‘We can’t continue’: Entire preschool staff resigns at once

AMHERST, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) – The entire staff at a preschool in Ohio resigned due to what they call a lack of transparency surrounding the budget.

Friday marked the end of the school year for the preschool at St. Peter’s United Church of Christ in Amherst.

But it also marked the end of the entire staff’s tenure there, with all four teachers resigning together.

“It’s just your whole life, it’s all going down; you have to start all over, a whole new beginning,” now-former assistant director and teacher Heather Nail said.

Nail said between fundraising and money saved over the years, the preschool should have roughly $53,000 in funds.

But when teachers ask staff at St. Peter’s United Church of Christ where the money is, they claim there is no direct answer on the funds.

“Parents have, through the years, really advocated for transparency to make sure that through the financials, everything is there,” said ex-director Wendy Kosakowski. “A few years ago, they closed down one account and put us under the umbrella of the church.”

Kosakowski said the school’s budget has been shrouded in secrecy for years, and after questions were dodged again at a meeting at the start of May, it was the final straw.

“They had no answer; they had no answer where [the money] is, what’s going on with it, and for us as teachers, we can’t continue,” Nail said.

The school averages around 100 students enrolled each year.

Preschool PTO president Katie Leonard said even after the teachers resigned, there is still no answer about the financials or who will be teaching.

“We have not heard of money situations, but we have heard the pastor did step away for that,” Leonard said.

She added that she is pulling her son from the preschool because of the uncertainty.

“None of the parents I’ve talked to are staying,” she said.

Church staff declined to comment.