This preschool in Alaska changed lives for parents and kids alike. Why did it have to close?
Associated Press
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The day of the school's closure is marked on a calendar as children, including Mariah Wallen, 5, march in a circle to music in the Stars classroom at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
River Yang, 3, looks out the window of a school bus as it prepares to depart at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Makayla Bayne, 5, left, eats breakfast by electric candlelight as jazz music plays in the Stars classroom as Family Educator Angie Malafronti cleans a spot at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Associate Educator Patty Kramer eats cereal with her students as they have breakfast by electric candlelight at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Azrael Richmond, 4, smiles while playing with bubbles during a special end-of-the-year picnic for the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning Head Start center, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Olivia Starr tightly grasps her father, Thaxter Hall, as he drops her off in the Northern Lights classroom for the last day of school at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Olivia Starr clings to her father, Thaxter Hall, as Associate Educator Jessica Clark works to comfort her as she is dropped off for the last day of school at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Wayne Mitchell, 5, sticks out his tongue as he goes down a slide during outside time on the last day of school at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Family Educator Angie Malafronti gathers part of her classroom to release butterflies on the last day of school at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Associate educator Patty Kramer helps Moriah Wallen, 5, as they release a butterfly hatched in the classroom outside the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Associate Educator Pauline Lane waves scarves as kids enjoy a dance party on the final day at Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Kristine Bayne holds a grandchild as she waits for her granddaughter, Makayla, who she legally adopted, to finish her day at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. Bayne says being able to put her own children into Head Start changed her life, giving her the confidence to return to school and eventually leading her to have a career working for CCS Early Learning, the nonprofit that runs the local Head Starts. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Center coordinator Redona Grazio dabs at her eyes as children begin to say their goodbyes and leave on the last day at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Center receptionist Eryn Martin, left, looks down at Willow Palmer, 5, as she says her goodbyes to Willow and mother Shadows Myers, right, following the last day of school at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Kendra Mitchell fishes with her son, Wayne Mitchell, 5, at Echo Lake, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Palmer, Alaska. Kendra says the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning Head Start program has helped Wayne learn to socialize, share, and verbalize emotions, and has had a large impact on her as she has worked to recover from a drug addiction. Last year, she relapsed and sold many of the family's possessions to pay for drugs. The staff helped connect her with resources to get free clothing and furniture. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Shadows Myers smiles as two of her children, Willow Palmer, 5, and Arayah Palmer, 7, play outside at their home, Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. The closure of the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning Head Start location has upended Shadows's dream of eventually returning to work as a preschool teacher herself, as she planned to send her two youngest children there when they were old enough. Now there's no guarantee her children will get into another center or a spot on the bus to get there. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Arayah Palmer, 7, sticks out her tongue in the rain as father, Mike Palmer, holds her sister, Ella Palmer, 5 months, and her grandfather, Roger Palmer, talks with sister, Willow, 5, while mother, Shadows Myers, right, holds brother, Ryder Palmer, 2, at their home, Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
From left, Arayah Palmer, 7, and Willow Palmer, 5, look on as mother, Shadows Myers, holds Ryder Palmer, 2, and father, Mike Palmer, holds sister, Ella Palmer, 5 months, at their home, Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Mark Lackey, CCS Early Learning executive director, stands for a portrait in the motor room at the Meadow Lakes Head Start center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. Lackey found he was competing for employees with the service sector, which raised pay during the pandemic to lure back reluctant workers. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
A child arrives in the Northern Lights Classroom at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Willow Palmer, 5, at right, comforts classmate River Yang, 3, as he sits in the safe place nook at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Family Educator Lisa Benson-Nuyen, left, leads her students in a circle as they play music after eating breakfast in the Northern Lights classroom at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Willow Palmer, at left, and Hazel Yang, at right, both 5, brush their teeth with classmates after eating breakfast in the Northern Lights classroom at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Associate Educator Patty Kramer helps Tyler Nance, 3, put on his shoes in the Stars classroom at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Associate Educator Pauline Lane helps push Tayshawn Chatman, in the motor room at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Receptionist Eryn Martin is hugged by Willow Palmer, 5, as she leaves the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Associate Educator Jessica Clark walks with an emotional Austin Carreaux, 4, as children board the bus during the last week at Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
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The day of the school's closure is marked on a calendar as children, including Mariah Wallen, 5, march in a circle to music in the Stars classroom at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
