GRAND
RAPIDS, M.I., March 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Private school owner
American Education Group (AEG) (http://www.americanedgroup.
Established
in 2007 with a joint commitment of $40 million from private equity firms
Winona Capital Management and Chicago Growth Partners, AEG's acquisition
of Little Sprouts comes after its recent purchase of Tampa Day School,
a K-8 private school in Tampa, Fla. With its initial acquisition last
spring of New Jersey-based Barnstable Academy (http://www.barnstableacademy.
"Since
opening its doors as a single child-enrichment facility in 1982, Little
Sprouts has established a reputation as the leading provider of preschool
education in the Boston area while experiencing steady growth. Having
won numerous awards for its preschool academic programming, Little Sprouts
is separating itself from the day care industry and introducing a leading
edge academic development initiative for its students," said Peter
Ruppert, founder and president of American Education Group. "This
acquisition opens additional opportunities for our company as we strive
to establish a network of exceptional private education institutions
specializing in the pre-K through high school space.
"Little
Sprouts is highly respected throughout Boston, and we plan to build
on its success to serve more children by opening new centers while exploring
opening a private elementary school to service Little Sprouts' young
graduates," added Ruppert.
For more than 25 years, Little Sprouts has been a leader in high-quality early childhood education. From its inception, the institution has been committed to offering a holistic experience for children,
combining
a stimulating atmosphere and cutting-edge curriculum with an outstanding
range of services. Founded by Susan Leger-Ferraro at the age of 17,
Little Sprouts has expanded from its humble beginnings in 1982 as a
single preschool to seven preschools serving approximately 1,200 children
each year. Ms. Leger-Ferraro will continue in her operating role as
president and she will also be a shareholder of AEG.
"We
are thrilled to create a strong alliance with AEG to ensure every child
has a chance to succeed in school and as an integrated citizen of the
world," said Ms. Leger-Ferraro. "Little Sprouts shares American
Education Group's vision and core set of values in setting a new standard
for student- centered education. As we continue our expansion, I'm confident
we will reap great benefits as part of the AEG network of schools."
Parchman,
Vaughan and Company, L.L.C. served as financial advisor to Little Sprouts
with respect to the transaction.
About
American Education Group
American
Education Group, based in Grand Rapids, MI, was founded on the belief
that private pre-k through 12th grade education has tremendous growth
opportunities as part of the American educational landscape. AEG is
building a network of nonsectarian, high-performing private college-prep
schools. As the owner and manager, AEG expects to provide numerous resources
to enhance the performance of each partner school, including capital
for growth and expansion, academic programming assistance, business
management services and marketing expertise. For more information, please
visit http://www.americanedgroup.com
Source: American Education Group