Sunshine Preschool Closes After 44 Years

The 85 students who attend Sunshine Preschool will have to enroll elsewhere for the 2015-16 school year. The school, which opened in 1971, will close its doors on May 21.

“There’s actually been several factors in this decision making by our board,” Sue Myroup, Director of Family and Children Ministry at the Wheaton Evangelical Free Church said. “ We had some necessary rather major capital expenses that we would have had to address in regards to preschool.

“We do not have to address (those issues) if the preschool is not open.”

The school, which is attached to Wheaton Evangelical Free Church, also is facing declining enrollment. At its peak, there were more than 100 students enrolled in the school. Today, there are 85.

In addition to the other factors, the school lost long-time director Anne Marie Brimley back in November.

“We lost our director in November, she passed away unexpectedly,” Myroup said. “Anne Marie Brimley was on staff for 14 years and 10 of those as a teacher and four as director.”

This school year, Linda Krier is serving as Interim Director of Sunshine Preschool. She

started in January.

“I was hired in January so I am finishing the year with them. I was hired as a temporary employee to see them through this time,” Krier said.

Ellen Padera is a teacher at Sunshine Preschool. She said the school community and community at large are sad to see the school close.

“The parents, many of the parents have been very sad as we have,” she said. “They had planned on continuing their children’s education here at the preschool.

“They had to search for other places and have found other preschools. It’s just kind of a special place and it’s got a lot of memories for families.”

Before the school closes its doors on May 21, they are having a party to celebrate the 44 years of Sunshine Preschool.

Beginning at 6:30 p.m. May 1, the school will host a program followed by dessert reception.

“We’re having a program, we are inviting all the teachers from the last 44 years that we have been able to locate,” Padera said. “We are anticipating a few hundred people.

“The children will be singing and we have a few speakers.”

The event will also celebrate the memory of Anne Marie Brimley.