Roz M. - Center Administrator

“The Metro North Children's Learning Center was a preschool and out of school time program. It was open year round and served approximately 100 students daily. The Center employed 25 educators in the best of times and 15 by the time the decision was made to close, permanently. As with most operating in this sector finances were always a struggle. Families would be late with payments, the state subsidy, from time to time, would come late which raised blood pressure not knowing if payroll would be met. it was a daily challenge to manage a budget that always managed to derail with some unforeseen issue.”

“Our staff were highly educated and knew how to administer a quality, developmentally appropriate, play based program with curriculum that both challenged young children's minds and promoted healthy social development. It was not easy to make a decision this big as we all knew we were letting families down. However, the economics just didn't work even with a round of payroll protection money.”

“Subsidy payments need to be consistent and on time, all the time. Respect for the work in the community programs needs wide recognition along with pay equity with public school counter parts, especially when community programs have the same highly educated educators.”