MOUNT SEYMOUR PRESCHOOL WILL BE CLOSING PERMANENTLY IN JUNE 2021

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REGISTRATION AND PRESCHOOL 

UDPATE:

April 16th Update

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Dear Families,

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We are writing to provide an update on our preschool subsequent to our email of April 6th, 2021. 

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As previously communicated to you, we have had severe struggles in the past few months:

• Finding a location has been impossible despite contacting many facilities

• We do not have any returning staff members for next year

• Enrolment stands at 36% when it would historically be 100% with a healthy waitlist

In the past few weeks we have made one last effort to see if a portable classroom could be engineered on the church’s property, but have found that it is not financially or logistically possible.

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Given the above, it is with great sadness that Mount Seymour Preschool will be closing at the end of this school year (in June 2021). The preschool will not be open for the 2021-2002 school year. 

Any changes to the preschool calendar in terms of last days of school will be communicated to families in the coming weeks. Full refunds including registration fees and deposits will be prepared and will be available in due course. 

We sincerely thank all of you for your patience while we navigated this difficult situation. We appreciate that some of you may be scrambling for alternative arrangements for the 2021-2022 school year and for that we are deeply sorry. In this regard, below is a list of neighbouring preschools that we are aware of:

1. North Shore Child Care Center https://www.northshorechildcare.ca/

2. Seymour Heights PPP https://seymourheightspreschool.org/

3. Deep Cove PPP https://www.deepcoveppp.com/

4. Windridge Preschool http://www.windridgeparkchildcare.ca/

5. Sunshine Cove Preschool http://www.sunshinecovepreschool.ca/

6. Mamalina's Montessori Preschool http://www.sunshinecovepreschool.ca/

I personally want to thank the few board members that we have as well as our Administrator for their efforts in attempting to keep the school running beyond this year.

Regards,

Ken Neal
President
On behalf of the Mount Seymour Preschool Board of Directors 

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April 7th Update:

Staffing Update

Teacher Jenn has decided not to return to the preschool for the 2021/2022 as her family will be moving back to Ontario. We are thankful to end this year with Jenn and wish her all the best in her future plans. Should the preschool move forward, we will be hiring an entire new staff.

Enrolment Update

Usually at this time of year our enrolment is 100% for the following year with a healthy waitlist. Last year at this time, even in the midst of the pandemic, enrolment for the following year was at 85%. Currently, enrolment for the 2021/2022 school year is at 46%. Given the uncertainty of our situation along with the news in this email, we expect further withdrawals for September unless we secure a new location. At these low enrolment numbers, it isn't financially viable to remain open, even if we reduce teaching staff.

Location Update

Our Board has worked tirelessly to find a new location in the area and so far has been unsuccessful. The Board has contacted all of the churches in the area, the North Vancouver Recreation and Culture Commission St. Pius X. Elementary School, and the North Vancouver School District to name a few. The Board has also posed some questions to Mount Seymour United Church (MSUC) about the possibility of having a portable placed on the property for the preschool. MSUC is holding a board meeting on April 15th and will discuss our questions and ideas.

Community Support Update

Despite our requests for assistance we have not received any support from families or the larger community in terms of joining the Board or assisting with moving the preschool. We will also be down to one Board member after the Annual General Meeting in October 2021.

We are facing challenges on all fronts: location, enrolment for September, staffing and Board involvement. Pending what we hear back from MSUC and if we have not had success securing a new location by April 16, 2021, unfortunately we feel the responsible choice is to close the preschool at the end of the current school year (June 2021).

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We appreciate your support and understanding while we navigate this situation. Please stay tuned for a further update on or after April 16th.

March 18th Update:

On February 25th, Mount Seymour United Church advised us that our lease would be terminated in June 2022. On March 18th we held a Special General Meeting for our society members to vote on options for the preschool going forward. It was decided that the preschool will remain open for the 2021/2022 school year and that the Board of Directors will continue to search for a a new location for 2022/2023 and beyond. 

Registration for the 2021/2022 is open and we are excited to meet you and your family!

VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE

If you missed our Open House on January 25th, please take a look at our Virtual Open House below, or contact us to make a tour appointment.