The Goddard School will celebrate the grand opening of its second Wisconsin facility during a public event on Saturday.
The early childhood education center is located at 7420 91st Ave. in Pleasant Prairie in a brand new building that will accommodate 132 full-time students.
The school belongs to a national network of more than 400 Goddard Schools across the country that serve infants as young as 6 weeks old to 6-year-old children, with additional before-and after-school enrichment opportunities for children through age 8.
The Goddard School, which operates with a franchise model, follows a philosophy of “learning through play.”
“We just believe that children learn best when they’re learning through play,” said Pleasant Prairie franchise owner Sarah Hall, whose 1-year-old son, Erik, has been enrolled in The Goddard School system.
The Goddard School centers teach children with a curriculum structured largely by an education advisory board, according to Hall. That curriculum includes focus areas in personal and social development, language and literacy, mathematics, science, nature studies, self-help skills, and wellness activities such as yoga.
“This program is based on academic research that states children experience the deepest, most genuine learning when they are having fun,” the school’s website explains.
The Goddard School network targets early childhood as research shows that children learn more in their first years of life than during any other stage, Hall said.
“It’s very important to set the foundation good during your first several years in life, and we really feel that the Goddard School can provide that for our children and our families,” she said.
The Pleasant Prairie center opened to families in late October. The center, housed in a single-story, 8,000-square-foot building, has 14 staff members, including teachers with degrees in early childhood education or a related field.
The Pleasant Prairie facility currently teaches about 60 students and is enrolling children in all its programs. None of the programs require waiting lists yet, but Hall anticipates having to start waiting lists for some of the age groups early next year.
She is not certain when the school will hit its capacity but estimates that will be sometime next year as well.
During the grand opening on Saturday, which is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to noon, area families will have an opportunity to tour the school, meet staff, participate in winter-themed crafts and activities, enter a raffle and enjoy light refreshments. The grand opening is open to the public, particularly families seeking “quality early childhood education programming,” Hall said.
“Our goals are to be the leader in early childhood education in our community” and be recognized for the quality of The Goddard School’s programming and facility, she said.
The Goddard School’s other Wisconsin school is located at 3355 Intertech Drive in Brookfield.
