Excel Music Helps New Tampa Students Hone Their Musical Skills

Since 2006, Excel Music in the Cory Lake Isles Professional Center on Cross Creek Blvd. has been teaching students of all ages to sing and play a wide variety of instruments with some of the area’s top teachers. As your kids getting out of school for the summer, it may be the perfect time to bring them to Excel Music to try new musical endeavors.

John and Sheri Thrasher are the husband-and-wife team who own the school.

“We’ve helped thousands of students of all ages reach their musical goals while enjoying the journey,” says John. “We like to say Excel is both the place you start and the place you stay.”

Excel Music has 20 teachers on staff and all are either university trained (many with Master of Music degrees) or they have at least 10 years of study and performing experience. The faculty teaches voice and nearly every traditional musical instrument, including piano, guitar, drums, violin and so many more.

“There’s a lot of excellent science out there that shows the benefit of a broad education that includes arts and music,” John says, adding that Excel provides a variety of opportunities for people of all ages to experience and connect with music.

Beyond Just Lessons
Excel Music offers the New Tampa Choir, a singing group for kids ages 5-12, and no experience is necessary to participate. It’s currently on hiatus for the summer, but will start back in September.

“It’s a learning experience, and it’s fun,” John says. “We want to give students a venue to sing songs they know, and some they don’t. In addition to traditional choir music, we do Broadway songs, Disney songs and more. We are always looking for more opportunities for this group to perform.”

Excel’s choir is for those who aren’t interested in solo performance, although the choir will offer opportunities for small group instruction.
John explains, “This is not a huge choir where no one even knows each other’s name.” He adds that the choir will provide a way for New Tampa kids to meet new people and get involved in the music school.

The school also will start up its Excel Rock Band again this fall, but students can apply to participate at any time.

“We’ve done a rock band a couple of times over the years, and its success depends upon the right mix of students,” John explains. “We make sure to group students by age, skill level and instrumentation.”

Excel Music offers a preschool music class for ages 18 months to four years, enjoyed by both kids and parents. The class lasts 45 minutes, once a week, for 10-12 weeks.

“It’s a great way to engage with both the parent and the child,” John explains. “The smiles on the faces of the parents are often as big as the ones on their children.”
John adds that the classes help parents learn ways to engage musically with their preschoolers at home. “This is a participatory class in which we teach parents how to bring music into their kids’ lives,” he says, “especially if they’re not musicians.”

The school’s students have the opportunity to take part in recitals twice a year, but John says these performances are always optional and low-pressure. “Recitals are part of what we do,” John says. “But, we aren’t a performance-driven studio.”

Adult Training, Too
While many of Excel Music’s students are kids, the opportunity to learn to sing or play an instrument is certainly not limited.
“A lot of adults come in for lessons, too,” says John. “We get retired people who say they’ve wanted to play their whole lives, and now they’re finally going to do it.” He says one of his favorite stories was about teaching an 86-year-old man how to play the trumpet.

Pete Laches is quite a bit younger than that, but he also is one of the school’s adult students. Pete says he has been taking guitar lessons at Excel since his daughters were in middle school. One is now in college and one just graduated from college.

“They started taking lessons right after we moved here, so they were in third or fourth grade,” he explains. “Rachel played the cello and piano, and Elizabeth played viola and guitar.”

He says that while his daughters no longer play their instruments, the investment he made in their lessons was well worth it.
“It’s a well-run place,” Pete says. “The instructors are good, and it seems to be a pretty stable staff. I like that they can teach every instrument, so your kid never feels stuck if they try something and hate it.”

Pete adds that, as an Arbor Greene resident, the location can’t be beat. It’s “right around the corner” — a huge convenience when his girls were taking lessons, and now for him. “I’m trapped in an office 40 hours a week, so playing guitar is an outlet for me,” Pete says. “It was a bucket list item and it’s a mental challenge, using a part of my brain that I usually don’t.”

