How Bright Horizons Provides Early Education To Working Families

This Patch article is sponsored by Bright Horizons at Urban Plaza.

Bright Horizons® at Urban Plaza, Kirkland is a brand-new early education and preschool center that provides year-round care for children 6 weeks old to 5 years old. With curriculum and spaces that honor childhood and stimulate growth and discovery, children develop confidence and a passion for learning.

Melissa Langland, center director for Bright Horizons at Urban Plaza, Kirkland, has always felt a special connection with children and decided to pursue early education in college, focusing on infancy to pre-kindergarten.

"I love being a resource and support for the families in these early years and beyond," Langland says. "I feel the same way about the relationships I have made with my co-workers and supervisors at Bright Horizons."

Learn more about Langland and the grand opening of Bright Horizons at Urban Plaza:

Patch: How long have you been doing business in town?

Langland: Bright Horizons at Urban Plaza opened on Oct. 28, 2019. However, Bright Horizons has proudly been in business for over 30 years. For more than 30 years, Bright Horizons early education centers and preschools have been helping children around the world develop confidence and a passion for learning. Bright Horizons is committed to the field of early education and to practices that guide each child’s social, physical, emotional and cognitive development. Bright Horizons’ emergent curriculum approach is designed for this purpose, enabling teachers to tailor activities and projects for the specific interests and skills of each child in the class, with the goal of preparing students for success in school and in life.

Patch: What attracted you to the line of work you’re in and how did you get started?

Langland: As long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a teacher. I was often playing school with my childhood friends and neighbors, cousins and even with my dolls. I connected with young children everywhere I went and enjoyed being with them. In high school, I did an internship in the local kindergarten program and loved it. That is when I knew I was hooked on early childhood education. I went to college to pursue a degree in education. During this time, I participated in several different classroom opportunities with children ages 3 to 8 and realized that I was most passionate with infancy to pre-kindergarten. This is when I found Bright Horizons. It’s been about 17 years since I started my career at Bright Horizons as a Kindergarten Prep teacher.

Patch: Sum up your business mission statement to a stranger in five words?

Langland: Early education for working families

Patch: What’s the most satisfying part of your job?

Langland: There is so much satisfaction with my job at Bright Horizons that it is hard to narrow it down to the most satisfying part. If I had to pick one part of my job as my favorite it would be the relationships I have had over the years at Bright Horizons. I have former students and families that I am still in contact with. I taught these students as preschoolers and now they are in college. I love being a resource and support for the families in these early years and beyond. I feel the same way about the relationships I have made with my co-workers and supervisors at Bright Horizons. These people have made a huge impact on who I am as a teacher, director, wife and mother. It takes a village!

Patch: How would you say your business or organization distinguishes itself from the others?

Langland:

• In business over 30 years
• Proven emergent curriculum that reflects the latest research on early education
• Thoughtfully created environments
• Teachers who are supported to grow professionally and stay current on the most effective education techniques
• Locations and hours to fit the way parents work
• Well-balanced programs that focus on the whole child (social, emotional, physical), and prepare children for success in school and life
• Centers that make sure children feel safe and loved from the moment they put their hands in ours, to the moment they put them back in yours
• Plus, we offer a variety of family resources that support parents as well as children

Patch: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given when it comes to success?

Langland: There are many ways to measure success. For me, success is measured in happiness. When we have happy children and families as well as teachers, everything else falls into place. Building relationships with people is the most important aspect to success and my success as a director.

Patch: Are there any new projects or endeavors you’re working on that you’re extra excited about?

Langland: Since we recently opened, we are excited to start building the sense of community within our school and continue making relationships with other area businesses.

Patch: Do you have any events coming up in your community?

Langland: We will be hosting a Grand Opening Celebration for the community from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 16. This is a chance for families from Kirkland and the surrounding communities to come see our new school and enjoy a morning of family fun. The event will feature children’s activities, live musical entertainment by the ImaginationBand, face painting, refreshments from FrogLegs Culinary, and much more!

We will also be collaborating with the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5:30 p.m on Thursday, Nov. 14. All are welcome to join us!

Patch: How can Patch readers learn more about your work and business?

Langland: Check out our website or follow us on Facebook. You can email us here or call us at 425-298-1991.