Director, Becky Gates Children’s Center

Debbie Almand graduated from Delta University in Cleveland, MS where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics: Concentration in Child Development and a minor in Business Administration. She has a Master of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Alabama. Almand has been in the Early Childhood Education field since 1989 during which time she has been a teacher, director, and college professor. in 2014, she joined the Becky Gates Children’s Center staff as the Assistant Director before moving into her role as Director in 2024.

During undergraduate school, Debbie began working with a preschool motor development program. She development an interest in the importance of motor development for preschool children which lead her to graduate school at The University of Alabama. She and her husband moved to College Station in August of 1989 for him to complete his undergraduate degree. Since moving to CS, she was the director at a local church based program for 13 years and taught early childhood classes at Blinn College for 6 years while staying home with her children. She have served Becky Gates Children’s Center as the Assistant Director since 2014.

“Children learn best through hands-on play experiences and they will thrive emotionally, socially, physically and intellectually when they are actively involved with their environment and one another. Purposeful play is developmentally appropriate and is an integral part of the early childhood environment. First and foremost, the social and emotional needs of young children must be met. Children must feel safe and secure in their environment in order for optimal learning to take place.”

E-mail Debbie Almand at [email protected]