Meet the MCS Staff!
Allison Baker, Early Childhood Teacher: Allison is starting her first year at MCS. She has her Bachelors Degree in Child Development and Family Relations and is a year away from completing her Masters of Education with a concentration in Early Childhood Special Education. She grew up in Houston, Texas, and moved to the Northwest after high school. Allison loves taking her Australian Shepherd, Amelia Bedelia, on hikes and to the river. When not working or doing schoolwork Allison loves cooking, live music, spending time with close friends, floating the rivers, and fly-fishing. Allison is excited to share her passion for early childhood education with the children and families of MCS.
Kristal Burns, Early Childhood Teacher: Kristal is starting her sixth year of teaching at MCS and has worked with both three and four-year olds. Kristal loves encouraging kids to “be who you are.” She claims never to have gotten rid of the little kid part of her that wants to be a rockstar-skatergirl-princess, and isn’t ashamed to express her inner self in the classroom. She is excited to continue using her training in mindfulness practices in the classroom to enhance the emotional growth of both children and teachers. Outside of school, she treasures her time with daughter Bridget (now two), and this summer has cherished watching Bridget transform from a young toddler into a child with developed interests and loves of her own. Kristal feels the best part of being in the MCS community is that when at work, she feels like she is with family.
Kaitlin Brooks, Before-care Provider. Kaitlin joins MCS this year as the before-care teacher. She is studying elementary and secondary education and loves working with children as they discover the world around them and create their own knowledge without inhibitions. She was thrilled this summer to teach a summer program at MCS and greatly enjoyed incorporating music, dance and movement into her class. This past summer Kaitlin trained horses, kept bees, hiked, taught, and helped open a business. She and her boyfriend keep their own bees, and recently harvested honey for the second time! Kaitlin also enjoys backpacking, ballet, and time with family back east. She is very excited to meet this year’s MCS kids, and aspires to enrich their lives as they do hers.
Cammie Edgar, Business Manager: Cammie joined MCS in early August. She grew up in Ohio, and has a BS in secondary ed. from Kent State. Cammie moved to Montana in 1992, and taught in Lame Deer for two years before moving to the Bitterroot Valley, where she taught at Stevensville and Corvallis. She spent the last 10 years working as a business analyst for an international company that recently closed their Missoula office. She and her husband Bob (a high school social studies teacher) have been married for 19 years, and have a nine-year-old son, Mitch, who attends Florence-Carlton Elementary. Cammie is also an administrative assistant for Stevensville United Methodist Church, officiates high school volleyball, teaches Sunday school, and is active with her son’s Scout troop. The Edgar family has 1 dog, 3 cats, and are in the never-ending process of building their own home!
Erin Johnson, After-care Provider: Erin started at MCS a year ago, and has been a classroom aide, substitute teacher and aftercare sub. She also co-taught a week of MCS summer camp and filled in numerous times over the summer. Erin is originally from Minneapolis, and her favorite childhood book Blueberries for Sal reminds her of picking berries in northern Minnesota as a child. Erin is currently a junior in Environmental Studies at UM, and her focus on sustainable agriculture has re-awakened her childhood desire to become a farmer. She loves working with children because of their infectious energy and enthusiasm, and in her free time enjoys biking, hiking, gardening, cooking, getting crafty, dancing and birdwatching. She credits MCS for helping to open her eyes to the many ways children grow, and feels fortunate to be part of a place that respects and nurtures that process.
Linda Kocher Pre-K/K Teacher: After a long career in Outdoor Environmental Education, Linda has made a year round home here in Missoula and is very excited for her first year of teaching at MCS. She comes from an entire family of teachers and received her MA in Education from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Linda believes in guiding students to discover their own potential and develop their personal interests through hands on exploration and thematic instruction. She is looking forward to sharing many joyful teachable moments with the students and community at large at MCS.
