Head of school:
Courtney Landry graduated from Southern Methodist University with degrees in Psychology and TV/Radio. After working for several years in the film industry, Courtney earned a Master's Degree in Psychology, with a specialization in Early Childhood from Antioch University, Los Angeles. She worked as a therapist with children and families before having her own three children. Courtney and her family moved to Salida, Colorado in 2007. She was a member of the SMCS Steering Committee, and a Board Member for SMCS for 5 years. Courtney worked at SMCS as the Registrar and Office Administrator from 2015-2020. In the summer of 2020, Courtney took over as Head of School at SMCS. Courtney_Landry@salidamcs.org
Preschool Director:
Brianna Myers grew up in Salida and has always had a love for young children and helping others. She has been teaching in early childhood since 2008. She has been an assistant in a Montessori classroom since coming home to Salida in 2013. Prior to that, she spent five years at a private preschool in Grand Junction. Two of those years were spent as a lead teacher in their toddler program and the last three years as Director. Brianna attended Mesa State College where she earned her Large Child Care Center Director's Certificate. Brinna has three daughters, Sydney, born in 2005, Jayden, born in 2007 and Stella, born in 2016. Brianna is very excited to be continuing her work in a toddler classroom at SMCS and also continuing on in the role of Preschool Director. Brianna_Myers@salidamcs.org
Toddler Room (1 and 2 year old)Guides:
Chelsey Helmer: Chelsey grew up in Elmore, Vermont with her parents and two sisters. Her freshman year of college was spent at UMASS Amherst studying Mass Communications, in hopes of becoming a news journalist like Barbara Walters. She found Salida in 2007 after visiting a dear friend and fell in love with its recreation and small town vibe. She currently lives in Maysville, CO with her husband and three young sons. She has been working in early childhood education for over 15 years and has taken Early Childhood courses locally at CMC. She is currently enrolled in an Infant/Toddler Certification program at the Center for Guided Montessori Studies. She enjoys mountain biking and snowboarding with her family, singing and dancing with her friends, and baking treats for everyone to enjoy! She and her husband are partial owners of a Bike Shuttle business called “High Valley Bike Shuttle” and run a small coffee shop in Poncha Springs.
t
Cynthia Burris, a Costa Rican-American, earned her BA in Psychology at the University of Notre Dame and a Doctors in Physical Therapy from Rosalind Franklin University in Chicago. She previously worked for the Chicago Public School system and several skilled nursing facilities in both Illinois and Colorado prior to switching to the role of a homeschool mother/teacher during the pandemic. Her family's travels during the pandemic lead to exploring the United States and Costa Rica more thoroughly over the course of a couple of years, eventually ending when they settled down in the Arkansas River Valley. After a year in Buena Vista, Salida has quickly become home thanks to the great community developed through SMCS. Her two children have been enrolled at SMCS since 2021, when she began subbing at both SMCS campuses. With a passion for caring for others and teaching she is excited to use her knowledge and skills from being a mother, homeschool teacher, and physical therapist with the youngest members of the SMCS family. She is excited to learn more about the Montessori philosophy and way of education and working with amazing children every day!
Children's House (3 Year olds-K) Guides:
Sunflower Classroom:
Lead Teacher for the Sunflowers Classroom-
Karen Fortier made her way to Salida after she and her family moved from Alaska in 2010. After a career with the National Park Service as a Resource Education Park Ranger she pursued her interests in gardening, farming, and homesteading and worked as the Education Director for the Farm to School program for Guidestone Colorado, a local non-profit. She spent the last 5 years helping to integrate Farm to School education curriculum and service learning opportunities for Salida School district students, and providing hands-on experiential garden opportunities through the summer garden, farm, and ranch programs in Chaffee County. Karen was introduced to Montessori after enrolling her two daughters in 1st grade and preschool at the Chaffee County Montessori School in 2012. She quickly saw the profound effect Montessori methods had on her children and she is excited to be joining a very caring and talented staff. She has spent time working as a substitute teacher and a classroom helper at the Chaffee County Montessori School in the past. Karen and her family love anything outdoors and spend their free time rafting, camping, skiing, and travelling. Karen_Fortier@salidamcs.org
Assistants in Sunflowers-
Becky Merklein: The best thing in life is hearing children’s laughter so what better place to be than The Children’s House. After receiving a BA from the University of Wisconsin Madison and a TESOL Certification from Seattle University, Becky embarked on a 5 year career teaching English at the Universidad de Guanajuato, MX. Upon returning to the US, she taught Spanish for seven years at the high school level and has since then slowly worked her way down to preschool, first as a reading interventionist, and lastly as a Lead Teacher. It has been a whirlwind, but has allowed her to develop new skills, understand diverse learners, and master her teaching practices. Becky is a licensed Colorado Teacher in Early Childhood Education as well as Spanish and Elementary Ed. She has her Read Act certification and is passionate about phonemic awareness and developing confident readers. Becky loves the outdoors and spends her free time Mountain biking, hiking and camping. She loves to curl up by the fire in winter and read a good book and is always whipping up a fun meal for her and her husband.
