Harlem's Riverside Church announces Weekday School closure. Families are fighting to reverse the decision.
NEW YORK — Families in Morningside Heights are rallying to save the nursery school inside the historic Riverside Church of New York.
The church announced this week it would close the Weekday School after serving neighborhood children ages 2-5 for 95 years.
"What does that say to the Harlem community?"
"The teachers are one-of-a-kind," said Erin Amato, whose two daughters attend. "It's not just a school for them. It's a home."
Church member Kristi Giles homeschooled her daughters before it was time for the youngest to enroll.
"The Weekday has actually changed our mind about school," Giles said. "It's got free play, art classes, music, everything that we would hope for in a school, and we've just been overblown by the positive experience we've had."
The mothers were among the parents blindsided by news that the church board voted to close the school next summer.
"The reason we come to this church is because it's a social justice church, and if you're taking away a cornerstone of child care, what does that say to the Harlem community?" asked Giles.
"They have certainly weathered many financial storms over the last almost century, and why now?" added Amato. "Why without an appeal to the community?"
Change.org petition started to save Weekday School
Riverside Church responded in a statement, saying in part, "The decision to close the School was extremely difficult and only made after careful consideration over several years. A number of factors, including free pre-k and declining enrollment, have significantly impacted the ability of the School to continue and to fulfill its mission."
New York state marks parts of Morningside Heights as a child care desert, with more than 10 children for each available day care slot. That is just one reason families are scrambling to save the school.
"The admissions processes for private and public schools are coming to a close in a few weeks, and it will ultimately impact the families who receive financial assistance the most, going against the core mission of the church," Amato explained.
The parents are collecting signatures on a Change.org petition, aiming to change the minds of the church board.
"Our current parents are alumni of the school," said Amato. "The investment is real."
They hope for a reversal of the vote to keep the school open for another century of child care.
The Change petition has collected more than 500 signatures since it launched on Monday. To sign, click here.
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