05/14/2026
We would like to share some significant news regarding the leadership at Lawrence Community Nursery School. After more than 20 years of dedicated service, Stephanie Duncan has transitioned out of her role as the Director of LCNS to begin a new phase of life. While it is difficult to imagine our school without her daily presence, we want to take this moment to celebrate and honor her impact.
For over two decades, she has touched the hearts and lives of hundreds of families in our community. We are grateful to her for the unwavering commitment and passion she brought to our school through unprecedented seasons of growth and change. Stephanie has been a steadfast champion of our cooperative model that elevates community and active participation.
While the world shifted toward rigid academic rigor, Stephanie ensured LCNS remained a sanctuary for play-based learning and parental involvement. Under her leadership, LCNS has maintained not only that children deserve to play, but that play is the most meaningful way to learn. Because of our school's commitment to participation, our families have been fortunate to experience firsthand this pedagogy in action. We have seen how play sparks genuine curiosity and resilience. Through her guidance, she taught us all that true education extends far beyond academics; it is found in the way we care for ourselves, one another, and the community we build together.
As she moves on to her next adventure, we wish her nothing but the very best. We are honored to have had her at LCNS for so long, and are immensely grateful for the two decades of wisdom, heart, and service. She leaves behind a flourishing school and a community that is better for having known her. If you would like to share your appreciation and memories, some alumni families have put together a digital bulletin board for her (link in the comments).
What’s next for LCNS?
Kelly Bowen has been in Early Education for over 20 years, and started teaching at LCNS in 2012. Miss Kelly has been our primary Lead Teacher for over ten years, and been full-time in the classroom for 6 years, which means she has had the opportunity to deeply connect with all of our students and families and is impassioned to see every child flourish. She brings energy, joy, and dedication to her role at the school. After years of teaching full time and working to build a strong program and curriculum, it is natural for Kelly to step into the role of Program Director, overseeing classroom operations, teachers, curriculum, and programming. Families are already noticing her efforts and dedication to making Little Red the best it can be! Kelly expertly balances managing the whole classroom, while also giving individual attention to each child and family. She’s always adapting and learning and bringing fresh ideas into the class. She takes great pride in her work, and you can see her touches everywhere–from the plants inside and outside, to her art and decor, and especially in each child that has come through the school in the last 15 years. We are so pleased to honor her hard work, dedication, and hours upon hours in the classroom with a promotion to Program Director.
There’s a lot of administrative director work outside of the classroom. The Board and staff feel that Kelly is so valuable in the classroom, we wanted to find a solution that would keep Kelly in the classroom as much as possible. That’s where Megan comes in! Megan Peck started her time at LCNS as a parent, with 3 children coming through LCNS. She was on the Administrative Board for 3 of her 5 years as an LCNS parent. When the Board was looking for teachers to cover during Kelly’s maternity leave, Megan ended up as a long-term sub. While Megan had some experience working with middle schoolers and college students, her time subbing showed her that Early Education was a great fit for her and she was loving her time in the classroom. She applied to be a regular teacher, and started teaching alongside Kelly in June of 2020. She has continued to provide administrative support during her time teaching here. Megan has been in a unique position as she has experience as a parent, a board member who helped run the school, and a teacher in the classroom. She also can utilize her skills from her Master’s Degree in Computer Science to problem solve, understand the finances, and utilize technology to keep the school running efficiently and modernly. Megan’s administrative and strategic skills make her a great fit for Operations Director.
Between Kelly’s early education expertise and classroom experience at LCNS and Megan’s strong administrative experience at LCNS, we believe we have a strong team to head the school going forward. We’ve received very positive feedback from families about how this transition is going. Ultimately, we are making the decisions we feel are best for the children and their families, as well as the longevity of the school. Being a cooperative preschool, each year, the Board and current families get to make choices that they feel are best for their children and the school at that point in time. We do have a strong and rich history, and we love to acknowledge all of the people that have given to the school during their time here. We also look forward to a bright future. How’s it gonna work? TEAM WORK!
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