Conservatory Lab Charter School empowers students to be scholars, artists, and leaders of their own learning. Through the joy and discipline of daily musical engagement, experiential learning, and service to the community, students learn to effect changes as creative and active citizens.
Conservatory Lab believes music and project-based learning transforms the lives of its students and their families. Through daily music instruction, weekly mental health and social emotional learning time, and hands-on curriculum with real world impact, Conservatory Lab students become leaders of their own learning. Students graduate as civically engaged critical thinkers who will carry their creative and collaborative skills through the rest of their education.
Starting in first grade, every single student at Conservatory Lab plays a musical instrument every single day. This El Sistema-inspired program’s equity-focused and ensemble-based approach is supported by an EL Learning curriculum that emphasizes hands-on learning with real world impact across all subjects.
Nicole Mack, Executive Director has led Conservatory Lab Charter School since 2016 beginning with the role of Head of School and transitioning to Executive Director in 2023. She has 24 years of experience in all areas of public education and holds a B.S. in Early Childhood Education and Teaching from Boston University and an M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision from the University of Massachusetts.
Nate Kaplan, Principal is now in his sixth year at Conservatory Lab, his second in the role of Principal. Nate has worked in urban education for 15 years– prior to joining Conservatory Lab he taught Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade and worked in school culture at both the elementary and middle school levels. Professionally, Nate is a lover of research– he is always seeking the most current information about how to best set the conditions for accelerated student learning and positive development. Nate is a musician, having majored in vocal performance at Emory University. He also plays the guitar and piano. Outside of work, Nate enjoys making music with his wife and kids, writing children’s books, and rooting for his hometown Cincinnati Reds and Bengals
Lindsey Minder joined Conservatory Lab in 2023 and is an Independent Consultant focused on creating holistic educational experiences at the classroom, school, and system level. After over a decade in the classroom, she has deep experience and expertise in strategies and systems that support students’ holistic growth, as well as, a strong commitment to the social-emotional development and well-being of school-based staff. Through her current work she collaborates with school leaders and partner organizations across the country on ways to integrate social-emotional learning into all elements of school models. Lindsey is dual certified in Elementary and Special Education, holds a BA in Psychology from Marist College, a Masters Degree in Child and Family Studies from Wheelock College and is trained as a yoga and mindfulness teacher. Most recently Lindsey was a Lead Partner at Transforming Education. Prior to that role she worked as the Director of Social Emotional Learning at Codman Academy where she was also a founding teacher. She also taught at Dorchester Collegiate Academy and The Fayerweather Street School and was a Certified Child Life Specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital and Albany Medical Center. Lindsey currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts.
Matt Chapuran, Foundation Director of the Conservatory Lab Foundation, joined the staff in 2023 after nine years at the Lyric Stage Company of Boston, the city’s oldest theater company, where he was most recently Executive Director. He has raised money for the Huntington Theatre Company and while he was the Managing Director of Stoneham Theatre, its audience grew to one of the five largest in Greater Boston as measured by the Boston Business Journal. He graduated from Boston College with degrees in Theatre Arts and English and completed his MFA in Creative Writing at Emerson College, where he teaches Arts Management. He lives in Roslindale with his wife and two daughters enrolled in Boston Public Schools. A third daughter graduated from BPS and now attends college in Pennsylvania.
Elizabeth began her teaching career as a high school chemistry and physics teacher at Blackstone Academy Charter School in Rhode Island. After six years as a high school science teacher Elizabeth took a year away from the classroom to pursue her Master’s Degree, after which she started in her role as a middle school math and science teacher here at Conservatory Lab Charter School. Elizabeth is passionate about creating authentic and rigorous interdisciplinary learning experiences for kids, and so she came to CLCS specifically because of the EL Education model. After 10 years teaching at our school, she is excited to shift to an Assistant Principal role where she can bring that passion for engaging learning experiences to her work with teachers. While Elizabeth is not a musician, she loves to draw and paint, and enjoys spending her time in a school that values both rigorous academics and the arts. When she’s not teaching, Elizabeth can be found painting, running, rock climbing, hanging from aerial silks, or spending time outdoors with her husband and her son.