About The Owners
John explains that he and Sheri originally opened Excel Music with the dream of providing the opportunity for young people to be trained for the kinds of careers and lives they once experienced themselves.

“We both had long careers in music, and were professional musicians who were able to make a living performing,” John says, adding that he was the drummer for country singer Mickey Gilley for many years, giving him the opportunity to perform on TV, at the White House and for people all over the world.

In the 1990s, John and Sheri had success together with a band of their own in Japan called Tz, where he says they sold tens of thousands of CDs. They also found themselves immersed in a culture that revered teachers, which led them to start thinking about passing on the knowledge and experience they had gained to the next generation.

“We met tremendous people, saw great places, and made a living,” John says. “We started thinking, ‘What if some of the kids who come through our school can experience what we’ve experienced?’”

They landed in New Tampa, where they had relatives, and have been building their school ever since. With nine years now under their belts, some of John and Sheri’s long-term students are now growing up and moving on.

“We’re seeing many students who have come through our school go on to college, and some are majoring in music,” John says. “This dream we had is starting to come true.”

John explains, however, that he and Sheri recognize that the vast majority of their students will not go on to have professional music careers.
“Our teachers are good enough for that type of student, but most of our students will go on to have another career such as a doctor or lawyer or something else,” he explains. “We hope that when they go to a concert or experience music, they will appreciate it on a different level, because they truly understand the challenge of playing music, and the dedication and skill of the performers presenting the music to them.”

For the past four years, Excel Music has been a business partner at Hunter’s Green, Clark, and Pride elementary schools. Students who attend those schools can enroll at Excel Music with no registration fee, which is a value of up to $45.

Excel Music is located at 10353 Cross Creek Blvd., Suite I. It is open Monday- Thursday, 2 p.m.-9 p.m., 2 p.m.-7 p.m. on Friday, and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday. It is closed on Sunday. Call (813) 991-1177 for more info or to schedule lessons.

Need Home Financing? Check With The Experts At Marimark Mortgage

Mary Catchur of Marimark Mortgage takes the worry out of having to get a mortgage.

Getting a mortgage for a new home – or refinancing your current one — can seem daunting and overwhelming, especially if you’re dialing toll-free numbers at big banks and aren’t quite sure what you’re getting yourself into.

Fortunately, there’s an option where you have the same access to financial products, but can work with experts who are right here in New Tampa. At Marimark Mortgage, which has been located in the Tampa Palms Professional Center off Commerce Park Blvd. since it opened in 2006, the staff will help you through the process every step of the way.

“We all have the same products and very similar rates,” says Marimark Mortgage owner Mary Catchur. “What differentiates me and my business is our level of service and our commitment to educating the homebuyer.”

Mary is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who spent 13 years as an auditor for KPMG (Klynveld, Peat, Marwick & Goerdeler), one of the “Big Four” U.S. public accounting firms which was founded in The Netherlands. Then, she was the chief financial officer for an internet-based real estate company, in which she established a mortgage division.

Her current clients benefit from this broad financial background, as Mary applies her skills and experience to assist loan applicants, reviewing each client’s financial status and advising them about loans that make sense for their individual situations.

Mary says that many of her clients come to her after previously being disappointed with other mortgage companies. With special circumstances such as being self-employed, or retired and living off of assets, other companies may not know how to structure a loan.

“They don’t have the financial background to understand,” she says. “I understand financial issues, such as ways to give [retired clients] an income stream based on their assets, but someone who doesn’t have a financial background wouldn’t know how to navigate that process.”

Marimark offers a complete line of financing options, such as conventional loans, Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans and loans through the Veterans Administration (VA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Mary is a Pennsylvania native who grew up helping out at her family’s electrical business, but she has called Tampa home since 1979. She earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees in Accounting and French from the University of South Florida (USF) and currently maintains her mortgage broker’s license in Florida, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

“With today’s technology, you don’t need to be located in the same area to do business,” Mary explains, adding that she serves many clients outside of Florida, many of whom find her on the internet.

