Christ the King Daycare to Close in July
A Middle Village, Queens childcare center serving more than 200 families will shut permanently next summer after more than 30 years.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Child Care
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The Christ the King Community Daycare and Preschool in Middle Village, Queens will close permanently in July 2027, leaving more than 200 families searching for new childcare options. The center's education director announced the decision to parents in a letter last week.
Why it matters
The closure removes a longstanding option for infant through pre-kindergarten care and after-hours coverage in New York City's Queens borough. Middle Village Prep, a charter school on the same campus, plans to expand there and has offered to hire the center's staff.
The center serves children from 6 weeks to 5 years old and offers after-hours care, and more than 200 families will need alternatives when it closes in July 2027. The source does not say how many of the center's staff will transfer to Middle Village Prep or what fees the replacement options will charge.
The players
Dorothy Wagner
Dorothy Wagner is the education director of the Christ the King Community Daycare and Preschool, and she plans to retire as the center closes.
New Generation Kids
New Generation Kids is the organization that manages the Christ the King Community Daycare and Preschool program.
Middle Village Prep
Middle Village Prep is a charter school on the Christ the King campus that plans to expand there and has offered to hire the daycare's staff.
The details
The center is run by New Generation Kids from inside Christ the King High School and has served the neighborhood for more than 30 years. Education director Dorothy Wagner, who is retiring, described the closure as a mutual decision.
Timeline
Last week: education director sent a letter to parents announcing the closure
Monday: community hearing on the future of childcare in the area
July 2027: the daycare closes permanently
Family Landscape
The closure comes as New York City continues to expand its publicly funded early-childhood programs, including 3-K and pre-kindergarten, which is shifting where Queens families get care. Middle Village Prep's expansion on the same campus reflects that broader movement of school-linked early education into the borough.
Families who rely on this center's infant, toddler, preschool, or after-hours care will need to find alternatives before July 2027. Parents should watch for the outcome of Monday's community hearing and begin comparing nearby childcare options now.
The takeaway
Parents affected by a childcare closure have time to plan, and starting the search for alternatives early can make the transition smoother for children and families.
What happens next
A community hearing on the future of childcare in the area is scheduled for Monday, and the center closes permanently in July 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on Child Care to see how families in New York City are finding options as local centers change.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ABC7 New York.
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