Meet Our Teachers

 

Adrienne Kenison

Hello, my name is Adrienne Kenison, I am the Director and Owner since 2011. I have been working with children for 20+ years. I have a BA in Psychology from the University of Montana with a Child Development Emphasis and a Minor in Art and Human/Family Development. I also have my Early Childhood MACTE (Montessori Accreditation Counsel Teaching Education) 2-year Teaching Certification from Age of Montessori. I have 3 boys – 2 on Earth, Aiden (15) and Nick (11) and Corbin in heaven. I enjoy road-trips, skiing camping, hiking, dancing and music. I also enjoy creating art and designing spaces. I am from Dillon, MT and I also have a lot of pets between school and home. If I could have any animal, I would have a small farm with chickens, goats, and a mini pig named Simon. My favorite quotes from Dr. Maria Montessori are, “Montessori is peace education” and “What the hand does, the mind remembers.” We know what the children learn here in our school will guide them in their life-long love of learning. If I could travel anywhere in the world, I would like to go on a Montessori tour of Italy someday.

 
 

Taelar Dalbey

Hello, my name is Taelar Dalbey, I am from Helena (born and raised). I have worked with children for over 10 years and I have worked at our school for 6 years. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Children’s Studies from Eastern Washington University and a Minor in Sociology and Psychology. I also have my Early Childhood MACTE (Montessori Accreditation Counsel Teaching Education) 2-year Teaching Certification from Age of Montessori. My husband and I will celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary in September and our oldest son, Oliver, just celebrated his 3rd birthday in June and our youngest son, Forrest will turn 1 in October. Our boys are our world! I enjoy camping, hiking, fishing and hunting, basically anything that involves being outside. I also enjoy sports, especially soccer and football. My favorite quote from Dr. Maria Montessori is “The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I do not exist.’”. If I could have any animal, I would love to own some Scottish Highlander Cows; they are so cute! If I could travel anywhere in the world, I would want to travel to Ireland.

 
 

Josie Hamilton

 

Hello, my name is Josie Hamilton. I have lived in Helena my whole life and am so thankful for that. I grew up doing 4-H which is where my passion for working with children came from. I loved helping and mentoring the younger children and seeing them succeed. I have worked with children my whole life and have been part of the Monarch family for 3 years. I graduated from Capital High and went to Carroll College for a year but am taking a break from school and enjoying working. Growing up in Helena, I have loved everything to do with the outdoors. Hiking, backpacking, kayaking and running are a few of my favorite past times. But a good book is always an option too. If I could have any animal in the world, it be a bear. I have always had the travel bug and if I could go anywhere in the world I would go to Greece! My favorite Maria Montessori quote is “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed”.

 
 

Amy Clabaugh

Hello, my name is Amy Clabaugh, I am from urban Illinois. I have worked with children for 37 years and have been at Monarch Mountain Montessori for just over 4 years. I have a great family, one husband and two sons. We are awfully close and love being around each other. My husband is known as Mr. Rick here at Monarch Mountain Montessori and is the school’s handy-man. I enjoy hunting, fishing and hiking. My favorite quote by Dr. Maria Montessori is “The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn.” If I could have any pet in the world, I would have a penguin and if I could travel anywhere in the world I would want to go to Switzerland.

 
 

Paytyn Braden

Hello, my name is Paytyn Braden and I am from Helena. I just recently graduated from Capital High School and I am enrolled for fall classes at Helena College. I have been working at Monarch Mountain for almost a year now and I love getting to be with the children every day. My favorite hobbies are backpacking, skiing, and fishing. If I could have any animal in the world, I would have a sugar glider and if I could travel anywhere in the world, I would go to Switzerland.

 
 

McKenzie Tordale

Hello, my name is McKenzie Tordale and I am from Helena. I will be a Senior at Capital High School this year. I have been working at Monarch for almost a year as an after school teacher and an assistant teacher in the summer program. My hobbies include reading, baking, and playing/listening to music. My favorite Maria Montessori quote is, “Imagination does not become great until human beings, given the courage and strength, use it to create.” If I could have any animal in the world it would be an okapi and if I could travel anywhere in the world it would be to England, France, or Norway (actually going to France next year).

