But two years ago, the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles purchased the building for Incarnation Catholic Church in Glendale. And while the diocese continued to lease the facility to the center for two years, Incarnation plans to move its own elementary program to the property next year, she said.
The center’s lease is due to expire in March, and unless the business can find a new space, up to 68 families will have to relocate their children, Crawford said.
“The idea of breaking this group apart keeps me up at night,” said Tisa Poe, one of a small group of children’s center parents who recently formed a task force to find a new home for the business.
If the program has to be terminated, “I’m going to be incredibly saddened,” parent and task force member Kara Sergile added, her eyes beginning to well. “I think if we keep the center together, the teachers, the parents, the children, the people, it will be OK.”
And while parents, teachers and administrators are united in their desire to find a new home, their search won’t be simple, said Paul Ramey, director of curriculum for the hospital’s Children’s Center Services.
Even most pre-existing education facilities are not outfitted for infant care, so the business will have to put a lot of time and money into properly outfitting a new space, he said. Furthermore, the number of requirements needed to notch accreditation by the National Assn. for the Education of Young Children recently jumped from 300 to more than 400, he said.
