YMCA officials dispel rumor of Vandergrift day care center closing, say school only undergoing licensing process

The operators of a Vandergrift preschool center are trying to dispel concerns among some parents that the program is being dismantled.

In reality, the West Vandergrift Early Learning Center is in the process of obtaining state licensing, which is required, and there is no disruption in service, said Kelli McIntyre, CEO of the Valley Points YMCA, which operates the center.

The Y already operates a licensed program at the West Vandergrift site on Pennsylvania Avenue for children ages 2 to 4 that runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

At issue is a separate “explorer,” or partial-day, program for kids who attend several hours a day for part of the week.

McIntyre said a state inspector was at the site several weeks ago and informed officials that the part-time program also is required to be inspected and licensed.

The Y also operates an early-learning center in New Kensington, which is licensed, and all of its programs for school-age children meet state guidelines, McIntyre said.

“We believe that all children have the right to a quality early-childhood education, so we are in the process of meeting the state’s requirements to ensure that we are providing that,” McIntyre said. “If we don’t go through the licensing process, the state will shut us down. We don’t want that to happen.”

Children who attend the part-time program that’s in the process of being licensed typically attend classes one or two days a week for several hours.

McIntyre said several parents went to the school Monday to inquire about the program’s status after seeing posts on social media sites hinting that it was about to close down.

A letter circulating among residents also indicated that police were called to the school because parents were upset about losing the program.

Vandergrift police did, in fact, respond to the school, McIntyre said, but only because a teacher accidentally locked her keys inside and was unable to get a response by knocking on the door.

McIntyre said much of the misinformation about the program is being circulated on a Facebook page set up by parents of children who attend the center.

A review of the posts by the Tribune-Review, which was provided access to the private social media page, showed people reacting to a rumor that the program’s longtime teacher was fired.

McIntyre said that rumor is false.

“The teacher didn’t take the changes that we have to make very well, but she was not dismissed from her job,” McIntyre said, adding that the teacher is a full-time employee and took several of the paid time-off days she accrued this week.