Lakewood Preschool Abruptly Closes Its Doors

Lakewood Beginnings Child Development Center is closing its doors after 59 years of serving the city’s preschoolers.

About 60 students — from toddlers to 5-year-olds — will be displaced, and an estimated 11 employees will lose their jobs.

In a prepared statement, the LBCDC board of trustees announced that the center is shutting its doors “effective immediately,” adding that the program is financially “insolvent.”

“This was not an easy decision to make,” according to the statement. “The board recognizes the difficult position this creates for employees and the families served by the center.

"However, given the economic realities of the center, the Board could not find viable alternatives that would meet the needs of employees, families and vendors.”

Kate Sala, the secretary for the LBCDC board of trustees, said the board met "several times over the past week to try to find another option, but were not able to make the numbers work."

One parent told Lakewood Patch that both of her sons attended the school.

“They said it was due to financial issues, which it's clear they've had trouble with for awhile,” she said, “but what a horrible way to handle it.”

“We really liked it and it was so convent because both of my sons could go to one place.”

The school, located at 14321 Detroit Avenue, was founded in 1953 as a nursery school, and grew into a child daycare center licensed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

According to the statement, families that need assistance with making new child care arrangements are asked to contact the city’s Division of Early Childhood at 216-529-5018.

“All families with children attending the center will need to make alternate child care arrangements,” according to the statement. “The board is in the process of notifying stakeholders.”

The board has attempted to notify all families, but “encountered some issues with the contact information on file,” according to the statement.

The school will open from 10 a.m. to noon and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday for parents to stop by and pick up their children’s belongings.