Your children mean the world to you. There isn’t anything you wouldn’t do to ensure their success or put a smile on their face. You’re a proud parent and you’re determined to give your child the best possible start to their educational career. And, in East Orlando, there may not be a better place to start than Ladybird Academy.

Combining preschool early learning and education with high quality childcare, Ladybird Academies are designed to give youngsters the learning excellence they deserve in a bright, nurturing environment. Each classroom is purpose built and fully equipped to serve each of the school’s various age ranges, from 6-weeks to 6-years-old. “We believe   that every child should be encouraged to their maximum potential through a variety of early learning experiences,” says Ladybird Academy vice president Simon Hansla. “Our qualified, caring teachers are dedicated to the development of each and every child in our state-of-the-art facilities.”

Ladybird prides themselves in providing a safe environment for healthy growth while encouraging personal, physical and intellectual development thanks, in part, to their Accredited Professional Preschool Learning Environment, or APPLE program. APPLE ensures that each of the Ladybird Academies, three of which are in East Orlando (Lake Nona, Lake Underhill and opening soon in Avalon Park), utilize an impressive, nationally recognized educational curriculum and smaller teacher-to-class ratios among numerous other qualifications. “Your child will receive the early, rich education experience unlike any other in the childcare industry,” says Simon. “Ladybird early learning programs and curriculum give your child an early boost in language, reading and writing skills, Spanish, music and character development.”

In fact, Simon knows first hand about the quality of services at Ladybird. He not only manages the business, but he also has two children who attend Ladybird Academy’s Lake Forest location. Simon’s wife, Linzi, is director of the Lake Forest school, and she brings daughter Dakota, 2, and son Phoenix, 1, with her to work every day. “They love the school,” he says. “Each day they come home and tell me what they’ve learned and I, honestly, am so impressed every time.” Ladybird offers parents unprecedented access to their children while attending. At any time, parents can log on to their child’s classroom and view a live web cam of the room. “We’re highly-regulated, and we have nothing to hide,” Simon says of the popular service. Averaging 15,000-square-feet, each Ladybird Academy is built to have a bright, open environment with tempered glass walls in all classrooms so all activities are visible to everyone. There are also extensive safety features built throughout the school, even the playgrounds. “Each facility has separate playgrounds with age appropriate equipment for a particular group and impact absorbing safety playground surfaces,” he says.

“We’re combining learning with fun. We have a structured educational curricula, but we’re also trying to make it a fun learning experience,” Simon adds. The philosophy works. Not only do all of the schools have full enrollment, but they also scored a state-high 100 percent on a kindergarten readiness test. “When we heard that, we were all just so proud,” he says. “The biggest challenge for kids going into the public school system is to get them prepared well. It was a nice pat on the back of sorts in addition to all the parental feedback.”

Simon and the rest of the Ladybird staff often receive positive feedback from parents about how well their children are prepared for the next step. “Quite often the parents of former students tell us their kindergartners are excelling because of the core learning they received here,” he says. “They say their children are miles ahead of the other kids and that’s great to hear.”

Article by Corey Gehrold

Want to Learn More?

Ladybird Academy’s Lake Nona, Lake Underhill and Avalon Park facilities are currently enrolling for VPK classes and operate Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.  Parents can sign up their children for part time or full time programs now.

Visit Ladybird Academy’s Web site at www.LadybirdAcademy.com or call them at 407.273.4331 today.