DENVER — Montessori School of Washington Park is in danger of closing after receiving unexpected notice its lease would not be renewed.
The non-profit private school in Denver serves 75 children, 50 families and 13 staff members, according to the school's board.
Montessori School of Washington Park said its toddler program has been an option for many parents amid the high demand for childcare in Colorado.
Montessori School of Washington Park President Anne Lee McCrae said there are 72 children on the waitlist for its toddler program.
"Child care in Denver is a real issue. There is a saturation issue as far as development," said McCrae. "The average waitlist is two years for the younger kids."
The school is located at the corner of Sherman and Alameda in Denver. The building is owned by the Archdiocese of Denver and sits on the property of the St. Francis DeSales Catholic Church.
Montessori School of Washington Park has been leasing the space since 1975.
The Archdiocese of Denver sent us a statement in response to this story:
"The lease between St. Francis DeSales Catholic Church and Montessori School of Washington Park is not being renewed, and we are sorry to hear they are characterizing this as being “forced out”; the lease is expiring and the parish has chosen not to renew it according to the terms of the lease. We are in negotiations with a Catholic school to take their place, however, the details around the future of the building and its tenant have not been finalized."
The school board said under the current lease, they have to vacate the property by June 30, 2023.
"We have exhausted all options. We tried to extend our lease, and we've looked at leasing short-term areas in the neighborhood. We've looked at flipping houses into schools," said McCrae. "Unfortunately, we just can't find something that will fit. It's kind of a needle in a haystack to find this."
Demand for childcare is soaring across Colorado.
Denver Public Schools (DPS) said Colorado's Child Care Assistance Program is full. DPS had space for 6420 kids in 2021, but because of demand for full and half days, it expanded the program to accommodate 6,600 kids.
"Unfortunately it's not an ideal situation for us," said McCrae. "I do wish we had an additional year."
Montessori School of Washington Park's school board said it's hoping the community can help find a new space.
"I'm hoping that we can do a call-out for a place that's around 5 thousand square feet," said McCrae. "Play areas, a place for the children to play. A place for parents to pick up. We might face closure if we don't find a place by the end of the year."
The school board said its on a tight deadline because once they find a new location, then they have to get licensed and go through inspections which, according to the school board, is not a quick and easy process.
The school is actively looking for a new space. Anyone who would like to help or offer an available space in the Denver metro area, they are asked to email mary@mswp.org or call 303-722-7708.
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