“It’s always best to shop around and remember that your bank is not your only choice for a mortgage.”

Unparalleled Customer Service

There are other reasons why Mary’s clients say she stands out among other companies in the business, and Mary encourages anyone interested in looking for financing for their home to Google “Marimark Mortgage.” She says you’ll get a good picture of what it’s like to work with Marimark from the company’s reviews.

One common theme is that her customer service is top notch.

Karla Folstad is a local Realtor with Easy Street Realty who regularly refers clients to Marimark. “Mary is one of my go-to lenders, she says. “She is an unbelievable service provider and has worked miracles for a couple of my clients when another lender has dropped the ball.”

For example, she says that recently, a large bank told her clients there was no way to close a deal in 25 days, but Karla referred them to Marimark, and Mary said she could get it done. “That bank said, ‘If someone told you they can get this deal closed sooner than us, they’re a liar,’” Karla recalls.

As it turned out, the loan was rushed and approved so quickly, Karla says her clients could have closed five days sooner than they needed to.

“She’s so professional and so on top of things, and I enjoy working with her a lot,” says Karla of Mary. “I know when I send clients to her they’re going to close.”

Sally Rosfeld moved to New Tampa last year and she says she was, “amazed at the amount of personal service. Usually, getting a mortgage is really stressful, but this is the easiest time we’ve ever had getting a mortgage. There was no stress. Mary paid attention to every deal and took all the pressure off of us.”

She adds, “It was like working with a friend. I would recommend her to anyone.”

“My approach is straightforward and educational,” Mary says. “When I got into the business, I saw a real need to educate people so they know why the product they’re getting is better for them.”

Mary says she shouldn’t be the one choosing a product for a client, but it’s important for her clients to be fully educated about their loan product. For example, maybe you’ve been offered a low rate, but do you know what fees you have to pay to get that rate?

“Maybe the most important thing to you is getting the lowest possible payment, or maybe it’s paying the least amount of money over the life of the loan, but we need to talk about your entire scenario and what your goals and needs are,” she explains.

Mary also is proud that Marimark offers a streamlined, efficient process, with great communication. She uses technology to her clients’ and her company’s advantage, such as, for example, automatic notifications every step of the process.

“It sounds so simple, but we communicate with people,” Mary says. “We communicate with all parties — of course the buyer and the title company, but also the seller’s Realtor and the buyer’s Realtor and the appraisal management company. When the processor moves on the file, like if she clicks that she ordered the appraisal, the notice goes to everybody.” 

Marimark Mortgage is located at 5327 Primrose Lake Cir. For more information, visit MarimarkMortgage.com, call (813) 910-8020, or see the ad on page 46.

The North Tampa Law Group Offers Legal Help For Your Family

Attorney Brian Arrighi is the managing partner of the NorthTampa Law Group, located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park in Wesley Chapel.

Dealing with routine legal issues, such as creating a will or selling a home, is part of daily life and the attorneys of North Tampa Law Group, located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park, about one mile east of the I-75 exit at S.R. 56 (behind MINI of Wesley Chapel), are ready to help clients seeking legal assistance.

The firm was established in 2014 and attorneys Brian Arrighi (the managing partner) and Laurel Ackley each possess a decade or more of legal experience in areas that routinely affect families, such as real estate transactions, estate planning, probate proceedings, divorce, bankruptcy and other family law cases.

Arrighi says, however, that the North Tampa Law Group does not handle criminal or personal injury cases.

Ackley and Arrighi each earned their Juris Doctor (J.D.) degrees from Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, after earning undergraduate degrees from the University of Florida in Gainesville. Both lawyers are licensed to practice in the courts of the State of Florida and the U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida.

Ackley also is licensed to practice in North Carolina.

With the active real estate market in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area, there are lots of deals being made, including a lot of “For Sale By Owner” transactions. Arrighi says that having an attorney involved can be a worthwhile expense.

“The misconception is that it’s more expensive to get a lawyer involved and that’s not always the case,” he says. “There are a lot of issues that can arise during a transaction.”

