BRISTOL, Va. – A little more than a year after consolidating most of its campuses into one, Tri-Cities Christian Schools will close two of its preschool programs, on April 2.
The closures include the pre-school at North Bristol Baptist Church, 46 Church St., which has a staff of about eight and serves 40 students, and the one in Johnson City, with about 17 staff members and 77 students.
Employees at both will be laid off when the schools close.
School Board Chairman Wes Rosenbalm said Saturday that the decision to close the preschools was more difficult for the board than choosing to consolidate last year. But both decisions were driven by finances and the school’s mission.
“[We are] trying to make sure that we keep our focus on our K4-12th grade,” Rosenbalm said, “because that’s our primary charge – is educating these young men and women, getting them out in this world.”
The school board notified parents at the preschools Friday, with an e-mailed letter signed by Rosenbalm, who on Saturday apologized for the short notice.
“I wish it could have been longer, but the financial constraints just would not allow that,” he said.
In the letter, Rosenbalm explained that the consolidation plan successfully provided financial stability for the school’s Airport Campus, but not for the preschool programs.
“Both [preschool] campuses have operated in the red this year and have placed a financial hardship on the school,” Rosenbalm said in the letter. “This was a difficult decision for the board because of the families and staff that will be affected.”
Among those families is parent Leslie Hanneken and her children Jobe, who is 6 and attends the Blountville campus, and Eli, who is 4 and attends the preschool in Johnson City.
“These teachers are going to lose their jobs, and that’s a real concern for us because we love them dearly,” Hanneken said.
She also said she is worried about finding another preschool for her youngest.
“There’s a lot of competition in the area to get spots,” Hanneken said. “Typically that happens in August. So now you’re displaced in April. Where are you going to find a spot for the remainder of the school year? Where are those spots going to be available?”
Hanneken said she is off work in May, and she’ll probably rely on family during April.
“We have been so pleased with our experiences there, and it’s sad to see something so wonderful go away,” she said.
The independent, nonprofit, nondenominational Tri-Cities Christian School was founded in 1973, according to its Web site. The school was charted by the state of Tennessee, and is operated by a board of directors with a mission to serve students from preschool through 12th grade.
Rosenbalm said Saturday that the existing, consolidated K-12 campus in Blountville is thriving, in good financial condition, and is in no danger of closing. In his letter, he also said that the preschool program in Gray is financially sound, and will be able to take some of the displaced students.
Additionally, Rosenbalm said Saturday, the board is hoping that “there may be some opportunity in these two communities for someone else to take these preschools and run them, if they are interested.”
The board tried to wait for the end of the school year to close the preschool programs, Rosenbalm said, but board members didn’t want to jeopardize the financial performance of the entire school system.
Bristol Herald Courier Assistant City Editor Christine Uthoff contributed to this report.
gjackson@11connects | (423) 434-4504
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