Southern Prep Academy of Henderson forced to close

Southern Prep Academy of Henderson, the daycare/ afterschool center, officially announced its closing to its stakeholders on Saturday, Dec. 26 and to everyone else via Facebook Monday, Dec. 28.
Mark Barber, the Vice President of the Southern Prep Board of Directors, explained the situation that the preschool is in.
“Over the past year, we have been working with multiple financial institutions to secure a loan to purchase the building we are currently operating in. Despite diligently seeking a second guarantor to secure the loan for the building, we have been unsuccessful. In spite of ongoing discussions with the current owner of the building we are now forced to close our doors.”
Though they did not shutdown due to COVID-19, with the business doing so in the midst of the pandemic, more stress is put on those that the closure affects.
Barber expressed how the impact it will have on the community saddens him and other board members. The effect it has extends from the loss of a daycare for 90 children of 85 families in the community to the loss of jobs for the 13 employees.
It goes even further as Barber explained how Southern Prep had a long waiting list of children. Now, those families will have to continue to look for daycare with their potential option being lost.
“That’s just heartbreaking,” Barber said.
On behalf of the board he said, “We cannot begin to express our appreciation for the support that has come from our teachers, parents, and this wonderful community… We are so grateful to the teachers and staff of the school who have continued to walk with us and contribute greatly to the foundation of the school. Please know that we understand that this is a very hard transition and we are all hurting right now. Though it may seem very hard, we are hoping that you will all extend grace to each and every one that is impacted by the closure of the school.”
In the release, it is said that the board of directors are still attempting to find solutions to the problem so that Southern Prep can reopen.
The board asks the Chester County community to “actively join us (Southern Prep) in determining a solution that will allow for the return of a much-needed service in our community.”
“It’s our wish and desire to comeback from this,” Barber said.