Executive Director

Katie has worked in early education for many years and is passionate about advocating for young children and their teachers as powerful change agents. She believes that children are inherently capable, kind, and connected to all living things, and that they can explore complex subject matter through inquiry and play. She strives to create a learning environment that connects children to community, the natural world, and social causes, and that supports families, teachers, and community members from diverse backgrounds. 

Originally from Los Angeles, Katie decided to call Missoula home in 2018 after years of dreaming of living in deeper harmony with nature. She holds an MA in Innovative Early Childhood Education, a BA in Art, and is a certified yoga instructor, as well as an end of life doula. In her free time, she enjoys strolling through the woods, gardening, swimming, practicing yoga, and knitting things for people she loves.

Administrative Coordinator

Becky is a list slayer and loves to check things off to move projects forward. She has worked in schools all over the country and overseas, wearing many different hats. She loves to set people up for success by anticipating needs and working with their strengths.  Her own strength is at adapting to situations, which was helpful growing up, moving all over the country and meeting new people. 

Learning is a favorite pastime for Becky. She follows the stereotype of an overeducated millenial with "too many" degrees: a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma, M.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University and M.A. in Education from Western Governors University.

When Becky moved to Missoula in 2016 with her husband, "growing roots" became the latest adventure. They promptly got a dog and a Subaru and now live in a log cabin in the middle of town. In the warm months, you'll find her puzzling over the latest sprouts in her garden or biking the trails in town. In the cold months, she'll be cross country skiing and reading by the fire. Her dog, Spock, is usually by her side. 

Lead Pre-K Teacher

Brooke Heckeroth has been teaching at Missoula Community School since 2019.  Her background includes a bachelor's degree in elementary education and 3 years teaching at Corvallis Primary School. She is from Corvallis, Mt, and her hobbies include reading, listening to podcasts, hanging out with friends, listening to music and love of Korean things (food, tv, music, etc. I love it!).  Her favorite part of teaching is seeing the complete joy and excitement a student radiates when they share something they love and did well on.  A resident of Missoula since 2018, you can find her happily scarfing down sushi with friends and discussing her favorite new dance jam!

Assistant Pre-K Teacher

Jessie has been teaching at Missoula Community School since August 2021. She is originally from Missoula and after graduating from the University of Montana in 2008, took a big leap of faith and moved to sunny San Diego, living there for 14 years and working as a paraprofessional in a school district. She has an extensive experience working with children as a teaching assistant and paraprofessional, and received her Board Certified Assistant Jessie is also a certified sleep consultant, supporting children and families in the Missoula community.

Her hobbies include, reading, traveling, wine tasting, happy hour, spa days, hiking, sports (Go Patriots!), and skiing now that she’s back in the snow!

Lead Preschool Teacher

Celia has been an early educator since 2014, and in that time has learned firsthand the value of contextual curriculum and project-based learning, learning through play, and place-based outdoor education. She holds an MA in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis on the Reggio Emilia inspired approach, which has largely influenced her philosophy as an educator. She sees children as capable of constructing knowledge in collaboration with peers and with teachers, and is committed to fostering inquiry-led learning experiences and encouraging the unique and varied expressions of learning in the classroom.

Celia grew up in New York state and spent her childhood exploring the creeks and forests of the Hudson Valley. She made Missoula her home in 2016 and has been teaching and living here ever since! Outside of school, Celia loves cooking and sharing good food with people she loves. She also enjoys spending time outside trail running, mountain biking, and skiing with her husband, her sisters, and her lovably anxious cattle dog, Rudie. Celia is passionate about working with future generations and about guiding children toward becoming stewards of their own learning.

Assistant Preschool Teacher

Hattie is glad to be a part of the MCS team as an assistant in the Otter room.  She is originally from Hong Kong and has lived in Missoula for 10 years.

Hattie has worked in both Montessori and Waldorf schools internationally.   While attending the U of M, Hattie worked in day care settings and offered in-home childcare to friends and neighbors. 

After graduating from U of M, Hattie took a break from childcare and worked in a confectionary kitchen for 5 years. She returned to teaching in 2023 and finds joy and happiness in guiding students to become kind, helpful and inquisitive learners. 

Assistant Preschool Teacher

Crystal is a passionate educator with nearly a decade of experience, both abroad and in the U.S. Holding a B.A. in Liberal Studies, a minor in Spanish, a Bilingual Authorization (BCLAD), a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, and an M.S. in Education with a specialization in Pedagogy, she is dedicated to inspiring every child she teaches. Crystal has taught English as a Foreign Language, Spanish, and first and fourth grades. She believes every child has incredible potential and strives to help them grow into the most fulfilled versions of themselves. Always eager to learn, she never turns down an opportunity to read the latest research in childrearing and bilingual education. Outside of the classroom, Crystal is a devoted mama and wife, and a lover of dance, kayaking, traveling, and watercolor painting.

Lead Preschool Teacher

Chris grew up in northern Wyoming, taking countless trips to Montana to visit family over the years. With his mother being a Head Start teacher for decades, Chris' introduction to teaching and working with children began from a very young age. From putting on holiday parties every year for his mother's students, umping little league baseball games in middle school, and working for an after-school program in high school, Chris has spent a majority of his life working with children.

After attending Oregon State for his freshmen year, Chris made the decision to move to Butte to be closer to family. Since 2015, he has worked as a lead preschool teacher and cared for countless kiddos. Chris moved to Missoula in August of 2024 and lives with his beautiful partner and favorite Australian Shepherd as he pursues a new degree in Integrative Physiology at the University of Montana. Chris can be found doing what he loves including mountain biking, backpacking, and skiing.

Assistant Preschool Teacher

Angie was born in Connecticut and after a few years in Colorado, came to Montana and has lived here ever since. She graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in Elementary Education in 2005.

