Our School
Our School
Lawrence Community Nursery School
Our Teachers
Kelly Bowen - Program Director/Lead Teacher
Kelly Bowen has been in Early Education for over 20 years, and started teaching at LCNS in 2011. 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, Kelly was promoted to Program Director in 2026, overseeing classroom operations, teachers, curriculum, and programming. 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.
Kelly Bowen
Megan Peck
Megan Peck - Operations Director/Lead Teacher
Megan Peck became involved at LCNS in 2014 as a parent and all three of her kids have attended the school. As an LCNS parent, Megan served on the Administrative Board and worked as a substitute and temporary Assistant Teacher. She was hired for a permanent position as an Assistant Teacher and school administrator in June 2020. Now Megan uses her technical skills from her Masters Degree in Computer Science along with her Board, administrator, and teaching experience at LCNS in her roles as Operations Director and Lead Teacher. She loves applying her problem solving skills in both practical aspects of running a business as well as supporting children and families in the Early Childhood phase. Every day is a new adventure at LCNS, and Megan is honored to be part of the rich history and community.
Suzanne Nelson-Smith - Assistant Teacher
Suzanne brings more than 30 years of experience in Early Childhood Education, including 8 wonderful years right here at LCNS! She originally served as our Director and Lead Teacher from the summer of 1989 through the spring of 1997. While she has touched the lives of children across many different preschool settings, her time at LCNS stands out and left a lasting impact.
“I believe children learn best through play," Suzanne says. "Parent participation is such a gift for the Parent and their Child. Coming back to LCNS to interview for an assistant teacher position, truly felt like coming home! I am thankful for the opportunity to come full circle in my career!”
Suzanne is a parent to 8 children, including her daughter Baleigh, who attended LCNS during Suzanne’s tenure. She has 10 grandchildren and 8, going on 9, greats!!
Suzanne Nelson-Smith
Kathy Olcott - Assistant Teacher
Kathy has been working with children for nearly two decades in various roles, including Americorps case manager at Bert Nash, behavioral therapist for autistic children, clinical researcher, nanny, and preschool teacher. She has her Bachelor's degree from KU in Applied Behavioral Science with a focus in Early Childhood Education and Early Autism Intervention. Kathy enjoys working with children and learning about child development from different points of view, but what she loves most is spending time at the kids' level, teaching, playing, and connecting with each child. Kathy brings her broad experience, enthusiasm, and compassion to the LCNS community and loves building relationships with the students and their families.