Wesley Chapel’s Learning Experience Is Open Off S.R. 54!

The Learning Experience of Wesley Chapel director Karen Mullen (left) and area manager Jennifer Tibbetts share a table in the center’s Make Believe Blvd. (Photos: Charmaine George)

The Learning Experience of Wesley Chapel, located near the front of the Lexington Oaks community off S.R. 54, just opened in August, but is already a busy, bustling learning center filled with happy children.

“We are quickly growing,” says Kristen Nyilas, the operating manager who oversees both the Wesley Chapel franchise and a Brandon location. “As of right now, though, we are still accepting new students at every age group.”

The center offers both full-time care for ages newborn to five years old and also VPK-only classes. VPK (Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten) is three hours a day for students who will enter kindergarten the following year and it is offered at no cost to parents. Instead, the cost is paid by the state of Florida. Some part-time care is offered, such as three days a week or mornings only, based on availability.

Nyilas says The Learning Experience Wesley Chapel provides a foundation that gives students a jump start in elementary school.

The school’s director, Karen Mullen, adds, “When they come to The Learning Experience, they graduate with skills that set them apart from their kindergarten peers.” 

School History & Programming

The Learning Experience was founded by Michael and Linda Weissman in 1980 with a single location in Boca Raton, and was built on teaching through cognitive, physical and social principles; summarized in the school’s motto, “Learn, Play and Grow.”

When it comes to early childhood education, all of The Learning Experience centers use the proprietary Learning Experience Academic Program (L.E.A.P.) that Kristen says was written by educators who specialize in early childhood education. It guarantees that children will graduate with “exceptional core academic skills.” 

The curriculum was written around what the school’s founders believe are the six stages of development — Infant (6 weeks to 1 year old), Toddler (1-2 years old), Tawdler (2-2-½ years old), Prepper (2-½ to 3 years old), Preschooler (3-5 years old), and Kindergartner (5 years old, but it is not offered at the Wesley Chapel location and some others).

“Even infants have a curriculum,” explains Kristen. “A lot of parents like that their children are learning as soon as they come to our center.”

L.E.A.P. includes sign language for infants and toddlers, a phonics program and even a foreign language program, teaching children Spanish or Mandarin (although currently, only Spanish is taught at the Wesley Chapel location). 

L.E.A.P. workbooks include a journal, an interactive book and Fun With Phonics, which is specifically designed to teach reading to 3- and 4-year-olds.

Imagination Blvd.

Children also take part in activities that promote a healthy and active lifestyle. The Learning Experience offers eight enrichment programs for children, including Suddenly Science, Dancing Feet, Talent Sprouts, Super Soccer and more.

“Our enrichment programs are included, and there’s never an added fee,” says Kristen. She explains that the programs are offered once a week for three months. Each student gets a kit to use in class — such as a yoga mat and CD for “Yippee 4 Yoga” — that the student takes home at the end of the unit.

The Learning Experience mascots, including Flexi Flamingo (P.E.), Lionstein (Science) and Bubbles the Elephant — the leader of the mascots — help lead the children through their day.

The Latest & Greatest

What truly sets The Learning Experience apart, says Karen, is its commitment to the newest technology and newest ideas in early childhood education.

“It’s colorful and bright and happy,” she says with a big smile.

Karen is a lifelong educator who has earned a Master’s degree in Education (M.Ed.) from Capella University in Minneapolis, MN, and a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education from California University of Pennsylvania in California, PA. She has experience as an elementary school classroom teacher and as a curriculum specialist, among other roles.

“The Learning Experience is on the leading edge of what’s new in early childhood education,” she says. “So many places aren’t willing to take the chance to change, but not here.”

She says that’s evident not only in the school’s curriculum, but also in its technology. All classrooms for kids ages three and older have L.E.A.P. Interactive smart boards in the classroom. Students being taught a new lesson interact with their smart board to circle the correct answer, for example.

