BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - COME July 4, 2014, the sound of giggling children, alphabet recitals and the pitter-patter of little feet will be but a memory at Slack’s Pre-School as the early-childhood learning institution would be closing its doors.
The closure comes after 32 years of early-childhood service to the people of St. Kitts and it was with mixed emotions that co-owner of the school Yvette Slack spoke with SKNVibes about the decision to cease operation.
She said the school - which is operated in a section of her New Pond Site residence - is a joint venture between herself and husband Ian Slack, but she oversaw its day-to-day operations and was also actively involved in teaching and caring for the toddlers.
Slack explained that the school began in 1982 practically to meet her seventh daughter’s early-education needs but it eventually catered to hundreds.
“My seventh child was coming up to be three years old and everybody was saying that pre-school was so important, so I thought maybe I could open up a pre-school and put her in it because when I had my deaf child growing up, deaf children used to come to my house and I used to teach them. So I asked my husband if he doesn’t think I can open a pre-school for my last child and he said: ‘Sure, go and ask the Ministry.’ And I did. It was really for her. In September it was 12, but before the year was finished it had reached 21.”
With some 850 children between the ages of three and five years passing through Slack’s Pre-School, the 69-year-old told this media house what drove her to make the difficult decision of closing the school.
She explained that the noise level in the house is much especially in light of the fact that she and her husband are advancing in age, and following three surgeries on her right eye resulted in loss of sight in that eye. These, she explained, were some of the factors that contributed to her decision.
Parents’ reaction to news of the closure
Slack said she was almost tempted to renege on her decision after seeing the parents’ reaction to the news.
“They have been really sad. They almost made me break down and change my mind because some cried tears and even asked if they could open a school here. I had to explain to them that this is my home and we have to take back our home and my husband is retired...I have to think about him. He spends most of his time home because he is retired.
Most memorable moment
“I would say each morning seeing the children feel happy to stay with me and let their parents go. When I first opened it was hard for some of those children. It was real crying, crying, crying...but over the years that had changed.
Future plans
“I - while the school was going - always taught Sunday school for my church plus visited the prison...I have to get through with this corneal transplant surgery which could take almost a year of healing and almost a year to empty the house of all my school stuff, give away, sell for a little bit, help people...all of that is going to take time; so I cannot go too far ahead. I have to take it one day at a time and just work on the eye and work on emptying the school, because the whole house is full of stuff belonging to the school.”
With one of her children, nine grandchildren and more than 800 other children receiving their early education training at her school, Slack said it is indeed “time to retire. I raised my seven children for 20 years before I opened this school”.
Asked about her favourite student(s), the teacher said she did not have any but sees all who have passed through her school as special.
“All of them make me feel good when I see them learning and when I see their personalities changing and their behaviour patterns changing. Those are the things that make me happy. But some have made me sad when they left and I’ve seen things happen in their lives...but I have them on my prayer list.”
The curtains will come down...
During the last week of school (June 30 - July 4), an Arts and Craft Exhibition would be held at the school where the work of the 22 current students would be on display. Slack said past students are invited to “come and have a last look and say goodbye...
“On the afternoon of July 4, we would have a little closing gathering where we would take down the sign and say goodbye...”