One of the problems Arrighi cites is the inability to clear a property’s title, due to an existing judgment against a seller, something that can sometimes be negotiated to a lower settlement price to clear the title if a lawyer is involved in the process.

He also says that it can save valuable time if an attorney is reviewing a transaction and finds a potential problem.

“We see it right away and get working on it,” he says, adding that using North Tampa Law Group to handle a real estate closing does not necessarily increase the cost of a transaction. “Our fees are very competitive compared to a standard title agent.”

Estate Planning & Family Law

Estate planning is a legal area where it can be beneficial to pay attention to the different options so that assets can be managed and distributed according to the client’s wishes — all with minimal cost.

A will is the basic document many people use to direct the distribution of their assets, but it involves a sometimes lengthy and expensive court process known as “probate.” North Tampa Law Group handles probate cases and Arrighi says it’s a good idea to consider all of the options available to minimize court involvement.

Brian Arrighi

“For estate planning, your goal when you’re working with a client is to avoid the probate process entirely,” he says. “If you have a proper estate plan, you can have it set up using something like a trust to automatically pass the assets to your beneficiaries.”

In addition to asset distribution, Arrighi says considering real-life factors, like long-term health care and guardianship, also can be part of estate planning.

Sometimes life presents challenges with legal consequences, such as financial problems that result in a need to consider bankruptcy or a marriage that may be trending towards divorce. The North Tampa Law Group can help you work through what can be difficult, related legal processes involving issues like child custody, enforcement actions and even domestic violence injunctions.

Arrighi says that the breadth of services North Tampa Law Group provides offers convenience to the firm’s clients, whose legal needs may encompass more than one practice area.

“We’re really an all-inclusive kind of place for your typical family in the New Tampa area,” Arrighi says. “There’s really a lot we can help you with. A lot of our clients are very relieved to find out it was not as expensive a process as they thought and it wasn’t as difficult as they thought.”    

Laurel Ackley

Clients who have expressed their satisfaction with services they received from North Tampa Law Group include Scott Radtke, who awarded 5 stars on a Google online review.

“I have not always had the best luck dealing with attorneys, but Brian made the experience great,” Radtke wrote. “The staff was courteous and professional. He was knowledgeable of the subject matter and answered all of our questions. He was very reasonably priced and was also right on time for my appointment. I am extremely pleased with the North Tampa Law Group.  They are my new go-to attorneys!”

Arrighi says that communicating effectively with clients is an important part of the firm’s success. “I think we do a really great job of explaining things in simple terms and making the complicated simple to understand,” he says.

Document Preparation, Too

One way the North Tampa Law Group helps people who may not be able to afford the full legal representation that retaining a lawyer provides is by offering some services — such as document preparation— without coming on as attorney of record.

Arrighi says there are a lot of resources available for people who want to be their own legal advocate, and that North Tampa Legal Group can assist in these cases, too, also reducing your legal costs.

“We do offer services that are the nuts and bolts of legal advice that can really help with the process, without spending too much money,” he says, adding that the initial free consultation is a good way prospective clients willing to do some of the legal “lifting” themselves can begin the process of getting their day in court. 

A law firm is operated much like any other business and Arrighi says the North Tampa Law Group’s move to Wesley Chapel from the Tampa Palms Professional Center more than three years ago was influenced by a need to be accessible to a growing client base.

“We work with a lot of homeowners and deal with personal legal issues,” he says. “With the growth in Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes, it’s more convenient to be in that area.”

The North Tampa Law Group is located at 26852 Tanic Dr., Suite 102, in Wesley Chapel. To set an online evaluation of your case, visit NorthTampaLawGroup.com or make an appointment for a free initial consultation at (813) 518-7411.

Farina Orthodontic Specialists Opens New Building & Office In Wesley Chapel!

Orthodontists Dr. Rudy Wagner (left) and Dr. Mark Farina will keep your kids smiling at their new Farina Orthodontic Specialists office on BBD Blvd. in Wesley Chapel, just north of S.R. 56.

