GCS Turns 80!
Groton Community School is celebrating a remarlabe milestone this year – 80 years of providing young children and families with a strong and nurturing first school experience. From its earliest days in church basements and town spaces, to the beautiful and newly renovated building at 110 Boston Road today, GCS has remained a constant presence in the community.
Founded in 1945 under the leadership of Director, Adeliadie Luca, the school has grown and evoloved while staying true to its core values. Over the past eight decades, GCS has served more than 6,000 children, guided by educators whose longevity and dedication have shapred generations of families. The philosophies of peace, kindness, caring and service to the communtiy continue to define the GCS experience.
The sense of continuity is also reflected in the broader GCS community. Steve Webber, a member of one of the earlierst GCS classes and now an Honorary Trustee, is just one example of the lasting relationships that span decades and continue to strengthen the school today.
The 80th birthday celebration included a school-wide gathering, complete with balloons, ice cream, and music. A highlight of the celebration was a sing-a-long of the original school song written by Assistant Director Lisa Stafford, a favorite of children and teachers alike.
As we celebrate this milestone, we extend our heartfelt thanks to the families, educators, and community members who have suported GCS over the years. Your trust and commitment have made it possible for the school to continue delivering exceptional early childhood education.
Eighty years later, GCS remains grounded in its mission, guided by experienced educators, and committed to helping each new generation of children learn, grow, and thrive – just as it has for decades.
From Our Director
Welcome to spring! What a wonderful time to reflect and celebrate our time together. This year at GCS, our school-wide theme, inspired by Stacy Benge’s The Whole Child Alphabet, is “Story Seeds: Planting a Love for Literacy.” Spring feels like the perfect opportunity to share how this theme has taken root with our children, families, and staff throughout the year.
We were delighted to host a special program on creating a literacy-rich environment at home. The evening featured a professor of early childhood literacy and an interior designer, each offering practical and inspiring ideas and educational guidance to support development and a love of reading.
In the classroom., this theme has come to life, enriching our pre-reading experiences designed to connect with each child’s interests, development, and environment. Children have been building the foundational skills needed for reading and writing in meaningful, hands-on experiences, from strengthening fine and gross motor skills to developing visual and auditory awareness, all while nurturing a genuine love for learning. Our teachers remain present and responsive, thoughtfully guiding exploration, encouraging language, and supporting each child’s natural curiosity. Through these experiences, we are planting the seeds for a lifelong love of literacy that will continue to grow and fourish.
This year, the GCS community marked two important milestones – the school’s 80th birthday and the launch of a new strategic plan. Both are highlighted in this issue, with the strategic plan guiding Groton Community School into its next phase of growth and impact. Together, these milestones reflect the strength of our foundation and our commitment o the future.
Thank you for being part of our GCS community. Toegether, we help young children soar!
Linda Kosinski, GCS Director
Big Plans. Bright Futures.
Last fall, we introduced the themes of our 2025-2030 Strategic Plan. More recently, members of our GCS community received a formal annoucement outlining our five-year plan for how the school will continue to grow, thrive, and remain a vibrant nonprofit resource for our community.
We are excited to share the goals that will guide our work and build on what makes GCS so special – our commmitment to thoughtful teaching, strong relationships, and a deep sense of community. This roadmap will help shape the scool’s direction for the years ahead.
The plan is anchored in seven key priorites:
- Enhancing observation and assessment practices
- Strengthening and evolving the curriculum
- Maintaining excellence in NAEYC accreditation
- Fostering strong community connections
- Providing welcoming and engagng learning spaces
- Advancing a modernized playground redesign
- Retaining and recruiting exceptional educators
These priorities build on the foundation of the past 80 years, while gudining Groton Community School forward. We remain committed to delivering an exceptional first school experience for the young children and families of our community, and this strategic plan defines the path ahead.
Our Strategic Plan 2025-2030 has been in place since the start of the school year, add we are excited to already be making progress on our goals. We welcome your involvment in and support for our school, our forward motion, and the future of our young children.
Why I Give
Inga Nuccio first became involved with Groton Community School when a neighbor encouraged her to apply for a teaching position in 2005. After meeting with Director Linda Kosinski, she immediately knew she wanted to be a part of the GCS community. “I was a permanent teacher at GCS for 20 years, and Linda was the most amazing inspiration to me, from my interview through all those years I was on staff,” Inga shared.
Inga’s family has long been part of her GCS experience. Her husband, Paul, helped to create classroom materials – from a stationery bike for sensory inpurt to hands-on science tools – supporting the school’s commitment to experiential learning.
