Kiddie Academy® of New Lenox now under new ownership

Local entrepreneurs operating second Chicago-area Academy location

NEW LENOX, Ill., June 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelly Harper and Chris Grahn, owners of Kiddie Academy^® of Lemont, are the new owner-operators of Kiddie Academy of New Lenox, having acquired the franchise location in March upon the previous owner's retirement. As multi-unit owners, they customize each Academy to serve the needs of its respective community. The couple has a third location under development in Lockport.

"New Lenox is in the perfect spot for parents who work on the Silver Cross Hospital campus, especially since we offer a 6 a.m. drop off," said Harper. "It's also well positioned to provide drop-in care for at-home caregivers to spend a few hours enjoying the amenities of the new Crossroads Sports Complex, directly adjacent to our center."

Kiddie Academy of New Lenox is a state-of-the-art facility featuring 10 classrooms and a large playground located at 674 Cedar Crossings Drive. Along with Kiddie Academy of Lemont, located at 15907 127th Street, Harper and Grahn serve a combined 310 children and employ 41 educators in the Chicago area.

Harper, a mother of four, holds an MBA with a concentration in entrepreneurship and a background in legal-technology sales. Grahn brings his expertise in technology to Academy operations, hosting synchronized holiday light shows to enhance the family experience. Harper and Grahn seek to improve the quality of educational child care offerings in Chicagoland, which led them to pursue a career in early childhood education franchise ownership. When Harper and Grahn opened Kiddie Academy of Lemont in 2021, it was recognized as the New Academy of the Year across the Kiddie Academy system.

As Chicago natives, the couple understands the importance of being fully immersed in the community, sponsoring Little League in nearby Joliet and supporting several New Lenox community events.

"We want to meet parents where they are in the New Lenox, Lemont and Lockport neighborhoods we serve with quality educational programs," Grahn said.

For more information, visit kiddieacademy.com/new-lenox.

About Kiddie Academy^®
Since its inception in 1981, the Kiddie Academy system has been recognized as a leading brand in educational child care. The company serves families and their children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old, offering full- and part-time care, before- and after-school care, and summer camp programs, through the Kiddie Academy system. Kiddie Academy's proprietary Life Essentials^® Curriculum, supporting programs, methods, activities, and techniques help prepare children for life. The company's philanthropic efforts, including support of national nonprofit Family Promise, take character education lessons learned in the classroom beyond Academy walls. Kiddie Academy Domestic Franchising, LLC has also received corporate accreditation from the globally recognized Cognia accreditation system, signifying its commitment to quality education and the highest standards in child care. For more information, visit kiddieacademy.com or find Kiddie Academy on Facebook at Facebook.com/KiddieAcademy.

About Kiddie Academy Domestic Franchising, LLC
Kiddie Academy Domestic Franchising, LLC is based in Maryland. There are currently more than 350 open Academies in the Kiddie Academy system, located in 40 states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 38,000 children. Each franchised location in the Kiddie Academy system is an independently owned and operated business. For more information, visit franchising.kiddieacademy.com.

Media Contact:
Taylor Castillejo, APR
[email protected]
865.257.0026

SOURCE Kiddie Academy