Aubrey Palermo grew up in Buena Vista graduating from Chaffee County High School in 2016. During my senior year of high school I was diagnosed with cancer. Shortly after graduating I went into surgery and have been cancer free since 2016. After facing this struggle at such a young age I’ve been given the perseverance, strength, and compassion to live my life. I aspire to pass this view onto the next generations to hopefully give them the confidence to face their challenges head on. Before moving to BV I spent my early life living with my sister and her four young children. Watching my niece and nephews conquer their challenges in school sparked a passion to help kids overcome their struggles and understand the way of the world. I’ve traveled the country working many different jobs, from managing restaurants in Colorado Springs to opening the restaurant for Margerum Winery Tasting Room in Santa Barbara, Ca. After my last out of state seasonal job on Orcas Island, I came back to Chaffee County to settle down and focus on the next big chapter in my life; early childhood education. After teaching ski lessons at Monarch through the Children Center, I have become more confident in my future in education and am excited to grow along side the community that I serve.
Cosmos Classroom:
Co-Lead Teacher for the Cosmos Classroom-
Aleksandra Sineath was born and raised in Lodz, Poland. Her love for children and natural passion for teaching called her to attend the University of Lodz. She studied Early Childhood Education with a specialization on alternative systems of education like Montessori, Waldorf, and Piaget. Working as an au pair brought her to the United States, where she met her husband and started a small family. She feels blessed that life circumstances moved her family to Salida in 2015 to start new adventures, but the biggest blessing is the chance to be a part of the Montessori family.
Aleksandra_Sineath@salidamcs.org
Co-Lead Teacher for the Cosmos Classroom-
Sadie Swieca grew up in the suburbs of Chicago but escaped the city life to attend college at the University of Vermont. She studied Global Studies with a double minor in Environmental Studies and Spanish. Immediately after college she began working in the field of Environmental Education and held positions as a NaturePlay School Teacher, Naturalist and Park Ranger. With her passion and interests of experiential learning aligning with Montessori methods she made the move to Salida in 2022 and joined the SMCS family.
Sadie absolutely loves living in Salida and spends her free time fly fishing, camping, hiking, skiing, gardening and would love to find a place to keep bees!
Assistant Teacher-
Dan Krasnow: Dan_Krasnow@salidamcs.org
Elementary I (1st-3rd Grade) Guides:
Lead teacher for Clover Classroom:
Jamie Shores was raised in Waukegan, IL and attended Bluffton University where she received her degree in psychology. She became West obsessed when she moved to Southern California for an internship with the Student Conservation Association. While in graduate school in the Bay Area, Jamie discovered Montessori education and never looked back. She received her Montessori certifications in Early Childhood, Lower Elementary, and Upper Elementary from the Montessori Training Education Center. Jamie spent seven years as a lower elementary teacher in Palo Alto, CA. She loves all things outdoors, especially long-distance backpacking. Jamie and her husband fell in love with Salida while thru-hiking the Continental Divide Trail. When not in the classroom she enjoys gardening, yoga, cooking, reading, and playing with her dogs, Hayduke and Doc. jamie_shores@salidamcs.org
Clover Classroom Assistant:
Kristen Barger graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. After college, she lived in Boston and Los Angeles before making her way to beautiful Salida. In Salida, she joined the SMCS community first as a substitute teacher and then as a PARA in the E1 classroom. During her time at SMCS she has seen first hand the merits of Montessori Education and its effect on young learners. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, skiing, and hiking and camping with her family, friends, and dog. kristen_barger@salidamcs.org
Lead Teacher for Larkspur Classroom:
Alissa Rank is a Colorado native who grew up in Arvada. She attended Western Colorado University in Gunnison, CO graduating with a BA in Business and Kinesiology with an education emphasis. She has always had a passion for working with children and has been working in Early Childhood for over 10 years.
