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School for special-needs children to close doors in summer

Mainspring Academy on Southside to dissolve in May

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Some parents said they're frustrated and confused after learning a Jacksonville school for children with special needs is closing its doors after the school year ends.

Mainspring Academy on the Southside sent a letter home to parents last week saying the school will be dissolved in May. Parents, like Jon Lleshi, told News4Jax they haven't been told why. He's worried about finding another school for his child ahead of the next school year.

"It's just short time," Lleshi said. "It's hard to schedule to have your child booked somewhere else."

The school rents the building from Keystone Behavioral Pediatrics, which is next door. Both were once affiliated, but haven't been for the past few years.

HELPFUL LINK: Jacksonville schools for special-needs students

Keystone Behavioral Pediatrics runs Mosaic Day School. It currently teaches kindergarten through second grade. It was already planning to expand to fifth grade, but Dr. Max Harovitz said after learning Mainspring was closing, they've decided to offer up to 12th grade.

"We wanted to be able to serve those kids as well. We wanted to make sure they had a place to go," Harovitz said.

Mosaic Day School is a for-profit school, while Mainspring Academy is a nonprofit school, which is something many parents admired about Mainspring.

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