Our New Look

If you already know about the School of Rock you may know that our original official name was the "Paul Green School of Rock Music." We recently shortened our name to just "School of Rock," and created a new logo, consistent with our core identify, our internet address (www.schoolofrock.com) and the name used daily by our staff, students and parents. This change is part of an ongoing growth plan for the company, reflecting a recent investment by Sterling Partners.

As an early stage company that has been clawing through its start up stage, we have been raising capital along the way. Like many firms with great ideas, we have some amazingly supportive friends / investors who believed in us and in the spirit of the great work we were doing. However, our ambitious growth plans and the changing economic landscape required us to seek out an institutional partner that would provide us the secure financial backbone that we needed to support our vision. It also happens that Sterling is unlike most private equity firms. They have built their niche in education and have a keen sense of what it takes to scale and support multi-unit businesses. They also think like operators, not like bankers. What does that mean? It means they take a longer view of what it takes to build special businesses and they provide strategic, operational and structural support to their portfolio investments that truly differentiates them from their peers. We are very lucky to have found them and developed our relationship.

With the investment by Sterling Partners, Paul Green was asked to stay on as a consultant to the company. Paul also announced his desire to continue working with former School of Rock students over 18 years of age in a venture named StudioHouse. StudioHouse offers the opportunity for graduates of our schools who want to work on recording and studio engineering to develop rock albums for themselves and their bands.

See below to read more about the investment by Sylvan.

THE PAUL GREEN SCHOOL OF ROCK MUSIC RECEIVES GROWTH CAPITAL INVESTMENT FROM STERLING PARTNERS

Private Equity Firm Behind Sylvan Learning Centers Invests in the National Leader in Performance-Based Music Education

New York, NY - (July 7, 2009) The Paul Green School of Rock Music (or "School of Rock"), recognized for changing the way music is taught in America, today announced that it has received a growth capital investment from Sterling Partners. The capital will be used to provide the resources, systems and tools necessary to build additional performance-based music schools to serve the growing interest from students around the country. The investment will also help enhance the company's brand and fine tune the consumer experience.

Sterling Partners, a leading private equity firm with core competency in education, helped build Sylvan Learning Centers into a top tier national brand. Their investment in School of Rock demonstrates the belief they have in the brand and its future growth and development potential.

The Paul Green School of Rock Music first opened its doors in Philadelphia in1998 and has since grown to 49 schools (both company-owned and franchised) around the country. Considered the original and premier performance-based rock music school, the School of Rock offers an innovative program that includes both private lessons and performance-based teaching that generates dramatic results and high consumer appeal. The students from School of Rock have performed in front of two million people in shows coast to coast, including both community-based concerts and a national touring group, the School of Rock All-Stars. The School of Rock All-Stars have performed with Eddie Vedder, Alice Cooper, Ann Wilson, Peter Frampton and Perry Farrell and have served as the back-up touring band for Jon Anderson of Yes.

The growth capital investment from Sterling Partners forecasts a bright future for the business, according to School of Rock CEO Matt Ross, "I am extremely excited about our new partnership with Sterling. The financial investment is vital but Sterling is also known for providing intellectual capital and strategic resources that will go a long way in helping us develop a world-class brand. Our customers, our franchise operators and our employees will all see a measurably improved system in the near term and a company that is committed to innovation and the highest quality service over the long term."

Founder Paul Green added, "I am proud to partner with an investment firm that has shown the ability to grow businesses to their full potential while keeping them true to their original vision. Thanks to Sterling Partners, we will now be able to give the gift of rock to children all over the country—and eventually the world."

"In School of Rock, we see an innovative, differentiated and proven method of inspiring children to pursue a passion for music", commented Sterling Partners Principal, Shoshana Vernick. "Paul Green and Matt Ross have done an excellent job laying the foundation of this business. We believe with Sterling's partnership, the current business is poised to achieve significant growth, and deliver the gift of music to students for years to come."