Parents of children at Sunshine Preschool are rallying to find a buyer for the beloved institution, which will close in June 2025 after nearly 50 years of service to the community. The preschool, located at 1 Briarcliff Drive, has been a cornerstone of early childhood education in the region since its founding in 1977 by Christine Martin.
In a recent interview, Martin, 71, explained that the decision to close the preschool was made in mid-October due to “personal and health reasons.” Martin, who had hoped to mark the school’s 50th anniversary, shared her gratitude for the decades of memories and the lasting impact of her work. “It amazes me that students I taught years ago are now bringing their children here,” she said.
Parents were informed of the closure via an email sent on October 28, sparking an outpouring of emotion. “Parents have come here sobbing,” Martin said. “I had to let them know first because they begin planning in January, and I wanted them to have as much time as possible.”
In her letter to parents, Martin described Sunshine Preschool as more than just a school: “It is a place where children experience the magic of learning through play, in a safe, nurturing, and kind environment,” she wrote. “Our success has been built on the dedication of our incredible staff and the unwavering support of families like yours.”
The concept of early childhood education was still in its infancy when Sunshine was founded. While public preschool programs like Head Start began in the 1960s, the idea of preschool for all young children was still new in Massachusetts. Martin, who had worked in a daycare center after graduating from college, was inspired to open her own preschool. She found an opportunity in Hopkinton at St. Paul’s Church in the late 1970s, where the church had built a space for kindergarten classes but could not afford to run them.
With the support of her father, Martin opened Sunshine Preschool in 1977, starting with 45 children. The school quickly grew, reaching up to 125 children by the early 1980s. Martin recalls, “There would be a line around the building on admission days, so we had to create a waiting list.”
In 2001, Martin faced a setback when her lease was not renewed after the church needed the space for another purpose. After a period of uncertainty, she found a new location at 1 Briarcliff Drive in 2002, though not without controversy. Local opposition initially numbered 500 residents, but a legal battle and the protection of the state’s Dover Amendment, which allows educational uses to bypass certain zoning restrictions, allowed the school to open.
“After the legal battle, I always tried to work with the neighbors to maintain the integrity of the neighborhood,” Martin said.
Despite moving to Florida 20 years ago, Martin has continued to manage Sunshine, frequently returning to the school. She decided against selling at that time because she felt Hopkinton’s community values education highly. “I’m lucky to have had such great directors and staff,” Martin said. “They agreed to stay on if a buyer could be found to continue our legacy of excellence.”
Sunshine is the first and only preschool in Hopkinton accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), a distinction that underscores the school’s commitment to quality early childhood education.
The preschool’s dedicated staff, including director Liz Dacey, has been pivotal to its success. “The teachers are truly phenomenal,” Martin said. “They are not only educated but also kind and nurturing. This is especially important in the formative years between ages 0-6.”
As the school prepares for its closure, parents and alumni have expressed their support. Many have reached out to inquire about buying the school, while others have shared their memories through a dedicated email address, set up by Dacey, to create a memory book for the teachers and staff.
“It’s a hard thing for all of us,” Dacey said. “It’s nice to see how much the parents care, and we appreciate their efforts to ensure the legacy of Sunshine Preschool continues.”
The search for a buyer to carry on Sunshine’s mission continues as the preschool community works to preserve its decades-long impact on local children and families.
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