The Pillars: Murphy (formerly Whistle Stop Station), located conveniently on Murphy Road in Richardson, offers a range of programs for children starting at 6 weeks of age.
As a premier Christian preschool, The Pillars stands out with its exceptional facilities and its dedication to providing top-quality care. The Pillars: Murphy also services numerous local elementary schools as part of our before and after school program for school-aged students up to age 12. We also offer a variety of camps which provide care for students during school holidays, including our award winning summer camp program, Spring Break camp, Thanksgiving break camp, and Christmas break camp.
The Pillars the perfect choice for parents looking for a trusted and nurturing environment infused with faith-based curriculum. The Pillars also has two additional locations in nearby Rowlett, The Pillars: Chiesa and The Pillars: Hickox.
Try a “free day” of care to see what makes The Pillars: Murphy the perfect choice for your family.
Murphy School Information
Mrs. Adriana Armstrong
School Director
Experience: 20 Years
Credentials: State Director’s Credential/License, CPR/First Aid Certified
Specialized Frameworks: Learning Beyond Paper, Frog Street, faith-based curriculum, Texas Rising Star standards, Texas Minimum Standards, developmentally appropriate practices
The Pillars – Boerne Stage Rd
aarmstrong@thepillars.com
361-765-0787
Mrs. Adriana brings 20 years of Early Childhood Education experience to The Pillars Boerne Stage Rd in San Antonio, Texas. She began working in the field in 2006 and holds her State Director’s Credential/License and CPR/First Aid certification. Her leadership is shaped by extensive experience implementing Learning Beyond Paper and Frog Street, integrating faith-based curriculum, and supporting teachers in alignment with Texas Rising Star standards and Texas Minimum Standards.
Since joining the organization in November 2023, Mrs. Adriana has supported children across infant, toddler, preschool, Pre-K, before and after school, and summer/holiday programs. She is passionate about coaching teachers, supporting curriculum implementation, and creating engaging learning environments that promote both academic and social-emotional development. Her mission is to build a Christ-centered community where children, families, and teachers feel loved, supported, encouraged, and confident that they belong.
Mrs. Adriana lives in New Braunfels, Texas, with her husband, and their two daughters, who both attend The Pillars. Originally from Portland, Texas, she considers herself a beach girl at heart and enjoys being outdoors near the water, especially by the river or pool with her family. She also enjoys serving at church, Bible study, worship, iced coffee, decorating and organizing spaces, and finding creative ways to make everyday moments special for her family and the children at school.
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The Pillars: Murphy Reviews
Linh Van
April 17, 2026
I have two kids, one is 3.5 years old and the other is 16 months. My oldest started at The Pillars when she was about 18 months old. The first couple of weeks were a little tough, she cried a lot but after that, everything changed. She now absolutely loves going to school and enjoys her friends so much.
Although our family is not Christian, I truly appreciate how the school teaches values like love, kindness, and care. It has had such a positive impact on my daughter. She’s learned so many things—dancing, drawing, and different games—and she’s always excited to share what she learned each day.
Vietnamese is her first language, but now she can speak both Vietnamese and English. She can even translate simple words and sentences, which amazes me. She’s also become very independent, including being fully potty trained.
Now I’m getting ready to enroll my second child. I’ve researched several schools within 15 minutes of my home, comparing budget, cleanliness, and overall quality, and the Pillars is still my number one choice.
I understand they’ve had some staffing challenges recently, but I can see that they are actively hiring and improving. Overall, I feel confident and grateful to have found a place like this for my kids.
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Angela Derry
April 01, 2026
Shame on anyone posting hateful reviews for this school. I’m assuming you are just a wealth of knowledge? Parents really think they know the ins and outs of childcare. You do not. And daycare hopping isn’t going to get you far either. This school has been wonderful for years, not perfect but wonderful. Here in the recent months they had a new Director Madalyn Whaley who was in my opinion a little on the immature side. Incidents were always brushed under the rug and handled poorly. They were never on the same page and in the front office. I even walked through the school and heard this Director beating her child in her office. Sickening! It definitely needs a new leader and we will wait for that. Disgruntled employees who were nothing short of useless and mishandled the children are all I see commenting negative things about this school. Do not believe it. They do what they can with the knowledge they’re provided. I will keep my children here over any other school.
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Sheri Hamilton
April 18, 2025
We LOVE LOVE LOVE The Pillars Richardson/Murphy ! Best daycare ever! Where do I start??? They love our 2 yr old lil guy which is super important obviously 😉 The Pillars is SO organized from top to bottom: excellent curriculum and activities, excellent monthly lunch/snack menu, great app to keep us informed and reminded of events. I feel tuition/fee is extremely fair! I love the daily communication , love the security of the building, love the cleanliness, fun theme weeks! The Pillars is always decorated BEAUTIFULLY and ELABORATELY for holiday and theme weeks. I can’t imagine being anywhere else ❤️
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Ali Hall
August 22, 2024
We absolutely love Whistle stop! Our daughter has been going since January. From the minute you walk in the door the office staff greets you. If you have any problems they are quickly to handle. Our daughter has ezcema and they were amazing at constantly keeping her moisturized. This is our third daycare and we don’t plan on going anywhere else. We love her teachers. They’re absolutely amazing. I could go on and on about this place and how amazing it is. When you drop off her teachers always welcome her with open arms and she’s so happy to be there!
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Ashley Lynch
August 21, 2024
Whistle Stop has been a great place for my children! I have had 3 kids go through this school. I love the Christian curriculum and I believe they are working on keeping their staff/teachers for longer periods of time. Retention is better! I drive over 25 minutes one way to take my kids here! Thank you so much for taking care of my babies from infancy to now 1st grade.
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