Day-care closure sends parents scrambling in Gurnee

Some parents are scrambling to find day care for their young children because of a sudden announcement about the temporary closure of a Gurnee facility.

Young Scholars Child Care Center Ltd. will shut the doors Friday on rented space on Grand Avenue across from Six Flags Great America. Owner Kora Smith said Young Scholars plans to move to space on Tri-State Parkway in Gurnee and reopen in February.

Smith said concerns about the quality of the space she's been renting on Grand Avenue led to the Nov. 12 announcement on the closure and intended move.

About 60 children are enrolled at Young Scholars in Gurnee. Smith said she understands why parents became concerned about having only one week to find new day care.

“We don't have a lot of day-cares in our (Gurnee) area,” Smith said Wednesday.

Gurnee resident Kevin McCann said he and other parents should have been given more than a week's notice to find a new day-care facility.

McCann said it took much work, but he and his wife were informed Wednesday that a facility in nearby Third Lake had a final slot for their 2-year-old son starting next week. He said he was told he was competing with other Young Scholars parents.

“Thankfully, the employers for my wife and I have been very understanding and have allowed us to take some time off work to get everything sorted out,” said McCann, who works for a Fox Lake certified public accounting firm.

In a letter to parents, Young Scholars offered its assistance to help them “transition smoothly during this lapse.” Young Scholars handles children from 6 weeks old to sixth grade.

Young Scholars also raised the possibility of having a van transport the displaced children to its Island Lake center. McCann said that wasn't an appropriate option for his 2-year-old boy, Dylan.

Lifepointe Christian School in Gurnee, which can accommodate children as young as 3 years old, has made it known to Young Scholars that it has room. Lifepointe Director Lisa Hernandez said she can accommodate 30 more children.