One aspect of GCS that stands out to Inga, both as an educator and a donor, is the intention and care that goes into every part of the school. “The playground is inrcedible – it wasn’t just a playground, it was a habitat with red-tailed hawks flying above, caterpillars on the stone walkways, and birds at feeders. We built pulley systems, expored physics, and created oportunities for discovery. The environment itself supports learning in such a natural way,” she shared.
While the new bulding introduced beatufiful spaces inclduing an amazing library and new community room, Inga emphasizes that the heart of GCS has always reamined the same – a place grounded in creativity, belonging, and a commitment to growth for both children and teachers.
Inga and Paul have supported the GCS Annual Fund since its inception, sharing, “I don’t think you can ask people to give if you don’t give yourself. Giving shows how much you believe in something.” Demonstrating that belief and trust in GCS has become second nature for Inga, and her leaderhsip by example reflects her deep commitment to the school.
To potential GCS donors, Inga’s message is simple: “Your gift will be put to the best possible use for children and families. There are no wasted time or resources – everything is intentional and focused on supporting them.”
Although now retired, Inga is not ready to leave the GCS community behind. She continues to give her time by bringing a monthly, curriculum-based story time into GCS classrooms, combining books, hands-on learning, music and movement.
Inga’s continued invovlment reflects the lasting impact GCS has – not only on young children, but on the people who are part of its community.
On to New Adventures
Groton Community School bids a heartfelt farewell to two extraordinary educators as they retire from their roles at GCS. Inga Nuccio, who served for 25 years, and Terri Martin, who dedicated 31 years to the school, have each made a lasting impact on generations of children and families.
Inga had a dedication to GCS that was beyond words. She brought a depth of curriculum and inquiry to the classroom that was truly unmatched. Her approach encouraged children to think deeply, ask questions, and engage meaningfully with the world around them. She consistently shared her curriculum materials, vast collection of children’s books, and talented inventions with the entire staff. Despite her retirement, Inga continues to bless us with her presence each month, spreading literacy and bringing a book to life.
Terri, affectionately known as the “Queen of Summer Camp,” infused her work with energy, creativity, and a flair for the dramatic. Known for her singing and vibrant personality, she elevated both the Extended Day and Summer Camp programs and transformed the “Big Room” into a magical place, creating joyful and memorable experiences for countless children. Her boundless energy seemed to have no limits, as she outlasted her colleagues on the busiest of days. Her dedication, warmth, and unmistakable spirit leave a lasting imprint on our community, and her presence will be deeply missed by so many!
“Inga and Terri have each brought something special to GCS, and their influence
can be seen in the countless children and families they have touched over the
years.” – Linda Kosinski
We are deeply grateful for the dedication, passion, and legacy that both Inga and Terri leave behind, and we wish them all the best in their well-earned retirements.
Look Who’s Soaring Now!
Lindsay McGloughlin
Lindsay McGloughlin is both a GCS alumna and GCS past parent. Lindsay attended preschool from 1987–89. Years later, her son also attended GCS, continuing the family’s connection. For both mother and son, their GCS experience helped instill the values of kindness, caring, and community—values that continue to shape Lindsay’s life and, in her case, play an important role in her profession.
Lindsay loved going to school at GCS, where she was surrounded by friends and guided by wonderful teachers. She shared, “I absolutely loved my time at Groton Community School. Calling our teachers by their first names felt so personable and helped build a different kind of connection. Preschool was so much fun—everyone in
the classroom was friends, and we did everything together. I even stayed for the extended day program and remember feeling disappointed when it was over.”
When choosing her career, Lindsay took the concept of caring for the community to heart. She now serves as a Lieutenant with the Concord Fire Department. “It’s incredibly rewarding. Not every day is easy—you’re often responding on people’s worst days. Being able to help in those moments is meaningful to me.”
GCS is truly a family affair for Lindsay. Both she and her sister, Abby, attended the school as young children, and now Lindsay’s son is following in their footsteps. Bringing that connection full circle, their father, Peter Myette, has recently rejoined the Board of Trustees after many years of prior service. Her mother, Andrea is also a past GCS teacher.
GCS strives to create a positive first school experience for young children, emphasizing peace, kindness, and caring. For Lindsay, that experience set the tone for her educational journey and reinforced the importance of inclusion.
“When I think about GCS, I think about community,” Lindsay shared. “It’s very open and welcoming—everyone is involved. As a parent, I always felt connected and part of something bigger.”
“My son learned how to read and write, but more importantly, he learned how to be a good person—how to include others and be part of a community,” she added. “Education matters, but feeling like you’re part of a family—that’s what stands out most
about GCS.”