Daycare & Preschool in Cherry Hill, NJ

Hello, and thank you for your interest in Lightbridge Academy of Cherry Hill! We are a proud New Jersey-based childcare franchise operated by co-owners Kal Patel and Peter Patel.

My name is Rachel Hines, and I am honored to serve as the Center Director here at Lightbridge Academy. I joined the Lightbridge team in May of 2025, bringing with me over 15 years of experience in early childhood education. My professional background is rooted in teaching, leadership, and a deep love for helping children grow and thrive.

In addition to holding degrees in education, I’m also a proud Lightbridge mom to a toddler son. As both a parent and an educator, I understand the importance of finding a place where children feel safe, supported, and inspired to learn. That’s why I’m so passionate about the work we do here each day.

Joining the Lightbridge Academy family has allowed me to fully align with a company whose core values—parent partnership, a culture of care, integrity, excellence, and a focus on the whole child—mirror my own. My goal is to make sure every child feels at home while building a strong foundation for their future.

Thank you for considering Lightbridge Academy. It’s a joy and an honor to be part of your family's early education journey.


The Lightbridge Academy Circle of Care is more than just a philosophy and our core values are more than just a poster on the wall. They are built on a foundation of family values. You can trust that the Lightbridge Academy staff strives to be living examples of these every day. Our center offers programs for children ages 6 weeks through Pre-K. Families enjoy state-of-the-art technology including a Biometric Fingerprint Entry, Interactive Whiteboards, ParentView® Internet Monitoring, and Tadpoles; our E-Communication system. These tools all help us reach our goal of keeping parents connected to our center and their child. Our Seedling curriculum will create a solid foundation for a life-long love of learning. It is designed to help infants, toddlers, and preschool children meet key developmental milestones. We also incorporate American Sign Language into our daily routines, Musical Beginnings fosters music appreciation in even our youngest learners, Interactive Whiteboard Technology makes learning come alive in our Pre-K classrooms and throw in our super fun extracurricular activities‚ that is what makes learning at Lightbridge Academy an extraordinary experience. Hope to meet you soon!