Bright Horizons welcomes first students to Windermere location

By Zak Kerr
| 9:31 a.m. October 8, 2015

Windermere Council addresses Marina Bay assessments

Southwest Orange
Neighborhood

HORIZON WEST With a brand named Bright Horizons having a location just north on the same Winter Garden-Vineland Road in Winter Garden, perhaps it was just a matter of time before Bright Horizons met Horizon West.

Booming development coupled with the community’s family-friendly feel made Lakeside Village a perfect location for Bright Horizons’ newest facility, Bright Horizons at Windermere, said Regional Manager Katherine Cunningham.

“Bright Horizons obviously saw that there is a huge amount of growth within Windermere, a lot of homes being built,” Cunningham said. “We knew that would be a growing community, and we wanted to be part of that with quality child care.”

Construction of this facility took a bit more than a year, awing Cunningham in how quickly it became a reality, she said. The location opened Aug. 24 and held its grand opening Sept. 26.

Like other locations, this center is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with the availability of part-time care in increments of two, three or five days and flexibility within the hours in terms of child drop-off and retrieval, Cunningham said. Children from 6 weeks to 5 years in age are eligible for care, but officials would like to have before- and after-school programs available for area school children, she said.

“The center is also offering the Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program,” she said. “We kind of intertwine it with our own program.”

Capacity at this location is about 195 children, with a current enrollment of roughly 45 children, Cunningham said.

“Ideally, we want to have a full center,” she said. “We’re really expecting a full growth, hoping to get a lot more families in the coming weeks and months.”

Site amenities include a sizable playground, and newcomers begin with a tour to get a feel for the layout and personnel staffing the location, so that parents can feel confident in whatever choice they make, Cunningham said.

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