Honey Tree Learning Center evicted in Dover, leaving parents looking for child care

DOVER — Honey Tree Learning Center is court-ordered to leave its premises at 36 Olive Meadow Lane, informing parents and staff this week they have 10 days before the daycare center shuts down.

The New Hampshire Supreme Court on Feb. 24 upheld a lower court ruling evicting Honey Tree Learning Center. Now parents are scrambling to find new childcare and the school staff is facing the loss of jobs.

Court documents show the eviction case (Muccio LLC v. Honey Tree Learning Center LLC) began in Dover District Court in April 2023. The daycare center was issued an eviction notice on April 7, 2023.

Honey Tree operated at the current address for over nine years, according to court documents. The eviction notice alleged HTLC failed to comply with terms of their lease by failing to secure a required $1 million insurance policy.

The high court ruled the lapse was a breach of contract for the lease and upheld the eviction, after a hearing on the merits of the case on June 12 in Dover District Court before Judge Sawako T. Gardner. The final judgement in favor of the landlord came on July 11. The Supreme Court did not hold oral arguments before upholding the original district court ruling, saying the arguments by lawyers for Honey Tree were "unpersuasive."

Honey Tree had 10 days to appeal the Feb. 24 decision, but did not.

Parents have short notice to find daycare

Parents with children attending Honey Tree Learning Center say they were only informed Tuesday, March 12 the center will close as of March 22, leaving families struggling to find new placements for their children with a 10-day notice.

The message sent to parents and staff on Tuesday was provided to Foster's Daily Democrat by parents, and by the administration of Honey Tree Learning Center, who referred all further questions to their attorney, Nicholas Triantos.

Triantos did not immediately return calls for this story.

The notice sent out announced the closure as of March 22, and that being contingent on having sufficient staff to continue operations until then.

"Unfortunately, circumstances beyond our control have led us to make this heart wrenching decision. We are so thankful for your unwavering support and kind consideration in allowing us to have cared for and nurtured your most precious children. We have been honored to have cared for so many over the past ten years and we thank you all."

The letter was signed by Jessica King, listed as a "managing member."

According to information provided by staff, the center has classrooms for infants, toddlers, pre-school, and pre-k. There are two infant rooms, two toddler rooms, two preschool rooms and one pre-kindergarten room. There are currently 73 children enrolled, with more who were planning to come back for a summer program and after school care.

Andrew Mitchell said he is the parent of a 3-year-old boy enrolled at Honey Tree Learning Center, and he has a 5-month-old girl who was slated to start at the end of the month.

"Yesterday, out of the blue, Jessica 'Jesse' King announced the center was closing permanently — in 10 days," Mitchell said. "None of the teachers found out until yesterday. They will all be out of jobs in a little over a week, including one teacher who is on parental leave. I am told the teachers found out 20 minutes before the notice went out to parents."

Mitchell said families believe the management has known since September they were going to need to vacate the property.

"I think a lot of us are in the Dover area, but childcare in Seacoast is so competitive people are coming from all around neighboring towns," Mitchell said. "This has had a huge impact on our family,. Our infant daughter was set to start at Honey Tree on March 25, and our son has been there for two years and loves school, all his teachers and his best friends. Logistically, my wife and I don't know what we're going to do with such short notice."

Daycare centers often have long waitlists.

"I'm not sure people realize how competitive or tight the childcare market actually is in the area. There is one parent who mentioned being "waitlisted until 2025" for another school," Mitchell said. "Plus, we're in the middle of the school year and most childcare plans have already been finalized."

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Mitchell said they are taking things one step at a time, reaching out to family and other parents, as a support network - which he says has been the one positive part about the loss of Honey Tree.

"Fortunately, my wife and I have jobs that have some flexibility that we can work around, up to a point," he said. "But for other parents those options don't exist. I am most worried about my son. He fell in love with school at Honey Tree, and his best friends are all there. In a week, that all goes up in smoke and everyone will scatter to new places, though us parents hope to keep them connected with each other whenever and however possible. Kids are resilient, sure, but this sort of abrupt traumatic separation didn't need to play out this way. Information was kept from parents and teachers alike, so we're the ones that pay."

"Parents are freaked out and now need to find places for their children," said Mitchell. "Most places have wait lists and this is not going to be easy for anyone."

A Facebook support group for parents and staff has been set up and can be found at Parents & Teachers of Honey Tree | Facebook.

A Go-Fund-Me, set up to help teachers soon to be out of a job can be found at Fundraiser by Andrew Mitchell: Urgent Need: Support Our Honey Tree Teachers (gofundme.com).

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Honey Tree Learning Center evicted in Dover; parents lose child care