It hasn’t even been a year since the Goddard School in Lyndhurst, New Jersey opened its doors but husband and wife owners Harsh and Mona Patel already know the Meadowlands was the right place for their preschool and daycare business.
The Patels hand-picked Lyndhurst as the location for the school due to the proximity to other towns such as Rutherford, Clifton, Nutley and Wood-Ridge, all which they saw lacked adequate educational childcare services.
“We wanted to find an area where there was a void and a need in the community for a high-quality educational childcare facility,” said Harsh Patel. They officially opened on June 8, 2023. “Lyndhurst being so centrally located to all the surrounding townships also aided the decision.”
The Goddard School offers children ranging from six weeks to six years old the opportunity to grow academically, socially, emotionally and physically through a set of different fun learning experiences. The school places children in safe, spaces with attentive teachers to blend fun with education.
Coming from a background in education and public health, Mona Patel had a great knowledge of the industry upon going into business. On the other side, Harsh Patel held a background in accounting and finance, leaving him in charge of the logistics of running the school. With their combined knowledge, the pair formed a dynamic duo.
Mona Patel set the initiative in place, using her years of work in education, as a stepping stone to get the school opened. The couple viewed the school as their way of giving back to their community, through providing local youth with a proper education.
The couple’s introduction to the Goddard School system came through their nephew, who attended one of the school’s. After learning more about the school and being able to see first-hand the impact of the high quality education that they were providing led them to fall in love with the school.
When asked what specifically drew his family towards the Goddard School, Harsh Patel stated “The quality, the curriculum and just everything that they stand for.”
Harsh and Mona Patel, owners of the Goddard School in Lyndhurst, were a perfect fit to run the branch. With Harsh’s business expertise and Mona’s degree in education, the two made for a dynamic duo that will be able to lead the school to success.
However, that didn’t always seem to be the case, as the school faced the same issues that plagued many other up and coming businesses: COVID-19. The school had signed its lease and was in the early stages of construction when the pandemic hit, halting its construction and opening.
“I wouldn’t call it a setback, I’d call it more of a learning curve,” Harsh Patel replied when asked about the challenges faced during the pandemic. “You don’t know how to deal with certain things until you experience it and you can train all you want and be prepared, but there are certain instances where that doesn’t apply.”
Despite being in the early stages of their business, Mona and Harsh Patel see the potential of their influence and how impactful proper education is for young children. As their business continues to grow, they hope the number of children they are able to help will too.