Primrose Schools to expand in Lakewood Ranch

Dianne Wudte, the director of admissions at Primrose School at Lakewood Ranch Town Center, is thrilled she finally can say “yes” to an important question.

“Do you have space at Primrose for my children?” 

Although the current Primrose School at Lakewood Ranch has been at capacity since 2007, construction of the new Primrose School at Lakewood Ranch North is expected to be complete by this summer.

Owner Sharon Frank said Primrose School at Lakewood Ranch Town Center, which serves a maximum of 186 children, has a waitlist of families hoping to send their children to the school. The school serves children between 8 weeks old through kindergarten.

“It’s very disappointing when you have to turn a family away when you don’t have the space available for them,” Frank said. “We wanted to be able to extend that opportunity to more families.”

Primrose broke ground on the $6.3 million new school, located at 5730 New Haven Blvd., in October 2019.

The 15,000-square-foot facility will accommodate up to 212 children and feature four classrooms, turf playgrounds and a splash pad.

Frank said the design of the school is an “urban design,” which means it will have a warmer color scheme instead of primary colors.

“I’m looking forward to being able to serve more families in the community and the opportunity to employ more people in our community while being able to expand our Primrose family,” Frank said.

Wudte said there’s “so much more Primrose” can give to the community through its well-rounded programming.

Wudte has been at the school since its opening in 2005 and has watched it grow. She said she is disappointed when she has to tell families there is no room for their children.

“It’s upsetting to me as a parent that I can’t get them in here,” Wudte said. “I am thrilled we’re opening a new school.”

Frank looks forward to hiring new staff members on top of being able to provide child care and early education for more families.

“It’s rewarding not just because of all the different lives of the families that we’ve touched and had the opportunity to take part in watching the children in our community grow and families foster relationships among each other but the opportunity to employ so many wonderful people,” Frank said. “It’s a very rewarding profession to be in.”

Both Wudte and Frank want to continue the family-oriented environment at the new school.

“All the staff here knows everybody coming in and out whether it’s a grandma or older sibling, whoever,” Wudte said.