I try not to have to write too many of these business feature stories anymore because, after 24 years of owning and editing the Neighborhood News, I’ve written so many stories about (for the purpose of this story) doctors and dentists of all specialties that it’s hard for me (or anyone, really) to approach each story with a fresh perspective.

So, why I am I so deliriously happy to write this story about Farina Orthodontic Specialists, which recently opened an amazing new office on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., just north of S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel?

Because, quite honestly, I will always feel personally indebted to orthodontist Mark Farina, D.M.D. (Doctor of Dental Medicine) because not only did he truly transform the smiles of both of my sons, he showed my entire family his heart. He didn’t just ask the boys questions when they would visit during the years they wore braces, he genuinely cared about what they had to say and still can recite back information about both of them to me today, 15+ years later.

First, a little background about Dr. Farina’s schooling and training. He earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology from Boston College in Boston, MA. He earned his D.M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in Philadelphia and did his post-graduate orthodontic training at New York University in New York City, NY.

He also has received advanced training in the integrated diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular joint pain, or TMJ, and has served on research teams at both New York University and the University of Pennsylvania to help find new and better ways to solve orthodontic problems.

The new office has lots of great new technology, including a digital impressions machine that eliminates the need for goopy molds.

He also participates in Continuing Education to stay up-to-date on the latest breakthroughs and most effective innovations in the industry and attends more than 80 hours of professional seminars so that he may bring the most advanced diagnosis, treatment and technology to my patients.

Mark started advertising in my publications way back when he only had his original offices — on N. Habana Ave. in West Tampa and an office he shared in the Palm Lake at Tampa Palms office building with oral surgeon Dr. Ted Grellner. He continued to promote his business in these pages when he and general dentist Dr. Rodney Holcombe built a new office in the professional plaza adjacent to what is now called the Shoppes of Amberly in Tampa Palms in 2000.

He did eventually take something of a hiatus from advertising with me a few years after he had transformed Jared’s crossover canine teeth and Jake’s giant “Chicklets” into the gorgeous smiles both still have today. Why? Quite honestly, his Tampa Palms office was already so busy he really couldn’t handle more new patients.

Enter: Dr. Rudy Wagner

When you talk to Mark about his wife, Lissette (who handles the marketing for his practice, which now has three offices) and his own sons, Stefano and Sergio, you will believe he cares about you and your children the same way he cares about his own family. He doesn’t just appreciate your business. He feels it is his honor and privilege that you have entrusted something so precious to any parent as your child’s smile to him and he will always take the time to ensure they end up looking the way you expect when he finishes his work.   

So, even though neither of his sons took an interest in becoming an orthodontist, Mark’s nephew, Dr. Rudy Wagner, who was born in the U.S. but raised in Puerto Rico, did decide to become a dentist. The always-smiling Dr. Rudy joined Mark in 2015, after graduating with his D.M.D. degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine in San Juan, where he also earned both his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology and his Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Dental Sciences.

Dr. Rudy also did post-graduate work at Lehigh Valley Hospital, in Allentown, PA, where he had a general practice residency, and his post-graduate orthodontic training at the University of Puerto Rico.

The New Office

Due to the overcrowding at his New Tampa office — he says that he and Dr. Rudy have now helped improve 20,000 smiles the last 24 years — and wanting to expand into the booming Wesley Chapel market, Mark and Lissette purchased some property from the Porter family three years ago in the Wiregrass Ranch area, between Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC) and the also-new Florida Medical Clinic building.

New Tampa residents should have no trouble finding the new Farina Orthodontics office in Wesley Chapel, because of its unique cube shape and clock facing BBD.

And, a few weeks ago, the unique, cube-shaped building housing the new Wesley Chapel office of Farina Orthodontic Specialists opened on the 5,333-sq.-ft. first floor of the three-story, 16,000-sq.-ft. building. Mark says a periodontist and an endodontist are going to occupy the 2nd floor of the building, but he still has the 5,333-sq.-ft. third floor available. “It has amazing views and would be perfect for an injury rehab center or any professional use.”

