Best in Class Keeps Growing: Proudly Announces Newest Opening in Texas

Best in Class Education Center (Best in Class), a top-of-the-line education enrichment center focusing on math and English, announces the opening of its second location in the state of Texas at 2023 West McDermott Drive #130, Allen, TX on November 9, 2013.

Entrepreneur and owner-operator, Priya Venkat will facilitate the opening in her local community. The education center will welcome the public from 10:30 am to 4 pm on opening day so that parents can learn about the various education programs offered at Best in Class while enjoying complementary drinks and snacks. Additionally, the first 30 people in attendance will enter a chance to win one of three exciting grand prizes which include a $100 gift certificate to Adventure Landing theme park, an iPod Nano, and an Amazon Kindle.

“We’ve seen the excitement and energy here in Texas after we opened our first location in Katy earlier this year, and we’re thrilled to see the same momentum backing Best in Class in the Allen-Plano area,” Hao Lam, Founder and CEO said. “Priya is the perfect addition to the Best in Class system. With her strong appetite for scholarly success, I believe wholeheartedly that students will achieve and surpass their goals in the classroom.”

Venkat comes to Best in Class from a background in Biochemistry, but her history with the brand extends back to 2007 when she enrolled her own children into the program. While working as a clinical researcher in Seattle, WA. Venkat pursued the Best in Class program after realizing the curriculum her kids were receiving in school fell short of a challenge. After seeing her children's academic improvement as a direct result of the Best in Class teachings, Venkat decided to take it upon herself to bring the brand to the Allen-Plano area after she and her family chose to relocate to Texas.

“As one of the original ‘Best in Class moms’ I have seen firsthand the progress and triumphs achieved in their classrooms. Through my experience, I hope to inspire families here in the Allen-Plano to seize that same success,” Venkat said.  “Competition exists in the educational segment, but while other programs offer repetitive and outdated curriculum, we emphasize critical-thinking and cultivate an environment that nurtures student growth.”

Best in Class was founded on the simple goal of providing the best education possible to each student entering its classroom doors.  The brand’s reputation as the leader in supplemental education has held true through Lam’s tailored curriculum and the centers’ emphasis on cognitive learning. Materials used in class highlight reasoning, critical thinking, and problem solving, allowing students to retain information well beyond their adolescent academic years. This all-inclusive approach has elevated Best in Class to be the parents’ brand of choice when looking for high quality complementary education.

“Our ability to grow nationally is a direct result of the success we’ve seen in each child, in each classroom, across each state,” Lam said. “With the opening of our Allen-Plano location, we hope to inspire the minds of those who come into our centers and we take great pride in knowing that one day, these students will have the potential to achieve great things.”  

Best in Class currently has 25 centers operating in California, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. The brand is looking to open additional high-caliber education centers throughout the U.S.  

Franchisee Spotlight: Priya Venkat, Plano, Texas

Priya Venkat, 41, moved to Seattle, Washington at the age of 24 and received her bachelors and master’s in biochemistry. She has been involved in the healthcare industry for 14 years, seven of which were spent at the University of Washington Medical Center as a researcher in the field of fertility and clinical lab work. Post her involvement with the University of Washington, she also spent seven years with Seattle Reproductive Medicine managing multiple labs in the IVF-In vitro fertilization field.  

Venkat considers herself as “the original Best in Class mom,” because she first heard about the program six years ago when looking for tutoring options for her own children. After toting around parent-teacher conferences and checking her children’s homework, she became alarmingly aware that the education her children were receiving in school fell short. Searching for more advanced classes for her kids, she began researching programs in Seattle and it was clear that Best in Class was the superior option.

After visiting Kumon and other “household name” centers, Venkat was convinced that their curriculums were outdated, repetitive and didn’t offer the necessary strength to uphold advanced lessons. In 2007, she brought her four-year-old to Best in Class and has never doubted her decision since. It was her first-person experience as a mother that inspired her to open her own center in Plano-Allen, TX, a mere four months after relocating to the state for her husband’s job.  Venkat notes the material, style of teaching, length of classroom time and overall dedication that Best in Class offers is unbeatable.

Currently in the United States, there is a rising concern among employers seeking qualified workers that the job pool is coming up short. To address this issue, the United States government created the Skills for America’s Future because the U.S Jobs Council saw a glaring need for employees to demonstrate more advanced skills, specifically in the math, engineering and science fields.

“About 40 years ago, only one in four jobs required more than a high school education, but now about two in three jobs require more training. And workers now really need to think of learning as a lifelong task. That's a huge shift from the days when you did one job that never changed for one employer and then you retired.” (The Atlantic 8/13) http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/08/why-jobs-go-unfilled-even-in-times-of-high-unemployment/278801/

Venkat hopes to tackle this problem at the local level and get kids passionate, interested and ready to learn at a young age. After doing market research in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, it was clear that Venkat had an opportunity to bring something new to the area. She visited school districts, reviewed classroom curriculum and vetted enrichment programs – nothing matched the teaching style of Best in Class. Best in Class emphasizes critical thinking while others focus on repetitive learning.

