Meet Our Staff

We place high expectations upon our staff.

We have four VT licensed educators on staff and our other teachers are all college graduates.

All staff members are certified in Infant/Child CPR and Basic First Aid and take several hours of professional development each year.

Cathy received her BS in Elementary Education from Castleton State College with concentrations in Early Childhood and Math. She started the Lawrence School for Young Children in 1982. Cathy is a Vermont licensed teacher (Pre-K thru grade 6) and has a Level IVB certificate from Northern Lights*.

Cathy Lawrence

Owner / Director

Michele Bowen

Pre-K Teacher

Michele received her bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from the Community College of Vermont. She is a Vermont

licensed teacher (birth thru Pre-K) and has a Level IVB certificate from Northern Lights*.

Michele has been at LSYC since 2015.

She is currently the head teacher in our Sr Pre-K classroom.

Jennifer Gilhooly

Pre-K Teacher

Jenn received her bachelor's degree from Northern Vermont University in Interdisciplinary Studies with concentrations in education, music, and psychology. She is a Vermont licensed teacher (birth thru Pre-K) and has a Level IVB certificate from Northern Lights*.

Jenn worked at LSYC full time from 2006 to 2009, then during the summers and afterschool for about 10 years before

returning to us full time in 2021.

She is currently the head teacher in our Jr Pre-K classroom.

Perky Gaiotti

Pre-K Teacher

Perky received her bachelor's degree from Castleton State College in Elementary Education with a concentration in Early Childhood.

She is a VT licensed teacher (Pre-K thru grade 6) and has a Level IVB certificate from Northern Lights*.

Perky worked at LSYC from 2014 to 2019, returning to us in 2024.

She is currently teaching part time in our Pre-K classrooms.

Pamela Chani

Preschool Teacher

Pam received her BS in Athletic Training from Colby Sawyer and her MS in Exercise Physiology from Ithaca College. She has a

Level IVA certificate from Northern Lights*.

Pam started at LSYC part time in 2006, joining us full time in 2010.

She is currently teaching in our Sr Pre-K classroom.

Fawn Sheldon

Teacher Associate

Fawn received her nursing degree from Southern Vermont College, and worked in the Maternity/Pediatric unit at Rutland Regional Medical Center for several years. She has a Level IIIB certificate from Northern Lights*.

Fawn joined LSYC full time in 2010.

She is currently the head teacher of our Sr Tenderfoot classroom.

Casey Czahor

Teacher Associate

Casey received her bachelor's degree from California State University, Long Beach in Journalism with a focus on Public Relations.

She currently has a Level II certificate from Northern Lights*.

Casey started subbing for us in 2019, joining LSYC full time in 2021.

She is currently assisting in our Jr Pre-K classroom.

JoJo Gianforcaro

Teacher Assistant

JoJo attended the Johnson and Wales' Culinary Arts, Food, and Beverage Management program.

She currently has a Level I certificate from Northern Lights*.

JoJo joined LSYC in 2023.

She is currently assisting in our Sr Tenderfoot classroom.

Cynthia Durbin

Substitute / Trainee

Cyndi received a BA from Susquehanna University in Liberal Arts with concentrations in Communications and Theater Arts

and currently works part time in Mettawee Community School's afterschool program.

She is pursuing her Level I certificate from Northern Lights.*

Cyndi has been working part time at LSYC since 2022.

She currently covers breaks in all classrooms and assists in our Sr Tenderfoot classroom.

*Northern Lights is the hub of the professional development system for Vermont's early childhood professionals.