How Lightbridge Leverages 26 Years of Experience to Be The Solution for Working Families®

Lightbridge Academy, the early education and child care franchise, aims to be The Solution for Working Families®, supporting each child's education while drawing upon 26 years of invaluable experience to tailor its approach to the needs of both children and their families.

"Early childhood education is typically focused on the child, but we understand that it's also about the entire family,” said CEO Gigi Schweikert. “To effectively educate children in their first six years, we know we need to cater everything about Lightbridge Academy — from our programming to our site selection to our hours of operation — to accommodate those families’ needs.”

A Foundation Built on Understanding and Adaptation

Founded in 1997, Lightbridge Academy provides early education and child care to children ages six weeks through kindergarten, as well as special programming for children up to 10 years old for summer camp. The brand also recently introduced a new school-age remote-learning program to its curriculum. 

The founders started Lightbridge Academy based on the Circle of Care philosophy, which is at the heart of everything it does. The Circle of Care recognizes the network that surrounds a child’s development by placing equal importance on the needs of children, their families, teachers, center owners and the community.

So, how does Lightbridge Academy prioritize the needs of working families today? Schweikert says it starts from day one. Even before a center is built, the brand is keeping the unique challenges faced by dual-income families top-of-mind. 

“Our site selection is strategic, for example, ensuring our centers are conveniently located in every state we enter,” said Schweikert. “This might mean the center is under residential or business spaces or maybe it is near essential services like grocery stores or easily accessible from the main interstate.”

But it's not just about where the center is located, Schweikert says, it's also about how the center runs. Lightbridge centers are designed to accommodate the unpredictable schedules of today's families, some opening as early as 6am and closing as late as 7pm. This flexibility is a testament to Lightbridge's commitment to being a steadfast partner to working families.

Lightbridge Academy also stands out with a curriculum designed to help support children’s development while addressing the needs of the ‘whole child.’ 

“Unless they move, we expect these families to stay with us for at least five years, so our goal is to prepare children for their next educational phase,” said Schweikert. “We collaborate with education professionals to align our curriculum with the expected outcomes for our children, and we're proud of our achievements in this area.”

Central to Lightbridge Academy's educational approach is the belief in learning through play and exploration, a method supported by safe, hands-on environments that nurture a lifelong love for learning. By going beyond basic academics with enrichment programs, the program helps its young students to overcome any challenges, fosters independent skills and enables them to be more resilient in a constantly changing world.

Innovating with Integrity

The Solution for Working Families® philosophy also extends to how Lightbridge Academy communicates with parents, Schweikert says, recognizing the importance of leveraging technology to meet the expectations of a digitally savvy demographic. 

The brand’s ParentView® Internet monitoring, for example, is a systemwide platform offering a way for parents to remain connected to their child’s day. Parents can check in on their child at any time during the day from work, home or anywhere. The tool enables parents to see their child in real time over a secure, password-protected internet connection. 

In addition, the Lightbridge Journey app is used to send ongoing updates. Parents or guardians will receive important classroom announcements, reminders, photos, videos and daily reports. In addition, this proprietary app is used to facilitate real-time ongoing communication, direct communication between parents, teachers and center administrators. Parents receive updates on developmental milestones that have been achieved, in addition to a log of daily learning activities and routines such as meals, naps, diaper changes and potty moments. The app is also a handy electronic record of information families need to seamlessly transition from the center to home.

“The transparency provided by cameras in every classroom and common areas like the outdoor learning environment and multi-purpose room, accessible to all parents, and our virtual open-door policy, underscores our dedication to quality care and education,” said Schweikert. “This allows parents to actively engage with their child's day-to-day experiences and to feel more confident in us as a solution."

A Culture of Care and Excellence

At the end of the day, Schweikert says what truly sets Lightbridge Academy apart is its Circle of Care philosophy. By investing in the right people, leveraging their expertise and fostering a culture of continuous learning and development, Lightbridge ensures that its staff is not only highly qualified but also passionately committed to the well-being of the children in their care.

All of these differentiators explain why the Lightbridge Academy franchise continues to expand into new markets across the country. Franchisees are eager to fill the major need for quality early education and child care in the communities they serve, and Lightbridge Academy is the prime partner to help them do it.  

“For entrepreneurs, Lightbridge Academy represents an opportunity to be part of a forward-thinking organization that has not only stood the test of time but has also continuously adapted to meet the evolving needs of its communities,” said Schweikert. “We have nearly three decades of experience behind us, and as we look to the future, we are excited to establish ourselves as The Solution for Working Families® and a leader in the field of early childhood education.”

For more information, visit: https://1851franchise.com/lightbridgeacademy