Jean Copeland brought a lifetime of knowledge, hands-on experience, and leadership to Exceed Preschool Curriculums, which she co-authored with longtime colleague, Jean B. McNeil.

As the co-founder of Child Care Solutions, USA, and founder and President of The Copeland Schools, Inc.; a former elementary school teacher, Supervisor of Elementary Education and Reading, and Chairperson of the Chesterfield County (Virginia) School Board, Ms. Copeland devoted her life to developing young minds and educating those entrusted with that calling. The hallmark of Ms. Copeland's four-plus decades in early childhood education was a commitment to evaluating and enhancing the teaching, and nurturing, that enabled young minds to Exceed in the classroom and in life.

The vision, wisdom, and experience that Ms. Copeland brought to her role as school board chairwoman were instrumental in leading a public school system with a national reputation for excellence, when Chesterfield was one of the five fastest growing counties in the United States.

Those same qualities were the driving force, in the early 1980s, behind The Copeland Schools, pre-school environments with an emphasis on child development. At a time when there were few such centers available for children in the Richmond/Virginia area, The Copeland Schools were well received by parents seeking a quality program that empowered children to meet and surpass conventional standards of development.

Ms. Copeland was a presenter at NAEYC, NCCA, and NACCP National Conferences, and previously served as an adjunct professor at the College of William and Mary, the University of Virginia, and Virginia Commonwealth University. She is the mother of five sons and, in her spare time, enjoyed activities with her 12 grandchildren, and continued to expand upon hands-on experience in early childhood education.