Aunt Nancy's Child Care Closes L-W District 210 School Locations

FRANKFORT, IL — Aunt Nancy's Child Care, the controversial day care center that had long operated on the campuses Lincoln-Way High School District 210 rent-free, announced it was shutting down, according to a letter sent by parents. The final day for the center is Friday, May 25.

"After 30 plus years of operation, it is with great sadness that I must announce the closing of Aunt Nancy's Child Care," Nancy Power, the owner of the Frankfort-based day care, wrote in the letter that was sent out Thursday. "We have been struggling these past several years with very low enrollment numbers and, unfortunately, what we know for next year at this point is much worse. It is simply not a sustainable situation for us to continue operations any longer."

Although she said news of the closing would surprise many, Power admitted it's something she has been considering for the past two years. The center had already decided it would not be providing day care over the summer, and Power said that she hoped this advance notice of the closing would give parents enough time to find other child care options. Customers also will be refunded any prepayments for next week, as well as registration fees for the next year, the letter stated.

District 210 was notified of the closing by a letter May 11, and both parties met May 15 to discuss the shut down, said Lincoln-Way spokeswoman Taryn Atwell. The day-care center asked for the chance to tell parents and staff, which it did at Thursday evening, she added.

The district hasn't determined what will be done to the day-care facilities on its high school campuses, Atwell said.

Aunt Nancy's has facilities at all three of District 210's high schools — Lincoln-Way East in Frankfort, and Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way West, both in New Lenox— and has been connected with the school system since 1998. During most of that time span, the day care has operated rent-free at those locations.

In 2013, former District 210 Supt. Lawrence Wyllie inked a 10-year deal with Aunt Nancy's just before he retired. That agreement, which did not require the center to pay rent or include cost-recovery fees, was not approved by the district's board.

But in 2016, the school board approved a new contract with Aunt Nancy's that required it to annually pay the district $60,000 — $20,000 for each location — beginning with the 2016-17.

Image via Aunt Nancy's Child Care