GILPIN COUNTY, Colo. — During an emergency meeting Thursday night, parents who have kids at Eagle’s Nest Early Learning in Gilpin County learned the infant-to-pre-K program will completely close later this month because of a dire financial situation.
The nonprofit operating near Gilpin County High School announced its pre-K program will close immediately and the program for infants and toddlers will close by Nov. 22, unless the program can come up with the $50,000 it needs to run through the remainder of the year.
“We’re finding out that we don’t have the money we thought we did,” said Anne Powe, an Eagle’s Nest parent and president of the nonprofit’s two-member board. “We realized we were overspending… we had some expenses that we may or may not have needed.”
The nonprofit organization posted to social media Thursday saying a reduction in state and local funding, a deficit due to capital expenses and cost increases forced the closure. Powe told 9NEWS that some financial mismanagement from a previous financial advisor also created problems— the preschool program installed new windows and stucco on the building.
Powe also said the previous financial manager may have misappropriated some funds. The Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to 9NEWS Friday that it is investigating a report of theft from Eagle’s Nest Early Learning.
“We thought that we had a person of trust and we were kind of taking for granted what was being said and what was being done,” Powe said.
Eagle’s Nest is the only organization of its kind in Gilpin County. County Commissioners tried to save the program with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act as well as emergency funding, which totaled $85,000— but the board said that wasn’t enough.
Gilpin County Commissioner Susan Berumen said the county is exploring other options for childcare to serve the residents' needs. She said any other solution would likely take months to get online, though.
Powe and others with Eagle’s Nest are holding out hope that someone may be able to help before the closure. The school has set up a GoFundMe seeking donations that could help.
“We’re displacing teachers right before the holidays, and that’s hard to look at them and say we can’t make this work and you’re going to go without for the holidays,” she said. “That’s really hard.”
Eagle’s Nest currently has 36 students enrolled with a waitlist for some programs.
Rob and Natalie McKay currently have a student in pre-K and a younger child at Eagle’s Nest.
“We’re not sure what other options there are,” Rob McKay said. “We’re going to try to get through Christmas with some PTO and help from family… but realistically Natalie will probably have to quit her job to be able to stay home with our kids.”
In the meantime, McKay said he is working to help the board settle the school’s financial problems and reaching out to the casinos in town to see if any could come up with the cash needed to keep the program afloat and allow it to start fresh.
“There’s definitely hope,” he said. “It’s a sliver of hope at this point but we’re still hopeful that something can come through in the short term.”
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