A new early-childhood education franchise is coming soon to one of Hillsborough County's fastest-growing communities. The Goddard School plans to open its first Wimauma location in late October, bringing an inquiry-based learning program to a town that has been adding rooftops and residents at a rapid clip.
The Goddard School of Wimauma is owned by Shekar Laveti and Soujanya Chalumuri, who describe it as their third Florida school, according to Osprey Observer. The pair previously opened The Goddard School of Lithia–FishHawk in 2017 and The Goddard School of Riverview in 2022, the outlet reports. The Goddard School is described as a nationally acclaimed early childhood education franchise, and Florida is home to more than 30 of its locations, per the same report.
The new campus is planned for 10310 Paseo Al Mar Blvd. in Sun City Center, according to Osprey Observer's reporting, and the school's own page confirms it is coming soon and now enrolling. The Goddard School of Wimauma says on its website that it will offer “an expert curriculum, experienced teachers and a nurturing environment,” according to goddardschool.com.
An Inquiry-Based Curriculum From Infancy Through Kindergarten
The school plans to serve children from infancy through pre-K, kindergarten and beyond, with Infant, Toddler, Twos, Bridge, Preschool and Pre-K classrooms, per the Goddard School's own site. Its lesson plans are personalized and focused on whole-child development, the site notes, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Central to that approach is the Wonder of Learning program, which the company describes as an inquiry-based education program built around children's natural curiosity and sense of wonder. The curriculum was developed by educators, researchers, physicians and early childhood experts, according to the school's page, and teachers guide inquiry topics so that children learn about themselves and the world by exploring interests, investigating concepts and asking questions. The program also includes assessment of academic and social-emotional progress along with family communication through a proprietary app, the site states.
Laveti, the co-owner, said he understands the importance of a high-quality early education program meeting family needs, according to Osprey Observer's report. He said the school will help children build confidence, develop a lifelong love of learning and gain skills for kindergarten and beyond, the outlet reports. Laveti has two boys, per the same report.
A Suburb Growing Fast Enough to Need It
The new preschool arrives as Wimauma's population has nearly doubled in recent years, climbing to 15,266 residents as of the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 five-year estimates, up from 9,467 in the 2020 Census, as Hoodline previously reported. Developers have taken notice, too: Berry Bay, a 1,100-acre master-planned community in the area, is currently slated to build out to 3,200 single-family homes, per that same report.
County officials have also been adjusting growth plans to match the influx. In May 2025, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners adopted Phase 1 of the Balm/Wimauma Urban Service Area Boundary Expansion, Hoodline's earlier coverage notes. Public schools have scrambled to keep pace as well — Hillsborough County Public Schools opened the $178 million Aquilla J. Morgan High School in Wimauma last August, giving the district its largest and most expensive campus with room for up to 3,500 students, while a new middle school on West Lake Drive is set to open in August 2027 with capacity for 1,600 students.
Against that backdrop of new schools, new subdivisions and a swelling population, a new early-childhood franchise fits a pattern of institutions racing to catch up with Wimauma's growth. Families interested in the Goddard School of Wimauma can learn more and enroll by visiting goddardschool.com or calling 813-535-5350, according to the company's own materials.
