Chicago, Illinois (January 13, 2026) Traverse Pointe Partners (“Traverse”), a private equity firm focused on the lower middle market, is pleased to announce that its portfolio company Small Miracles (“Small Miracles”), a leading multi-location early education provider, has acquired Gingerbread Schools, Inc. (“Gingerbread”), a childcare and early education company with three locations in the Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL market. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“The acquisition of Gingerbread expands our geographic footprint and presents an exciting opportunity to grow into the Florida market. We are thrilled to welcome the Gingerbread schools to the Small Miracles family” said Michael Simon, Managing Principal of Traverse. “Small Miracles was recently recognized as of one of North America’s 50 largest for-profit childcare organizations, and the Gingerbread acquisition expands us out of our home state in Arizona and into a new market, fueling our growth heading into 2026 and beyond. We have an exceptional team in place and are excited about the Company’s future prospects.”
Bill Berk, CEO of Small Miracles, said “Gingerbread was a great fit for the Small Miracles portfolio and entry into a growing Tampa, FL market. We look forward to building on the excellent standard of care that has already come to be expected by Gingerbread’s existing families and reaching more families in the community. Traverse Pointe has been an exceptional partner every step of the way. They are consistently supporting Small Miracles’ aspirations and growth plans. We are thankful for their support as we grow our business.”
About Small Miracles
Small Miracles is a leading early-learning center company that owns and operates a chain of 20 centers in one of the fastest growing areas of the country. The Company operates 10 centers in Tucson, seven centers in Phoenix, Arizona and three centers in Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL. Small Miracles serves children of ages from 6 weeks through 14 years of age. Across multiple locations, children are immersed in a variety of educational and social activities with a staff of trained and experienced educators. With its most recent acquisition, the Company has an enrollment capacity of over 2,600 children and students.
About Traverse Pointe Partners
Traverse Pointe Partners is a private equity investment firm focused on control investments in lower middle market companies. Our investment professionals and operating partners offer an array of skillsets and expertise to enhance the value of our platform investments. We partner with strong management teams, providing capital along with operational, financial and strategic support to enable organizations to maximize their potential. To date Traverse has made six platform investments and 14 add-on acquisitions.