Meet the Teachers

Welcome to Kindergarten! My name is Lauren Carpenter, and this is my third year at Lincoln Academy. I grew up in Colorado and Texas, but have most recently moved to Arvada from Texas. This is my 16th year in education. I have taught Kindergarten-Second Grade. I received my Bachelor's Degree in Human Development and Family Studies and my Master's Degree in Elementary Education from Texas Tech University. My husband and I have 2 sons that are 6 and 8. I love spending time outdoors, shopping at Target or Amazon, and trying new coffee shops. 

I am looking forward to an exciting year of learning and growing! I am a firm but loving teacher who cares deeply for my students. Our classroom will be a positive learning space where all students feel loved and cared for.

Hi! My name is Ansley Cowan, and this is my third year teaching at Lincoln Academy. I grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina and moved to Denver two years ago for a change of scenery and to explore the mountains. I graduated from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill in 2021 and attended UNC-CH again to earn my Masters of Arts in Teaching after undergrad. Needless to say, I am a huge Tarheel fan, so you might hear your students cheering for the Heels this basketball season! I also have been a camp counselor at both day and overnight camps in North Carolina for the past eight years, which inspired me to turn my classroom into Camp Cowan. I love to hike, bake treats, travel, cheer for the Heels and, of course, play with kids! 

I was drawn to Lincoln because of the tight knit, supportive community here of students, teachers and families, and I am excited to get to know all of you this year. Our classroom will be a safe, inclusive and fun environment for all students. I am so excited to learn with and from my students and explore all of the magic of school in Kindergarten! 

Welcome to Kindergarten! My name is Tamra Summer. This is my second year at Lincoln Academy, and I am thrilled to start this new adventure. I have been teaching for 18 years. I earned my Masters in Reading at Regis University. I have had the opportunity to teach kindergarten, first grade and second grade. I also served as the Literacy Specialist for four years. I have a passion for teaching, and it is what I am meant to do. I have two children who will be joining me at Lincoln this year. In my free time, I love to run, rock climb, paddle board, read and play with my two amazing children. I look forward to becoming part of the Lincoln family!

Our classroom will become a second family. We get the opportunity to spend more time together than with our own families. We will build positive, trusting relationships, so we are all empowered to take risks in a safe learning environment. It is important to me that I create a classroom where my students love coming to school and cannot wait to learn something new.

Hello! My name is Evie Wilson, and this is my first year teaching at Lincoln Academy. My sons and I are so very excited to join this community. I have lived in the Arvada, Colorado area since I was 10. I have my Masters of Arts in special education from the University of Colorado. I also have a Post-Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis. I have been an educator for the last 12 years in various capacities as a preschool teacher, a learning specialist, and an autism intensive teacher. However, I know I have landed my dream job as a Kindergarten teacher at Lincoln Academy. When I'm not at my dream job, I love to be out and about in the beautiful mountains with my family enjoying some camping, hiking, tubing, and snowboarding. I also love to hunker down at home with my family playing board games, Plates up on Xbox, Mario Kart, or crafting.

From my previous perspective as a support specialist, I truly believe that the most essential work in education is done first by the parents, and then the general educators. My hope for our classroom this year is that we are a family away from home. I would love to partner with families to create the most supportive, safe, and loving classroom environment possible. Ultimately, I desire for my students to discover the joy of learning as they embark on their school journey.