Kristine Bonsack is now in her eighth year at Conservatory Lab. She has worked in special education for 24 years– prior to joining Conservatory Lab she was a Principal at a Collaborative for kids with special needs. She has also taught in a variety of classroom settings from inclusion to substantially separate. Professionally, Kristine is driven to making sure all students are supported and provided rigorous instruction within the general education classroom. Outside of work, Kristine enjoys building Legos with her son, traveling, and rooting for the Red Sox and Patriots.
Conservatory Lab Charter School is governed by a Board of Directors. Chaired by Reverend Doctor Gregory G. Groover, Sr., the Board meets at least six times a year. The Board approves the annual budget, advises on educational policy, and builds resources for the school.
Executive Committee
Reverend Dr. Gregory Groover (Chair) is passionate about education, is the father of two children who both attended BAA and Berklee. He is very knowledgeable about Boston Public Schools and is a former chair of Boston’s School Board, and the Pastor at the Historic Charles Street African Methodist Episcopal Church in Dorchester. He has served on the Board for seven years. His neighborhood is Roxbury, MA.
Founded by faculty members from New England Conservatory and veterans of public health.
Opened its door on September 8 with 60 students in Kindergarten through Second Grade.
Adopted an Expeditionary Learning (EL) curriculum that emphasizes student driven learning with real world impact across all subjects.
Integrated El Sistema’s equity-focused and ensemble-based approach to music education into the daily curriculum.
Approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to expand from Grades 1-5 to pre-kindergarten to 8th grade, and to increase enrollment from 169 to 444 students.
Welcomed our first grade 8 class at our first Dorchester location, the Laboure College building.
Purchased the Lower School campus at Hancock
Street in Dorchester’s Uphams Corner.
Named a finalist for the Pozen Prize for Charter Schools.
Opened a $30 million Upper School campus in
Uphams Corner.
Named a School of Recognition by DESE for demonstrating strong growth, taking into account MCAS scores, absenteeism and graduation rates.
Broke ground on a transformative renovation and expansion of the Lower School campus, scheduled for completion in summer 2025.
Founded by faculty members from New England Conservatory and veterans of public health
Opened its door on September 8 with 60 students in Kindergarten through Second Grade
Adopted an Expeditionary Learning (EL) curriculum that emphasizes student driven learning with real world impact across all subjects
Integrated El Sistema’s equity-focused and ensemble-based approach to music education into the daily curriculum
Approved by the Massachusetts DESE to expand from Grades 1-5 to pre-kindergarten to 8th grade, and to increase enrollment from 169 to 444 students
Welcomed our first 8th grade class at our first Dorchester location, the Laboure College building
Purchased the Lower School campus at Hancock Street in Dorchester’s Uphams Corner
A finalist for the Pozen Prize for Charter Schools
Opened a $30 million Upper School campus in Uphams Corner
Named a School of Recognition by DESE for demonstrating strong growth, taking into account MCAS scores, absenteeism and graduation rates
Broke ground on a transformative renovation and expansion of the Lower School campus, scheduled for completion in summer 2025.
Above: Alumni Rebekah Davilmar, Simone Jenkins, and Jordan Volel with Conservatory Lab Winds & Brass teacher Faraday Fontimus at Conservatory Lab’s 2024 Spring Concert at Jordan Hall.
Our first group of 8th graders graduated from Conservatory Lab in 2015. Approximately one third of our 8th graders enroll at Boston Arts Academy, Boston’s only arts magnet high school, and many continue their music education at the Berklee School of Music or New England Conservatory. In 2024, we are launching our first Conservatory Lab Alumni Association. To learn more, please click the link below. Alumni! We want to hear from you! Click here so we can catch up.
395 Columbia Rd, Boston, MA 02125
(617) 254-8904
© 2025 Conservatory Lab Schoool
