How a Focus on Technology Helped Lightbridge Academy® Stand Out as an Innovator in Early Education and Child Care

Since its founding in 1997, early education and child care franchise Lightbridge Academy® has prioritized the utilization of cutting-edge technology to create higher levels of health & safety, security and communication with the families in their care. In recent years, Lightbridge Academy’s technology applications have become central to its offering, providing parents with a clear view of their children’s progress and the tools to easily and effectively communicate with caregivers.

According to Benjamin Blake, CIO at Lightbridge Academy, the brand’s use of technology as part of its communication with parents is all about trust.

“Transparency and communication help to create trust and that is what is needed in order for parents to place their young children in our care,” he said. “And we use technology to help create an ongoing flow of information — whenever it's needed and in a manner most comfortable for the parent.”

Blake says Lightbridge Academy’s technology allows the brand to “meet parents where they are” and aligns fluidly with the modes of communication parents are already using in other areas of their lives. Parents are able to reach out to teachers through Lightbridge Academy’s proprietary app in addition to in-person and phone call exchanges.

Traditional child care centers will say they have an “open door policy”, however, visiting the center in person isn’t feasible for working parents. For this reason, Lightbridge Academy provides technology solutions with real-time visibility and communication. Parents experience peace of mind knowing their children are happy and learning. According to Blake, “seeing is believing” and that philosophy proved critical during the peak of the pandemic, when parents could not enter child care centers.

Through the Lightbridge Journey app , parents were able to check-in their children, and directly communicate with teachers through in-app messaging. This proprietary app is used to facilitate real-time ongoing communication, direct communication between parents, teachers and center administrators. Parents receive updates on developmental milestones that have been achieved in addition to a log of daily learning activities and routines such as meals, naps, diaper changes and potty moments.

The app is also a handy electronic record of information families need to seamlessly transition from the center to home.

And because, as Blake says, “seeing is believing,” Lightbridge also offers its ParentView® internet monitoring system, which enables parents to login to view cameras in their child’s classroom through a secure internet connection throughout the day. “It makes some great conversation starters for the car ride home when you can say, “What was that picture Daddy saw you painting after lunch today?” said Blake.

One of Lightbridge Academy’s more recent technological implementations is an on-site facial recognition tool that increases the level of security at centers while also creating fast and easy pick-ups and drop-offs for parents.

“We are always looking for ways to create a better customer experience and solutions for working parents. If you have ever tried to enter a code, scan a finger or find a fob while carrying a small child and diaper bag, you know the challenge!” Blake said. The facial recognition device uses artificial intelligence to recognize faces and if they are authorized, unlocks the door. Blake said, “We have received so much positive feedback from our families.”

In light of its decades of success in leveraging technology for parents and children, Lightbridge Academy is looking to make further strides in the next year by piloting a new solution enabling center administrators to quickly respond to parent requests for availability and enrollment.

“We are also working on integrating ParentView® directly into the Lightbridge Journey app for parent convenience,” said Blake. “Our plan is to use technology to optimize Lightbridge Academy center efficiency and provide the solutions needed to create a best-in-class child care experience for our families,” Blake said.