About us

Where we came from, what we believe, and what we love!

Go & Grow's History

Go & Grow Education Services, LLC is a continuance of Go and Grow Pre-School - Kevin’s family school in small town Lancaster, New York. Kevin’s mother, Jane Leatherbarrow, started the school with other family members in the late 70’s. Jane passed away in 1999. Kevin felt the name and idea of Go & Grow should continue on in Jane’s memory and life-long devotion to educating young minds.​

We started Go & Grow Education Services in 2017. Since then, we have worked with hundreds of families and their children to gain confidence in learning, improve their scores, and learn to overcome overwhelm in the classroom!

Our Belief

​At Go & Grow, we believe every child can succeed and rise to high standards. Our mission is to give students the literacy and leadership skills needed to live a fulfilling life. We provide a space where students can investigate their interests, learn from their mistakes, and rise above their perceived limitations in academic abilities, behavior and attitude. Families are NUMBER ONE here. Our students' success has frequently led to happier lives at home.

Our Team

Kevin Leatherbarrow, M.Ed.
C0-Director and Founder 

Kevin (Mr. L) is committed to helping students and teachers find success in academic settings. Having navigated through his own education with a learning difference himself, he has a special connection to students who struggle with their own learning and behavior. He earned his Master's in Education from University at Buffalo in New York. He has studied elementary education and child psychology extensively with teaching experience in urban, charter, reservation and SPED settings, instructing various subjects K-12.
Kevin has had great success in advancing readers in their comprehension levels, encouraging expressive and practical writing to showcase their knowledge and understanding. In addition, he has provided students with in-school poetry readings and talent shows to give them a platform for their personal beliefs and ideas to be shared. His students have been known to stand on their desks reciting “Oh Captain, my Captain!” reflecting The Dead Poet’s Society.
Kevin's childhood dream was to fly-fish the rivers of Montana, and he is elated to be living here as a "trout bum." He considers the outdoors to be the best classroom, and the river the toughest teacher.
  • Master’s of Education University at Buffalo 
  • B.A. in English, University at Buffalo
  •  A.S. Liberal Arts and Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, University at Buffalo

Annie Leatherbarrow, M.Ed.
​Co-Director and Founder

Annie Leatherbarrow (Ms. Annie) set a goal to be the best reading teacher in the state of Montana. After teaching primarily English at the Middle School level and seeing the need for a place like Go & Grow, she set out for more education herself. Since then, she has worked with hundreds of children improve their literacy skills. She has her Master's degree in Education from Montana State University- Northern where she focused on differentiated and personalized instruction methods and the Mastery Learning Model.
​Before Go & Grow, she taught in SPED settings, urban charter schools, and briefly on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Eastern Montana. She is a devoted educator and believes in setting a strong foundation in the basics. When she isn't yammering on about literature, she can be found at the dance studio or on the river hunting big browns!
​Annie has worked with all kinds of students who have various learning differences and has made connections with students with difficult behavioral issues that few others could. Annie plays an integral part in building education plans at Go & Grow and tries to keep Kevin on track!
  • Master's of Science in Education, Montana State University - Northern
  • B.A. in English, University of Utah
  • A.S. General Sciences, Southern Utah University​