Lightbridge Academy® Announces the Lightbridge Promise as the Gold Standard in the Child Care Industry for Cleanliness, Security and Peace of Mind
The leading early education and child care franchise is utilizing a state-of-the-art air purification and filtration system and implementing enhanced protocols to safeguard the health of children, families and staff members as centers reopen their doors
ISELIN, N.J., June 23, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Lightbridge Academy®, a leading early education and child care franchise, is welcoming back its community after state mandated closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While center reopenings are dependent on state and local guidelines, the franchise brand, which has a footprint of over 100 centers either open, under construction or in development in markets across the U.S., has already seen some centers reopen and has implemented solutions that will help keep children, families and staff members safe. The brand has rolled out the Lightbridge Promise which reinforces the company's top priority to ensure the health and safety of all of those in their Circle of Care. The Lightbridge Promise is the Gold Standard in the child care industry for cleanliness, security and peace of mind.
"Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have worked closely with families and staff members to listen to and address their concerns," President and Chief Operating Officer Gigi Schweikert said. "We surveyed over 6,000 parents and overwhelmingly they were most concerned about the health and safety of their children. In order for parents to return to work, whether that is from home or in the office, they need peace of mind knowing that their children are well cared for and educated in a safe environment. For this reason, we took an aggressive approach and looked across industries for the most advanced technology and procedures to implement in our centers. Utilizing these new solutions and extensively training our staff members has provided us with the confidence that Lightbridge Academy is offering the very best to our parents, children, and staff members as we all transition to a more normal state."
One new solution is an air purification and filtration system that uses an advanced oxidation process to continuously purify the air and all surfaces. It is currently being installed in the NYC subway system and the system is similar in design to what hospitals and other sensitive environments use to create a "clean" room. The technology works by producing ionized hydrogen peroxide molecules that are continuously distributed through the air of the facility, breaking down and destroying air contaminants such as viruses, bacteria and mold spores.
In addition to the air purification and filtration system, Lightbridge Academy has also enhanced protocols to ensure the health and safety of children and staff members at its centers. To start, franchise owners and administrative teams stay up-to-date with the latest health and safety guidelines provided by resources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as state licensing regulations. All Lightbridge Academy facilities follow specific guidelines for cleaning and sanitizing classrooms and frequently touched surfaces and toys throughout the day and in the evening. The entire franchise system is also following health-focused protocols, including limited access for visitors, wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) for all adults, external drop-off and pick-up for children and a strict temperature screening process before entry.
Additionally, staff members have received training to identify signs of illness, and the center has a strict illness policy. Classroom sizes will have the lowest possible teacher-student ratios, and field trips have been suspended and replaced with virtual or hands-on experiences.
These, in addition to other health measures, complement the brand's safety protocols, which include online video monitoring features for parents, random quality assurance visits from state regulators and brand inspectors and more. Lightbridge Academy also will continue to use state-of-the-art technology to ensure that each and every center is safe and secure. From coded entry to silent alarms to internal video monitoring and limited points of entry, Lightbridge Academy's security system and emergency drills are some of the most advanced in the child care industry. Staff members must also continue to meet or exceed state-mandated educational requirements and pass thorough background checks to ensure everyone's safety. Additionally, all staff members are all required to attain their CPR and First Aid certification.
Although many of these protocols were already in place, the enhancements and new technology included in the Lightbridge Promise were implemented after the brand survey revealed that over 80% of parents were most concerned about health and safety when returning to child care.
"At Lightbridge Academy, we pride ourselves on being The Solution for Working Parents®," Founder and CEO Guy Falzarano said. "It's no secret that working parents have juggled quite a bit lately, as many of them have worked from home while also taking care of their children's needs and trying to provide some type of curriculum throughout the week. As our centers reopen, the Lightbridge Academy leadership team wants parents to feel confident that the gold standard for health and safety is in place so their children can receive a high quality of care and early childhood education."
About Lightbridge Academy®
Established 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 during school holidays, breaks and summer camp. The company franchised in 2011 in an effort to expand their distinctive concept throughout the Northeast; it currently has over 100 child care centers either open, under construction or in development throughout Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Guy and Julia Falzarano founded the company based on core values and a Circle of Care philosophy that places equal importance on the needs of children, their families, teachers, center owners, and the community. In 2019 and 2020, Lightbridge Academy® was ranked on Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500, and it was featured on the Franchise Times Top 200+ in 2018 and 2019. To learn more about Lightbridge Academy®, prospective families and franchisees are encouraged to visit http://www.LightbridgeAcademy.com or call (732) 980-1900 x 199.
SOURCE Lightbridge Academy
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