Early childhood programs springing up in Lakewood Ranch to meet influx of young families with childcare needs

LAKEWOOD RANCH -- Another early childhood learning center plans to open in Lakewood Ranch around August, adding to the growing number of childcare facilities in the master-planned community that cater to families with young, preschool-age children.

The Learning Experience, a well-established early-education, privately owned company, headquartered in Boca Raton, is rapidly expanding throughout the country and the state, recently opening franchises in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. The Manatee site will be just off Lorraine Road in an area often referred to as Lorraine Corners.

Contractors for the Sarasota-based Starling Group have been working since the start of the year to build a 10,000-square-foot building for a Learning Experi

ence franchise at 14425 Arbor Green Trail in Greenbrook Village.

"It should only take about six months to build. It's a pretty easy schedule," said Chris Verville, Starling Group's senior project manager. "There wasn't a lot of site work to do and we're putting a roof on the building now. Then, we'll finish working on the exterior frame and move to the interior. The construction should be completed in June," he said.

Franchise owner Richard Kerper, who owns Learning Experiences in Orlando and Jacksonville, and has a partial interest in two others in Jacksonville and Oldsmar, is anticipating an August opening to coincide with the start of school. He is confident about the Lakewood Ranch location.

"We've done our demographic studies and Lakewood Ranch is a great market, which is only going to get better as far as development," Kerper said.

The Learning Experience caters to children from infancy through preschool and kindergarten, and prides itself on being more than a childcare facility, but one that implements proprietary curriculums and enrichment programs built on three key educational principles: cognitive, physical and social, which translates into, "learn, play, and grow."

Preschoolers are introduced to the center's Learning Experience Academic Program, which teaches them writing, reading, counting, colors, shapes, and numbers.

Other programs part of the daily curriculum include sign language, technology (computers are provided in all classrooms for children age 2 and older), a foreign language component, and physical fitness.

"The franchise has been in the child care business for more than 30 years and our terrific curriculum has developed over this time. Ninety percent of our children can read before kindergarten," Kerper said, adding that kindergarten will not be offered in the Lakewood Ranch location.

The Learning Experience is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuition is reportedly competitive with other childcare centers in the Lakewood Ranch area. Parents who enroll their children now can receive a $100 discount on annual tuition.

Hiring for full-time staff will be in May and applications can be submitted to the Lakewood Ranch Learning Experience area manager Amy Alvarado at alvarado lakewoodranch.tlechildcare.com.

Kathryn Moschella, Lakewood Ranch reporter can be reached at 941-745-7010. Follow her on Twitter @MoschellHerald.

This story was originally published April 7, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Early childhood programs springing up in Lakewood Ranch to meet influx of young families with childcare needs ."