Connecticut child care provider shares COVID’s devastating effect

This is the story of Gerri Calka Flewellyn, who operates a preschool in Connecticut.

I have been operating Apple Tree Preschool for 27 years. We are a small home town preschool servicing 43 three-and four-year-olds, and our parents and children are part of our Apple Tree family. We have children that have graduated and are now adults who are nurses, firefighters, teachers, accountants, and many more community helpers. Our goal at Apple Tree is to encourage children to learn academically and socially, and to have their first experience in learning within a positive and nurturing environment.

COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on our school. We are now operating with only 7 children. I am reaching out to parents to let them know that we are still here for them, and that we are doing everything we can to keep the children and teachers safe and healthy by following all the CDC guidelines. However, parents are scared or financially unable to return to our school–which they loved–along with there children.

I am hopeful that we will go back to a new normal, but because I run a small business, there is much uncertainty because of the financial hardship affecting Apple Tree Preschool.