Grand Opening Celebration Held For The Learning Experience

By Eliza Hallabeck

The Newtown Police Department and Botsford Fire Rescue Company Inc were on scene along with a blue elephant named Bubbles, The Learning Experience’s mascot, for the new preschool’s grand opening celebration on Saturday, August 7.

Outside the 274 South Main Street building, children had the opportunity to climb and ride down a large blowup slide, meet with a representative of the Newtown Police Department, and take a tour of one of Botsford Fire Rescue’s fire trucks. Inside, interested parents could take a tour of the facility and learn more about The Learning Experience from owner and operator Danielle Van Ripper.

Lunch was offered in one of the facility’s playgrounds, and parents and children sat to eat together at picnic tables.

“I’m thrilled to be part of the Newtown community,” said Mrs Van Ripper, adding she is also thrilled at the opportunity to offer high quality child care to the area.

For the next year, according to Mrs Van Ripper, The Learning Center will provide care for children between the age of 6 weeks and 5 years old. She said the expectation is for The Learning Center to start providing kindergarten for customers by next year.

TLE teaches children through a proprietary curriculum called LEAP (Learning Experience Academic Program). The program is divided into three separate classes, based on chronological age and developmental stage. Courses taught at the TLE center include phonics, science, art, music, dance, technology, and physical fitness.

According to a release, classes are taught in a safe and inviting environment. Entrances to the TLE center are locked at all times, and the emergency exit doors can only be opened from inside. A sophisticated computer monitoring system is used at the main entrance to ensure only staff and parents of enrolled children can enter the center. Additionally, all classrooms are equipped with video monitoring systems.

Each classroom is clean and colorful with age-appropriate equipment, toys, and materials available to all children who attend the center, and the facility is open from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

TLE also has a center in Cromwell. To learn more, call 203-304-9130 or visit www.thelearningexperience.com.