Ana Leahy Appointed New Director of Alaya Preschool

Boulder, CO (February 3rd, 2021) — Alaya Preschool, a fixture of Boulder’s early childhood education community since 1976, is delighted to announce the appointment of Ana Leahy MSc as the new executive director. Succeeding co-directors Juliet Seskind and Steve Sachs, Ana Leahy steps in at a most challenging time for pre-schools, and brings years of classroom teaching and administrative leadership to Alaya. She has worked across the US and in Ireland, most recently serving as the Assistant Director for the Jefferson County Public School District Preschool Program.  She is also a certified Montessori Teacher.

Ana holds a Master’s Degree in Management and an Undergraduate Degree in Business.  She has taught in a preschool setting for 10 years, worked as an Adjunct Faculty Member of a Teacher Training Center and served as a Consultant for private preschools.  She has been a licensed Preschool Director since 2007.

Alaya Preschool serves children ages 2 – 6 years in three age-appropriate classrooms.  The school takes pride in guiding children to be genuine, compassionate, curious, and joyful. It encourages children to be connected with their relationships and to meet challenges, while exercising minds and bodies. The school is a division of Naropa University, and many of Naropa alumni have been Alaya teachers.

“We are very happy that Ana is bringing her exceptional pre-school teaching and management skills to the Alaya Community” said Naropa President Charles G. Lief. “Alaya is a jewel, and Naropa is honored to have supported its work for more than four decades. And as a parent of two Alaya students in the late 1970’s, one of whom later became a teacher there, Alaya is close to my heart; and we are so grateful that Ana has chosen to continue her professional journey with us.”

“I believe there are few other places where societal change be impacted so dramatically as it can in the nurturing of young children” offered Ana Leahy.  “I feel fortunate to be a daily witness to the transformation of little children into citizens of the world.  I was drawn to this position because Alaya is a school that demands great things for its students… and OF its teacher.  I believe that to have the honor of teaching children, we need to be prepared to consistently stretch ourselves. Alaya supports that belief and, as a result, has an amazing faculty team guiding a student body with unlimited potential.”

About Naropa University (Naropa.edu): Located in Boulder, Colorado, Naropa University is a private liberal arts institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs. As the “birthplace of the modern mindfulness movement,” Naropa University is a leader in contemplative education, an approach to learning and teaching that integrates Eastern wisdom studies with traditional Western scholarship. Naropa University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

About Alaya Preschool (alayapreschool.org): For over forty years Alaya Preschool has provided quality early childhood education in Boulder, Colorado offering preschool classrooms (grouped by age) with full or half-day schedules; as well as 7 weeks of summer camp. Alaya teachers delight in the opportunity to nurture and guide children in their becoming genuine, compassionate and curious; joyful and connected in their relationships; proud of the effort and discipline in their accomplishments; and able to meet challenges while exercising their minds and bodies.