 
 
 
 
 

Amber Bourquin

Hello, my name is Amber Bourquin, I am from Helena. I have worked with children for eleven and a half years and have worked at Monarch Mountain Montessori for just over 5 years. I have my High School diploma, my certificate in Montessori Infant and Toddler training, continuing education for CAN and CMA and many more continuing education trainings. I have a husband, Seth, and two boys, Stetson who is 7 and Dawson who is 3. They are my world and I cannot imagine life without them! I love exploring the mountains, hunting, fishing, and singing. My favorite quote by Dr. Maria Montessori is “The greatest sign of success for a teacher, is to be able to say, “The children are now working as if I do not exist.”” If I could have any animal in the world, it would be a horse and if I could travel anywhere in the world it would be to London.

 
 
 

Jennifer Basulto

Hello, my name is Jennifer Basulto and I am originally from Nevada. I have worked with children for over 10 years and in a Montessori setting for just over a year. I have learned though that my nature and methods have always been tailored towards the Montessori way. I graduated as a medical assistant and my hobbies include dancing, singing with my children and coaching children’s sports teams. My favorite Maria Montessori quote is, “"The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, the children are now working as if I did not exist." If I could have any animal it would be my puppy, Sage and if I could travel anywhere in the world it would be to Europe.

 
 
 
 

Baylee Kennedy

Hello, my name is Baylee Kennedy and I am from San Diego, CA. I have worked with children for 7 years now and I will be starting my second year at Monarch Mountain Montessori. I have my Bachelor's degree in Child Development from San Diego State University. My hobbies include reading, snowboarding, building with Legos and playing with my pup. If I could have any animal in the world, I would want to own more dogs and if I could visit anywhere in the world I would like to visit the French countryside. My favorite Maria Montessori quote is, "We must proceed, not on the basis of our own ideas or on our own prejudices, not on preconceived methods, but by observing the child."



 
 

Jessica Heck

My name is Jessica Heck and I just relocated here this summer (2022) from Minnesota. I was born in Duluth, MN and grew up right across the bridge in Superior, WI (which is at the tip of Lake Superior). I have brothers and sisters who are quite older so I grew up with many nieces and nephews. I loved taking care of them and would spend as much time with them as I could! I loved being with children! I couldn’t wait to have my own family someday and hoped I could be a strong and loving mother like I had. In 2018 I started working in childcare and right away I started my courses to earn my CDA. I was so excited for this new journey and used most of my free time to finish up my classes. I got my CDA in “record” time and became a lead teacher shortly after for preschool. Even though I haven’t worked in a Montessori school before this, most of the “play based” curriculum I had planned was Montessori based! I am very excited to learn more and hope that I can also help to bring a fun little twist to some things. If there was ANY animal in the world I could have, I would want a Capuchin Monkey! I saved up and got to $50 when I was little (in Florida) for a monkey in the pet store before we had to move back. I’m sure it was wishful thinking! I still want one someday maybe when my kids are all grown up! In my free time I like to cuddle with my girls and watch movies (or family movie nights), playing with our pets, find things to repurpose, I like anything to do with arts and crafts, looking for “gold” or cool rocks with my girls, family bike rides, or just anything that involves my family and making memories! If I could go anywhere in the world I don’t know if I could pick just one place! I would love to explore so many places and see historical spots. I would love to go volunteer in Africa someday and visit Egypt. For a fun vacation spot I would love to go to Hawaii! I’d love to walk through the pineapple fields and lay on the beach! A quote from Maria Montessori that really stuck out to me is “…in every child is the seed that will mature into an adult.” This is short and powerful. A fragile seed needs water, nutrients, and sunshine to grow. A child also starts out fragile. They need love, guidance, and education (good nutrition is a plus!) to grow.