Primrose School of Bel Air Offers Kids Quality Early Education

This Patch article is sponsored by Primrose School of Bel Air.

Primrose Schools is a national system of accredited private preschools that provides premier early education and childcare experience for children and families. We partner with parents to help build the right foundation for future learning and life.

Patch had a chance to talk with Rikin Parikh, owner of Primrose School of Bel Air.

Patch: How long have you been doing business in town or how long has the organization you represent been around in the community?

Parikh: After graduating from the University of Maryland in 2008, I started owning and operating several retail businesses in Harford County. I have been a resident of theBel Air area since 2008. Primrose School of Bel Air opened its doors in December 2020.

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

Parikh: My wife and I were expecting our first kid and were looking at different options — as far as daycares are concerned — in the Bel Air area. To our surprise, we were not able to “like” any one of them. They all had one thing or the other missing. For example, some had a nice safe infrastructure, but did not have a decent curriculum. Some schools had excellent curriculum, but meals were not provided. There were some that had below standard buildings where safety was a huge concern.

Like any other parent we wanted the best for our child. We did not want to compromise when it came to our child. After further research, we came across Primrose Schools. It met all our requirements. I remember my wife and I drove 3 hours just to see a facility down in New Jersey. As soon as we entered the preschool, we knew this is where we wanted our kid to be.

The only problem was we did not have any Primrose Schools in Bel Air. That is when we decided to bring one to Bel Air. And, we started the process. It took us three long years from when we signed the contract with Primrose till we opened our doors for the families. It was an exciting journey for sure.

Patch: If you had to sum up your business’s mission and vision to a stranger, what would that be?

Parikh: Our Mission: To forge a path that leads to a brighter future for all children. Our Vision: To deliver the best and most trusted early education and care for children and families across Harford County.

Patch: What is the biggest challenge or most difficult moment you have faced in your job?

Parikh: Unfortunately, our construction took place while the country was going through a difficult time. The pandemic did hit us hard and delayed a lot of things for us. But we were able to overcome them and were able to open doors in a timely manner. Spreading the name and educating parents about Primrose was difficult, initially as it was not a well-known preschool in this area. Even though there are more than 500 Primrose Schools nationwide, this was only the third to open in Maryland.

Patch: What is the most satisfying part of your job?

Parikh: Part of the reason behind taking on this venture was to give back. To give back to the Bel Air community that has given me so much. As mentioned above, Primrose happened because we were looking for the absolute best for our child. But again, we also wanted the same for the other kids in the community. We realized many parents would be facing similar challenges when they are looking for daycare options for their kids. When I see happy parents, those smiles truly make me feel gratified with a sense of achievement. That is the best part of my day.

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

Parikh: Without sounding too boastful, I think Primrose Schools of Bel Air is THE best Preschool in the Bel Air community. I would love to invite parents to tour our facility and judge it themselves. It is the biggest preschool in the community and safety was always kept in mind while building it. The curriculum that we offer is top notch and is second to none. It has been written by professionally qualified industry leaders and is followed by our teachers. We provide five nutritious meals per day to each child at no extra charge. Our balanced menu is created by well-known nutritionists who make sure all the needs are met when it comes to proper nourishment for a child. Our teachers must go through rigorous in-house training, and we make sure we hire only the best. Teachers communicate with parents throughout the day and parents get frequent updates on their children through our app. I am happy to say, every parent that has visited our facility has always had only good things to say about us.

Patch: What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given when it comes to success?

Parikh: Have No Regrets: The amount of time people waste dwelling on failures, rather than putting that energy into another project, always amazes me.

Patch: Do you have any events coming up in your community? If so, tell us about it.

Parikh: Yes, we are planning on doing a grand opening soon. Because of COVID-19 restrictions we were not able to do one earlier. Now, since the restrictions have been lifted, we are planning on doing one soon. Other than that, we are also planning on throwing a holiday bash for all our Primrose families sometime in November or December. Also, we are excited to launch our private kindergarten program starting this school year (Sept. 2021). I am happy to inform you that the spots have been filling up rather quickly. So, I would urge parents to reach out to us if they are interested. We are running a promo wherein we will waive the initial registration fee for all our kindergarten families.

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

Parikh: They can visit us at www.primroseofbelair.com. They can also follow us on Facebook or Instagram. We can also be reached at 443-918-4060.
We also welcome walk-ins at our location: Primrose School of Bel Air, 2219 Old Emmorton Road, Bel Air, MD 21015.