PSJA Independent School District is getting ready to open a third early childhood campus. It's part of their Cradle to College initiative.

On Friday morning, the school was filled with young students, families and staff. The district is celebrating the grand opening of its newest early learning campus.

The Buckner Building Blocks Academy is the district's third school dedicated to Pre-K3 and Pre-K4 students.

It's located off North Fir Street in Pharr and is modeled after the two existing building blocks academies. They are the Sonia Sotomayor Academy, also in Pharr, and the Alamo Building Blocks Academy that opened last year.

The district says the goal is to prepare kids, starting at age three through play-based learning and exploration.

"If we build that really strong foundation, it will easily carry over to elementary to junior high, high school, and eventually college," Buckner Building Blocks Academy Principal Denise Garcia said. "So for example, if they're doing a science lesson in the classroom, right? They get to learn about it, but then after that they get to go see it in the in real world."

Buckner Building Blocks Academy currently has 75 kids. They have plans to take in up to 200 students. The district also wants to add a fourth campus in the near future.

"We have curriculum nights, we have literacy nights to ensure that we let the family know...it's important for them to be part of their educational years and I think that really builds that strong foundation from the very beginning that our parents are involved," Garcia said.

Parents are a big part of the experience too. Staff host regular family nights and events to keep families engaged from the first day of school.

Watch the video above for the full story.