--- title: "About LPC" description: "LPC since 1984: mission, founder Chris Giguere, what we believe, the nature-inspired playground, the Performing Arts Series, how we communicate with families." source: /about canonical: https://lexpc.org/about last-reviewed: 2026-11-10 --- # About LPC ## Built on play, a nature-inspired playground, and teachers who stay. In October 1984, LPC opened with 24 children, a few toys, and a fenced-in grassy yard. We barely had paper to color on. What we did have: devoted teachers and parents who showed up. By 1987 we'd doubled enrollment and added toys, art supplies, a climbing structure — and given up on the grass entirely. Faces have changed over four decades, but the core of LPC hasn't: we have fun here. It's warm, it's happy, it's the kind of place kids run into in the morning. > Some days we'd call it downright magical. LPC is a play-based program where children feel safe, ready to learn, and free to be themselves. Through hands-on exploration and real relationships with their teachers, we help every child grow — socially, emotionally, physically, and academically. ## Chris Giguere — founder, 1984. Chris Giguere opened Lexington Playcare Center in 1984. She wanted a place where play was the foundation of learning, and where children felt safe, supported, and genuinely happy. That spirit still runs the school. She championed the nature-inspired playground, too — the hill, the trees, the trike path, the spaces where children imagine and dig and climb. It's one of the most-loved parts of the program. Chris knew every child by name and obsession. They adored her right back. ## Children are valued for who they are right now. At LPC, we honor and respect childhood, knowing that children are not just adults waiting to happen, but are valued for who they are right now. We care deeply about every interaction between children and adults, recognizing that emotional development is a vital part of early childhood and deserves deep support and understanding. No moment is too small — each one is an opportunity to build connection, deepen trust, support learning, and have fun! **Things that are really important to us:** ### Independence We want kids to be able to do as much for themselves as possible — to feel really proud and capable on their own. We sit on our hands, watch and observe to see what they can do, and then coach them through: encourage them to do what they can do for themselves, or at least *try* to do it, then figure out where we fit into their process. ### Play Play is one of the most important experiences in early childhood. It is a powerful foundation for building strong health, confidence, and overall well-being — and it serves as the best preparation for future academic success. ## A playground built like the woods, on purpose. We planned our nature-inspired playground for two years before installing it in 2012. It trades most manufactured play equipment for hills, trees, logs, and dirt: room for unstructured outdoor play, every day. **What you'll find:** - A hill with a slide and a tunnel - Apple trees and blueberry bushes - A four-surface trike path - A fallen log and movable logs - A hobbit house - Butterfly bushes, sand, rocks, and space to be a child ## The joy of performance, right at school. At LPC, we believe children should have the opportunity to experience the joy of the performing arts from an early age. Our Performing Arts Series brings a variety of talented performers right to our school — puppet shows and magicians, musical performances, and other interactive entertainers. These special experiences inspire curiosity, creativity, imagination, and a love of the arts — all while giving children the chance to laugh, participate, and enjoy something new together with their friends. We love creating opportunities for children to discover something new, be inspired, and simply have fun. ## How we keep families in the loop. Day-to-day, LPC families use the **Playground** app: photos and quick notes from teachers, naps and meals, sign-in/out, and direct messages with the office. You'll catch glimpses of your child's day in real time — no long email needed. Twice a year — in **winter and spring** — we hold scheduled parent-teacher conferences. Ahead of each one, your child's teachers write a **detailed, individual progress report** — a real picture of who your child is and how they're growing. The conference is the longer, slower conversation built around it: how your child is settling in, what they're working on, what we're noticing, what's next — and a standing chance to ask us anything. They happen on a regular cadence, not only when something's wrong. For the bigger logistical stuff — closures, weather, calendar updates — we use email so the important things don't get buried in the Playground feed.