When Cathlene Schwartzbeck took ownership of Sylvan Learning centers in Albany and Clifton Park in March, it was more than just a business transaction — it was a career coming full circle.
Schwartzbeck started her professional journey in education as a part-time teacher at the Sylvan Albany location in 2001. At the time, she didn’t know much about Sylvan, which has provided supplemental and enrichment education for students pre K-12 in the Capital District since the 1990s, nationally for more than four decades, and today has more than 710 locations all over the globe. She thought it was just a bridge to her dream job as an elementary school teacher. But Schwartzbeck soon fell in love with Sylvan’s individualized approach to helping each student based on their specific needs and abilities.
“At Sylvan, you get to dive in and give each kid the attention they need and deserve,” says Schwartzbeck. “Classroom teachers want to do this, but when you have 15 to 25 students in your class, there isn’t always time for that individualization.”
The connection between instructor and student is why she got into teaching in the first place. The daughter of a teacher, Schwartzbeck was excitedly helping children she babysat with their homework while she was still in high school. She lived to witness what she calls “that light bulb moment.”
“I’ve been honored to witness that moment when something they’re working on suddenly makes sense,” says Schwartzbeck. “It’s really rewarding to see things start to click for a kid.”
Schwartzbeck went to college to study elementary education. But upon her graduation, she quickly found that teaching jobs were hard to come by right out of school with only a bachelor’s degree. She tried substituting in nearby elementary schools, but it wasn’t the best fit for someone longing to build relationships with their students and their families.
That’s when she discovered Sylvan.
At Sylvan, she saw how teachers really got to know each student and set up a personalized approach to their education to supplement what the child was learning at school. She was able to work with both kids who were struggling to keep up with their class and those who were already advanced and looking for new challenges outside of their classrooms. Her entire workday was bright with “light bulb” moments.
Within a month of her being at the Albany location, a full-time position came open, and Schwartzbeck jumped at it. The small, mom-and-pop atmosphere of the franchise also offered Schwartzbeck the opportunity to work closely with the owner and staff and broaden her knowledge of the business side of things. She quickly found she had a talent for it.
“I realized that I’m passionate about education, but I have a knack for the business,” she says. “So, I went back to get my MBA.”
While she went to grad school, Schwartzbeck continued to work at Sylvan, which gave her the flexibility to try her hand at various positions. She worked as Educational Coordinator and Center Director, Training Manager, and Community Outreach Coordinator. Upon graduation, she left to gain experience with other education companies, including a charter school and an education-based travel company, to see how they operated. But her heart was always with Sylvan, and she stayed in contact with many of the friends she worked with there – many of whom still work at the local centers.
Schwartzbeck decided it was time to return to her roots. When the opportunity came up, she began the process to purchase the franchises, where she now works with many of the same people she worked with 10 years ago — a testament to both the loyalty Sylvan engenders and how much people who are passionate about education believe in the Sylvan approach.
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Schwartzbeck is excited to continue that approach and work with local schools to tackle the most daunting challenge facing students today: Catching up and getting back on track after missing school and remote learning during the pandemic.
“Our kids are still healing from Covid,” says Schwartzbeck. “Educators are so passionate, but they just can’t do it all. That’s why we’re here to support the teachers in the Capital District. We’re here to help.”
Learn more about Sylvan Learning Albany here and Sylvan Learning Clifton Park here.