Our Staff

Working together as an educational team, we create an environment conducive to creative learning, the catalyst for freeing every child’s potential. Our greatest success is to be able to say, “The children are working as if I did not exist.” (Maria Montessori)

Administration Office

Jeanne Johnson
Administrator
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About Jeanne Johnson

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Carrie Smith
Business Manager
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About Carrie Smith

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Karadean Grayson
Director of Special Education
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About Karadean Grayson

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Lea Ann Jacobs
School Secretary
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About Lea Jacobs

Lea Ann Jacobs was born in California but has lived in Southeast Idaho most of her life. After raising her children, she attended Idaho State University and Brigham Young University–Idaho. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in university studies from BYU-I, with a minor in sociology and clusters in psychology and history. She came to the school in 2018 and has worked as a TA and office assistant. She enjoys reading, sewing, and spending time with her family, especially her two grandchildren.

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Shanna Nunez
Administrative Assistant
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Teachers

Lower Elementary

Tiffany Ford
Grades 1–2
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Vicki Stoker
Grades 1–2
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About Vicki Stoker

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Middle Elementary

Heather Burke
Grades 3–4
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About Heather Burke

Sally Mills is originally from Portland, Oregon where she acquired a life-long love of learning and a passion for inspiring others. She earned her BS in natural resources/ecology from Oregon State University. With that degree she was employed with Oregon State Parks as an environmental educator and the Oregon Zoo as a conservation educator. In 2008, she earned her master’s in education from Oregon State University. She has since held positions with Sauvie Island Academy and Scappoose Middle School, both in Oregon. She had the fabulous opportunity to develop place based education and project based education programs at these schools. Sally has written numerous grants for school technology and STEAM funding and resources and is a two time award winner of the VOYA Unsung Heroes grant. This grant allowed her to create an ecolab with Lighthouse Montessori in Idaho Falls and the Scappoose FabLab, a STEAM creation space. She is extremely excited to work with the students and staff at Monticello Montessori!
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Nancy Coburn
Grades 3–4
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About Nancy Coburn

Mrs. Coburn is from Buenos Aires, Argentina, born and raised. She studied at Brigham Young University - Idaho and became a certified elementary education teacher. She has six years of experience as an ESL teacher and now she enjoys teaching at a Montessori school. “Mrs. C.”, like her students call her, is married and has a five year old son. Her favorite pass times are crafting and watching movies with her family.

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Upper Elementary

Devon Whipple
Grades 5–6
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About Devon Whipple


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Middle School

Ralph Armstrong
Grades 7-8
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About Ralph Armstrong

Ralph Armstrong is originally from San Diego, California. He graduated from BYU-Idaho with a B.S. in sociology and is currently enrolled for certification through ABCTE. He plans to pursue his master's degree in education. Mr. Armstrong has worked as a teacher's aide, PSR worker, Title I instructor, and substitute teacher during the past two years at Monticello Montessori. Buddy loves to engage the children in the classroom and also on the playground. He has two young boys ages three and six that he loves to tease and stay active with.
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Kindergarten

Pauline Asche
Kindergarten
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About Pauline Asche

My passion for Montessori education began after receiving my bachelor’s degree in social work from San Diego State University. I had worked with groups, ranging from the homeless to individuals three to 18 years of age with Autism or developmental delay. I received a master’s degree in education Montessori 3–6 from Notre Dame de Namur University. Before joining Monticello Montessori, I had taught pre- kindergarten and kindergarten for 17 years in the private sector. I continued my education by earning a master’s degree in education, school psychology at Idaho State University. This is my first opportunity to teach Montessori kindergarten at a public school. I am very excited about this new adventure.

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Support Team

Nick Browneller
Social and Emotional Behavior Support Specialist
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About Nick Browneller

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Karadean Grayson
Special Education
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About Karadean Grayson

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LeAnn Marudas
Title 1
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About LeAnn Marudas

LeAnn was born in Minnesota and went to college at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education. She moved to Virginia in 2005 and taught fifth and first grade. She then moved to South Carolina with her husband who is in the US Navy and taught first grade for a few years. She moved back to Virginia in 2013 and took a break from teaching for a few years to spend time with her children. They transferred to Idaho in 2016. LeAnn and her family love to go camping and just be outdoors and enjoying what Idaho and the bordering states have to offer.

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