Lesley A. Stephens Endowed Fund to Support Students with Disabilities in the Dubuque Community School District

We lost such a precious gem June 23, 2020, when Lesley passed away unexpectedly.  Although the Covid-19 pandemic put us all in such a strange time, now the time has come when we will be able to properly celebrate the life of Lesley A. Stephens. A formal memorial service honoring Lesley was held November 21, 2020, at Steeple Square (the former St. Mary's Catholic Church), Dubuque, Iowa. For additional information about the service, celebration of Lesleys life, and memorials. Lesley Stephen's exceptional leadership with the Dubuque Community School District spanned 36 years.  Without exception, wherever Ms. Stephens served in the District, she brought educational excellence and complete focus on the highest quality programming possible for students and staff. She began as a district-level reading consultant; moved on to being a learning resource center teacher; and ultimately led as an outstanding principal of a succession of elementary schools: Franklin School, Anne Sullivan School, Helen Keller School, and Bryant Elementary School. Tenacity, innovation, creativity, compassion, determination, persistence, and devotion characterized her career as Lesley worked, unwavering, for the education of children all children. Lesley was the administrator who brilliantly pioneered Dubuque's development of critical school and district programming for students with moderate and severe disabilities. That new view of education for students with disabilities opened doors of opportunity and inclusion that had not previously been opened profound changes that re-shaped student programing! Lesley's educational sphere of influence then expanded to Bryant Elementary School.  While principal at Bryant, she also pioneered the teaching and learning design of Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound. Bryant was one of Dubuque's groundbreaking Expeditionary Learning schools when that teaching and learning school improvement model was just starting to emerge across the country. In fact, children, no matter who, and their families, the school staff, our community, and beyond were indeed blessed to experience the passionate advocacy and outstanding leadership provided by Lesley Stephens. Thank you for your contribution to the Lesley A. Stephens Endowed Fund.  Your donation will continue the work Lesley began by providing support to students with disabilities through annual grants to directly benefit students with special equipment needs, personal needs, and/or programming needs.