Lightbridge Academy, an early child care education center, is the latest tenant to open in Plainsboro Plaza. The center will be located at the former Ace Hardware store, near the recently opened Planet Fitness gym.
Owner Ketul Parikh anticipates a grand opening in late July, once construction and licensing are complete. Enrollments for summer and fall curriculum classes are currently held at Lightbridge’s temporary space at the other side of the Plaza, adjacent to Dunkin Donuts. The center can accommodate up to 195 children, with programs for children ages six weeks to kindergarten, as well as after school and summer programs for children up to age 12.
Ketul and his wife, Krupa, live in Monroe with their two children. A classical musician, Krupa wanted to become involved in education.
“We started looking at how do we get her engaged in education,” Ketul says. “Doing research, we found Lightbridge Academy was the right one for her. Once we decided this is what we wanted to engage with, she worked at another Lightbridge in North Brunswick and Woodbridge for 18 months.”
Formerly known as Rainbow Academy before rebranding last October, Lightbridge is a family business operating since 1997 that started franchising in 2011. The Parikhs liked the company’s approach to early childhood education: a combination of old fashioned curriculum-based teaching supplemented with technology. In addition there is a “circle of care” method that opens communication between family, children, and staff. For example, teachers have tablets from which parents can monitor children and stay in touch from work.
When deciding where to open, the Parikhs were attracted by the young families in Plainsboro who value education.
“A lot of the technology savvy, high-income, young families, a lot of community activities in Plainsboro. It’s a family and education valued town with a lot of community involvement,” Ketul says. “All of that lines up with what Lightbridge Academy positions itself for.”
They have hired Ruth Huth as the director. Huth has previously taught at Montessori schools and the Huntington Learning Center, and she has served as center director at the Lower Bucks County YMCA.
Krupa will oversee the day-to-day operations while Ketul will handle back office functions. Ketul runs a management and IT consulting business out of Monroe, and he also owns several technology, medical, retail, and hotel businesses in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
Ketul grew up in Vadodara, India, where he attended Maharaja Sayajirao University. His father was a drama professor there and later dean of the performing arts school. His mother was a stage actress. Krupa also attended the same school, studying classical vocal music.
After earning a chemistry degree, Ketul enrolled in a second bachelors program at the University of Houston in 1981. A relative in Houston recommended the local university, which charged only $4 per academic credit.
“In those days the state was funding education with oil revenues,” Ketul says. “It was a no-brainer as an immigrant.”
He paid around $60 in tuition a semester, studying business computer information systems, a new field. The tuition price tripled to $12 a credit when he graduated a few years later.
His own education center will feature 10 classrooms, an indoor gym, as well as a 5,500-square-foot outdoor playground. In addition to the ongoing enrollment period, the Parikhs are searching for teachers and staff, perferably individuals from the local area.
As for the Plainsoboro Plaza, Onyx Equities is finishing the planned plaza facelift. The facade and parking renovations are due to be completed by the end of the summer.
Lightbridge Academy, 10 Schalks Crossing Road, Suite 100A, Plainsboro. 609-269-8347. Fax: 609-964-1837. E-mail: plainsboro@lightbridgeacademy.com. www.lightbridgeacademy.com.
