The early education franchise is on track for 30 signed agreements this year.
By Andrew Carlo
Celebree School, an early childhood education franchise, has demonstrated strong growth in the first quarter of 2025.
With offerings of infant and toddler care, before and aftercare, and summer camp programs, Celebree School said it signed eight new franchise agreements for the quarter. New market growth includes Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, and Tampa, Florida along with Clover, South Carolina and East Hanover, New Jersey.
The franchise noted that it is on track to reach its goal of 30 signed franchise agreements by the end of this year. Additional expansion markets include Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio; Dallas and San Antonio, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Indianapolis, Indiana; Phoenix, Arizona; and Philadelphia. Celebree said, “these markets are experiencing growing populations, increased demand for childcare, and strong economic conditions that support multi-unit ownership and long-term brand growth.”
“The level of passion and purpose we’re seeing from this new group of franchisees is truly inspiring,” said Richard Huffman, Founder and CEO of Celebree School. “These are leaders who believe in the power of early education and are stepping up to bring lasting change to their communities. They’re not just opening schools, they’re creating spaces where children can thrive, families feel supported, and futures are shaped. This kind of momentum reflects something bigger: a nationwide commitment to giving every child the strongest possible start.”
The latest round of franchise agreements are expected to result in new school openings by 2027, Celebree School said.
New franchisees include:
- Poonam Thakkar, along with family partners Bhumika Sachdev and Gunjan Thakkar, who plans to open two Celebree School locations in the Chicago area. With a background in finance and a strong desire to solve local childcare challenges, Poonam views this new venture as a meaningful step toward community impact, Celebree said.
- Abigail Okeh, an experienced IT and cybersecurity program manager, has signed a one-unit agreement in Atlanta.
- Gaurav Goyal, together with his wife Shruti Jindal and business partners Amit and Sakshi Bansal, is taking over operations of an existing Celebree School in The Woodlands Creekside, Houston. Gaurav, a Chevron executive, brings leadership in innovation and business development to the brand, the company said.
- Michele and Derrick Moore, with backgrounds in child welfare and cybersecurity, have signed a one-unit agreement in Tampa.
- Kelly and Lee Souder from Clover, South Carolina are bringing Celebree’s quality education to their community with plans to open a new school.
- Nagur Noorbhasha, a licensed mechanical engineer and energy sector leader in Houston is drawn to Celebree’s mission and curriculum. He signed a one-unit agreement and is excited about the opportunity to open a new school in his community.
Celebree School recently held its 2025 Grow BIG Conference in Dallas. The three-day event featured franchise owners, vendors, and corporate team members connecting and networking.
Founded in 1994, Celebree School launched its franchise offering in 2019. To learn more about Celebree School franchising opportunities, visit celebree.com/franchising.
