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June 29, 2005

Child care center closing

I'm always surprised to learn that a north High Point child care center is closing because it seems like a center is such a sure bet in a place filled with families where new neighborhoods are being built all the time.

But one of them has closed: The Children's Center, run by Oakview Baptist Church. You can read the story below. If you're searching for quality child care in your area, the Guilford Child Development Center can help with placement. The center can be reached at 887-8224 or at www.ucdccip.org

Thirteen months after The Children's Center opened, parents and staff learned the child care center would close for financial reasons.
The faith-based center at north High Point's Oak View Baptist Church will close Aug. 12, leaving 27 teachers and administrators without jobs and forcing the parents of 60 children to find a new child care option.
"Looking for child care is such an emotional decision because your child is your life," said Jackie Todd, whose 2-year-old son, Wade, has been at The Children's Center for about a year. She's now spending her days making calls and visits to other High Point child care centers.
Todd and other Children's Center clients learned Friday that the center would close.
The center's director, Blake Aldridge, also got the news last week.
"We're not too happy. It was out of the blue," Aldridge said.
The decision to close The Children's Center was made by Oak View Baptist's finance committee and deacons, according to the Rev. Steve Smith, the church's pastor.
The center loses money each month, Smith said.
Smith said he wishes the church did not have to close the center. He is calling other area child care centers to find those with immediate openings.
There are about 20 other centers in north High Point.
The main problem, Smith said, was child-teacher ratios enforced by the state. The ratios meant a lot was spent on employee costs, Smith said.
The church originally launched the center because it has a large number of families with young children in the congregation.
The Children's Center is licensed for up to 135 children, but has fewer than half that number enrolled.
"We're a church, not a day care," Smith said. "We were trying to provide that service, but it just didn't work out financially. I hate it for everyone. But that's where we're at."

Posted by at June 29, 2005 11:37 AM