He adds, “It’s crazy, but we’re already seeing 20-30 patients a day at the new office,” Mark says. “Of course, this office is twice the size of the one in Tampa Palms.”

New digs require new technology and there’s no doubt that Mark’s new office has the most incredible technology I’ve seen at a dentist’s office to date — and I’ve seen a few.

There is a digital X-ray machine that takes complete, 3D images of your mouth, jaw and all of your teeth in 4.8 seconds, with lower radiation than any traditional X-ray machine.

But, the most amazing thing to me at the new office was the new digital machine (above right) that can create custom-fitted molds of your mouth for braces or sleep apnea appliances without having to chomp down into trays covered with goop. I know I’ve choked on that goop before, so I wasn’t surprised when Mark told me that, “People throw up from the goop all the time. But, not only is the new machine easier for patients, the digitally-created molds we make are so much precise than the goop. And, with our new machine, it only takes a few minutes.”

Think You’ll Save Money With ‘Smile Direct?’ Think Again!

Mark and Dr. Rudy agree that orthodontists across the country currently are dealing with the public perception that it’s worth the initial lower investment to get invisible aligners from on-line companies like Candid and Smile Club Direct. But, they say people who choose that route for themselves or their children don’t understand how much having an experienced orthodontist not only create your appliances,  but make sure that everything is going according to plan by actually meeting with the patient every few weeks, is worth.

“Mark and I literally spend one day per week working with patients who have had bad experiences with online aligners,” Dr. Rudy says. “Having to fix a problem is much harder and costs more than coming to us first.”

In other words, if you want to transform your smile or your child’s, you should at least visit the new Farina Orthodontic Specialists office in Wesley Chapel.

And, if you like the analog clock on the side of the new building, you can thank Stefano Farina. “People remember a building with a clock on it,” he told his dad. “It’ll set you apart.”

Farina Orthodontic Specialists’ Wesley Chapel office is located at 2370 BBD Blvd., Ste. 100. For info, call (813) 964-3081 or visit FarinaSmiles.com. For the Tampa Palms office (15303 Amberly Dr., Ste. E), call (813) 972-2929 and please tell them the Neighborhood News sent you!

Sylvan Learning Center Offers Successful Approach

At the Sylvan Learning Center in Wesley Chapel, (l.-r.) assistant director Kristi Chatham, director Lara Riordan, director of education Caitlyn Hussey and owner Dr. Judy Johnson tailor lessons, taught by certified teachers, to each student’s individual academic needs.

Dr. Judy Johnson brought Sylvan Learning to the Tampa Bay area more than three decades ago, when she opened her first Sylvan Learning Center in Carrollwood in 1985.

Her students from 30 years ago now bring their children — or those who brought their kids now bring grandchildren — telling Dr. Johnson they remember how much it helped them, and how much they enjoyed their time at the center.

Over the years, the success of the program has led to expansion locally, and Dr. Johnson opened her fifth Bay-area center this past October. The newest location is here in Wesley Chapel, in the Summergate Professional Center in Seven Oaks, off of S.R. 56, behind Sam’s Club.

Her Bay-area locations, which also include Carrollwood, Westchase, Temple Terrace and Zephyrhills, are among the more than 750 Sylvan Learning Centers worldwide.

Dr. Johnson is a lifelong educator who holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Special Education from the University of South Florida in Tampa, which she received in 1995. Previously, she completed a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Counseling from Ball State University in Muncie, IN, in 1977 and a Master of Education (M.E.) degree in Biology from the University of Arizona in Tucson in 1971.

Since the Wesley Chapel center opened last fall, Kristi Chatham has served as its director. She has been with Sylvan for three years, and previously was at the Zephyrhills location and prior to that, worked as an instructor at a Sylvan Learning Center in Alabama.

“I like it because I know it works,” Kristi says. “I’ve seen it.”