Venkat is confident that parents will notice the leaping triumphs their kids will achieve with Best in Class and has decided to take a permanent detour in her career in biotechnology to pursue this project full-time, “I’ve seen this work with my own children. I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t see their mental abilities grow with Best in Class. I am a mother first, a business owner second,” she said. Both of Venkat’s children have benefited from Best in Class Education; her song has been part of the gifted program in Seattle and has been accepted to the gifted program in Texas as well. They will continue supplementing their classroom education with Best in Class curriculum. 

Back to School: Best in Class Education Center Enters School Year with Eye on Growth

Proven Education Franchise Launches Plan to Increase National Presence

SEATTLE – For the past 19 years, Best in Class Education Center (Best in Class) has not only served as the brand’s name, but as the ultimate model and standard for success in the educational field.

The growing franchise’s success is the result of CEO and Chairman Hao Lam’s love for teaching fused with his profound approach to and delivery of student curriculum. Leaving Canada with only his pickup truck and an impending stack of student loans, Lam set his sights on Seattle. In 1995, he opened his first Best in Class center, committing himself to providing quality education to his students.

He has since grown the franchise to include centers in Washington, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon and California. With ambitious plans to open in 46 states, Best in Class shows no signs of slowing.

“Best in Class is not an educational business to me. It is a lifestyle that I have cultivated and put all my energy into since its inception,” Lam said. “My goal is to not only supplement and enrich the learning process, but to make sure that each student that comes to us is given the necessary personal attention he or she deserves. The success of our previous students proves to me that I’m in the right field. This is what I was meant to do.”

Focusing on the individual needs of students through its tailored curriculum, Best in Class is a top-of-the-line educational enrichment program that focuses on math and English. With close attention placed on standardized tests, including SAT, ACT, ITBS and CogAT, Best in Class is positioned as the industry’s passionate providers of complementary education to elementary, middle and high school students. To achieve the brand’s philosophy of motivating and helping students to develop comprehensive analytical skills, Lam has created programs that emphasize understanding and long-term retention. Best in Class invests tremendous time and resources into research and development, ensuring the most comprehensive and supportive materials. 

Aligning with its commitment as a top-tier educational program, all Best in Class educators must have college educations in their individual field of instruction, which is not a requirement at competing educational centers.

Many Best in Class students test in the top two percentile of their respective class, and student success stories range from JD degrees to Ph.D.’s. Teachers stay on top of each student’s progress by tracking their evaluations and projects from beginning to end and hand-grading all assignments. Best in Class also offers special support to students who are struggling, and helps them not only catch up to their classmates, but surpass them.

Hands-on instruction throughout the class period ensures that students achieve proficiency of the syllabus and concepts. In addition to professional assistance, Best in Class provides students with consistently updated educational materials to supplement verbal instruction, allowing teachers to measure progress and mastery of core curriculum.

“Our educational program is all-encompassing with enriched and ample study materials, weekly evaluations, thorough preparation and small classrooms to establish an area for individualized study and success,” Laura Samorano, Best in Class Operations Manager and Head of English Development, said. “Our faculty teaches because we wholeheartedly want to spread the gift of education, and the success of our students is of the utmost importance. Giving a child the skill set to be productive – both personally and professionally – is our ultimate reward.”

Best in Class also offers the best possible opportunity in the sector. With start-up costs ranging between $50,000 and $100,000 per center, Best in Class provides franchisees a minimal-risk option packaged with a rewarding experience. Scholastic materials are stored on an internal database and printed each week, so that inventory is minimized. Additionally, each franchisee is provided with territory protection; this ensures corporate support and abundant opportunity in local markets. The availability of many geographic regions and the quality of the brand set Best in Class apart as a premier option for future franchisees across the country.

“This is only the tip of the education iceberg. Our growth and success is continuing to build, and after people experience the quality of our unique program, I have no doubt we will be in business across the country,” Lam said. “Quality education is something that courses not only through Best in Class’ philosophy, but through our hearts, and our expansion will only elevate the opportunities we have to raise awareness and spread our process throughout the nation.”

ABOUT BEST IN CLASS EDUCATION CENTER

Based in Seattle, Best in Class ensures that it can “Give the Gift of a Lifetime,” and is dedicated to providing superior supplemental education to guarantee students’ individual success. The brand’s thoughtful methods, quality instructors and customizable approach have garnered great attention and traction in the educational market. Best in Class’ unique approach begins with CEO Hao Lam’s passion for teaching and his steadfast commitment to programs of the highest quality that produce results. With emphasis on closely monitored progress of well-designed curriculum and materials, students engage in critical thinking and gain skills that are vital for future professional and developmental achievement. The brand is looking for franchisees in 46 states, allowing the gift of education to spread into new markets. To learn more about the leading education franchise, please visit http://bestinclasseducation.com/.

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