Cape Coral charter school closes abruptly, parents blindsided

Parents are shocked to find a charter school closed in Cape Coral, possibly for good, with no warning sent to parents.

It was a bizarre morning for the families whose children attend Unity Charter School when they showed up Thursday morning to find the doors locked.

“They owe us an explanation – it’s very frustrating,” one parent said.

Now they are demanding answers.

“No one told us anything. Not a phone call, not an email. They didn’t even send us a letter,” the parent said.

Instead, they found a note on the door, saying the school was closed for repairs.

But parents don’t believe the sign, saying there were no visible repairs going on at the school.

WINK News tried calling the Unity Charter School of Cape Coral and got a phone message saying, “We’re sorry your call cannot be completed.”

WINK News then came across documents showing the school is undergoing foreclosure.

The bank filed suit saying the school owes more than $2.9 million and the building is up for auction December 26.

“So in the middle of the school year what’s going to happen? What am I supposed to do? Homeschool him for now?”

This dad says his sixth-grade son has attended the charter school since kindergarten and he had no idea they were struggling.

But a board meeting agenda from April suggests the school’s owner, Step Education Management, knew there were financial troubles. Under “old business” it says “eviction of Cape Coral.”

Now, parents are unsure if their kids even have a school to attend.

“Just waiting for answers and we deserve some answers. As parents, we deserve answers.”