The Learning Experience also has a proprietary app — which can be used at home on a computer, tablet or phone — to continue learning. Called “BubblesU,” it allows students to reinforce lessons learned in school in a fun and interactive way.

But, that’s not the only app offered by the school. Kristen and Karen say parents love the Show and Tell app, which is how The Learning Experience’s staffers communicate with parents all day about what their child is doing in school. 

“We send notifications so the parents know when they were diapered, when they slept, exactly what they ate, or if they need to bring supplies, like if they’re running low on diapers,” explains Kristen, “and we send them at least five pictures every day.”

The school also emphasizes dramatic play and allows all students who are potty trained to visit Make Believe Blvd. daily, where there is a slide and a ball pit, plus storefronts and more to encourage imagination.

The outdoor play areas are covered in turf, not mulch, and feature a splash pad for cooling off in the summer.

The Learning Experience of Wesley Chapel provides all snacks and meals daily and is an allergy-friendly and completely peanut-free facility.

One other thing that sets The Learning Experience franchises apart is their commitment to cleanliness. Not only is the center spotless, but during construction, an air purification system was installed, similar to what hospitals use, with ultraviolet lights.

“It means our air is very clean,” Kristen says, “and that helps to reduce the number of illnesses.”

The cleanliness — including the air quality — is one of many things that Heather Barnhart loves about The Learning Experience of Wesley Chapel, where her daughter Hailey, who is two-and-a-half, attends.

She says that’s just the beginning.

“I love that in art class, they do the art themselves and not have the teacher do it for them,” Heather says. “They use their imagination and their hands, markers, paint and crayons.”

Heather also has been especially pleased with the education being provided to her daughter, who comes home singing songs and counting, sharing things she’s learned at school.

The biggest compliment for The Learning Experience of Wesley Chapel might be that even though Hailey spends all day there, she doesn’t always want to leave at the end of the day.

“Sometimes, she’d rather stay there and play,” says Heather.

The Learning Experience of Wesley Chapel is open Mon.-Fri.,  6:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. It is located at 5440 Post Oak Blvd., just outside the entrance to Lexington Oaks, off S.R. 54. To learn more, visit TheLearningExperience.com and search for the Wesley Chapel location or call (813) 994-3865.

Are You Still Looking For A Preschool? Check Out The Learning Experience!

Owner Jhana Pardue (left) and director Amy Rath take pride in the curriculum, energy and security offered at The Learning Experience of New Tampa on County Line Rd.

Jhana Pardue knew her son Noah wasn’t getting everything he could out of the daycare/learning center he was attending. He was unhappy, and so was she.

So, Jhana started looking around, visiting every childcare facility she could, and then walked into The Learning Experience Academy of Early Education near her home in Lakewood Ranch. “I remember it was a Friday,’’ she says. “I loved it.”

Jhana (the “J” is silent) was on her way to the airport for a trip to Texas, and she filled out the registration forms on the airplane ride. By the time Monday rolled around, she was dropping little Noah off for his first day.

“Fast forward two years, and here I am,’’ Jhana says, from her office at her own The Learning Experience (TLE) of New Tampa, located across County Line Rd. from the SuperTarget, behind L.A. Fitness.

That’s right – Jhana, who volunteered when she wasn’t working at her accounting job, and Noah, her precocious almost-2-year-old at the time, loved TLE so much, that the Pardues decided to buy their own franchise.

“I love children,” Jhana says. “I always wanted to do something and I knew accounting wasn’t fulfilling everything with me anymore. I was looking forward to volunteering more than going to work. So one day, I told my husband, ‘Why not do this?’”

New Kids On The Block

Jhana opened the New Tampa location on July 17. As a former Cory Lake Isles and Heritage Isles resident from 2011-13, she knew the area well, and was thrilled to have the opportunity to build her TLE there.

