Meet Laura and Paul Stechmesser — proud Franchise Owners of Primrose School of Druid Hills. As with everyone in the Primrose Schools family, the Stechmessers believe that who children become is as important as what they know. They are excited to bring the thoughtful curriculum and impressive character-building focus of the Balanced Learning^® approach to the Druid Hills community.

“When we had our first child, it was a challenge to find nurturing child care with an educational component in our neighborhood,” said Laura. “A friend of mine told me how well her children were doing at Primrose; not only were they excelling academically, but they were building life skills and good character as well. I knew that was exactly what we needed in the Druid Hills community.”

A Clemson graduate and a University of Tennessee alum, Laura and Paul met in Atlanta and have been married for more than 10 years. They are incredibly proud of their three children: Lilly, Luke and the newest edition, Mary Hazel. Paul manages the Coca-Cola Studios design team at The Coca-Cola Company. Laura left a prosperous career in logistics and supply chain management to fulfill her dream of owning a Primrose school in her beloved community. Laura and Paul are long-time supporters of Blueprint 58, a community-based mentoring program that serves some of Atlanta’s most at-risk children in the Adair Park and Pittsburgh neighborhoods. They plan to increase their support of local charities serving Atlanta through Primrose Promise™, the charitable giving arm of Primrose Schools.

“We love this community and are invested in helping children grow into future leaders,” said Laura. “Parents here genuinely value education, and Paul and I are confident that the high-quality, Balanced Learning curriculum at Primrose Schools is uniquely positioned to set up local children for future success in school and in life. When our children are equipped with the tools they need to thrive, the whole community benefits.”

The school will feature the Balanced Learning curriculum in infant through Pre-Kindergarten classrooms and the Primrose Explorers after-school program for students up to age 10. All three of Laura and Paul’s children attend the school in the Primrose Explorers program and the Early Preschool program. Developed and taught exclusively at Primrose Schools, the research-informed curriculum blends purposeful play with nurturing guidance to develop curious, compassionate and creative individuals.

“For our family, opening Primrose School of Druid Hills is a proud moment, and we’re excited to give back to a loving community that has given us so much,” said Laura. “We want to welcome parents, teachers, community members and students alike to our Primrose family!”