PALM HARBOR, Fla — St. Luke Early Childhood Center has been a pillar in the Palm Harbor community for nearly 40 years. So when it announced plans to close, it sent shock waves through the community.
Months later, we're following through with some good news.
After parents pushed preschool leaders to find a way to stay open, enrollment has begun for the upcoming school year.
Jessica Allbritten, a mom enrolled with the center, said the community helped them exceed their fundraising goal.
"We were trying to raise $50,000 and we've actually exceeded it! So now we're at $63,000 which is great because now we have a little coverage to help with the following school year," Allbritten explained.
Allbritten has kept in touch with us since our first story aired and filled us in on how her neighbors, local businesses, and everyone in between rallied as they fought to help give the center another chance.
"I was like oh my gosh! We did it! We did it!" said Allbritten. "We are open enrollment for next year which is exciting! So, for the school year 2024-2025, we're accepting new children," Allbritten added.
She said the fight to keep St. Luke open doesn't end here. Allbritten told us they will continue to raise funds and work to keep enrollment up for generations to come.
"It's extremely important for the school to stay open for years to come. Them staying open when there's no other schools in north Pinellas, really, is a great opportunity for the community," Allbritten said.
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