“It is Dismantling a Lifeline”: 238+ Parents Mobilize to Stop Florida Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA) from Closing Local Preschool

[Tampa, Florida] — February 19, 2026 — Families of Good Shepherd Day School are mobilizing against a sudden announcement by the Florida Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) to close the preschool on May 29th. The decision threatens to leave dozens of families stranded amidst a regional childcare crisis.

In just 48 hours, a community petition has surpassed 238 signatures. Parents are sharing stories of a school that serves as much more than a daycare. Kristy Clements, a local parent who lost her home in the 2024 Hurricane Milton floods while eight months pregnant, credits the school with her family's survival.

“The community rallied around us during an incredibly traumatic time,” says Clements. “Closing this school is not simply shutting down a building—it is dismantling a lifeline for families like mine, and a community that shows up when people need it most.”

The closure comes as local daycare waitlists exceed two to three years. Parent Rachel Nice expressed the community's collective distress: “I’m sick to my stomach thinking about the families suddenly impacted, as well as the professional staff that will be without employment.”

The Parent Action Committee is demanding that the Florida Bahamas Synod disclose the financials behind the cited "fiscal deficit" and meet with parents to explore fundraising solutions. As parent Marc Polito puts it, “Preschools are vital to local communities and families.”

The community is urging the public to support their cause by signing the petition at: https://www.change.org/p/keep-good-shepherd-day-school-open