March 29, 2024

Sunshine temporarily closes

Sunshine Day Care of Greenfield announced a temporary closure Wednesday, Jan. 18.

Board members unanimously made the “hard decision” to close the daycare to reorganize. They said they had no staff to continue operating.

The day care is currently hiring for full and part-time positions. These include a center director, infant group lead, toddler group lead, school-age group lead, childcare room assistants and housekeeping.

Requirements for the positions are that you must enjoy working with kids, must be able to pass a background check and be flexible. Room assistants and housekeepers must be 16 years old, group leaders 18 and the director at least 21.

Pay is dependent on qualifications and experience, the board said. For more information, prospective employees may call Greenfield Chamber/Main Street at 641-743-8444.

The board intended the closure to begin Feb. 28, which would have allowed parents the time to find temporary childcare during the closure. Instead, the staff the center had all resigned, and their last day was Jan. 18.

“We cannot operate without staff,” the board said. “This was not our intention, but it is a result of the decision that we must deal with.”

Pat Reeves chairs the center’s board and vice chair is Katelyn Brashear. Other members are Katie Stender (secretary), Jessica Beatty-Smith, Stacie Eshelman, Katy Frisbie, Tyler Heckman, John Karl and Lisa Rardin.

Board members said they understand the strain families will experience because of this. They emphasized they “did not make this decision lightly.”

The center has been working for months to try to reorganize. Necessary improvements to offer quality childcare weren’t happening.

“We understand that this facility is imperative to the community and have every intention of reopening as soon as we have qualified staff in place and necessary building improvements complete,” the board said.

The board said that while they value the opinions of all, their chief concern at this time is aiding the families they serve in this time of transition and preparing to reopen.

When contacted Friday by the newspaper, the board respectfully declined to comment more than what was released when the closure began.

Caleb Nelson

Caleb Nelson

Caleb Nelson has served as News Editor of the Adair County Free Press and Fontanelle Observer since Oct. 2017. He and his wife Kilee live in Greenfield. In Greenfield and the greater Adair County area, he values the opportunity to tell peoples' stories, enjoys playing guitar, following all levels of sports, and being a part of his local church.