Our staff of experienced teachers promote a creative, educational and positive school environment.

Beth Florez,
Head of School

Beth and her family have lived in Lyons since 2018, and like so many they were drawn to the sense of community that Lyons gives. They enjoy hiking, biking, and spending time at the parks and river together.

Beth received her teaching credentials through the Friends’ School teacher preparation program in Boulder, and a MA in Educational Psychology from CU Denver. She has taught a range of preschool and elementary students, and is excited to carry on the vision and mission the founders and the Board have created.  She has a strong commitment to Early Childhood Education and is honored to be in her role at Lyons Valley Preschool.

COURTNEY Platt,
Teacher

Miss Courtney grew up in Destin, Florida, a little beach town beside the Gulf of Mexico. In 2009 she traded the beach for the mountains, and now resides with her husband and son in Berthoud.

Miss Courtney has been with Lyons Valley Preschool since its opening in 2013. She completed her Montessori training in 2015, and brings a wealth of joy and Montessori knowledge to our school. She loves cooking, camping, and traveling with her family. Her favorite children's book is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.

Cayenne Towns,
Teacher

Ms. Cayenne is a native of Colorado and has lived in Niwot for over 25 years. She has been a teacher with Lyons Valley Preschool since 2016. Cayenne is extremely blessed to have stayed home with her beautiful twin daughters, Megan and Makenna, until they were 16. Her lovely girls graduated college together and now reside in Peru and Fort Collins, respectively. Cayenne has a degree in Nutrition with extensive coursework in Early Childhood Education. She also attended the College of International Esthetics and is a certified Medical Esthetitian. Cayenne has a passion for cooking vegan recipes, reading, walking the great outdoors, spending time with her lovely daughters and her furry cats, Jasper and Cloudy. Cayenne feels it is an honor to be part of the Lyons community and spending time learning herself from the amazing children each and every day at Lyons Valley Preschool.

Jene bergan,
Teacher

Jené is not a Colorado native but she has lived in Lyons for the last 27 years, aside the last 2 years she and her family embraced their wanderlust and lived abroad in Mexico and Chile. In her spare time she loves to travel, camp, drink coffee, mountain bike and spend time exploring nature with her husband and twin 5-year old daughters. She received her teaching credentials through the Friends’ Teacher Preparation Program in Boulder, and a MA in Learning, Development, and Family Science with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education from the University of Colorado-Denver. Jené brings a wealth of experience teaching preschool through second grade and is deeply passionate about fostering student growth and discovery throughout their learning journey.

Lisa kaufmann wicker, chairperson

Lisa Kaufmann Wicker is mom to two amazing kiddos who have both benefited from attending Lyons Valley Preschool, her daughter attended throughout the COVID pandemic and her son became a student recently. Lisa got active in Lyons Valley Preschool by helping the school navigate COVID policies and supporting the school's efforts to reopen in September of 2020 and stay open safely.  Lisa officially joined the board December 2022 and currently serves as chair. Professionally Lisa has worked for Governor Polis for over 16 years in various positions. She served as chief of staff in his Congressional office and as Chief of Staff for the entire four years of his first term as Governor. Lisa now serves as senior strategic advisor to Governor Polis. Lisa brings her years of experience running large organizations as well as a depth of experience in creating new opportunities and investments in early childhood education. Recently she was proud to support LVP as it enrolled in the inaugural year of universal preschool. Universal preschool or UPK for short, is a new state program that provides over $6,000 for all 4 year olds in Colorado to attend at least 15 hours of preschool a week, a program she helped conceive of, designed, and then helped oversee the implementation statewide.  She is excited to focus locally and help support Lyons Valley Preschool and the Lyons Community that she loves.

Jocelyn Masurat,
Board Member

Jocelyn Masurat is the mom to two LVP students, one current and another who graduated in 2021. Originally from St. Louis, she and her husband moved to Lyons in 2009. Jocelyn has a master’s in social work and worked for Boulder County Public Health for many years. Her background also includes work in school-based health centers and in the field of youth development where she was the director of a nonprofit youth program that integrated outdoor education, social emotional learning, and educational support. Jocelyn values LVP’s gentle, effective approach as well as the teachers’ warmth and engagement. As a board member, she looks forward to supporting LVP’s sustainability and essential role in the Lyons community as a high-quality independent preschool.

Liz Schnabolk,
Board Member

Liz Schnabolk is a mom of two and Lyons resident. Her family moved to Lyons in 2021 and quickly fell in love with the spirited community and natural surroundings. She has a background in journalism and communications, and has worked for education and parenting-related companies like Scholastic as well as FamilyFun, Parents, and KIWI magazines. She currently works part time as an editor for The Week Junior magazine, while also spending much of her days with her kiddos.

Jennifer Wolding,
Secretary

Jen Wolding is mother to two very adventurous bilingual daughters, one a current LVP student and the other an LVP “student-to-be”. Jen is originally from a small town in central Wisconsin, has lived in Colorado for 12 years, and currently resides just outside of Lyons. Jen has a background in education as a Teach For America alumnus and former elementary school teacher with experience in teaching bilingual 5th grade, elementary Spanish, and elementary English as a Second Language. After teaching, Jen went back to pursue a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology, and spent a number of years on the Special Education and Leadership teams for a bilingual school in Fort Collins, primarily working in the preschool classrooms. She currently works part time as a Speech Language Pathologist and Medical Interpreter in local hospitals, but spends the bulk of her time running around with her little ones. She is absolutely thrilled to raise her girls in this vibrant, tight-knit, Lyons community and is excited to bring her background as a parent and former teacher/educator to the board as a way to support local families, educators, and the Lyons Valley Preschool.