PARENTS are elated that a preschool at Mowbray College’s former Brookside campus is thriving after winning the fight to stay open.
“This is a nice result for something that has been horrendous for our community,” Caroline Springs parent Eliza Agapiou said.
The future of Mowbray’s two sites in Caroline Springs and one in Melton has been uncertain since the independent school collapsed under an $18 million debt and was placed in liquidation last month.
Mrs Agapiou, Tracey MacKenzie and Emma Nathan worked with the failed school’s bank, NAB, administrators JP Downey & Co and kindergarten staff to continue the Montessori-style education of their three and four-year-old children.
“We started gathering expressions of interest from parents and from there we built a business case,” Mrs Agapiou said.
Parents and staff approached Early Childhood Management Services (ECMS), a not-for-profit community enterprise, to handle legal and financial responsibilities.
After a five-week closure, the former Mowbray kindergarten reopened as ‘Kinder for Kids’ at the start of term 3.
Sixty-one students are enrolled and parents are hoping for increased enrolments next year.
“Out of all of this sadness there is at least a little glimmer of hope at keeping the Mowbray story alive,” Ms MacKenzie said.
ECMS chief executive Bernie Nott said the organisation was concerned that the early education of many children could have been disrupted.
“We know that quality early education is so important for the social, emotional and cognitive development of children,” he said.