Opening day capped a whirlwind year. The Pardues signed their franchise papers in Feb. of 2016, and immediately afterwards, Jhana enrolled at State College of Florida in Bradenton to earn her Early Childhood Education Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree, to go with her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Accounting & Business Administration from the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

The New Tampa location isn’t much different from the TLE that Jhana fell in love with. She says she was initially struck by the colors of the Lakewood Ranch facility, the brightness, the atmosphere, the soft children’s music and even the smell – which was always fresh and clean.

It was the curriculum, however, that nudged her to pursue her own franchise.

For Noah, and many other children, it is a perfect fit.

“He is discovery-based, he is really hands on, and The Learning Experience is designed that way to let our children explore the different learning styles,’’ Jhana says. “Noah adapted well, because he was able to be himself. The other school he went to wanted him to learn one way.”

The Learning Experience was founded by Michael and Linda  Weissman in 1980 with a single location in Boca Raton, and was built on teaching through cognitive, physical and social principles; or as Jhana says, “Learn, Play and Grow.”

When it comes to learning, TLE uses the proprietary Learning Experience Academic Program (L.E.A.P.) that Jhana says was written by educators with more than 25 years of experience. It guarantees that children will graduate with “exceptional core academic skills.”

Children who attend The Learning Experience of New Tampa get to enjoy this cool mini-village.

The curriculum was written around what TLE feels are the six stages of development – Infant (6 weeks to 1 year old), Toddler (1-2 years old), Tawdler (2-2-½ years old), Prepper (2-½ to 3 years old), Preschooler (3-5 years old), and Kindergartner (5 years old, but not offered at all locations, including Jhana’s).

L.E.A.P. includes sign language for infants and toddlers, a phonics program and even foreign language programs. Mandarin is taught for one year, as well as Spanish.

“It’s definitely one of the things that sets us apart,’’ Jhana says.

L.E.A.P. workbooks include a journal, an interactive book and Fun With Phonics, which is specifically designed to teach reading to 3- and 4-year-olds.

According to Jhana, nine out of 10 children who leave  TLE’s Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) program head off to kindergarten able to read. “And, we’re trying to get to 100 percent,’’ she says.

Children take part in activities that promote a healthy and active lifestyle.  TLE offers eight enrichment programs for children, like Yippee 4 Yoga, Suddenly Science, Dancing Feet, Talent Sprouts and Super Soccer.

A 65-inch interactive, computerized SMART Board is currently being installed in one of the classrooms as well.

Jhana takes great pride in ensuring TLE’s curriculum is used and applied. She says that is not always the case at other learning centers, where the curriculum sometimes serves as more of a rough outline.

And, mascots like Flexi Flamingo (P.E.), Lionstein (Science) and Bubbles the Elephant — the leader of the mascots — help lead the children through their day.

“We learn through play,” Jhana says. “The children think they are playing, but they are actually learning. We do this through small group activities, more 1-on-1 interaction and more individualized teaching.”

Happy Employees, Happy Kids

All lead teachers are required to have their Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate, which is equivalent to an early childhood education A.A degree, Jhana says. Assistant teachers have to complete 45 hours of Florida Department of Children & Families (DCF) Child Care Training.

In less than two months, TLE already has enrolled 90 children, and has a staff of 15. TLE’s 1-to-6 child-to-teacher ratio exceeds state requirements.

“Most classes are overstaffed,’’ Jhana says. “We exceed state ratios, but I’d rather have the extra help.”

Meadow Pointe resident Amy Rath was working for another childcare/learning center when she drove by TLE’s construction site for the first time. She looked online to see what TLE had to offer, and was impressed with the curriculum.

“I said in the back of my mind, I’m going to be director of that school one day,” Amy says. After a few interviews, she was hired.

“I hadn’t even posted the position when Miss Go-Getter over here started emailing,’’ Jhana says, laughing.

Peace Of Mind

Melissa De Oleo was another passerby on County Line Rd. who was eagerly awaiting the opening of TLE. She had been looking for a place for her 1-½ -yr.-old son London when construction began, “and I started stalking the place,’’ she jokes.

