Four separate franchise groups have signed leases to open Lightbridge Academy childcare centers across Anne Arundel and Howard counties, with the new facilities expected to open between late 2026 and early 2027. The locations include 14350 Sweitzer Lane in Laurel, Arundel Overlook in Hanover, the I-97 Business Park in the Gambrills-Millersville area, and Waugh Chapel Business Park in Gambrills.
According to The Daily Record, the announcement came from St. John Properties Inc., the Baltimore-based commercial developer with which leases for all four new centers were signed. Adam Schindler of Colliers International represented the four unaffiliated franchise groups as tenant broker, while Bill Jautze, Lacey Johansson, and Michael Tait negotiated on behalf of St. John Properties, according to a St. John Properties press release.
Each new location is projected to span roughly 12,750 square feet, per the same account, and will include secure classrooms, indoor and outdoor play areas, administrative offices, and conference rooms. Three of the four facilities will be housed within St. John Properties' flex/R&D buildings — the developer's signature format that the company frequently adapts for specialized educational and daycare tenants, the press release notes.
A Familiar Format, Tested Nearby
Waugh Chapel Business Park in Gambrills is listed as one of the planned locations in the broader wave of leases now announced for the four upcoming centers.
St. John Properties has delivered more than 40 schools and daycares across its portfolio, according to the report. Matt Lenihan, who St. John Properties promoted to Executive Vice President of Leasing in March 2025 overseeing a 16.4-million-square-foot portfolio of office, flex/R&D and warehouse space across Greater Baltimore, said the company has successfully delivered those more than 40 schools and daycares, per the same account. Founded in 1971, St. John Properties has developed more than 25 million square feet of commercial space and currently operates across 13 states and holds over 130 LEED certifications, ranking among the top five LEED commercial developers nationwide, according to the Maryland Daily Record.
Lightbridge's Rapid Growth
Lightbridge Academy, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, provides early education and childcare programming for children aged six weeks to 6 years old. The company now counts nearly 100 franchise locations across 13 states and plans to surpass 100 facilities by the end of 2026, according to the Daily Record's report.
“The Lightbridge Academy brand is rapidly expanding, fueled by entrepreneurs and demand from two-household families,” Craig Murray said, per the same account. Each new location plans to hire between 25 and 30 certified childcare professionals and administrators, and the curriculum spans mathematics and science, creative arts and music, language and literacy, social and emotional development, sensory and physical well-being, and cognitive focus areas.
Technology And Staffing Pressures
The 1851 Franchise article discusses technology used by Lightbridge Academy facilities elsewhere without specifying particular systems. The franchise was founded in 1997, the outlet reports.
Hiring the 25 to 30 certified professionals each new facility plans to bring on will not be simple. Under Maryland's Blueprint for Maryland's Future, pre-K teachers at private centers must hold state early childhood certification or a bachelor's degree with alternative training, while teaching assistants face rising associate degree requirements, according to the Reddit post. The article also describes provider concerns and low wages among childcare staff.
State Pre-K Push Reaches Two Counties
The expansion also intersects with Maryland's broader push to lean on private providers for public pre-K delivery. The Maryland Accountability and Implementation Board requires private childcare providers to deliver a rising share of publicly funded full-day pre-K slots, starting at a minimum of 10% in fiscal year 2025 and climbing by 10 percentage points annually to reach 50% by fiscal year 2029.
The mandate is part of that broader statewide push.
