After more than 30 years, Briarcliff Manor's is shutting its doors.
"It was a wonderful program," said Director Mary DiMomenico. "It served the community for so many years."
The program for children three and under was a part of the campus and run by DiDomenico since 1980.
The pre-nursery program offered morning and afternoon sessions for children from 18 months to 3-years-old, attracting families from Briarcliff Manor, Ossining, Tarrytown, Croton, Pleasantville, Millwood and other nearby areas.
"I had anywhere between 15 and 30 kids a day," said DiDomenico.
But when a declining economy sent more parents back to work, it appeared the needs of families in the community changed.
"Now people are looking for more of an all-day program," explained DiDomenico. "They needed extended days and that's why enrollment got kind of low."
This year, DiDomenico said she did not receive enough sign-ups to open doors in the fall.
"Everybody's hurting at this point," she said. "So I decided to pack it in."
Despite having to make the difficult decision to close for good, DiDomenico has plent of memories from her 30 years at the helm, and often hears from former students who have gone off to college and beyond.
"I enjoyed every minute of it," she said. "It was a great program and I met a lot of great people over the years."
