We were shocked and saddened to hear about the announcement from the Brattleboro Retreat on Oct. 23 to close Mulberry Bush Independent School on Dec. 23.
As current/former families and students, we are heartbroken that our beloved and well-respected school, one of the largest in Windham County, will be shut down.
This abrupt closure in the middle of the school year will leave more than 50 families scrambling for child-care coverage during a pandemic, when openings are few and far between in our region.
In addition, our qualified and dedicated teaching staff - many of whom have been part of Mulberry Bush for 10 years or longer - are now also having to find new positions in an already-stretched-thin industry further hampered by COVID-19.