Francine Delany New School For Children

Lucy Crown is a parent at FDNSC.  She has a bachelors degree in Fine Art from UNCA and a Masters degree from Clemson University in City and Regional Planning.  She is the Park and Greenways planner for Buncombe County.  Lucy's eclectic past also includes studying art history in Cortona Italy, working at a film company in Buenos Aires Argentina, architectual restoration, selling real estate, and starting small businesses in Asheville.

Guy Chancey is the parent of a 2nd grader at Francine Delany New School for Children. Since receiving his bachelor's degree from Birmingham-Southern College, Guy has been working in television for the past 20 years and is currently the marketing and production director for WLOS-TV.

Jackie Eller is our parent contractor and the namesake of the Eller Building.  Jackie has been instrumental in the building project at FDNSC.  Jackie lives in Alexander with his wife and son.

Scott Workman is the Assistant Vice President at Asheville Savings Bank.  He lives in West Asheville with his wife and their daughter.

Elisabeth Bocklet is a community representative.  She has a BSW from Warren Wilson College and has spent the last 15 years working in local nonprofit agencies that addressed affordable housing and children’s education.  She is currently the Marketing and Communications Associate for United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County.  She lives in west Asheville with her partner and two dogs. 

Melissa Murphy is our second grade teacher.  She began teaching at Francine Delany in 2001.  She started teaching in 1996.  Melissa's experience, ranges from the primary grades through middle school.  She has worked as both a teacher of exceptional children as well as a regular classroom teacher during her career. At FDNSC, Melissa has taught first, second, third, and sixth grades. She began teaching in South Texas and moved from Austin to North Carolina in 2001 after completing her Master's degree at the University of Texas.  Melissa is a certified elementary classroom teacher, exceptional children’s teacher, and reading specialist. She completed her National Board Certification in literacy in 2008. 

Debbie Newton is a National Board Certified teacher and one of the founders of the school.  Debbie teaches first grade at FDNSC and is our curriculum support specialist.

Elana Froehlich was trained in the Montessori philosophy and got a BA from Warren Wilson College in Elementary Education. Her first year out of college she taught in a 2 room school house in Asheville with 4-6 year olds. She then taught a combination K-2 class in Asheville City Schools for 3 years before helping to found Francine Delany in 1997. Elana taught K-1 her first year at FDNSC and straight Kindergarten for the next 11 years before taking the Title 1 position in 2009.

Ted Duncan is a National Board Certified teacher.  Ted has been teaching for since 1999 and he has been with Francine Delany New School for Children since 2004.  Ted received his Bachelor’s degree from Warren Wilson College.  Ted is a helping teacher at Francine Delany.  His primary responsibilities are arts education and communication.

Lucy Sawyer is a helping teacher at Francine Delany New School for Children.  She has taught at Francine Delany for four of her nine years teaching.  Lucy received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Tennessee at Chattanoga.