8/8/2013
Dear Members of House of Prayer and the surrounding community,
It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you, that on Monday, August 12 the House of Prayer Preschool Board along with Preschool Director Jody Doree met to discuss the potential need to close our Preschool. After considerable conversation and deliberation, the board made the difficult decision to recommend closing the school. I believe that we are all saddened by this situation, and that we will need to find ways to celebrate what this school has meant to the people of House of Prayer, to thank those who have attended and participated in its success, and to find ways together to grieve this loss.
The events that led to this decision, as I was made aware by Jan Stiles current Board Chairperson, are many and began years before my time began at House of Prayer. More recently changes in funding laws and access to education laws have opened up opportunities for more families to use “free” public education which also includes bus transportation to and from school for preschoolers. These new offering have made it difficult to compete with public school offerings. As a result, our registered enrollment for fall 2013, as of Monday, August 9, 2013, was only 9 students. For our school to bring in the funding needed to cover cost and to maintain a minimum of two teachers/staff required for licensing, we would need around 20 students. As a result the board has made the hard decision to recommend the council vote to close our Preschool doors. On Tuesday, August 13, the council accepted this recommendation and has formally acted to close House of Prayer Preschool.
Director Jody Doree has personally contacted each family to break the news to them, aid them in finding alternative school options, and has contacted lead teacher April Johnson to inform her of the school’s closing. In addition, the Council and Preschool Board have offered a small severance package for both Jody and April and connected them with placement services to help in their transition to new employment.
Please join me in offering prayers; for the children and their successful transition to a new school, for the successful transition to new employment for our preschool director Jody Doree, teacher April Johnson and thanksgiving for their faithful and committed service, and also for our Preschool Board Members Jan S., Kris G., Judy K., and bookkeeper Dave B. for helping make these difficult decisions on our behalf.
May God bless each of you and the ministry of House of Prayer,
Pastor Dan Streeper