Presbyterian Community Center

Abracadabra Preschool was started by our Church, then called Baptist Temple, in 1983 as a mission to help children. The first director and congregant responsible for filing the paperwork with the city was Joan Dale. Joan served as the first director. The school is unique because it is housed in a comfy secure home where children feel safe. This setting is unique in the City. Kathy Wilson was the third director of Abracadabra. Prior to becoming director she served as the President of the National Women's Political Caucus. Following two terms, she returned to education where she had a degree in Special Education. Kathy brought with her a philosophy that every child is important. She helped pioneer an attitude of acceptance and inclusion for children with special needs. She applied this philosophy in the creation of the wonderful playground for the school which she saw as more of an "outdoor classroom." It is named in her honor. Following her sudden death, the Kathy Wilson Foundation was formed in 2005 to help preschools in Alexandria accept and include all children. As Kathy was fond of saying, "We can't teach just easy ones." To learn more about the philosophy of the "outdoor classroom" please visit the KathyWilsonFoundation.org.