As Reported by Idaho Press: CapEd Credit Union Awards $15,000 Grant to Lee Pesky Learning Center

Lee Pesky Learning Center (LPLC) announces an important leadership transition. Executive Director Maureen O’Toole will be stepping away from her position to attend to family health matters. The entire LPLC community expresses deep gratitude for Maureen’s leadership, compassion, and unwavering dedication to advancing our mission of helping students, families, and educators overcome learning challenges and reach their full potential.

During her tenure, Maureen guided the Center through a period of growth and adaptation while strengthening relationships with community partners, expanding access to services, and championing programs that ensure all learners have the tools and support they need to succeed. Her empathy, professionalism, and focus on mission-driven impact have left an enduring mark on the organization and those it serves.

Stepping into the role of Executive Director is Dr. Lindy Crawford, who previously led Lee Pesky Learning Center and now returns with optimism and a renewed vision for impact. Dr. Crawford brings deep institutional knowledge, decades of educational leadership experience, and an unwavering commitment to the Center’s mission. Her familiarity with LPLC’s team, community, and the broader educational landscape in Idaho ensures continuity, stability, and momentum during this transition.

“Lee Pesky Learning Center’s professional expertise is second to none and it is my great honor to once again serve alongside an incredibly accomplished and deeply empathetic team,” said Dr. Crawford. “For close to 30 years, LPLC has led educational innovation using an evidence-based approach to teaching and learning. I am excited to play a small part in our continued evolution.”

Board Chair Jim Foudy added, “We are profoundly grateful to Maureen for her care, leadership, and commitment to every learner we serve. We’re equally confident in welcoming Lindy back to guide LPLC into its next chapter. Her deep knowledge of LPLC and her passion for education will be a great asset to the organization during this transition period.”

For nearly three decades, Lee Pesky Learning Center has helped thousands of students, families, and educators overcome obstacles to learning through direct academic and clinical services, professional training, and community partnerships. The organization remains steadfast in its mission to ensure every learner has the opportunity to thrive.

On Nov. 29, Lee Pesky Learning Center received $15,000 in grant monies from CapEd Credit Union. This funding is part of a multi-year $45,000 grant poised to provide support to LPLC for early childhood programming from 2022-2024.

LPLC, an education nonprofit headquartered in Boise, serves individuals, families, schools and our community through a three-tier service delivery model: educator training, literacy pods for English learners and intensive intervention. According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, one in five children face a learning obstacle including but not limited to dyslexia, dysgraphia and ADHD.

CapEd’s grant monies will focus on LPLC’s Tier 1 Every Child Ready to Learn programming which ensures early childhood educators have ample resources to assist students in making gains in early literacy, mathematics, and self-regulated learning. By providing researched-based support to the youngest of learners, children will enter school with the foundational skills necessary for success. Lacking such skills places these children at higher risk for remediation, referral to special education and dropout.

CapEd’s funding is also ensuring that Lee Pesky Learning Center can continue to provide 1,000 kindergarten readiness kits this year to children and families throughout the Treasure Valley.

As CapEd’s Chief Marketing Officer Todd Christensen shared, “CapEd’s commitment from 1936 to today has been on supporting the education community. As we see your children and family succeed in literacy and numeracy, they are going to succeed in life.”

View the original article, as reported by Idaho Press, here.

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