WAVERLEY: After 10 years in business, Wendy’s Neverland Preschool in Waverley is closing its doors, with its owner citing the difficulty new regulations and terms that the Department of Education have introduced.
Wendy James said her business, located across from the Waverley Fire Hall on Highway 2/Waverley Road, will close for the last time on Dec. 15.
“The new regulations and terms introduced by the Department of Education that they have put upon daycare licensed owners, making it increasingly hard to carry on operating,” said James in a statement to The Laker. “They have introduced unfair and unrealistic new regulations, fee caps and floor wages for staff.
“With all these demands along with rent, supplies, utilities and food expenses it is hard to continue to operate. I am done being dictated to by this Government and Department of Education”
She said what is being done has her concerned about early year’s education in Nova Scotia, especially introducing pre primary which will affect preschool/daycares next year when more schools take on four-year-olds.
“I have written to the Minister of Education and the Department of Education to voice my concerns and I think many parents should do the same,” she said.
James said in those 10 years she has achieved a great reputation and offered a great program to the community.
“I will have lots of fond memories of the past 10 years,” she said. “Our Halloween parties, Christmas plays for all our families were great fun, all the visitors we had, police, firemen, soldiers, vets, pets and wildlife and authors who were all from our local community.”
She isn’t quite done working with children—James said she will renovate her home’s basement and open a home pre-school for six families in the community.
phealey@enfieldweeklypress.com
