Pineapple School Breaks Ground on Helotes Franchise

The Pineapple School broke ground on its first franchise location in Helotes on November 2, expanding its Spanish language and culture immersion preschool model beyond three family-owned San Antonio campuses. The 16,500 SF early childhood center at 13010 FM 1560 is slated to open in 2028. Grace and Marco Heras will own the school with Grace’s parents, David and Vanessa Osborne. The school has nearly 600 children enrolled across its current campuses, and its Helotes interest list is growing fast.

A Family Built School

The Pineapple School opened on Huebner Road in San Antonio in 2010, followed by locations in Stone Oak in 2015 and near Camp Bullis in 2020. Founder Krisana Puccio established the school with her husband Juan, her mother Susan Carvajal and her late father Dr. Hugo Carvajal. Jessica Bakke later became an owner and works in the schools’ operations alongside Puccio and Juan.

“Our family had a dream to create a school where young children could learn Spanish while being surrounded by the warmth, traditions, and vibrancy of Latin American culture. We quickly discovered that many San Antonio families were looking for that same experience for their children.”

Helotes School Plans

The Helotes center will include classrooms with large windows and natural light, hallways with Latin American art, music and design, an on-site kitchen for fresh, culturally inspired meals, and shaded playgrounds inspired by the Texas Hill Country. Spanish, meals, music, celebrations and classroom rituals are all part of the school day, with no English instruction and no translation.

“Our family has spent years caring for seniors in San Antonio. Now we get to be there at the very beginning of life. Marco grew up in Mexico, so Spanish and Latin culture are a big part of our family’s story. We want the children in our care to have that same gift, starting their own story as infants right here in Helotes.”

Franchise Growth Plans

The Pineapple School has also awarded franchises in New Braunfels and Rogers, Arkansas, with each projected to welcome students in 2028. Its original three campuses will remain family-owned and operated while franchise locations are developed around the school’s values and standards.

“We are laying the groundwork for future growth in culturally connected communities like Austin, Houston, and Dallas-Fort Worth. The demand for culturally rich, Spanish-immersion preschool programs continues to rise nationwide, and our hope is that what began in San Antonio with our first campus in 2010 can flourish across Texas and the country.”