There was a party last Friday at the Sunshine Center in Independence.</p><p>The event attracted former and current employees of the longtime nonprofit educational agency. </p><p>&ldquo;We celebrated Sunshine Center&rsquo;s history,&rdquo; said Beth Grubb, the facility&rsquo;s executive supervisor.</p><p>A new chapter started Monday, the agency&rsquo;s first day as part of the Independence School District.</p><p>The new affiliation, Grubb said, means that the agency that has an approximately 35-year legacy in Independence can go forward with confidence.</p><p>&ldquo;It gives us more security, knowing that we can continue our mission,&rdquo; Grubb said.</p><p>For months the facility &mdash; which offers care for pre-kindergarten children both with and without special needs &mdash; had been struggling with various financial issues.</p><p>&ldquo;Parents either couldn&rsquo;t afford it or didn&rsquo;t have a job right now,&rdquo; Grubb said. &ldquo;We had as many as two parents a week losing their jobs.&rdquo; </p><p>This summer Sunshine Center officials shut down the agency&rsquo;s West Lexington Avenue facility near Independence Square because of low student enrollment.</p><p>In October, staff members had been asked to take one unpaid day off each week.</p><p>That policy ended Monday.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s been really good for our staff,&rdquo; Grubb said.</p><p>Sunshine Center staff members initially contacted the district about the possibility of being part of the school district, said Nancy Lewis, district spokesperson. Negotiations continued for several weeks.</p><p>&ldquo;This is a perfect fit for the district,&rdquo; Lewis said. &ldquo;We want to be a part of what the Sunshine Center does.&rdquo; </p><p>The center is for children ages infant to pre-kindergarten. Of the approximately 120 children enrolled, about 40 have special needs. There are children with Down&rsquo;s syndrome or cerebral palsy, as well as children who have various physical issues.</p><p>The setting is inclusive, with both special-needs and non-special-needs children often receiving care and instruction together. Staff members offer physical and occupational therapy.</p><p>Now that the agency is part of the school district, tuition for children ages 3 through 5 &ndash; special needs or not &ndash; has gone down from $165 to $150 a week. Tuition for children infant up to 2 years will stay at $200 a week.</p><p>Sunshine Center staff members will continue operating in the former Catholic grade school at 18400 E. Salisbury Road that it renovated and moved into during the summer of 2008.</p><p>&ldquo;The district is committed to meeting our mission,&rdquo; Grubb said.</p><p><hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> <strong><span class="infobox-head">INDEPENDENCE DISTRICT</span></strong><br /> </div>