Preschool franchise opens location

Preschool franchise opens location

The Goddard School in Grandville offers a play-based curriculum. Courtesy The Goddard School

A preschool franchise known for teaching children through a play-based curriculum is opening its second location in the market.

The Goddard School said yesterday that it’s opening its doors for enrollment on June 29 in Grandville, at 5820 Bayberry Farms Dr. SW.

The school expects to create roughly 20 to 25 jobs.

The other Goddard School in the market is in Grand Rapids, at 1544 Macnider Rd. SE.

Grandville location

The new Goddard School will serve the Grandville, Byron Center and Wyoming communities and offer the play-based curriculum and programs for infants, toddlers, preschool, pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and school-age children.

The Grandville Goddard School is owned and operated by franchisee Lindsey Moore, who previously worked in marketing, nonprofit management and for the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce in South Carolina.

“I found The Goddard School when researching care options for my son, and I was highly impressed with the quality of care offered,” Moore said.

Moore said opening a Goddard School is “a wonderful opportunity to impact the lives of young children in the community, while also running a successful business.”

Moore will work with Education Director Stacie Fifelski to communicate with teachers and parents and implement the play-based curriculum.

Curriculum

Joe Schumacher, CEO of King of Prussia, Pa.-based Goddard Systems, said the school franchise has more than 25 years of experience in early childhood development.

The Goddard School preschool system provides an AdvacED and Middle States Corporate Accredited curriculum known as Fun, Learning Experience, or F.L.E.X., which focuses on seven learning domains and allows young children to “learn while having fun.”

The curriculum focuses on seven skill areas: personal and social development; language and literacy; mathematical thinking; scientific thinking; social studies; creative expression; and physical development.

The F.L.E.X. program incorporates quiet activities, imaginary play, fine motor skill development and songs for toddlers, as well as foreign language, computer skills, yoga and social play for children at the kindergarten level.

The franchise said its programs are customized based on each child’s progress, needs and age.

Goddard Systems

Goddard Systems serves more than 400 licensed franchised schools in 35 states, which serve roughly 50,000 students.

In January, the preschool system was named the No. 1 “Childcare Franchise” in the U.S. by Entrepreneur magazine for the 14th-consecutive year.

Last fall, it was named one of the “Top 200 Franchise Systems” based on worldwide sales by Franchise Times.