FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Families and staff of the Creative Learning Lab Academy (CLLA) in Fort Pierce found themselves in turmoil after the school abruptly announced its closure, only to reverse that decision within 24 hours.
WATCH BELOW: 'I hope that they are able to stay open,' Melanda Dickenson tells WPTV
WPTV is seeking answers from the school's owner regarding this situation.
"I feel sorry for everybody, I don't know what to say. I'm upset," said Oketo Elliot, a parent of a 16-year-old student at CLLA.
Elliot expressed concerns about his son's academic future, noting this was his second year at the academy, and uncertainty if the credits from CLLA will transfer to other institutions.
"Leave the kids alone, this is the future, you don’t do this, especially in the middle; we're what? 6 weeks in the school year?" said Elliot.
CLLA is an independent private school serving students from VPK through 12th grade.
WATCH BELOW: Teachers at Fort Pierce school wait for paychecks
Last week, a WPTV investigation revealed that the school was struggling financially and did not have enough funds to pay its teachers.
In an email to staff, co-owners Christopher and Balanga Madison explained that funding from Step Up For Students, a Jacksonville-based nonprofit, had been delayed until November.
This funding setback prompted the owners to seek alternative financial support to meet payroll obligations.
However, Christopher Madison told WPTV on Monday that the backup plan fell through, which led him and his wife to issue a closure notice over the weekend, notifying families they would be shutting down operations.
The memo distributed did not address the issue of overdue pay for staff.
One teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, told WPTV that bills are piling up for many educators and that they are contemplating filing a lawsuit if payment is not received.
Despite not being compensated, staff members were present at CLLA on Monday morning to assist families in collecting their children's belongings and to clarify the situation for parents who were unaware of the closure.
Angela Coderre, a parent of a preschooler at CLLA, described the chaos that ensued when she learned about the school closure. "I’ve got to call my work and see what I'm going to do about my job today and for the rest of this week and now I've got to get [my daughter] enrolled somewhere else which is going to take time, it’s going to cost money, we just bought the school uniforms, I'm just very frustrated actually," she said.
Adding to the confusion, during WPTV's coverage of the closure on Monday, WPTV's Joel Lopez spoke with owner Christopher Madison on the phone informing him plans of reopening.
Education
WPTV learns this school's teachers are working without pay
He indicated that the need for closure stemmed from financial difficulties but reassured parents that community leaders and private investors were stepping in to secure new funding that would enable the school to be fully operational by Monday.
WPTV is told that staff and students can return to campus on Tuesday.
Lopez pressed for answers regarding the teachers’ unpaid wages.
"We are in the process of speaking with our teachers to give them a firm timeline in regards to their paychecks to compensate them for any disruptions that have occurred in their lives," Madison responded.
Some parents voiced the situation has developed mistrust in CLLA, and skepticism lingered among the educators of if the owners will be able to keep doors open and pay them their money.
However, parent Melanda Dickenson remains hopeful.
"This is just wishful thinking and me being optimistic," she said as she picked up her daughter's transcripts for transfer to another facility. "I hope that they are able to stay open. Despite everything that they’re going through, they created a great environment in there."
Teachers asked WPTV to tell parents that classroom lessons will continue on Tuesday, demonstrating their commitment to ensuring that students' education remains uninterrupted despite the recent upheaval.