Alissa was introduced to the teachings of Montessori while living in Golden, CO where she worked in the Early Childhood classroom as an assistant for several years. She fell in love with these teachings and is excited to continue teaching these methods here at SMCS.
Alissa enjoys living in Salida with her husband along with their cat and dog. In her spare time, you can find her mountain biking, hiking, cooking, skiing, or working in her garden. Alissa enjoys spending time with her family and all our little town has to offer. She is thrilled to be part of the SMCS family and is looking forward to another amazing school year. Alissa_Rank@salidamcs.org
Larkspur Classroom Assistant:
Monica Guerra grew up in Silver City, New Mexico where she learned from her homeschool, alternative and public school experiences that education could be diverse and enjoyable. Monica graduated with a degree in Geophysical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines in 2006. From there she ventured on to graduate school at University of Colorado and took on a passion for geophysics applied to archaeology. Monica worked in remote locations of El Salvador and throughout the Hawaiian islands pursuing geophysical investigations up until 2010 when she transitioned into sustainability reporting and greenhouse gas emissions verification with Bureau Veritas of North America. Monica had her first child in 2013 and her world metamorphosed into a state of motherhood never before imagined. Monica became engulfed in the desire to be “present and dedicated” to raising her children. Montessori education became an obvious choice for Monica and her family as it provided the nurturing yet disciplined and independent childhood experience that Monica had dreamed of for her children. After several years of volunteering and coordinating at Children’s House Montessori in Fort Collins, CO, Monica and her husband were thrilled to learn about Salida Montessori Charter School (SMCS) prior to their move to the Salida area in August of 2020. In most recent years Monica has endured the pleasure of teaching her own children by means of homemade Montessori materials and many learned Montessori concepts. Both of Monica’s children now attend SMCS. In her spare time Monica is a functional nutrition educator and enjoys discussions on all things health and well-being. You may also find her hiking to a pristine mountain lake, skiing at Monarch, or studying nutrition labels at the grocery store! Monica_Guerra@salidamcs.org
Elementary II (4th-6th Grade) Guides:
Lead teacher for Calypsos Classroom-
Maggie Murdoch is originally from Seattle, WA, where she was a Montessori preschooler way back in the 1980s. The sun and mountains pulled her to Colorado but the greenery and lushness of Washington still call her back from time to time. She earned her BA in Environmental Studies with a certificate in Restoration Ecology at the University of Washington, returned to Colorado and fortunately landed in Salida. Maggie's son has been in the Salida Montessori program since he was a toddler, so she can attest to the “magic” of the Montessori method from seeing her curious, peaceful child grow up with its wisdom. During the summer of 2020, Maggie completed training for Elementary I & II credentials (AMS) from the Montessori Education Institute of the Pacific Northwest in Bothell, WA. She also is a student of Iyengar yoga who loves spending time outdoors with her family and friends. Maggie_Murdoch@salidamcs.org
Calypso Classroom Assistant-
Rachel Pariseau: More info to come
rachel_pariseau@salidamcs.org
Lead teacher for Marigolds Classroom-
Scott McCreery’s passion for the transformational power of education, his innate love for children and their potential, happened far away from his stomping grounds in Wyoming. It was in Florida, working on the rivers with 13-18 years olds, where for the first time his heart and head exploded with the magic-like qualities of teaching and learning. For three years, he was an Outward Bound instructor in Florida, Maryland, and Maine and worked exclusively with adjudicated and youth-at-risk teenagers guiding them down rivers and through life. Even though he deeply connected with the students and recognized the positive impact, the day came when he realized it was time for him to leave the rivers and swamps of Florida to become a teacher infusing experiential education in a public school setting.
Scott enrolled in Prescott College’s undergraduate program in Prescott, AZ, and soon after discovered Skyview School, where he would end up staying for eighteen years. During Scott’s time at the school he served in many roles from a work-study student; a 4th-6th classroom aide for one year; a 4th-6th teacher for five years; a 5th-6th teacher for two years; the Director for ten years, with one year teaching 7th-8th; a Board Member for two-years; and most importantly, a proud parent. During this time he also earned his BA in Social Science (7-12 social studies and K-8 certifications) and his M.Ed. in Educational Leadership for Principalship.
Scott’s role as a school leader didn’t prevent him from staying connected to the students by spending lots of time in classrooms, on the playground, and on field trips. He taught math classes, sponsored after-school boating and biking clubs, participated in school performances, led reading groups, and guided students down rivers. Scott is grateful to have been part of a dynamic and loving community for so many years.
