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When Kristi Schwiebert decided to return to her teaching job with the Saratoga Union School District last fall, she began to search for day-care options for her three children. There were several factors to consider: she needed a place that all of her children, ranging in age from 20 months to 4 years, could attend, and she wanted a place that offered a quality service but was reasonably priced.
She found what she was looking for in World of Discovery, a preschool at 20300 Herriman Ave. at Saratoga High School.
But Schwiebert will have to look for a new school this June, when World of Discovery closes its doors for good. The closure has both surprised and saddened the school's staff and the parents who used the service.
The program began just three years ago, to provide teachers in the Los Gatos and Saratoga Union School Districts with day care for their children. Run by the Los GatosSaratoga Community Education and Recreation Department, the aim was to give teachers with young children an incentive to join the district, by offering discounts for day-care service.
The model was never profitable.
"We struggled from the beginning," said Steve Rauwolf, director of the recreation department. Rauwolf cited the impending recession, which began around the time the center opened in 2001, as one of the primary reasons for the rocky start.
Initially, the program offered infant through preschool classes and was open only to children of Los Gatos and Saratoga teachers. But due to low demand, the recreational department dropped the infant programs last year and cut back on staff members.
The school also re-tooled its offerings to offer morning and afternoon preschool programs and opened the center to the public.
The changes were not successful. The school still struggled with low enrollment, down to 20 students from 28 last year. Very few teachers used the service; only five this year took advantage of the discounted price.
Rauwolf said that the school's financial situation was not unique.
"Right now there are openings in preschools all over that area and with the recession and all, there is not a huge need for it," he said.
But with the recreation department also facing a budget crunch, the decision to cut the program was clear.
"We've never had enough enrollment to support it and we couldn't carry the loss anymore," said Rauwolf.
While Schwiebert was unsure as to why many of her colleagues declined to use the service, she said the program was designed to accommodate a teacher's lifestyle.
"That program was a good quality program and it helped me be the best educator I could be and the best parent I could be at the same time," she said. "It's a struggle because financially, child care is expensive, and teachers' salaries we all are aware of, so finding a balance between school and home life is important."
Los Gatos Union School District Superintendent Mary Ann Park said that the school's closure would not affect Los Gatos teachers as much as it would teachers in the Saratoga school district. Park attributed the low use of the center by Los Gatos teachers to the location of the school.
"The discount is important to teachers, but the proximity played a part in the decision just as much," she said.
The recreation department will use World of Discovery's facilities for shorter preschool enrichment programs after June. Rauwolf said the department would consider reopening the school full time at a later date if finances permit.
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