Angie has worked with children of all ages for close to 20 years, but teaching preschool is definitely her favorite! She enjoys reading, drawing, gardening, hiking, paddle boarding and going to the Griz games with her husband.  Angie loves spending time with her family and hanging out with her dogs and cats. She is so excited to be a teacher here at Missoula Community School!

Lead Toddler Teacher

Mckenna is originally from Colorado and has happily been living in Missoula for the last several years. She loves the Montana lifestyle and is an avid hiker, climber, and boater. She also enjoys spending time with her fur baby, Franklin the tabby cat. Mckenna has worked with kids of all ages since she was 14, and is delighted to be a part of the MCS community and to lead the Honeybee kiddos.

Assistant Toddler Teacher

Sarah was born and raised right here in Montana, and her family lives in Missoula and in the Bitterroot Valley. She loves to spend time with family, friends, and cat, Willow, watch TV, and explore around our beautiful town. She has 10 years of experience in the early childhood field, as a lead teacher and teaching assistant, and additional experience as a nanny. Sarah loves the early childhood field, and is so happy to be diving back into the ECE world at Missoula Community School.

Lead Toddler Teacher

Originally from a small town in Minnesota, Storm moved to Missoula a decade ago and has been in love with the beauty of the area ever since. Her passion for teaching began early in life as the middle child in a family of ten, where she got the opportunity to support and teach her younger siblings. She is currently pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of Montana Western, where she is excited to continue developing her teaching skills.

In her spare time she enjoys exploring the mountains, reading, embroidering, and watching movies. At home, she shares her life with her wonderful husband, three loveable cats—Oliver, Cleo, and Winnie—and too many plants to count. Storm believes every day in the classroom should be filled with joy, magic, and discovery, creating a love of learning in every child.

Assistant Toddler Teacher

Mackenzi was born and raised in west Texas, the land of big tumbleweeds and great tacos. She came to Missoula in the summer of 2019 for a six-week photography program. During that short time she fell in love with the mountains and dreamed of coming back—and she got her wish last year! When she’s not exploring outside you can find her touring the local coffee shops, baking, or trying her hand at watercolor. 

Mackenzi loves working with children and has worked a combined total of 9 years as a nanny. She also has experience as a substitute teacher in a Montessori preschool. She has a passion for fostering independent discovery and building life-skills. She is excited to be a part of an education program that shares these values. 

Floating Assistant Teacher

Sara grew up in a small town in northern Minnesota. After graduating high school she moved to Montana to attend the University of Montana, and when the opportunity to attend a short term school in Hawaii came up she snatched it up. After completing this program, she returned to Missoula and rediscovered her passion for working with kids. After spending three years as a full time nanny she embarked on her next adventure as a preschool teacher at Missoula Community School.

In Sara’s spare time she enjoys being outdoors, painting, reading mystery novels, and spending time with her family and friends. Sara is excited to teach and grow with every staff member and to watch each child flourish in their own way.

Lead Aftercare Teacher + Floating Assistant

Kathryn grew up in Wisconsin, and after living coast to coast, found a love for the people and the outdoors in the Missoula community. Over the years, she has been involved with various aspects of childcare including nannying, swim lessons, and teaching kiddos in Peru about water systems, while also pursuing a career in actuarial sciences.  Additionally, she has been active as a volunteer and Board member for a local non-profit where she teaches children about arthropods and environmental awareness. She truly enjoys providing care for little ones and fostering their growth, while learning from their curious and insightful minds.

In her free time, you can find Kathryn hiking with her giant goofy dog Jenkins, soaking up the river life, and exploring the mountains.  She likes to attempt going off recipe to create new baked items and dishes, head downtown for events or just relax in a friend’s backyard for a bonfire (not fire season!) and music.

Aftercare Teacher

Emily hails from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she enjoyed writing for her high school newspaper. After moving to Missoula, she started school at the University of Montana and is currently pursuing a degree in communicative sciences and disorders with plans to become a speech pathologist. She began working with children professionally in 2020 and enjoys helping kids work towards healthy relationships with themselves and others. In her free time, Emily likes writing in her journal, riding her bike, and watching Greta Gerwig movies. She is excited to be a part of the team at MCS!

Substitute Teacher

Bev has been teaching at Missoula Community School since January 2021. She moved from Kansas to Montana in 2017 and started a new career in early childhood education and has taken numerous classes through Childcare Resources. She is a member of NAEYC and is actively involved with the Montana State  Missoula chapters.. To further her education for teaching, she likes attending MtAEYC state conferences each year.

Her hobbies include practicing yoga, hiking, travel, gardening, and exploring Montana. You will see her walking all the trails in Missoula and beyond. Her favorite part of teaching is attempting to answer all the many and varied questions of a young child and just being silly with them.

She has three grandchildren and one great grandchild. She loves to do face time with them as they all live out of state.

Substitute Teacher

Lesa started at MCS in 2006 as a part-time kindergarten teacher. Through the years, she has taught all early-childhood ages.

Lesa has a background in the fine arts, which came in handy creating rockets and castles with refrigerators boxes for the kids.

After retiring as a full-time teacher, Lesa returned as a substitute teacher in 2021.

Outside of school, Lesa trains in Aikido, which keeps her limber and feeling young. She also sews for her two grandkids, gardens and hikes.

Part-time Office Dog and School Mascot

Spock is a certified "Good Boy". He moved in with Trekkies, Becky and her husband, Andrew, in July 2021 from a litter in Havre, MT.

In September 2021, he started his career as a school dog at the tender age of 6 months old and he has been going ever since. He enjoys ball, tug and going to Ace Hardware. When he isn't working hard playing, he is lying on the couch or in front of the fireplace. Spock believes every child should feel welcome at school and have kisses to show it.