Child Development Center Closing Next Week

The children walked up to the stage one at a time in their white caps and gowns. Parents filmed their every move, preserving the moment with their digital cameras and smartphones.

The class of 2013 is the last graduating class at Donna Reid’s Child Development Center. The final graduation ceremony and dance recital was held Wednesday. 

The center provides daycare and a structured academic curriculum for children 6 weeks to 6 years old. It is located on Black Oak Ridge Road in the same building as the Lakeview Learning Center, across from Farms View farm stand.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson, which owns the building, informed the school its lease to use the building would not be renewed after this academic year. The center will close June 21.

“We tried hard to make it a good environment for the kids and the staff so that they’d be happy to be here,” said Principal Gail Newman.

Reid, the mother of actress Tara Reid, founded the school 23 years ago. There was also a school in Mahwah but Reid closed it years ago.

Parents took the news hard.

“We’re all heartbroken. The teachers here, they didn’t just watch our kids, they gave their hearts to them every day,” said Trish Dieckmann, whose three children attended the center. “When you walked into the center for the first time you knew it was a place you weren’t afraid to leave your kids.”

Richard Sokerka, communications director for the Diocese of Paterson, could not be reached for comment Thursday.

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