Leadership change leads to abrupt closure of beloved Fort Worth nursery school
The sudden closure of the St. Stephen Presbyterian Day School in Fort Worth has left parents and former teachers frustrated and searching for answers.
According to an email shared with the Star-Telegram, former school director Lauren Ferguson was let go by church leaders on Oct. 29. According to Ferguson’s bio on the school’s website, which has since been removed, she is a TCU graduate who also holds an advanced degree in social work from the University of Texas. She had served as director of the St. Stephen Presbyterian Day School since 2019.
The Star-Telegram called a number purportedly belonging to Ferguson and left a message, but has not received a call back.
The St. Stephen Presbyterian Day School, at 2700 McPherson Avenue in Fort Worth, had classes for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. The school operated on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., offering parents an alternative to day cares . Former teacher Sonia Behrens estimated there were approximately 50 students enrolled in the school.
St. Stephen school unravels following director’s dismissal
According to Behrens, a longtime St. Stephen teacher, Ferguson was participating in class Halloween celebrations dressed as Big Bird when she was unceremoniously fired.
Later that day, students’ families received an email from Marcie Ellen Duplantis, St. Stephen’s director of Christian formation, informing them of Ferguson’s dismissal. Duplantis said she would take over as the day school’s interim director.
Behrens said the email made it sound like St. Stephen’s teachers were on board with the decision despite the fact they hadn’t been notified of the leadership change.
“They spoke for me,” said Behrens. “I don’t like people to speak for me.”
In the days that followed, at least seven of the nine teachers at the school resigned, according to Leticia Moore, whose granddaughter attended St. Stephen.
Behrens had taught at St. Stephen for 23 years, and she said her decision to resign was a difficult one. At the end of the day, though, she felt she needed to do it in solidarity with Ferguson, who Behrens believes was treated unfairly.
Reasons for St. Stephen school director’s firing are unclear
Behrens said neither the teachers nor the students’ families were told why Ferguson was fired.
“They said it wasn’t a child safety concern,” Behrens said. “Short of that, what is it?”
The Star-Telegram left a message for Duplantis with the church’s administrative office, but she has not yet responded.
St. Stephen church leaders called a meeting for Nov. 2 to discuss Ferguson’s departure and the faculty resignations, but the meeting was canceled less than two hours before it was set to take place, according to an email provided to the Star-Telegram. In the same email, families were told the church was suspending day school operations for the time being.
“We apologize for the short notice and appreciate your understanding that classes cannot be held without teachers,” the email read.
Beyond a lack of transparency, Behrens is disappointed in St. Stephen’s leadership for apparently not considering the impact of the closure on the children and their families.
“They did not think it through, in my opinion,” she said, calling the move “unprofessional.”
Now, Behrens feels for those families who are scrambling to find new arrangements for their children, especially the ones that depended on St. Stephen for childcare. In Behrens’ opinion, the church has alienated the community with its decisions over the past few days.
“I’m very, very sad for our families,” Behrens said
This story was originally published November 4, 2025 at 3:50 PM.