THE LONGACRE COMPANY PLAYING PART IN DEVELOPMENT OF CREATIVE MINDS MONTESSORI SCHOOL

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

http://www.creativeminds.org

THE-LONGACRE-COMPANY-PLAYING-PART-IN-DEVELOPMENT-OF-CREATIVE-MINDS-MONTESSORI-SCHOOL.pdf

The Longacre Company has been awarded the contract to install HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical services at the new Creative Minds Montessori School (CMMS). The school, located at 1374 Commerce Drive near the corner of North State Street and Rt. 100 just north of Pottstown, is expected to open for business in early June. The 20,000 square foot building that formerly housed a furniture store and, most recently an indoor miniature golf course will soon play catalyst to shaping of the minds of the hundreds of area youth. “It’s always an honor for the entire staff when the services we provide play a large part in the development of a facility that will undoubtedly prove to be so important to the community,” said Steve Longacre, Vice President of The Longacre Company. “In this case, that facility will play a critical role in educating hundreds of young minds and potentially shaping our future. We’re very glad and honored to be a part of this project.” Establishing CMMS has long been the passion of co-owner and educator Mandy Lobaugh. “We bid out every job for the school, and Longacre’s came in with the right price along with a comfort level we wanted,” she said. “We looked at price, reputation and quality of work. We were fortunate in that we had previous dealings with most all of the companies we asked to bid. “I can’t stress how nice it has been to work with one company that can complete all the HVAC, electric, and plumbing work. The Longacre Company has gone above and beyond for us and has treated the project as if it were their own. Of course they have a reputable name and we wanted someone that stands by their work.” Donnie Heimbach is the General Contractor on the project. “We can’t say enough about the work Donnie and his crews are doing,” said Lobaugh. “The build out is extensive and he is coordinating everything to make sure no time is wasted and that everything is up to code. He doesn’t cut any corners and his communication with us throughout the project has been tremendous.” According to Lobaugh, they will initially be developing the 10,000 square foot main floor of the structure. This level will initially house five classrooms including infant, young toddler, older toddler and two 3-6 year-old rooms. There is also space to expand with three additional classrooms on the main level as well as develop the entire lower level as the school grows. “This building provided a great starting point for what we were looking for,” said Lobaugh. “The location is convenient for parents and it was 10,000 square feet of open space in which we could create our dream school. Everything in the building will be brand new, from the heating, A/C, electric, lighting system, ceiling, sprinkler system, new bathrooms in each classroom and much more. There will also be a large playground area with new equipment and both a macadam and grass play area.” Lobaugh, who holds a degree in Psychology, a Montessori certification and nine years of experience working with children including in Montessori environments, undertakes the endeavor along with her husband, Scott. “I love the Montessori philosophy and I couldn’t see putting our son anywhere else,” Mandy said. In 2005, Mandy left her job at a Montessori school in Blue Bell. “A one hour drive each way with a two-year-old in the car wasn’t working out. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, but I knew I had to work with young children. In the mean time I started observing some child care centers and unfortunately found nothing like the Montessori school I had previously worked at. “I said to my husband, ‘I know someday I will open my own Montessori school’. That can’t happen overnight, but the minute I said it I knew it would become reality one day. In the mean time I started a daycare business out of my home and set up the basement like a Montessori classroom. Before I knew it, I was full and had a waiting list.” CMMS will be starting with approximately 74 infant to kindergarten-age students with expansion to 120 possible. The facility is scheduled to be open year around from 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. “We will certainly listen to the demand of the community and if there is a need, we may do before school, after school, and summer camp for school-age children in the future,” said Lobaugh. According to Lobaugh, they will be hiring five head teachers with Montessori certification along with five assistant teachers and an administrative secretary to start. “Judy Hunter will be the Director of Operations and brings a wealth of business and human resource experience to the school,” she said. Lobaugh explained that CMMS will be operated as a true Montessori school following the philosophies of Dr. Maria Montessori that were set in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Dr. Montessori believed if a young child is placed in an environment rich in materials that meet his/her developmental needs and he/she is given the freedom to choose activities according to these needs, he/she learns spontaneously, effortlessly and joyously. For additional information on CMMS, visit www.creativeminds.org or call 610-327-0717.

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THE LONGACRE COMPANY PLAYING PART IN DEVELOPMENT OF CREATIVE MINDS MONTESSORI SCHOOL

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