The Goddard School of Hudson

Unlike traditional early childhood schools, the philosophy behind The Goddard School in Hudson is that children learn more through creative play—and hugs should always come standard.

By: Beth Newcomb
Date: 05/13/2008
As parents, most of us would be willing to do just about anything to ensure that our children receive the very best educational opportunities available. We imagine what they will become when they grow up and begin plotting their educational paths—almost from the moment they’re born.

“The most critical time in a child’s development are the years before age three,” insists Nancy Lutz, who along with husband Jeff owns of The Goddard School for Early Childhood Development in Hudson. It’s a leader in providing children with a developmental focus starting at six weeks and continuing through six years of age and the philosophy is “learning through play.”

“We specifically chose to open a Goddard School because it closely mirrored our passion for education,” Jeff says. “We wanted to be able to provide more than just babysitting to our own children and realized other parents might feel the same way.”

They opened their school just over a year and a half ago and realized nearly instant success. “Most of our classrooms are filled or have a waiting list,” Nancy explains. “That’s why we’re expanding our two- through four-year-old program in the fall. We’ll have an additional 30 spaces available, but those will fill up fast.”

While you might think that choosing The Goddard School to nurture and guide your little one toward a bright future is fiscally out of reach, that’s actually a myth.

“A common misconception is that a Goddard education isn’t affordable for everyone, but that simply isn’t the case,” Jeff assures. “Parents are often surprised to discover that our rates are very competitive with, if not more affordable than, other early childhood schools in the area.”

You can realize an even greater value because their programs are all-inclusive. “We don’t charge our parents for curriculum enhancements that we feel should be standard for every child. It’s just one of the things that makes us better.” he adds.

Which means that your child’s day is filled with programs like fitness and nutrition, yoga, language arts, manners, music appreciation, world cultures, sign language and Spanish. And every staff member your infant, toddler or pre-schooler interacts with is a certified professional.

In fact, the nurturing staff at Goddard is comprised of nine Bachelor’s degrees with eight more in process. Nancy holds a Master’s Degree in Speech Therapy.

“Children go home with a progress report every day that includes an account of what they ate, how they napped, and what they learned that day. It helps keep working parents involved in our process and gives families something to talk about,” Nancy describes with a smile.

But enveloping all of the engaging activities—cleverly disguised as play—is a loving and nurturing environment.

“It’s so hard to leave your child in the care of someone else,” she explains earnestly. “Most parents, when faced with the choice, would rather leave their child with people who are going to provide them with love throughout the day instead of at a place where they’re learning. But that’s the best thing about Goddard—we provide both.”

Cuddles and hugs come standard and each child’s natural curiosity and creativity are developed. Whether gently holding your infant, encouraging your toddler to share, or providing your preschooler with a wide range of enriching activities, the teachers at The Goddard School in Hudson understand your child’s needs.

It’s something that’s readily apparent after just one visit. A walk through the school reveals several teachers in the infant room tenderly rocking and feeding the babies in their care. The older kids are busy doing yoga, learning their letters, and climbing on tumbling blocks.

“The biggest difference for the kids is that we go at our own pace,” explains Jeff. “We can spend more time on a subject if it peaks the interest of the children. We don’t have to stick to a rigidly structured format and our classroom ratios are smaller—allowing for individualized attention.”

All of Goddard’s age-appropriate learning techniques are based on its successful, nationally recognized program. “Our standards are much higher than those of the state requirements and our teachers receive up to 15 more continuing education hours each year,” Jeff insists.

Full-day classes are available for all age groups, but parents have the added flexibility of choosing half-day visits. If two days a week fits into your schedule, you can do that, too. But for working parents, five days might be the better option. “Our school provides year-round development because working parents depend on that,” Nancy says.

Change can be difficult to embrace, no matter what the age. “Sometimes a parent will continue to enroll their child in a certain facility—even though they know there are better options available—because they’re afraid the change will upset an established routine,” she continues. “It’s surprising how quickly the children who come to us become acclimated to their new environment.”

Safety is also key. While parents are encouraged to visit whenever they like throughout the day, all doors are securely locked. “Our building has also been designed with little people in mind,” she smiles. “Which is why our doors are equipped with protective guards to prevent injury and hospital grade sanitation practices are employed in all parts of the school.”

The choice about what your child becomes when they grow up is theirs. The choice about the tools they use to get there is yours.

And that decision just got easier.

The Goddard School for Early Childhood Development in Hudson offers corporate discounts to area businesses. They are located on the corner at 5601 Darrow Road. Call them at 330-653-3766. The Goddard website is www.GoddardSchool.com.

The Goddard School is a registered trademark.

Email This Story To A Friend

Your Friend's Email Address:

Your Name:

Your Email Address: