A sign is seen outside the Green Bay Academy day care center Feb. 5, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Parents of students enrolled at Green Bay Academy are picking up any belongings left behind, following the daycare’s abrupt closure last week. The state Department of Children and Families revoked the facility’s license, following several incidents including the arrest of one of the school’s teachers.
Twenty-one year old Tatiana Quinones is accused of having fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid in the center, and then selling it to a confidential informant outside in the parking lot in early January.
Green Bay Academy parents tell Fox 11 they never had any issue sending their kids to the eastside daycare facility. “From my experience she’s had really good care there. The teachers loved her, adored her and I heard nothing but good about her from them. And she was always happy to go. So, with everything happening it was like oh my gosh,” said Ashely Hermida.
There was shock among the Green Bay Academy community when it found out, Tatiana Quinones, a teacher at the school was arrested and charged with dealing drugs on school grounds. The owners of the daycare, who live in South Florida, tell Fox 11 they were shocked too — but thankful no one on their staff or in their care was harmed – by Quinones’ alleged actions.
As required by law, we’re told Quinones, after applying for a job at Green Bay Academy, passed a state background check. She began working at the facility November 21st.
A co-worker, who didn’t want to be identified, saying Quinones was a good worker. They said, “She was really nice. She was dedicated. She did her job. She did what she needed to do.”
As FOX 11 has reported, Quinones arrest set off an investigation by the state, that led to the center’s license being revoked. The owners saying they didn’t want to appeal the state’s decision because they were having a hard time staffing the center and they didn’t want to be in the daycare business anymore.
The closure leaving the families of the 56 kids enrolled at the center looking for another option.
“I’ve called more than ten daycares and it’s just no, no after no,” Ashley Hermida said about her search for childcare.
As parents impacted by the Green Bay Academy closure search for new childcare, the state Department of Children and Families encourages people to use their childcare finder website.
The site offers a one to five star rating for all licensed centers and includes any complaints, investigations, or violations. Seeing first hand how a center is run, according to state officials is another important step to take.
According to DCF Communications Director, Gina Paige, “Visiting the center is extremely important and visiting unannounced, seeing what those interactions are like. Is it loud, is it quiet, what type of language, what type of words are the staff using, how are they interacting with the kiddos.”
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