Parents and teachers at Learning Adventures Preschool in St. Petersburg arrived Tuesday morning to locked doors and a sign announcing an immediate closure, leaving dozens of families without childcare and the entire staff unemployed just days before Thanksgiving. The sudden shutdown came just one day after the new owner reportedly assured everyone that operations would continue as normal.
The sign, which read “CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE — NEW OWNERSHIP,” was the only communication provided to the school community on Tuesday. This action directly contradicted assurances made by both the previous and new owners, sparking confusion and distress among families and former employees who are now scrambling to make new arrangements.
Key Takeaways
- Learning Adventures Preschool in St. Petersburg closed without warning on Tuesday morning.
- All teaching staff were terminated effective immediately, confirmed by the new owner.
- The closure occurred just one day after the new owner met with staff and the previous owner assured parents of a smooth transition with no immediate changes.
- Dozens of families are now searching for childcare in an area with long waitlists.
A Sudden and Unexpected Closure
On what should have been a normal Tuesday, the community of Learning Adventures Preschool at 4401 38th Ave N was met with a stark reality. A simple note taped to the front door was the first indication that something was wrong. The school was closed, and according to the new management, it would not be reopening as planned.
Sheila Brightman, the school's director, said she received a call from an employee on her way to work informing her of the situation. When she contacted the new owner, Denice Aviles, for clarification, the news was confirmed. Brightman said Aviles verified that the school was shut down and all employees were fired.
“If she wanted to get rid of all of us and bring in her own stuff, fine, but all of these little children are just tossed out into the street,” Brightman said. “Some of them have been together since they were 1, and now they’re 4 and 5 years old.”
A Timeline of Events
- Friday, Nov. 10: Previous owner Dorothy Mull informs some parents and staff of the sale to Denice Aviles.
- Monday, Nov. 13: Mull sends a letter to all parents assuring no changes. Aviles and her team meet with staff.
- Tuesday, Nov. 14: The school is found locked with a sign announcing its closure. All staff are informed they have been terminated.
Broken Assurances of Stability
The abruptness of the closure was particularly jarring because it followed explicit promises of continuity. The previous owner, Dorothy Mull, who had operated the school since 2016, had informed staff and parents of the sale only days earlier. Due to a clause in the sale contract, she was unable to notify them sooner.
In a letter dated November 10, Mull expressed confidence in the new owner. She wrote that Aviles “shares the same values, dedication and love for early childhood education.” The letter contained a critical promise that gave parents and staff a sense of security.
The letter from the previous owner assured parents, “There will be no immediate changes to staff, tuition or daily operations.” This promise was broken less than 24 hours after it was widely received.
This sentiment was seemingly reinforced on Monday when Aviles and her team met with the preschool's staff. Teacher Brianna Adams described the meeting as positive. “They seemed wonderful,” Adams said. “They were asking questions. They were trying to learn things about the school, getting to know us.”
Mull later said she was in “a total shock” upon learning of the closure from a distraught employee on Tuesday. She stated she had vetted potential buyers carefully and that everything appeared to be proceeding smoothly after her meeting with Aviles on Monday.
Families and Teachers Left in Limbo
The immediate consequence of the shutdown is a community in crisis. Parents were left with no childcare, forcing many to miss work and begin a desperate search in a competitive market known for long waitlists.
Sarah Wiemert, a parent with two children at the school, said she took the day off work and even offered to help another family by babysitting their child. “We just don’t really know what to do, because it seems like there’s no corrective action we can take,” she explained, highlighting the feeling of powerlessness among parents.
For the staff, the impact is devastating. Many teachers now face unemployment right before the holidays. Briana Lucas, a teacher who also had two of her own children enrolled at the school, spoke about the financial and emotional toll. She said that for teachers living paycheck to paycheck, the sudden loss of income is catastrophic.
A Community Devastated
The personal stories of the staff underscore the severity of the situation. Candice Dunson, a single mother of seven, had recently lost her home due to Hurricane Helene and was staying in a hotel. The text message from a coworker informing her she was fired left her gutted.
“It’s going to be a really rough road ahead,” Dunson said. “We are a family. We looked forward to seeing those kids every day and those kids looked forward to seeing us.”
State records indicate that Denice Aviles has been the registered agent for the school since September. She is also listed as the agent for another school in Port Charlotte, Academy of Little Achievers, and a real estate holding company. Multiple attempts to reach Aviles for comment were unsuccessful.
As the community reels from the sudden closure, parents and former staff are left to navigate the fallout, bound by a shared sense of betrayal and uncertainty about what comes next.