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Parents, staff urge Newark Unified to keep Kadango preschool centers after district signals lease nonrenewal
Summary
Dozens of parents, center directors and Kadango staff urged the Newark Unified board to reverse or renegotiate a district decision not to continue leases for Kadango’s Schilling and Coyote Hills centers, calling the programs a community lifeline and warning of hardships if placements are lost.
Dozens of parents, teachers and center directors urged the Newark Unified School District board on Tuesday to keep three Kadango early‑childhood centers operating inside district facilities, saying abrupt lease nonrenewal would uproot families and disrupt critical services.
At least 14 community members spoke during public comment, describing Kadango classrooms as more than child care: “They are a lifeline for families dealing with homelessness, income loss and trauma,” said Dali Guraya, center director at the Schilling Center. Guraya asked the board to consider the long relationships between staff and families and the lasting harm that closing centers would cause to young children.
Multiple speakers described long wait lists and high‑quality services: Frasto, a parent organizer with Kadango’s advocacy team, said there are 168 children on wait lists for Schilling and Coyote Hills and cited statewide estimates that only 19% of eligible children access subsidized care. Parents and staff also recounted individualized supports — higher adult‑to‑child ratios, on‑site mental‑health consultation and continuity of care — they said would be hard to replace.
Superintendent Tracy Walker told the meeting she and Kadango CEO Scott Moore had met and were “actively working in partnership to explore collaborative solutions that would allow the programs to continue operating,” and promised an update within a week. Walker apologized for any delayed email replies and said district staff were committed to keeping families informed while negotiations continue.
Board members thanked commentators and said the district reduced public‑comment time to two minutes to hear all speakers. President Jones and other trustees did not vote on lease terms at the meeting; board members said they were still gathering information and that the superintendent had begun negotiations.
What’s next: Superintendent Walker said staff would report back to the board with developments; the board is scheduled to take other formal actions at its June 25 meeting. Community members asked the board to prioritize residence proximity, affordability and continuity of services in any decision.
Context and details: Speakers repeatedly asked why short notice was given to Kadango and noted rumors about building condition and cost. District staff clarified at the meeting that the administration was reviewing options and working to preserve early‑childhood access for Newark families. At least one Kadango representative at the meeting identified Scott Moore as Kadango’s chief executive officer and thanked the superintendent for opening talks with Kadango leadership.
Ending: The public outcry left the board with no immediate vote; trustees instructed staff to continue discussions with Kadango and to return with updates and recommended next steps.
