Families in Menomonee Falls were caught off guard after being notified that their school will close at the end of March.
In a letter to parents, school leaders cited the organization's continued enrollment and financial obstacles as reasons for the closure.
The message stated that the timeline to tackle the issues at the Menomonee Falls location has shortened and that they must close the Silver Spring location and redirect resources to other schools that have proven long-term sustainability.
"I'm frustrated, and I'm really angry," parent Monte Driscoll told TMJ4 News.
Despite the commute and cost, Driscoll and his wife felt the school was a great fit for their young daughter.
"She's just a baby, but the facility's gorgeous, so I just want to soak up every day we have there. But I'm ready for the shoe to drop at any moment," Driscoll explained.
"Besides all of the families, our head of school and our wonderful teachers are all left scrambling in the middle of a school year. Good people have been left in the dust, and it's incredibly unfortunate," said Melissa McGrath, another parent at Guidepost Montessori at Silver Spring.
"We became aware of other Guidepost schools in the country where this happened, and all of a sudden there were chains on the door and families were getting locked out. So we got really scared," Driscoll said.
Watch: Menomonee Falls families react to notice that Guidepost Montessori will close
Guidepost Montessori is operated by Higher Ground Education.
News reports from across the country tell the story of locations in multiple states shutting down, including in Colorado and Oklahoma.
"They're taking advantage of families and children—families that are trying to do the best for their kids—and then putting them all in a frantic, frustrating situation," Driscoll added.
State records show the Guidepost Montessori location in Menomonee Falls was licensed less than a year ago, in April 2024. It has a capacity of 91.
The school was open Monday, despite parents learning about a possible eviction notice.
Court records show the ownership group has a hearing scheduled for March.
TMJ4 tried reaching out to school leaders in person, by email and by phone for comment but was unsuccessful.
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