On Thursday January 16 2020, parents with children in the YMCA preschool at Church of the Good Shepard got an email saying the preschool was being shut down. The last day is May 21st.

The church declined to offer a lease renewal, the email explained. Their reason was an "inspiring vision for growth".

We are members of the Brentwood community. Some of us have children at the preschool. Some of us go to church at COGS. Some are involved in the school and the church in other ways, or we have family or friends that are.

We strongly urge the leadership of the Church of the Good Shepard to find a way to keep this childcare program open. Our community is loving, smart, and helpful. Let's work together.

The demand for childcare in this area far exceeds availability. This is one of the most stressful and difficult problems facing families around Brentwood. We rely on community organizations to fill gaps that would otherwise leave children and families behind.

The decision to end it will echo through our community for years, with lost opportunities for children, parents, and teachers looking for loving and nurturing places for their families. Please don't turn your back on the one hundred families that depend on this school.

Open letters from YMCA preschool parents:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1giTC4fnhEXHeccnZ2hWVs-5NnCBFSg4Q/view?usp=sharing