Laurie Levy

Laurie Levy was an early childhood administrator, educator, and community leader for over 30 years. Before embarking on her encore career as an author and blogger, Laurie taught high school English, was a committed school volunteer, became an early childhood educator and administrator, and founded and directed Warren W. Cherry Preschool in Evanston, Illinois, an innovative developmental early childhood program that includes and celebrates all children. A passionate advocate, Laurie's dream is to create welcoming and inclusive school communities in which all children can learn and thrive. Laurie publishes regularly on The Chicago Tribune's blogging platform, ChicagoNow, and on Huffington Post, AlterNet, and Medium (Midcentury Modern and StuffDotCom). Her writing has been featured in The Washington Post and The Forward. Laurie's personal experiences as a parent of three adult children, grandparent of eight (including children with special needs), as well as her years as an educator, school administrator, and community volunteer, have made her a voice for the rights of those who cannot speak for themselves. Her topics include empowering parents and educators, restoring developmentally appropriate practices to education, and seeking justice for parents and children crushed under the heel of the educational-industrial complex. She also writes about key issues for her generation: retirement, parental loss, and grandparenting among others. And sometimes, she writes about whatever strikes her fancy through the lens of a Boomer who both battles and embraces change. She currently lives in Evanston, Illinois with her husband of 47 years, Fred.