She drove to TLE locations in Palm Harbor and Brandon for a tour, and says that she was hooked.

“I love that they have a curriculum and are teaching instead of just taking care of them,’’ Melissa says.

Although she says that London cried the first few days he was away from his mother, he now gleefully run towards the mural of Bubbles that greets visitors, to say hi, and then to his teacher Rebecca.

“He loves it here,’’ she says.

And, Melissa says she also loves the secure nature of the facility. Parents cannot enter without their assigned key fob, and have to sign in at two different places to get their child. Getting back to the classrooms also requires a key fob, and the playground out back is protected by 8-foot-high privacy fences.

There are cameras in every room, and in the office used by Amy and Jhana, there is a 32-inch television to monitor 16 security cameras (above, left).

The first few days after dropping London off, Melissa would hang back and watch her son on the monitor. When he began interacting with other kids, she jokes that it was a “miracle.”

She also receives pictures and updates on everything from what London ate to the last time he went to the bathroom to what he learned during the day, all in real time via TLE’s smartphone app.

“Basically, I know everything that he is doing,’’ she says.

Which, at the moment, happened to be sleeping. Melissa was there to pick London up at 12:30 p.m., but instead of waking him up to bring him to his mother, she was allowed to wait until he woke up on his own.

“That’s really nice,’’ she says.

To learn more about The Learning Experience of New Tampa, located at 20780 Trout Creek Dr., visit TheLearningExperience.com/our-centers/fl/tampa/new-tampa or call (813) 534-6364.

Apartments, Learning Experience Under Construction

A new luxury apartment community has broken ground on Highwoods Preserve Pkwy. across from the Muvico Starlight 20 movie theaters, and could be a boon for those seeking corporate lodging in the future.

The Oasis at Highwoods Preserve will offer 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartment homes, and “the amenities are incredible,’’ says Anna Hoang, a spokesperson for Picerne Real Estate Group, which is one of the largest diversified real estate management and development firms in the country.

Some of those amenities include a clubhouse with computers with free WiFi, faux wood flooring, a dog park, a theater room, cabanas and outdoor grills and a beach entry, saltwater pool.

Hoang says special added touches, like soft-closing drawers, granite countertops, crown molding and distinct archways will “make it feel more like a home than an apartment.”

The Oasis at Highwoods Preserve will have 302 units, and will be four stories tall, with elevators.

Construction began earlier this month, and the first building is expected to be completed by September, with a grand opening of the entire community in spring of 2018.

For more info, visit Picerne.com.

A New Learning Experience

New Tampa and Wesley Chapel continue to be fertile ground for companies offering a mixture of childcare and early education, and the latest entry into the local market is The Learning Experience.

Work has begun on the physical structure of the new facility, which will be  located at 20780 Trout Creek Rd. The Learning Experience will be almost directly across from the Wesley Chapel Super Target, but on the New Tampa side of County Line Rd.

The facility will be large. According to site plans on the City of Tampa website, The Learning Experience is being built on 1.39 acres and will be a 10,000-sq.-ft. facility, with a 9,310-sq.-ft. playground.

A similar venture, the Goddard School in Wesley Chapel, is opening a mile or so to the north off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

The Learning Experience offers childcare and early education for kids ages six months to six years old.

According to the company’s website, the curriculum includes sign language for infants and toddlers, a phonics program, foreign language programs (like Chinese), manners and etiquette, physical fitness and a philanthropy program that teaches children the value of selflessness and giving.

Boca Raton-based The Learning Experience was founded in 1979 by Michael and Lina Weissman, and is currently run by their son Richard. It began franchising in 2003. Forbes.com picked it as one of the top franchises to own in 2015, with $42.6-million in revenue that year from its 200-plus locations, as well a 73-percent growth rate over the three preceding years.

The Learning Experience uses its proprietary L.E.A.P.® (Learning Experience Academic Program) that is guarantees will provide children with exceptional core academic skills. For more info, visit TheLearningExperience.com.