Preschool working on options after hurricane damage

Boca Grande Preschool’s Executive Director Kelli Carpenter and the Board of Directors are making plans to re-open the school at a temporary location. The Boca Grande community has pledged the necessary funds to rebuild the preschool, and staff expect to hear in January from the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Venice regarding the status of the building, according to an update from Angela Steffan, current president of the board.

“We deeply appreciate the ongoing support of our community and the many generous donors who annually support the preschool’s mission to provide a nurturing and enriched learning environment for the children of families employed on our beautiful Island,” Steffan wrote.

The preschool building was flooded during both Hurricane Helene and Milton and required significant remediation. Thanks to the efforts of Father Anthony, Pastor of Our Lady of Mercy, and Kelli Carpenter, the building was quickly remediated after the storms. 

Unfortunately, most of the contents were lost, including walls, cabinets, flooring, sheetrock, furniture, toys and rugs. Currently the preschool is closed, and families are managing the care of their children without it.