LCGI Learning Care Grp. (MM)

Tutor Time welcomed a new kid to its class of franchise schools last week. The center, located in Portugal's capital of Lisbon, is the first Tutor Time Learning Center in the European market. "We are very excited to see the Tutor Time brand expand into the Portuguese child care and early education market," said Bill Davis, President and CEO of Learning Care Group (NASDAQ:LCGI), parent company of Tutor Time. "As we have seen in our other international franchise schools, Tutor Time's strong academic reputation and emphasis on caring for the whole child can be successfully translated into other cultures." The center, which is owned and operated by master franchisee Teresa Prazeres, already has enrolled 40 children into its program after just one week of operation. "Our first week of operation was extremely successful," explained Prazeres. "And, most importantly, the children are really enjoying themselves and the new Tutor Time LifeSmart(TM) curriculum--parents are thrilled by their children's smooth transition." Over the past year, Tutor Time's education department developed the Tutor Time LifeSmart(TM)curriculum, reflecting the latest research in early childhood education and development. It incorporates basic tenets most recently put forth by Dr. Howard Gardner of Harvard University regarding the developmental theory of "multiple intelligences." "We recognize all young children need to build foundations in traditional content areas, like reading and math, and we continue to provide children with the tools they need to be successful in these areas," stated Richard Cohen, M.A., vice president of Education. "However, research tells us that some children have higher musical or interpersonal skills than others. We have created a curriculum that provides active learning opportunities in each of the eight Tutor Time 'Smarts'." Looking forward, Prazeres will be focused on both improving her center's operations, while at the same time growing the number of Tutor Time franchise schools in Portugal. "Our entire center staff is committed to providing the highest quality child care and early education center possible," commented Prazeres. "Moving forward, we will be using our Tutor Time master franchisee status to recruit new franchisees. We are confident that the Tutor Time brand can be successfully expanded throughout Portugal." About Tutor Time, LLC and Learning Care Group, Inc. Tutor Time Learning Centers, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Learning Care Group, Inc., and is composed of 132 franchise locations and 69 corporate centers. Learning Care Group, Inc. is the parent company of Tutor Time Learning Centers and Childtime Learning Centers. As one of the nation's premier child care providers, the Company has grown into a network of 459 centers, including operations in 25 states and internationally. For more information on Tutor Time or Learning Care Group please call 248-697-9000 or visit www.tutortime.com or www.learningcaregroup.com.