LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – Parents in northern Virginia are facing uncertainty and frustration after Guidepost Montessori School abruptly closed its doors, leaving families scrambling for alternative educational options. The closure resulted from Higher Ground Education, the operator of the school, failing to make two rent payments, according to a spokesperson for the company.
The spokesperson indicated that the missed payments were due to financial difficulties, and Higher Ground Education was in negotiations with the landlord to address the overdue rent with interest. However, during these discussions, the landlord unexpectedly locked the doors to the school late on a weekday evening, displacing numerous families with little warning. A cleaning crew discovered the lockout, meaning that families and staff would have arrived the next morning to find the building inaccessible.
The administration acknowledged that while they were aware of the possibility of eviction, they had no indication that a lockout was imminent. This left them unable to provide advance notice or communication to families in a collaborative manner.
Jessica Corpuz, a lead guide at the school, expressed her personal challenges in the wake of the closure. “I luckily am a part-time employee of Walgreens, so for me, I was able to pick up some extra shifts and not fully worry about where I was going to have my employment,” she said. “Going forward, it’s just getting our resumes back out there, trying to figure out where we all go from here.”
The situation extends beyond Loudoun County, as other Montessori schools across the country are reportedly facing similar issues. Higher Ground Education noted that in other states, such lockouts are considered illegal and emphasized that such an occurrence is rare even in Virginia. The company acknowledged its ongoing financial challenges, describing the current situation as a “short-term challenge.”
Compounding the distress of families and staff is the fact that children’s and teachers’ belongings remain locked inside the school building, adding to the sense of disruption and uncertainty in the wake of the abrupt closure.