As of May 1, Kristi took a step back to be the assistant director of the center, allowing her to spend more time with her family. Lara Riordan is now the new director. Lara has been the director of the Temple Terrace center since 2005. She started with Sylvan as an instructor in New York in 2000.

A Proven Model

The Sylvan model means students have a maximum ratio of three students to one teacher, so they’re never in large groups where they can be overlooked. Students come to Sylvan to get ahead, for extra practice, for test preparation or whatever they need.

“We’re not tutors fixing one skill for one test,” explains Lara. We are a solution for all (of your child’s) academic needs.”

“We’re not just for remediation,” adds Dr. Johnson, “We work with accelerated kids – kids who want to go to Harvard.”

Sylvan Learning Centers are staffed by certified teachers who receive additional training in the Sylvan program. They then teach students lessons, which vary based on the child and are flexible for each individual student. The Wesley Chapel location currently has about 10 teachers on staff, including the director, assistant director and director of education Caitlyn Hussey.

“I still teach,” Dr. Johnson says. “It’s a good way to see what’s going on and meet with families.”

Sylvan’s program starts with a diagnostic assessment, then the teacher creates a “prescription” for the student, to ensure lessons are properly tailored to each individual’s needs.

“All of us have a knowledge base,” explains Dr. Johnson. “When we go to school, we have to sit through things we already know.” Sylvan is different, she adds. “We find out what a child knows. We figure out where they’re strong and weak.”

Then, she explains the child is taught “on the edges of where they need to be,” so the lesson is neither boring nor too hard.

“The programs are as individualized as they need to be,” explains Caitlin. “My challenge is to ensure that each program is sufficiently challenging to meet each student’s needs.”

As an endorsement of Sylvan Learning Center, Dr. Johnson shares that recently, an investor traveled from China to the U.S. to evaluate all of the different learning center companies, doing an extensive investigation before making his investment in education in China.  The result of his research? “He bought 200 Sylvan Learning Center franchises,” Dr. Johnson says.

Here in Wesley Chapel, Nicole Buzard has been bringing her son, Carter, to Sylvan twice a week for the last couple of months and says, “It’s been all positives so far.”

Carter is a gifted student who is at the top of his class, so Nicole says his teacher recommended advanced skills.

“I tried working with him at home,” she says, “but I didn’t feel structured enough.” She says once Carter mastered one skill, she didn’t immediately know the next skill he should work on.

“I was looking for enrichment and it led me to Sylvan,” says Nicole. “He enjoys the extra math work. He’s excited, and I never have to force it.”

Nicole says her son’s enthusiasm for attending Sylvan is rubbing off on her 10-year-old daughter, Ava, too.

“She’s not one who would want to do extra schoolwork, so I didn’t really explore it as an option for her,” Nicole explains. “But, she has seen how excited my son is, and now she wants to go.”

Nicole says the office staff is easy to work with and flexible to meet her needs and schedule. She says the Wesley Chapel Sylvan Learning Center is a quality program.

“They know what they’re doing and — even with my son already being good at math –— I’ve seen improvements.”

While many people believe these learning center programs are expensive, the Sylvan staff says they are happy to work with families to make it affordable. “We offer different programs at different price points, with budget-friendly programs,” explains Dr. Johnson

“It’s a really good option for an extracurricular activity,” she adds. “Kids enjoy intellectual stimulation and learning things they don’t usually learn in a typical education setting.”

Sylvan Learning Center will offer STEM camps this summer, including robotics, engineering, coding, LEGO, writing, MATH and ACT/SAT prep. Most camps run Monday through Thursday in the morning or afternoon.

The Sylvan Learning Center at Seven Oaks is located at 27724 Cashford Cir., #102. Business hours for the center are Mon.–Thurs., 10 a.m.–6:30 p.m., Fri. by appointment only and Saturday, 9 a.m.–noon. Teaching hours vary based on the day and will be different in the summer. For details, call (800) EDU-CATE, visit Educate.com, or see the ad on page 36.