St. Mark Preschool and Kid's Crossing

Dear Church Family,

For decades, our church has been filled with the joyful sound of young children laughing, singing, and learning about God’s love. Our Preschool Ministry has served as a cornerstone of our outreach, a vibrant place where young minds were nurtured, early friendships were formed, and generations of families were welcomed into our church community with open arms.

It is with heavy yet faithful hearts that we write to share a deeply significant update regarding this beloved ministry. Following extensive prayer, careful reflection, and exhaustive financial and operational reviews, the St. Mark Preschool Board has made the very painful decision to bring our preschool ministry to a close at the beginning of this upcoming program period.

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." — Ecclesiastes 3:1
While seasons change, the impact of the love, faith, and foundation built here over many years will endure for a lifetime.

Understanding the Context of Our Decision
We know you may wonder how we arrived at this difficult crossroads. Over the past several years, our preschool has experienced a steady and persistent decline in enrollment. Despite the remarkable dedication and creative efforts of our director, teachers, and staff, lower student numbers have steadily depleted our financial reserves, placing a growing strain on our broader resources.

This trend has been further accelerated by positive expanding changes within our local community. In recent years, our local school district has significantly increased its public preschool slots and tuition-free early childhood programs. While we rejoice that quality early education is now more accessible to families in our neighborhood, this shift has directly reduced the pool of families seeking private, tuition-based church preschool programs.

Though we explored every possible option; restructuring schedules, adjusting rates, and re-evaluating operational models, we have reached a point where continuing the program is no longer financially sustainable or fiscally responsible for our program or the church’s contribution to the program.

While this closure brings a deep sense of grief, we are committed to navigating this closure with the utmost care, transparency, and honor for everyone involved. Our priority is to steward this transition in a way that reflects the love of Christ. We are committed to Honor Our Dedicated Staff: Our teachers and staff have poured their hearts into this ministry, Supporting Current Families we are providing ample notice and personalized assistance to ensure all our current families can transition smoothly, and lastly Celebrating Our Legacy.

Looking Ahead with Faith and Gratitude
A closure of a ministry is a sorrowful milestone, but it does not diminish the immense good that has been accomplished. Every prayer prayed over a child, every story read, every song sung, and every seed of faith planted remains alive in the hearts of the hundreds of children and families who walked through our doors.

We ask that you join us in holding our preschool staff, directors, students, and families in your prayers during this delicate time. Let us walk alongside one another with compassion, patience, and gratitude for all that God has done through this ministry.

If you have questions, memories you would like to share, or simply wish to send a kind word, our board members, and director remain fully available to you in the coming weeks.

In Christ’s abiding peace and grace,
The St. Mark Preschool Board and Director