Scott’s passion for teaching and learning has taken him on a life-long personal and twenty-year professional journey that has deeply transformed him, so much so he gracefully stepped away from being an educator for a much-needed self-imposed sabbatical. After three years out of a school setting and two years as a Salida resident, where he has been fortunate to have the time to decompress and recharge, he is inspired and so excited to join the SMCS community as a teacher. Scott_McCreery@salidamcs.org
Marigold Classroom Assistant-
Cara Rosingana grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, heading to CU Boulder for undergrad and then University of Oregon for a Masters in Education. She has worked in education for most of her adult life, starting as an outdoor instructor and then teaching abroad in Central and South America. For the last 13 years, Cara taught language arts and social studies in middle and high school alternative schools in Salida. She is passionate about student centered education and bringing joy to learning. When not working, you can find Cara hanging out with her family, mountain biking, skiing, playing with the Alpine. Orchestra, or reading a good book. She is excited to join SMCS as an assistant in the upper elementary classroom.
Secondary (7th & 8th Grade) Guides:
Kyra Alvez-Moats found her calling working with adolescents as a Montessori Secondary guide after spending a number of years doing conservation work with young adults around the country. Prior to joining SMCS in 2018, Kyra spent four years teaching middle school in a Montessori charter school in the Bay Area. During that time, she earned her AMS Secondary I-II Certificate from the Houston Montessori Program and her California state teaching credential. Born and raised in Maryland, Kyra got a great foundation in a Montessori toddler and then primary classroom, which she largely credits as inspiration for becoming a Montessori teacher. After attending undergraduate school at Washington University in St. Louis, where she earned degrees in International Studies and French Language and Literature, she spent a year teaching English to high school students in France. Kyra loves being a part of the SMCS community and enjoys all of the outside activities that the area provides! Kyra_Alvezmoats@salidamcs.org
Connor Kelly grew up near Portland, Oregon. His experiences teaching classes for the Adventure Leadership Institute at Oregon State University led him to a degree and career in education. He moved to Colorado two years ago to serve with Americorps, completing his first term in Alamosa and his second term in Salida at SMCS. He found a home in both the SMCS community and the Montessori philosophy and is excited to be working towards his Secondary Montessori Credential. He spends his free time cooking, reading, doing crosswords, or engaging in the many outdoor activities that Colorado has to offer. Connor_Kelly@salidamcs.org
Jill Lewis is a passionate educator, consultant, and strategist of educational systems. Since 1996, she has worked throughout the United States and internationally developing professional learning for all areas of curriculum and leadership, and teaching PK-adult learning. Along with holding her Principal’s license, Jill is Nationally Board Certified in Reading/Language Arts for the Early and Middle Grades.
Jill’s family moved to Salida close to eleven years ago to take advantage of their love of the outdoors. From the starry nights by the fireside to the thrill of skiing down the slopes of the mountain to fishing the banks of the Arkansas, she relishes the time raising her children in a place with so much to offer.
Curriculum Support and Intervention:
Special Education:
Brian McNeill is a native Coloradan who graduated from Evergreen High School. He has been a professional teacher since completing requirements for his initial license in 2008. Brian holds bachelors degrees in Music (Recording Arts) from the California State University, Chico, and History from Metropolitan State College, Denver, as well as a masters degree in Special Education from the University of Colorado, Denver. Brian holds a Colorado professional teacher license in Secondary social studies, and has added endorsements in secondary English language arts, elementary education, and special education. Brian has taught in multiple settings in Colorado, and also at the Instituto Thomas Jefferson, a private bilingual immersion school in Guadalajara, Mexico. Brian married his high school sweetheart in 2002, and he and his family moved to Salida from Denver in 2015. His daughters, are both SMCS students. In addition to his love of teaching, Brian is also an avid drummer and an outdoor enthusiast. He loves hiking, mountain biking, snowboarding, and just generally being outside. He loves to laugh and have fun in class, and in life. Brian is very excited to be a part of the SMCS team, to continue to grow as a teacher, and to learn more about the Montessori methods of teaching. brian_mcneill@salidamcs.org
Hayley Trever is a Special Education Teacher and Consultant at Salida Montessori Charter school. Hayley has lived in Colorado since 2012, originally from Washington State and in childhood re-settled outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hayley attended Middle School, Highschool, and University in Albuquerque, receiving her bachelors of Science with a dual licensure in Elementary and Special Education from the University of New Mexico. She first taught in Albuquerque and then in Colorado Springs before landing in her favorite town and favorite school in 2016. She has three daughters who are currently in or have been through our Montessori program. Kaia is at the high school and speaks openly about the benefit of Montessori education in her life. Ellie, her middle daughter, is in Upper Elementary; and Indie, the youngest, represents the Lower Elementary experience. In her free time, Hayley is a grateful recreator in most things "Salida" which include attempting to river surf, trail running, stand-up-paddleboarding, rafting, mountain biking, hiking, and back-country snowboarding. Hayley is always learning and expanding on new ways to support the people, especially children in our community. Her most recent branches of this being a deep-dive into ADHD and Executive Functioning identification, understanding, and support in addition to trauma-informed practices and somatic healing.
