The American Dream is coming true for one local family

What was once a distant dream for a Lake Mary family is finally becoming reality.
Dave and Jo Mickelsen, along with their 3 young children, took a daring leap in October of 2002 and moved from Ipswich, England, to Florida in search of a better, brighter future.
It seems they certainly found it in Longwood, in the shape of American Village Academy; a preschool catering to the needs of families with children aged from birth to 5 years.
Already knowledgeable in the Preschool business, albeit in the UK, they decided to uproot and move to warmer climates to offer the same high quality care as they had been doing for the past 6 years.
Florida offered a better future for them and their children, (Amy, now 14, Daniel, 11 and Katie 10), and they knew they had something special to offer to Florida too.
Since buying American Village Academy in January, 2003, many improvements have been made to the school.  The first two years were spent on upgrading the existing facility and putting in place well qualified, dedicated staff, which plays a vital role in the nurturing and development of young children. No-one could begin to imagine what the Mickelsens had in mind when they decided to expand their 75 place facility. There were times when they felt that their dream expansion would not go beyond the planning stages due to incredible amounts of red tape, but after almost 3 years of determination and dedication, their State of The Art expansion is finally open and the extra 7, purpose built, classrooms,  (81 extra places), are filling fast. They now cater for a total of 156 children every day, but is bigger really better? The owner/Director, Jo Mickelsen, says, “It absolutely can be! Just because we have more families doesn’t mean that we cannot continue to give the personal touch that our families are used to and have come to expect. It simply means that we have to hire some more dedicated, educated team members that have a genuine love for children and a passion for expanding a growing child’s mind. We cannot be mistaken for a “babysitting service”, or a “daycare”. We are here to ensure that every child receives tailor-made education and care according to their own specific and individual needs. The family plays an integral role in our program and we welcome their participation. It can only add to the personal growth of every child in the facility”.
Already highlighted in local news 2 years ago for their quality program, they have continued to strengthen and can boast 100% compliance in all of their quarterly DCF inspections. “This is something that we are very proud of. We strive to ensure that the facility is 100% suitable for the development and personal growth of children. It is essential that the environment provided for our children and families is conducive to all areas of development, nurturing and comfort.”
American Village Academy is having a Grand Opening on August 20th and the new facility will be open for all to see.
American Village Academy is conveniently situated close to I4, exit 92, at 905 Longwood Hills Rd, Longwood.

A few features of American Village Academy are:

• Catering for families with children aged from Birth to 5 years
• VPK Program
• Purpose built facility
• Superb outside play/learning areas almost 20,000 sq ft
• Spacious, well equipped classrooms
• Well qualified, friendly and caring staff
• Great curriculum
• CCTV inside and out
• Excellent entry & exit security system
• Small class sizes
• Great staff/child ratios
• Cooked lunch plus snacks included in fees
• Part-time/full-time available

With school almost ready to be back in session, spaces are filling fast and there is already a waiting list for some age groups. It is recommended to book early to avoid disappointment.
Check out AVA’s website at www.ava905.com