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Parents and staff urge review after Bloomin' West infant/toddler closures
Summary
Multiple parents and a teacher told the board that closing Bloomin' West infant and toddler classrooms harmed program continuity, led to layoffs and damaged community trust; they asked the board to require impact studies and accountability for supervisors.
Several parents and a preschool teacher used public comment time at the May 18 meeting to criticize recent district decisions to close infant and toddler programs at Bloomin' West and East and to ask the board to require impact studies before cutting early‑childhood services.
Bethany Schwartz described enrollment shifts that she said undercut the administration's promise that older preschool classes would absorb displaced families and revenue: "If the district had conducted an impact study before closing the infant programs, you could have seen exactly how this would affect the district overall," she told trustees, and she urged the board to consult teachers, staff and parents before future program cuts.
Jillian O'Neil, a Bloomin' West PTO board member, said two long‑serving administrators were removed from positions during staff appreciation week and that families have moved to other districts with continuing toddler programs. "These relationships... are being severed," O'Neil said, urging the board to recognize preschool teachers as part of the district's K‑12 ecosystem.
A teacher, Judith Tarnow, defended the affected supervisors and asked that the board reconsider the personnel decisions. Community volunteer Amy German encouraged residents to support local youth assistance opportunities and volunteer programs.
The board did not take action during public comment; trustees and administration noted the remarks and discussed follow‑up in later committee and superintendent communications.