Title I/ Reading Interventionist:
Sarah Moore has been teaching elementary students to read for more than 16 years. She has served as a first and second grade teacher and as a reading specialist at Park Hill School in Denver Public Schools, and also as Title I teacher at Longfellow Elementary School in Salida. Sarah will earn an Elementary Reading Certificate Program through the American Montessori Society in October 2022. Sarah has a bachelor of arts degree in English from Grinnell College and a master of arts degree from the University of Denver in applied communications. She loves to read, snowshoe, hike, backpack, garden, and bake (and eat baked goods) in her spare time. sarah_moore@salidamcs.org
Paras:
Shelley Monk grew up in Western Pennsylvania. She was introduced to the western US during her summer field camp in Spearfish, SD, while attending Kent State University where she received a B.S. in Geology. She spent the remainder of that summer exploring the western states, falling in love with the people, the places, and the climate of the great wild west. Shelley worked for two seasons in Grand Teton National Park before returning to PA to attend Chatham College and get her M.A. in Landscape Studies. During graduate school, Shelley had her first experience working with students and teachers when she was employed by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy as an Assistant Community Planner for their school garden program. After grad school, she returned west where she would spend the next 17 years living in Jackson, WY and Driggs, ID. During that time, she worked as a Floral Designer/Manager for a retail floral shop within a large garden center. Shelley and her family moved from Teton Valley, Idaho to Salida in 2021. They were searching for a warmer climate, but wanted to remain in a great small town community, which is what Salida has proven to be! Shelley was introduced to SMCS when her kids were accepted as students. She watched them thrive as they became members of the Montessori school, which then inspired her to do the same. Shelley’s desire to challenge herself, and try something new, is what led her to join the Montessori community. She is so excited to be a part of a great team and to contribute to the growth of young minds. shelley_monk@salidamcs.org
Kate Whitman more info to come
Americorps volunteers:
Ariel Westwood
Stephanie Shugerman
ARt & DRAMA Guide:
Tina Gramann is a theatre and visual artist and teacher. Her work is inspired by nature and over 25 years of teaching children, working in professional theatre, and making art. Tina served as Performing Arts School and Education Director at professional theatre Zachary Scott Theatre (ZACH) in Austin, Texas, for 10 years, overseeing the award-winning theatre school and producing shows for young audiences. She is also fight choreographer, and has staged over 50 fight scenes for the stage. She had the honor to choreograph fights for Pulitzer winner Edward Albee’s New Plays Workshops at the University of Houston, and for Pulitzer winner Suzan- Lori Parks’ premiere of The Book of Grace at ZACH. She was fight choreographer for ZACH's innovative production of Porgy and Bess which was featured in the New York Times. She also served as Resident Fight Choreographer for Austin Shakespeare Company. Tina is a visual artist- a painter, muralist, and chalk artist. In Colorado, she has been a featured and solo artist at the Salida SteamPlant Paquette Gallery, with Salida Scope Art Walk, at the Crested Butte Center for the Arts Piper Gallery, and the Crested Butte Chalk Festival. In Salida, Tina’s murals can be seen at Natural Grocers, businesses, and private collections. She recently participated in a community street mural project designed by Anthony Garcia, Sr. in Denver’s Rino District at the Crush Walls Mural Festival. Tina founded community arts organization Salida Creativity Lab in 2016, and developed Salida’s first Children’s Pop-Up Museum during ArtWalk, and the inaugural Chinese New Year Dragon Parade/Asia Fest, now in its’ fourth year. Her creative projects have been awarded funding by the City of Salida, Think 360 Arts & Colorado Creative Industries Colorado Arts Partnership Grant, Salida Soup, Salida Council for the Arts, the William Boddy Foundation, and Support Our Schools Salida. She has an MFA in Theatre, and an A.A.S. in Child Development. Tina lives and works in historic downtown Salida. Please visit www.SalidaCreativityLab.com, @tinapaintsatx, or www.tinagramann.com for more information.Tina_Gramann@salidamcs.org
Office Manager:
Hanley Harvey is a Colorado native. She graduated from Prescott College with a B.A. in Environmental Education and Science. Hanley and her family are long time Salida residents. She has been a long time supporter of Montessori Education in Chaffee County. Hanley works hard keeping all of our students, families and staff organized and the school as a whole running smoothly. Hanley_Harvey@salidamcs.org