Kirsten Marsh, Early Childhood Teacher: Kirsten is beginning her third year of teaching at MCS. She has a degree in English Literature from CSU Long Beach and a teaching credential from Concordia University, and has taught preschool through middle school. Kirsten loves tapping into children’s interests, exploring new material and watching their confidence grow. She places a strong emphasis on ensuring children feel safe and loved, building the trust that enables individual growth and growth as a community. One of her favorite children’s books is The Quiltmaker’s Gift, and as a child, she loved both Curious George and Amelia Bedelia. Kirsten recently celebrated her 19th wedding anniversary with husband Brian, and is the mother of two teenage boys. She loves sharing time with her family, making and listening to music, watching movies, hiking swimming, reading, reconnecting periodically with the sand and surf of her native California, and hanging out with friends.
Michael Nevas, Classroom Assistant: Michael helped out with MCS’ summer programs this year, and is beginning his first full year at MCS as a classroom assistant for Lesa and Allison. Michael grew up in Orange, Connecticut but went to high school and most of college in Missoula. He studied early childhood and developmental psychology at Hampshire College in Massachussetts, and English at the University of Montana. In his spare time he loves to write, throw the frisbee around, sail on Flathead Lake, and take long hikes into the Rattlesnake with his girlfriend and their miniature daschund Oscar. He looks forward to participating in the theatrical productions and group writing workshops this coming year, and dreams of writing children's literature for a living and sail around the world. His favorite childhood book is Where the Wild Things Are.
Tiffany Reed, PreK/K Teacher: Tiffany is starting her first year of teaching at MCS. She grew up in Northern California and Bigfork, Montana, and received her B.S. in Recreation Management from the University of Montana. Her love of art led her to open an art gallery in downtown Missoula. After ten years she decided to pursue her passion for teaching and returned to the University to earn her Masters degree in Education. For the past two years she has been a long-term substitute for first grade and a substitute and teaching assistant for grades K-8. During her summers she works for Lewis and Clark Trail Adventures. Tiffany enjoys reading, walking, running, hiking, skiing, and spending time on, in or by water.
Lesa Setters, Early Childhood Teacher: Lesa is starting her fourth year at MCS, and has taught in both kindergarten and early childhood classes. She enjoys getting to know her students, and helping them discover their creativity, strengths, and enthusiasm for learning. Teaching kindness and problem solving skills are practices Lesa especially values in the classroom. At home she spends a lot of time in her garden, especially in the strawberry patch. She loves animals, and has a dog, two cats, three sheep, and nine chickens. In the summers she likes to hunt for wildflowers and pick huckleberries. If she could pick any animal to be for a day, Lesa would choose a chickadee, because they seem to be happy even when it’s cold outside!
Linn Veen, Director: Linn is beginning her second year as director of MCS. She received her B.S. in Human Development/Early Childhood Education from Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, California, and then after years of teaching, returned to school for an M.S. in Education from Purdue University. Her work has included parent education, curriculum development and intervention with families of at-risk elementary students. For 10 years Linn taught students and parents how to care for babies and toddlers. She served as the Director of the CDFS/ Purdue Lab School before returning to her native Montana roots in 2004. Linn maintains a passion for teaching and enjoys collaboratively developing excellent programs where children joyfully grow and learn. She enjoys camping, lake kayaking, swimming the rivers and spending time with good friends. Linn is looking forward to sharing this year with the families, children and staff at MCS.
Laurel Wall-MacLane, Classroom Assistant: Laurel returns for her second year at MCS to be a teacher assistant for Kirsten and Kristal. Laurel received her BA in dance and journalism in 2007 and since has danced with Headwaters Dance Company and done other community based performances. Laurel’s education truly began in the pages of Make Way for Ducklings and Corduroy. She is excited to meet the new faces and personalities of incoming students and see the growth of returning kiddos. Laurel proudly proclaims that she is a local Bitterrooter, and is glad to have her mom and brother nearby in Missoula. She is happy to be investing her energy into this wonderful corner of the universe by working at MCS. |
