Crystal F. Jean has been selected as the new executive director of Falls Church-McLean Children’s Center after serving as the assistant director for the last year and a half.

The nonprofit preschool is known for guiding children from low- and moderate-income families toward kindergarten readiness.

Jean becomes the seventh director in its history of the well-known community resource.

Jean has been a preschool educator for more than 10 years and holds a Master’s Degree in Education with a focus on child development from Southern New Hampshire University.

Prior to joining the Children’s Center, she was the director of Rock Spring Preschool, a half-day cooperative in Arlington, for two years and its resource teacher for one year.

Before moving to Northern Virginia, Jean, who holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, taught special education preschool in New Hampshire public schools.

As Jean assumes the executive director position, Lucy Allca-Pelletier, former education coordinator and long-time Children’s Center teacher, becomes assistant director.