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Let us introduce ourselves
The Montessori teacher guides the flow of activities in the environment and serves as a resource and catalyst for learning. Most of the time the teacher assists children individually, helping them to establish independence and self-initiative.
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Jill Schurman is the founder of our school. She had the vision! Jill is a native New Yorker and attended the high school of Music and Art. She received an associates degree in design from the Fashion Institute of Technology and majored in Early Childhood Development at Georgia State University. She worked for a time in the clothing design business. She holds an AMI certificate from the training school in Atlanta, Georgia. She also founded a school in Atlanta with several other teachers from her training class. Jill retired from teaching in 2020. |
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Music Teacher Kelly King was born in Pocatello. She was raised in Blackfoot and has lived in Idaho Falls for most of her adult life. She has an Associate Degree from Ricks College and a Bachelors Degree in Education from Brigham Young University. After working as a classroom aide for 9 years, Kelly received her AMS Early Childhood credentials from Caspari Montessori Institute in Montana in 2008. Kellys first love is music. She performs often with her family, and gives piano lessons to our Montessori students. |
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Primary Teacher, Ashley Perez, was born and raised in Idaho Falls. She has a degree from Idaho State University in Early Childhood Education. After working as a classroom aide for several years, Ashley received her AMS Early Childhood Credentials from Westminster University in Salt Lake City, Utah. When Ashley is not teaching you will find her at her son's hockey games or watching her daughter's Cheer team. Ashley and her husband, Josh, have 3 children. Two of her children are SRMS alumni and her youngest son is attending SRMS. |
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Primary Teacher, Joanie Griffin, was born and raised in Idaho Falls. She has an Associte's degree in General Studies from ISU and a Bachelor's degree in Health Science from BYU-I. After working as an aide for one year she decided to learn more about the Montessori Method. She went on to complete two Montessori Credentials. The first was a home study course from North American Progressive Montessori Teacher Training Center in 2004. Her second was an AMS Early Childhood Credential from The New England Montessori Teacher Education Center in Boston, Massachussettes in 2006. She has two children who graduated from SRMS and a loving husband (Scott) aka Mr. Joanie who helps her make wood projects in the classroom. In her spare time she enjoys massage, yoga, reading and gardeing. She has been a licensed massage therapist since 1998 and does that work part time. |
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Primary Teacher, Estelle Strydom, was born and raised in South Africa. Idaho Falls has been home since 2010 when Estelle's husband accepted a job opportunity in town. Estelle has a law degree from the Unuiversity of Pretoria in South Africa and worked in law for 20 years. When her son started attending a Montessori school it sparked an interest in the Montessori philosophy and approach, and she decided to change careers. Estelle recieved her AMS Early Childhood Credential from AIM (formerly Age of Montessori). When not teaching, she enjoys outdoor activities and traveling with her family. Estelle has one child and he attends SRMS. |
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Primary Teacher, Christian Griffin, was born in Las Vegas and grew up in Colorado until he moved to Idaho Falls as he was entering middle school. He served a mission for the LDS church in Brazil after graduating from Compass Academy and speaks fluent Portuguese. He always wanted to be a teacher and after visting a Montessori classroom he fell in love with the prepared environment. Christian recieved his AMS Early Childhood Credential from AIM Montessori in August 2024. He is excited to conitue growing as a Teacher Assistant in Ms Joanie's classroom. Christian is married and has one child who attends SRMS. In his spare time he enjoys Legos and card games. |
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Elementary I Teacher, Heidi McJunkin was born and raised in the Malibu/Topanga area of sunny California. She moved to Logan, UT after high school where she received her Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education at Utah State University. She received her AMS credentials from the Montessori Education Center of the Rockies in Bolder, CO in 2012. She has taught middle school math in Houston, TX and adult technology classes through out Idaho. She has been involved with SRMS as a substitute teacher and an aide before becoming a Lower Elementary Teacher. She is married and has one daughter who graduated from SRMS.
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Elementary 1 Teacher, Susan Smith, born and raised in Adelphi Maryland, received her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland. She moved to Knoxville Tennessee, where she met her husband Kevin. In 2011, she began working at Nature's Way Montessori, where her two kids attended school. She was employed first as a Lower Elementary support staff, then as an assistant, and eventually obtained her credentials as an Elementary Lead Teacher. She has an AMS Elementary 1 credential from the Seacoast Center for Education in Charleston, SC. Idaho Falls has been her home since 2018 when Kevin took a job at INL's Advanced Test Reactor. That same year, their youngest attended 6th grade at SRMS. Since then, Susan has been an active member of the SRMS Board of Directors as well as a substitute teacher when needed. Susan joined the SRMS Lower Elemntary classroom as a Teacher in the fall of 2024. |
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Elementary II Teacher, Nikki Tate has been in education for the many years. She has been a reading tutor, math tutor, substitute teacher, and an administrative assistant. Nikki received her Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Development in 2018 from Ashford University. Shortly after, Nikki discovered Montessori Education. She has been an aide in an Early Childhood classroom, a teacher in Lower Elementary and in Upper Elementary. Nikki recieved her AMS Elementary I and II Credentials from the Center for Guided Montessori Studies in 2021. When Nikki is not teaching or working on furthering her education, she enjoys camping, fishing, and spending time with her family. |
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Elementary II Teacher Charlotte Farrer was born in Bury St. Edmunds, England, and grew up in Norwich, a city on England's east shore. She studied at Great Yarmouth College receiving her Higher National Diploma in Music Performance, leading to an accreditation in Proffesional Studies at the University of East Anglia. She has also earned a Major in Musical Theater from the London College of Music. Alongside this, Charlotte also has training in piano and dance. During her professional career, Charlotte has been a teacher's assistant, dance teacher, nanny and an examination's officer. During the summer of 2018, Charlotte attended the Montessori Teacher Training program at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah where she received her AMS Elementary II Credentials as well as completeing her Bachelors Degree to teach at SRMS in our UE program. She and her husband have two children, both are students at SRMS. |
Administration
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Head of School Hollie Popa grew up in Montana. She moved to Idaho Falls in the summer of 2012. Hollie has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education with minors in Early Childhood and Psychology from University of Montana. She received her AMS Early Childhood credentials from Caspari Montessori Institute in Livingston Montana in 2008. Hollie spent 6 years as a Lead Montessori Teacher in Bozeman, Montana before joining the staff of SRMS. She is married and has two children, both of whom are students at SRMS. |
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Assistant Head of School Heidi Tomasko grew up on sunny Cape Cod in Massachusettes, She moved to Idaho Falls in 2004 with her husband and two children. Heidi has an Associates Degree in Applied Science. After moving to Idaho, Heidi was a classroom aide at Longfellow Elementary until 2009 when she joined the SRMS staff as an Administrative Assistant. In 2015 she added on being the school's bookkeeper to eventually becoming the Assistant Head of School in 2020. |
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December
12/20: Holiday Houses 8:30am
Noon Dismissal - No Extended Day
12/23-1/3: Winter Break
No School and No Extended Day
January
1/6: School Resumes
1/8: Board Meeting 6:30 pm
1/13: McTeacher Night
Ammon McDonalds 5pm - 7pm
1/20: Community Service Day
1/29: UE Science Fair
February
2/12: Board Meeting 6:30 pm
2/17: President's Day No School
No Extended Day
2/28: Staff Work Day No School
2/24-2/28: Montessori Education Week
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Snake River
Montessori School
2970 E. 1st Street
Ammon, ID 83406
Phone: 208.524.4730
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