After two sudden C.O. preschool closures, others offering support, spaces to stressed parents in need of child care

(Update: adding video, comments by Skylark Children's Academy, Bright Adventures Preschool, NeighborImpact)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- With this week's closure of Deschutes River Montessori School and another recent closure, many Bend-area parents are scrambling to find new summer child care for their children, some also having to arrange new enrollment options for the 2024-25 school year.

One new option, Skylark Children's Academy, is opening Sept. 9.

According to a representative of the school, located in the Discovery West neighborhood of northwest Bend, they're aiming to help relieve the stress of parents and teachers formerly at DRMS by accepting more students and hiring teachers from the now-closed school.

Here's more background from Discovery West's website about the new business and how it got started.

Skylark Children's Academy hired eight teachers and enrolled 30 students from the Deschutes River Montessori School, and they still have room for more.

"It's taking us a little while to make it through all of the inquiries because we've been pretty slammed," academy owner Erin Maigaard said Wednesday. "But we're we're feeling really fortunate to be able to help those families in a moment of stress."

The academy will be serving children 12 months to 5 years old. 

"It has a total of 10 classrooms, so we will be able to accommodate up to 156 students, which I believe will make us the largest licensed child care provider in Bend," Maigaard said.

There are different program options available, and costs vary at the academy.

Jess Coetney, the owner of Bright Adventures Preschool, said, "We are bringing a low-tuition program to the community, which we all know is extremely needed in Central Oregon, especially with tuition classes being like a rent payment or a mortgage payment."

The preschool has one facility in Redmond and another located in the recently closed Bend Immersion Preschool. It's waving enrollment fees and offering a tuition free first month for families impacted by the closures of Bend Immersion Preschool and Deschutes River Montessori School.

The nonprofit NeighborImpact has been working to increase the number of child care slots in Central Oregon.

"When something like this happens, it is disheartening," says Hannah Kuehl, associate director for grant management with NeighborImpact. "We know it affects not only the families of the children, but the staff and the general well-being of Central Oregon."

 The organization has been working to expand child care options in recent years, supporting providers and adding nearly 1050 new child care spots so far.

"Families do need care immediately, and so one way that child care resources can support that is by helping families find additional care," Kuehl said.

The owner of Deschutes River Montessori School, who moved to Portugal, emailed NewsChannel 21 on Wednesday, saying refund checks will be going to families  by the end of next week, and staff will also be paid.

The state offers resources to parents struggling to find space. Folks can go to Find Child Care Oregon's website or call the helpline at 211.