After more than 60 years of serving students with learning differences, Preston Hollow Presbyterian School (PHPS) is embarking on a fresh chapter, relocating from its longtime home within Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church to a sprawling new campus.
Founded in 1962 as the first school in Dallas designed for children who learn differently, PHPS has long specialized in educating students with mild to moderate learning differences, including dyslexia, auditory processing disorder, and written language challenges.
With the support of a $3 million grant from philanthropist Kelcy Warren, the new facility features modern amenities including playgrounds, a sports field, and a cafetorium that seats 700, designed to accommodate community events such as author visits and literary programs.
At PHPS, each child receives personalized academic support alongside classes in art, music, physical education, and technology, said its director, Dr. Nicole Bell, who added that the school’s hallmark remains its individualized, multi-sensory instruction, small class sizes, and nurturing environment.
With more than half of its 90 students living in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow neighborhoods, PHPS plans to add seventh and eighth grades to meet the evolving needs of families nearby while extending its reach, said Bell.
With excitement surrounding the new campus growing among students, parents in the school community are also feeling the building momentum. This fall, Highland Park resident Katie Whitcomb watched with anticipation as her second grader, CC, eagerly explored her school’s new environment.
“Personally, our family has been blown away by the compassion and capability to support kids with learning differences, and also the character attributes they learn and admonish every month,” said Whitcomb.
Preston Hollow resident Kelly Jo Sands, a school trustee and parent of Braedon — a fourth grader who joined PHPS in first grade — also shared her family’s experience.
“We were referred to PHPS from another local private school during (Braedon’s) kindergarten year. That recommendation — and the courage of an educator to name what she saw early — changed the trajectory of our family’s journey forever. From the moment we walked through the doors, PHPS felt unique — warm, encouraging, and built with a genuine understanding of children like Braedon.”
The school’s plans for growth are a bonus for the Sands family.
“We’re thrilled about the school’s expansion into seventh and eighth grade. For children like Braedon, continuity and consistency are so important. Knowing that he will be able to continue his education in this nurturing, specialized environment beyond sixth grade —if he needs it — gives us great peace of mind,” said Sands.
For the teachers and staff at PHPS, the purpose is for all students to feel a sense of belonging. From weekly chapel service to special events including visiting authors and the Blessing of Animals that honor St. Francis of Assisi’s affinity for “all creatures great and small,” each aspect of the school is rooted in a strong sense of community, Whitcomb said.
“Beyond academics, PHPS fosters an environment where children feel seen and loved for who they are, which is something every parent hopes for their child. PHPS has given my son a place where he belongs,” said Sands.
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