Lightbridge Academy Franchisee Becky Grovenstein Describes the Brand's Focus on Safety and Security

Enrolling your child in child care is one of the most important decisions that any parent can make. That is why early education and child care franchise Lightbridge Academy puts an emphasis on safety and security at the forefront of its business model. One Lightbridge Academy franchisee, Becky Grovenstein of North Carolina, spoke on how Lightbridge Academy’s advanced safety and security measures convinced her to become a franchisee. 

When considering different franchises, Grovenstein said she approached the process through several different lenses: as a franchisee, as a teacher and as a working parent who put both of her children in child care. She took stock of the things that she liked in the child care services she had used and considered what things she wished had been done better. When it came to safety and security, Lightbridge Academy stood out as a leader in the industry.  

Lightbridge Academy uses advanced technology like biometric scanning to make sure that every person who enters the building is exactly who they say they are. “Having a biometric scanner when you enter the building really gives parents that peace of mind,” said Grovenstein. “It's not just a code that anyone can use.” 

Grovenstein’s location also has a sign that reads, “Safety first, manners second. Please don’t hold the door for the person behind you.” As Grovenstein explains, “While we all want to be polite, it’s important that everyone knows you never want to let in anyone who is unauthorized into the building. That really speaks to parents about being careful and cognizant at all times, but also lets them know that their children are in good hands.” 

Another advantage of Lightbridge Academy is ParentView, the child care franchise’s proprietary system, which allows for parents to see what their children are up to at all times through a live feed. “We have cameras in every classroom,” said Grovenstein. “It not only supports classroom management, but it makes parents feel more connected to their child to be able to check in and see what they’re doing during the day.”

Lightbridge academy’s top priority has always been for the health and safety of all those in their Circle of Care. Now more than ever, this holds true. They are responding to the need with enhanced protocols and the development of the Gold Standard in the child care industry for cleanliness, security and peace of mind — The Lightbridge Promise.  

It’s a promise to hold themselves to the highest of standards and that all centers will be cleaned throughout the day, and continuously sanitized by an air purification and filtration system. Every center is also inspected as part of the Lightbridge Quality Assurance Program and enhanced protocols and procedures have been implemented to address the current health crisis.

Grovenstein also went on to say that the relationship of trust between caretaker and parent is also essential to any child care services. “It’s not something that is just won overnight. It’s a bucket and you put a drop in each day,” said Grovenstein. “Once you have that bucket full of trust, you do everything you can to maintain it.”

“In order to build trust and do it in the right way, you have to be consistent,” said Guy Falzarano, founder and CEO of Lightbridge Academy. “From the perspective of a business owner, when you build these relationships, you’re not only building trust with the families but insulating yourself against competition.”

Grovenstein said that it is often the things that go unseen that matter most when building a safe and trusting environment for children and parents alike. “It’s about creating these relationships with families, being open and communicating and learning to anticipate problems,” Grovenstein said. “The worst thing as a parent is just the feeling of not knowing. At Lightbridge, we do everything we can to keep parents as informed as possible at all times.”