by Melanie Gilbert
LOWELL – The Lowell Community Charter Public School will enter a new chapter as Executive Director Nicholas Leonardos recently announced his retirement to the LCCPS community.
“After much reflection, I am writing to share that I will retire as Executive Director of LCCPS, effective August 1, 2027,” Leonardos said in the Oct. 27 letter. “I am announcing my decision today so that our Board of Trustees and school community will have the time needed to conduct a thoughtful and inclusive search for the exceptional leader who will guide LCCPS into its next chapter.”
In a separate statement posted to his LinkedIn page, Leonardos described his time serving LCCPS as “among the most fruitful experiences of my 36 years in education.”
LCCPS is a public charter school serving 815 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in the heart of Downtown Lowell on Jackson Street The tuition-free school operates under a charter granted in 1999 by the state’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Leonardos began his career as a Teach For America corps member, leading classrooms in the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Houston Independent School District. He helped launch Boston Renaissance Charter Public School as a teacher and then as the school’s academy director before moving into principalship roles in the Kingston, Stoneham and Cambridge public school districts.
Leonardos took over the LCCPS leadership position in 2017.
During his tenure, the school completed successful charter renewals and implemented ambitious strategic plans. The most recent plan envisioned the expansion of a brand-new facility, which broke ground in 2025. The project will create a new athletic and performing arts space donated by the Lichoulas family.
According to previous reporting in InsideLowell, for more than 25 years, LCCPS has served students without a traditional gymnasium. Physical education and athletic activities have instead taken place in a converted ground-floor space with low ceilings and structural columns throughout the room.
A rendering of the Lowell Community Charter Public School Athletic & Community Center, which includes a state-of-the-art gymnasium. (HMFH Architects/Courtesy LCCPS)
Construction of the new Athletic & Community Center is now underway. When complete, the project will feature a state-of-the-art gymnasium, two new playgrounds, a new centrally located elevator tower, and significant site and program improvements — all directly connected to the school’s existing campus.
The project represents the first phase of a multi-year modernization of the LCCPS campus.
This month, MassDevelopment issued a $35,475,000 tax-exempt bond on behalf of Learn to Lead Foundation of Lowell Inc., a fundraising nonprofit affiliated with LCCPS, to finance the construction.
The Learn to Lead Foundation of Lowell was created by parents and community members to ensure that LCCPS has the funds and programs needed to operate and grow the school.
LCCPS Chief Operating Officer Robert Gignac said he had the “privilege” of serving as COO since 2018, working closely with Leonardos, the leadership team, faculty and Board of Trustees on nearly every aspect of the school’s operations, finances, strategic planning and educational initiatives.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished under Nick’s leadership and excited about the opportunities ahead for LCCPS,” Gignac said by email Saturday.
A rendering of the Lowell Community Charter Public School Athletic & Community Center, which is currently under construction. (HMFH Architects/Courtesy LCCPS)
The Lowell resident knows the public-school landscape from both sides of the issue. Gignac graduated from Lowell Public Schools and served two terms on the Lowell School Committee before joining LCCPS. He is also a “proud” LCCPS parent.
On Nov. 9, the LCCPS Board of Trustees posted invites for proposals from qualified executive search firms to conduct a comprehensive search for the school’s next executive director. The selected firm will work with the trustees to identify, recruit, evaluate and assist in the selection of a qualified educational leader. Proposals are due by Nov. 23.
In his remaining tenure at the helm of LCCPS, Leonardos said in his community letter that he remains “fully committed to our students, staff, families, and priorities.”
“I will work closely with the Board to help ensure a thoughtful and successful leadership transition,” he said. “When the time comes, I will leave LCCPS with countless wonderful memories, tremendous pride in what we have accomplished together, and deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve this remarkable community.”
