Agassiz Baldwin Community bids a fond farewell to Jacy Edelman, Director of Children’s Programssince 2008, who will depart at the end of November to take an exciting new job at the Lesley University Partnership School Initiative.

Jacy was instrumental in strengthening ABC Children’s Programs focus on visual and performing arts, and hired a talented team of specialist teachers. She worked to extend the agency’s ISAS (Integrated Self Assessment Study) training to Agassiz Baldwin Afterschool, helped attain NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) accreditation for Sacramento Street Preschool, and helped initiate the preschool’s new summer program.

An energetic grant writer, Jacy secured funding from a number of sources, including Cambridge Arts Council, Associated Grant Makers, New England Foundation for the Arts, and LEGO, and her vision brought life to the wildly popular afterschool restaurant project, Flying Zucchini Café, as well as Kids Curate annual art exhibit.

Jacy’s dedication to fostering community is evident in the sense of connection among Children’s Program staff and School Program families, as well as in Agassiz Baldwin Afterschool’s collaborations with other area afterschool programs, and improved communication with Maria L. Baldwin School faculty and community. ABC will miss her spirit, humor, and energy, and hopes to continue to hear about her moonlighting stints as a rock guitarist and field hockey warrior as she moves on to her next career adventure.