Child Care Center Closing

(KNSI) – A child care center in St. Cloud is closing its doors for good on Wednesday.

Parents with kids at Little Saints Academy’s St. Cloud Campus found out in a letter on Monday that the campus will close.

Donna’s 16-month-old son Leo goes to daycare at the St. Cloud facility and was surprised by the letter.

“I was a little bit upset, outraged, I got a bit red that it was only two days notice.”

The letter states that the St. Cloud campus will be combined with the campus in St. Joseph.

“The biggest concern is new faces at this age. They’re comfortable with people they know, so I’m not sure how he’ll do,” said Donna.

She says she’s disappointed she’ll have to drive her son to St. Joe for child care or look at other options.

“It was a great campus, I love Little Saints, I love the staff, I’m not angry at them that they had to make this decision, I’m just mad that it had to go to this.”

Little Saints says the St. Cloud Area School District isn’t willing to sell the building to the child care facility at a reasonable price.

The daycare says the old Wilson School needs to be rehabilitated after years of neglect by the district.

The letter states, while the school district publicly stated their goal was to work with Little Saints Academy to keep child care in the building, it’s clear the district was more interested in an inflated price tag rather than the best use for the community.

Little Saints says they’ve made several offers for the building that have been turned down with no counter offer.

Starting Monday, November 26th, the two campuses will be combined into one at the St. Joseph building, 124 1st Avenue Southeast, in St. Joseph. The building is owned by the city of St. Joseph.

There’s room for nearly all students from the St. Cloud campus but unfortunately, there’s only room for 12 Infants.

Full-time families will have first priority.

Little Saints Academy will be hosting an All-Day Open House on Wednesday, November 21st from 8am-7pm for families to visit the St. Joseph campus.

If families can’t make the Open House but know you would like to enroll, send an email to LSAenrollment@gmail.com.

Read the letter sent to parent, here.

A message was left with the St. Cloud School District seeking their response to the letter.