Admin Assistant (I St):
Amber Vanleuken holds a bachelor's degree in Anthropology from Cornell University, as well as a master's degree in Psychology, with a specialization in Nonprofit Management, from the University of the Rockies. She has lived in Salida since 2004, and has two children who have attended SMCS. After a 19 year career in animal welfare, Amber joined SMCS in 2023 as the Administrative Assistant. In her free time, Amber enjoys family camping trips, mountain biking, rafting, backpacking, snowboarding, and cultural immersion through travel. amber_vanleuken@salidamcs.org
SCHOOL NURSE:
Liz Krasnow is excited to be the school nurse at Salida Montessori Charter School. Originally, she is from South Carolina and received a Bachelors of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama-at Birmingham. Liz moved to Chaffee County in 2009 and have worked at HRRMC in The Family Birthing Center for the past 13 years. Liz thoroughly enjoys taking care of the families of our community and will continue to do so at SMCS. Personally, she has been married for 13 years and has two children, ages 6 & 9, who attend SMCS. Liz enjoys being outside and spending most of her free time mountain biking, hiking, trail running, and any activity on the river, especially downriver stand up paddling! Liz looks forward to this school year and will work to protect and promote student health, facilitate optimal development and help to foster academic success. Nurse@salidamcs.org
School Counselors:
Tuyl Mogabgab: Tuyl ("Tile") Mogabgab is a clinical social worker from New Orleans, LA specializing in restorative practices, trauma-informed approaches to healing, and suicide prevention. For the last 7 years, she has been a trauma therapist at Mercy Family Center, Director of Restorative Suicide Prevention Programming at Project Fleur-de-lis, and a Clinical Supervisor. Prior to that, Tuyl worked in the New Orleans' criminal justice, healthcare, and school systems supporting youth, families, various school staff, and healthcare providers in trauma recovery and holistic mental health training. Tuyl graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology from Louisiana State University while providing crisis services and disaster support in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. She later earned her Master of Social Work in Disaster Mental Health and Master of Public Health in International Mental Health from Tulane University.
Tuyl aims to foster individual and collective healing in all of her work, tapping into and highlighting the resilience of the human spirit. She was drawn to the Montessori philosophy because it supports the needs of all learners, honors individuality, and aligns seamlessly with her restorative, holistic approach to mental health and wellness. She is so excited to join the Salida Montessori Charter School!
Tuyl spent some time in Colorado 15 years ago and stumbled upon Salida during her travels. She and her husband visited in 2022 and returned with their three daughters - Avery, Marley, and Zoe - for the summer. Her family fell in love with all that Salida had to offer and relocated permanently the following year. Tuyl's favorite things to do other than spending time with family and friends are traveling, hiking, writing, costuming, connecting over coffee, listening to live music, and doing community circles. tuyl_mogabgab@salidamcs.org
Gretchen Chamberlain: Gretchen Chamberlain is an Occupational Therapist passionate about engaging with children in their natural environments - in school, at home and while playing outside. Gretchen moved to Salida with her family in 2021 from Washington state. She graduated from West Virginia University with a Masters of Occupational Therapy. Gretchen has worked in hospitals, schools and early intervention in Delaware, Missouri, Alaska, Minnesota, Washington and Colorado. While in Alaska, Gretchen co-founded an outdoor based camp for children of all abilities focused on social skill development and nature literacy. Gretchen has taken continuing education and lead trainings about self-regulation, sensory processing, autism, ADHD, FASD, fine and gross motor skill development and visual-motor processing. You may run into Gretchen out on the trails around town. She enjoys trail running, biking, skiing and swimming.
SPEECH THERAPIST:
Lindsay Hovland has been working with students of all ages to improve their communication for the last 13 years. Lindsay obtained her Master's degree in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Minnesota Duluth. In 2008 she worked abroad in New Zealand, and is so glad to have experienced life and culture in another country. Lindsay has just moved to the Salida area from Colorado Springs and is excited to join such a wonderful community in a beautiful place!