Each classroom is headed-up by a lead teacher who holds a Bachelor of Science degree, and a Minnesota Pre-Kindergarten teaching license. These lead teachers are assisted by University practicum students and/or participants in the college work-study program.
Debra Carlson
Director
Debra has been the director of Lindgren Child Care Center since 1980. Her goal has always been to continually improve the center, or “keep polishing the gem that we have”, as she says. Current improvements focus around answering the following general question: when children and families in our program grow up and think back on their time at Lindgren, will it be with fondness, warmth, and connection? We especially try to emphasize elements of beauty and nature in those improvements. Ms Carlson holds a Minnesota Pre-K teaching license, and has a Master's Degree in Management of Public and Non-Profit Organizations from the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.
Dennis Mergen
Associate Director
Dennis is in his eleventh year here at LCCC; the first ten years as the lead preschool teacher. He has recently accepted the position of Associate Director. He has worked in the Early Childhood field for the last sixteen years. Previously, Dennis has taught in the St. Michael/Albertville school district. Before teaching at STMA he obtained a B.S. from SCSU in Applied Psychology. He also received minors in Human Relations and Child and Family Studies with a Minnesota Early Childhood Teaching Licensure. The curriculum in his classroom is project based which allows the children to dictate their own development. Dennis lives in the Albany area with his wife Ginny, son Marcus who is now ten years old and their infant son Jackson. They enjoy playing and watching baseball games, fishing if they are biting and tubing if they are not.
Lucy Lang
Infant Teacher
Lucy has worked in the early childhood field for about 30 years. Her experiences include teaching Head Start, being a parent educator in ECFE programs, and teaching college courses in the Child and Family Studies department. Lucy has been the preschool teacher at LCCC prior to being the infant teacher. She has been the infant teacher since 1998 and finds that working with infants is one of the most satisfying things that she has ever done. Lucy holds a Master's Degree in early childhood, the parent education and pre-kindergarten licenses and a bachelor's degree in Home and Community Service and Art. Lucy's family consists of a retired husband and teenage son, and two step-daughters and their families. In her free time, Lucy enjoys flower gardening, theater, painting, reading non-fiction, and creating a nurturing environment in her home.
Amy Krystosek
Toddler Teacher
Amy obtained a Bachelor of Science degree here at St. Cloud State University along with a minor in Early Childhood Education. She holds a Minnesota PreK-6 th grade teaching license. While in college she was a work-study student here at the center. After graduating, she worked one year out in the early childhood field, and then returned back to Lindgren Child Care Center in 1990 as the Toddler Teacher. Amy provides a classroom environment that is safe, positive and homelike. She has two sons, Elijah and Simon. In her spare time, Amy enjoys gardening, traveling up north with her boys,cooking and watching her boys baseball games.
Barbara Eaton
Preschool Teacher
Barb’s background in Early Childhood began at Lindgren almost nine years ago as a student employee while working on a degree in Child and Family Studies. Since graduation, Barb has worked in the Holdingford School District, teaching School Readiness and Family Education classes. In additon, she has worked part-time as a substitute teacher for local school districts, as well as LCCC. Barb decided to return to SCSU and work on a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Special Education. She accepted a Graduate Assistantship at LCCC, before being offered the Interim Preschool Teacher position. Barb lives in St. Joseph with her husband, Graham, and two-year-old daugher, Madelyn. They enjoy camping, fishing, and attending sporting events together.
Staff
These lead teachers are assisted by University practicum students and/or participants in the university work-study program.
