Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Raz.
Michelle, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always loved to take care of children. Growing up I baby-sat a lot, it was and is a passion of mine. When I graduated from high school I decided I would doing something in the field related to children. I went to Santa Monica College for 2 years and then transferred over to CSUN, I decide to major in child psychology and minor in child development so that I can get a good look into both spectrums of children. During my time at CSUNM I worked as a teacher assistance at a preschool nearby and knew that is what I wanted to do when I graduate. My goal was to have a school of my own and be the owner/director. With the help of my family my dreams turned into a reality and we opened a school in Santa Monica in November 2008 – Beginnings Learning Center!! And we are finally growing to our second location opening in July 2017 in North Hollywood, CA
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It was not a smooth road. When we opened our doors in Nov 2008, it was 3 months into the school year so the chances of filling up were very low. We had 2 or 3 families in November and kept that way until mid-school year where the parents that were attending recommended us to other families in the area. It is hard to build someone’s trust when they know nothing about you and being a new center in the area where there are hundreds of other schools around was tough at first. But slowly as time went by and parents realized the type of care & curriculum they receive at Beginnings is the best in the area, parents stared building their trust in us. We are finally at the point where most if not all of our incoming families are here because of referrals. It’s never any easy start but when you believe in what you do then there is always that light at the end of the tunnel.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Beginnings Learning Center – what should we know?
We are a preschool center, providing full time care to children ages 2 to 5 years old. Our unique benefits that make us stand out from our competitors are:
* we provide hot meals that are prepared on site everyday
* Teacher tenure- most of our teachers have been with us for 4+ years, a few since opening in 2008, which is a big deal in this field.
* Long hours 730 am – 530 pm
* Open year round
* Large outdoor playground
* all of our teachers are first aid/CPR certified
* kindergarten readiness
* clean, bright and warm environment
* small connected community between all of our families
Contact Info:
- Address: 1516 19th street
Santa Monica, CA 90404 - Website: www.beginningslc.com
- Phone: 3108280858
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beginningslearningcenter/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeginningsLearningcenter/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/beginnings-learning-center-santa-monica
