Deschutes River Montessori School, a Bend preschool and day care for children age 18 months to 6 years, permanently closed Monday. The school originally assured parents it would remain open until the end of the week before abruptly closing.

Parents scrambled to find child care for the rest of the summer and even for the 2024-25 school year. Since many had prepaid, families are now waiting for refunds, which are expected by the middle of August.

The closure comes as many families in Central Oregon struggle to find child care, and affordable care can have monthslong waiting lists.

“This is the best school we’ve had our daughter in so far,” parent Jordan Barrows told The Bulletin on Tuesday. “It’s really kinda a dream come true scenario for a 4-and-a-half-year-old girl. To rip it out overnight is tough. We haven’t told her yet, but we’re working on it.”

According to emails obtained by The Bulletin, owner Elaine May said the reason for the closure was because teachers and the executive director recently resigned and the school could no longer operate. Administrators had sought new staff since April to no avail.

On Wednesday, the school said it would refund all 2024-25 prepaid tuition as well as the canceled summer sessions, which would include supply and enrollment fees. Teachers were also paid for the July sessions they taught.

The owner has lived in Portugal since May and could not be reached for comment. Arren Molina-Gassen, human resources director for the school, did not comment when reached by email.

Former Executive Director Heather Kulikowsky wrote in an email Thursday that accounts, records and the building could not be accessed.

‘All we wanted was the truth’

Parents were shocked by the sudden closure and left wondering what happened.

“It’s a bit alarming. You have all these families now scrambling for child care (and) school coverage. They’re also scrambling for their tuitions to be reimbursed,” Barrows said. “We don’t know what we’re gonna do. It was kinda a war room scenario yesterday, calling every school in the county trying to find a place for her in the fall.”

Parent Marion Akagi had two children who attended Deschutes River Montessori. Her family felt welcomed during their time there, she wrote in an email.

“There has been confusion about everything,” she wrote. “We’ve been getting multiple emails about picking up our kids belongings and how/when we might get our deposits back. Everyone that was there is owed something.”

Akagi is angry because of the school’s choppy communication regarding the closure.

“The mental toll of trying to find new care and not knowing what happened has been immense as we all try to work our normal jobs while having our children at home,” she wrote. “I gave so much of my time and love and money to this school, and it feels like they didn’t take us into consideration at all.”

Akagi has secured care for the fall and is currently working with former teachers to take care of her children in her home.

Parent Cody Gillenwater expressed similar sentiments, writing in an email that the closure comes as a “complete shock.”

Deschutes River Montessori opened in 2009. It was licensed in 2011, and was in compliance with licensing requirements as of April. The school had a capacity of 105 students. The school had one serious injury in 2022 when a child hit his or her head on a stone wall and required two staples, according to the injury report.

A new child care center jumps in

Skylark Children’s Academy, which will open in the fall, has spent the week hiring eight staff members who were let go from Deschutes River Montessori. It also picked up around 40 children who attended the Montessori school, said Erin Maigaard, who runs the school with her mother.

“The timing is beneficial for families who are going through this event because we’re coming online at the same time that they’ve lost their care,” said Maigaard. “It’s been a very busy week. We’ve got about 70 or 80 inquiries so far from families, so we’re continuing to enroll.”

Skylark Children’s Academy, in northwest Bend, is licensed for 156 children from ages 1 to 5. Maigaard is hoping to hire a few additional teachers and may open more classrooms. The building will be completed Aug. 22 and the school will open Sept. 9.

The Montessori Center, Modern Montessori, Casa dei Bambini Bend and Montessori in the Pines also told administrators they have openings for students in the fall.

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