children of all ages and cultures in California. She has been a Director, Teacher, Para-Professional, Nanny, Mother, and Mentor Provider. She moved to Texas in 2003 and obtained her Director’s License from the State of Texas in 2004. She has worked as a substitute teacher for Lancaster ISD (2004-2006). She was also an Administrative Assistant at Texas Serenity Charter until the company relocated to Houston Texas. She operated a Family Childcare for 12 years and is now merging with US. We, here at Zion Kidz are excited to have her and the experience and professionalism that she brings.
Ashley Vernon
Mrs. Vernon is one of our Little Leaders teachers. She previously worked in multiple child care intuitions and recent was employed with Lancaster ISD as a Program Manager of the Right At School, After School Program. She joined the Zion Kidz team in February of 2020. She loves helping children discover their creative gifts and talents and encourages them to cultivate their skills and thinking, working with children is always inspiring, no two are the same they are all God’s children and it becomes our job to show them their individual value. It gives me joy to know I am a part of the child’s growth process, I love educating and cultivating CHILDREN here at Zion Kidz Academy.
PART-TIME/ SUBS/ INTAKE/ ADMINISTRATION
Myyon Hardeman
Tiffiny Echols
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